14.5 mid length gas system barrels are very popular now in the “tactical” market for 2 reasons:

• It is as short as you can go (with a permanently attached muzzle device to meet the 16″ ATF requirement) without going to the hassle of doing an SBR and having to pay the $200 tax stamp and worse, waiting for your stamp.
• They shoot smoother than a carbine length gas system that has been the norm for years.

I decided I wanted to build up a rifle with one and so I did my research and ended up at Ballistic Advantage.  I ordered their Hanson profile (24oz) made out of 4150 CrMo, melonite treated in a 1/7 twist.  

I got the barrel in within a few days and inspected it closely.  It certainly appeared to be a well made barrel with clean machining, threading at the muzzle, crown, barrel extension, etc..  The melonite finish was applied consistently as is the FailZero NIB coated M4 feed ramp extension. It was also very light but appeared to have enough meat in the right place to hold up to heat from shooting.  I threaded on my suppressor and it mated with the shoulder cleanly and squarely, I sighted down the bore and it appeared to me that the threads were cut concentric to the bore.  So far so good.

Here are the specs:

• 5.56 NATO Chamber
• 4150 CrMoV (Chrome Moly Vanadium per MIL-B-11595E)
• 1/7 Twist Six Groove
• 1/2-28 Threaded Muzzle
• Midlength Gas System
• Proprietary Hanson Profile
• 1.03″ Gas Block Seat for .750″ Low Profile Gas Blocks Only
• 24 Ounces
• QPQ Corrosion Resistant Finish
• FailZero Nib Coated Extended M4 Feed Ramp Extension
• HP and MPI Tested

What is the Hanson profile?

This barrel is essentially shoulder-less, symmetrically limiting barrel “whip”.  The Hanson is designed to return to its home position sooner than other barrels which are beneficial for follow up shots at a high rate of fire or full auto fire.  It has lightweight feel without the lightweight limitations.  It is truly ideal for what an AR-15 is meant to do.

The build

My use for this rifle is as a SHTF, zombie apocalipse , training, defense, etc  gun.  As such the QPQ / Melonite finish seemed ideal for it’s reported outstanding corrosion resistance.  I want to be able to fire whatever kind of ammo I can get my hands on as well as being able to use in a marine environment.  Growing up on the Texas Gulf coast in the boat business I know first hand how brutal salt water is to steel.

I built the rifle up using all Wilson Combat parts except for the VLTOR A5 receiver extension and buffer.  For optics it is running an Aimpoint T1 in an ADM mount. I may add some back up sights but I trust the T1 and carry a spare battery in the rifle grip.  I have practiced using the T1 like a ghost sight for CQB scenarios as well as point shooting indexing off the top of the sight.  For my muzzle device I am running the Templar Tactical Flash hider/suppressor mount.  I silver soldered it on per ATF regulations and verified it will not come off with hand tools.  This is a nice flash hider and a great mount for my Templar Tactical Nemesis 30 suppressor.

So, how does it run?

My first outing with it I ran a variety of ammo from XM193 to Xm193i to Tula 223 and various match 75/77 grain loads.

The only issue was some short stroking with the Tula 223 and not locking back on an empty mag with XM193.  Both of those issues went away when I put the can on it creating a bit of additional back pressure into the gas system.  That told me that the gas port was not oversized like so many rifles and that I needed to lighter that the standard VLTOR 5.3oz buffer.  I tried a different lower with a standard carbine buffer and it ran fine without the can.   I have since switched to a lighter buffer and it runs like a scalded cat on crack.

So, my take is they got the gas port size right.

As far as accuracy I am getting right at 2MOA with XM193i with the Aimpoint or with an optic.  Testing with several 75/77g match loads was sub MOA.

I built this gun up, sighted it in with both the T1 and a Steiner 1-5 and then ran a 3 gun match the next day.  I was connecting on steel out to 400 yards consistently with just the 100 yard zero using the BDC lines of the scope without ever shooting it with that ammo to verify prior to just shooting the match.

I really like this rifle and the barrel, so much so that I told my brother about it and he has one now for a primary defensive AR, I certainly wouldn’t recommend something to anyone, much less family that I didn’t have faith in.

Shooting the rifle at a 3 gun match:

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ccoker

Founding staff member, avid shooter, hunter, reloader and all around gun geek with an obsession for perfection

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