Which Faxon Barrel Line Is Right for You?
Faxon builds rifle barrels in two steels. 416-R stainless machines cleanly and holds a consistent bore; 4150 CMV, the chrome-moly-vanadium alloy of the M4 and M16, is tough and wear resistant. Most Faxon barrels are salt-bath QPQ nitrided inside and out. The Combat Series is chrome-lined, MATCH-X and the profiled blanks are left uncoated, and rimfire barrels are finished in nitride or PVD.
| Line | Steel | Bore and finish | Platforms | Best for | MSRP |
|---|
| Match Series | 416-R stainless | 5R button rifled; QPQ nitride inside and out | AR-15, AR-10 | Precision with nitride durability | $188–$339 |
| MATCH-X Series | 416-R stainless | 5R; honed and lapped; uncoated, S110-blasted exterior | AR-15, AR-10 | Precision purists who want an as-machined bore | $213–$337 |
| Duty Series | 4150 CMV | Button rifled; QPQ nitride inside and out | AR-15, AR-10, 9mm/10mm PCC | Hard use at the best price | $125–$262 |
| Integral® Series | 4150 CMV (Duty Series) | Button rifled; QPQ nitride; integral muzzle device | AR-15, 9mm PCC | A short-handling 16″ without pin and weld | $222–$262 |
| Pinned Gas Block | 4150 CMV (Duty Series) | Button rifled; QPQ nitride; gas block and pin included | AR-15 | A gas block that stays put | $218–$228 |
| Combat Series | 4150 CMV | 6-groove button rifled; chrome-lined; manganese phosphate | AR-15 | Classic configurations and sustained full-auto | $238–$247 |
| Bolt Action Barrels | 416-R stainless | 5R; honed and lapped; QPQ nitride inside and out | FX7, Remington 700®, Savage® 110 | Bolt guns, with no lathe work | $298–$342 |
| Profiled Barrel Blanks | 416-R stainless | 5R; honed and lapped; uncoated, unchambered | Any action (gunsmith-fit) | Custom builds on any action | $261–$276 |
| Rimfire Barrels | 416-R stainless | 6-groove 1:16; recessed target crown; nitride or PVD | Ruger® 10/22® | 10/22 accuracy and looks | $183–$258 |
Integral® Series and Pinned Gas Block barrels are built on the Duty Series and also appear in the Duty Series category.
Nitride, Chrome, or Uncoated?
Salt-bath QPQ nitride (Match, Duty, Integral®, Pinned Gas Block, and bolt action) is a diffusion treatment, not a plating. It hardens the bore and exterior and adds corrosion resistance while adding virtually nothing to the dimensions, a few ten-thousandths of an inch, roughly a tenth the width of a human hair. It needs little to no break-in, and for the vast majority of shooters it does everything they need and more.
Chrome lining (Combat Series) still has its place, mainly sustained full-auto fire, where it resists heat-driven throat erosion.
Uncoated (MATCH-X and profiled blanks) is for shooters who want the bullet to meet bare, as-machined 416-R: MATCH-X bores are honed to 8 Ra before rifling and lapped back to 16 Ra after chambering.
Shop by Cartridge
How a Faxon Barrel Is Made
Faxon barrels are made in-house from raw bar stock. The bar is gun-drilled and reamed, then button rifled and air gauged; most Faxon lines use 5R rifling, five lands with sloped sides that deform the bullet less and foul less. AR and bolt action barrels are stress relieved so they hold their shape as they heat, then profiled, threaded, and crowned. AR barrels are 100% wet magnetic particle inspected before nitride, then gas ported, with the extension torqued, pinned, and headspaced. Bolt action barrels are honed and lapped, and FX7 Prefits are headspaced to the action at the factory.
Built for Heat
Faxon’s nitrided AR-15 and AR-10 barrels are technically full-auto capable, and the chrome-lined Combat Series is the traditional choice for sustained automatic fire. Heat is the limit for any barrel: groups open as a barrel heats, but Faxon’s stress relieving keeps point of impact from walking. Each product page has heat guidance for its barrel.
Build It Out
Every barrel page links the parts that fit it. Faxon also makes the patented adjustable gas block, gas tubes, bolt carrier groups, upper receivers, MuzzLok® muzzle devices, and HARMONIX® suppressors, or you can lay out a complete upper in the Upper Builder.
What Owners Say
Faxon rifle barrels average 4.9 out of 5 stars across more than 600 reviews on FaxonFirearms.com, and every product page quotes its own owners. Faxon AR-15 and AR-10 barrels have been voted Favorite Aftermarket Barrel by Shooting Sports Retailer every year since 2022, the Gold Award.
Rifle Barrel FAQs
Which Faxon barrel line should I choose?
Choose Match Series for 416-R stainless precision with nitride durability, MATCH-X for an uncoated honed and lapped bore, Duty Series for 4150 CMV hard use at the best price, and Combat Series for a classic chrome-lined barrel. Bolt action barrels fit the FX7, Remington 700®, and Savage® 110; profiled blanks are for gunsmith-fit custom builds.
What is the difference between 416-R stainless and 4150 CMV?
416-R stainless machines cleanly and holds a consistent bore, which is why Faxon uses it for its Match, MATCH-X, bolt action, blank, and rimfire barrels. 4150 CMV is a tough, wear-resistant chrome-moly-vanadium steel used in the Duty, Integral®, Pinned Gas Block, and Combat Series.
Do nitrided barrels need break-in?
Little to no break-in. Salt-bath QPQ nitride hardens the bore and resists corrosion and fouling while adding virtually nothing to its dimensions.
Are Faxon AR barrels full-auto capable?
Yes. Faxon’s nitrided AR-15 and AR-10 barrels are technically full-auto capable, and the chrome-lined Combat Series is the traditional choice for sustained automatic fire. Heat is the limit for any barrel; each product page has guidance on rates of fire.
Are Faxon barrels air gauged?
Yes. Every Faxon rifle barrel is air gauged to check bore and groove dimensions down its length.
Do Faxon barrels come headspaced?
AR-15 and AR-10 barrels ship with the extension installed, torqued, pinned, and headspaced. FX7 Prefits are chambered and headspaced to the FX7; RemAge® and Savage® barrels are headspaced at installation with a GO gauge.
Nitride or chrome lined?
Chrome lining still has its place, mostly sustained full-auto heat. For the vast majority of shooters, a nitrided barrel does everything they need and more: it resists wear and corrosion inside and out and needs little to no break-in.
Which cartridge should I build around?
Start with what you shoot most. Faxon has buyer’s guides for 300 Blackout and 8.6 Blackout, and dedicated pages for 6mm ARC, 6.5 Grendel, 338 ARC and 350 Legend barrels.
Do you make barrels for bolt action rifles and the 10/22?
Yes. Bolt Action Barrels cover FX7 Prefit, RemAge® and Savage® 110 patterns, and Rimfire Barrels fit the Ruger® 10/22® in Plinker and Match Series.
Where are Faxon barrels made?
In Greater Cincinnati, Ohio, from raw bar stock, and every barrel is covered by the Faxon Lifetime Guarantee.
Ruger® and 10/22® are trademarks of Sturm, Ruger & Co.; Remington 700® and Savage® are trademarks of their respective owners; Faxon is not affiliated with them. HARMONIX®, MuzzLok®, and Integral® are trademarks of Faxon Firearms.
