Faxon Duty Series 16" Pencil, 5.56 NATO, Mid-Length, 4150 QPQ Nitride AR-15 Barrel

Was going to buy a heavier barrel (16" Gunner) , but they were not in stock and got tired of waiting. Bought the 16" Pencil barrel and I like it fine. Have shot only 150 rounds or so through it at 50 yds (to sight in) and 100 yards. Seems to shoot as well as I can hold at 100 yards with iron sights. I plan to use this in some Run N Gun events and will probably be glad I got the lighter barrel. I have a free float handguard and one thing I have noticed is that if you push on the barrel at the end it will move/flex. The barrel is not so much bending as it is flexing at the barrel nut. (Barrel nut is torqued properly). However, with a free float handguard the barrel is isolated from external forces (except gravity) so the flex is not an issue. If you ever rested the end of the barrel on something it would shift your point of aim. So don't do that.

Purchased this barrel for a LW build and was nit disappointed. Pencil profile was ultr a light. Fit and finish are excellent. I added the Faxon LW gas block and the combination looks great and keeps weight to a minimum. Only giving 4 stars since I haven't had the chance to test for accuracy yet. However I don't forsee any problems in this area. The biggest issue so far has been actually finding this barrel in stock! The fact that the demand for this product is so high speaks to the desireability of it. **Faxon staff note - we bumped it up to 5 starts as we thought he would be pleased with the accuracy!

I had some concerns ordering a pencil barrel for my first build. I wasn't sure about the fit and the quality. Someone recommended Faxon and I was not disappointed. I ordered the block, tube, and barrel at the same time from Faxon to be sure it all fit together. This barrel is incredibly light weight and perfectly machined. I can't wait to build another AR and use Faxon mechanics in it!

I just got this in so I obviously haven't had the opportunity to shoot anything through it. My initial impression is very favorable. It is beautifully machined, having an elegant taper at the muzzle. It is nicely finished in deep black qpq and super light. It is really a good looking piece of equipment. It is clear that Faxon is putting a lot of care into their products. My plan is to find a super light rail and go with the MFT minimalist stock for a super light carbine. Shipping was also fast and product well packaged.

Very nice high quality barrel, you can tell that a lot of time was taken to develop this product. Even after reading the weight on the page, I was still surprised by the lack of weight while handling it. There are some other light weight pencil barrels on the market for much more money with no or not much weight savings over this one.

I have built several lightweight AR's and used barrels from some of the top names at much higher prices. I can tell you first hand none of them have preformed as well as this barrel does. With the right ammo I have shot .65" 5 shot groups off a bench and when I take my time freehand it will stay under an inch. It does get warm fast and opens up a bit 2-3" in a 30 round string. The finish and workmanship are top of the line. I can't wait to get my hands on one of the 14.5s and shoot for a 4lb build. Buy with confidence well worth the money.

I purchased one of these barrels to build a lightweight (4.95 lb) AR for my grandson. It looks great and the accuracy was very good. It is a lightweight, so it does heat up quicker than a heavier profile, but that is to be expected. Finish was great and everything fit as it should. Just waiting for them to come back in stock so I can order one for my daughter's rifle.