Police Trade-In ARs and Barrel Profile

[M_P_E]

I notice that many of the trade in police ARs are HBAR barrel profile. What was the theory behind procuring patrol rifles with heavy (heavier than necessary?) barrels?

[Gabriel Suarez]

I notice that many of the trade in police ARs are HBAR barrel profile. What was the theory behind procuring patrol rifles with heavy (heavier than necessary?) barrels?

Necessary is an arbitrary term. What one man thinks is superfluous another thinks essential. Look at how many so called modern experts still think a red dot is silly. There are plus and minus points to everything. Rifles are made to agency specs, or an agency buys a rifle that was made to market desires. And truly...at the prices these rifles are being sold, they would still be a bargain even if they came WITHOUT barrels.

[M_P_E]

Agreed - that’s why I bought one! Probably should have bought more than one.

I guess I was mostly wondering who in the procurement hierarchy usually decided on specs, whether it was supplier driven, etc., and what the logic was, since HBAR profile has seemingly disappeared from the mainstream market c.2022 even if it was common (in 20” flavor) c.1991.

[Gabriel Suarez]

ARs have gone through fashions. At one point itvwas all pencil barrels and 1:12...then HBARs and 1:7. Then the compromise 1:9.

In truth...all will do just fine with a good rifleman and quality ammo

[chad newton]

Yeah for that price I wouldn’t even think about what barrel was in it.... Just saying, giving them away...

[Yondering]

Agreed - that’s why I bought one! Probably should have bought more than one.

I guess I was mostly wondering who in the procurement hierarchy usually decided on specs, whether it was supplier driven, etc., and what the logic was, since HBAR profile has seemingly disappeared from the mainstream market c.2022 even if it was common (in 20” flavor) c.1991.

At one time the mainstream thought was if you really knew what you were doing, you'd choose the heaviest profile possible. Several members even here on SI were pounding that about 10 years ago or so; "NEVER compromise on barrel profile!" was the common mantra. Of course that was a fad, like a lot of things in the gun world; a similar one is the more recent idea that suppressors need to be full auto rated or they're crap, never mind whether it'll actually see full auto or not. It was just a phase, and I think a lot of the AR world has moved on to more versatile barrel profiles.

[ShopMonkey]

you seem to also be missing the key word in the description - "department". if bushmaster, colt, rra or whoever was producing the rifle was looking to offload inventory at a lower price point then whats more desirable, then that's what went into the built. hbar barrels on a 16" have never been a high demand component, so when you need to offload inventory and a department is looking to save a buck, as they always are, you get a 16" hbar rifle