Every AR needs a barrel, and with the hundreds of options available today it can be difficult to decide on just which one is right for what you need. Fortunately, companies like JP enterprises are making the choice a little bit easier with their offering of the Supermatch Barrel.
The Supermatch barrels are made from 416R stainless steel and are lead lapped, air gauged, and cryogenically treated. They are very accurate and durable, making them a fantastic choices for a drop in barrel replacement. Each barrel includes a JP Enhanced bolt that is individually headspaced to the barrel for exceptional fit. The JP barrels can be ordered with a machine finish, light polish, high-grade polish, or with a black Teflon coating. We opted for the Teflon in our orders.
Accuracy is as good as can be had from a drop in replacement barrel. For our tests we ordered barrels chambered in .223 Wylde, .308 Winchester, and 6.5 Creedmore. Each barrel performed very well with a wide range of ammunition, holding sub-MOA patterns with most high quality ammunition. A full list of results will be made available once it can be compiled and posted.
Between the three barrels that we had the pleasure of testing, the clear winner as far as accuracy was concerned was the 6.5 Creedmore. After trying a number of different options, it became obvious that the barrel was particularly fond of Norma Match 130 gr. HPBT. Images of the targets and specific data will be posted just as soon as we can pry them away from Jared, our staff tester who shot a personal best that day. Both the .223 Wylde and .308 Winchester barrels shot a wider range of ammunition accurately, with the .308 Winchester preferring Black Hills 168 gr. Sierra TMK, and the .223 Wylde shooting Norma Match .223 77 gr. HPBT beautifully.
Barrel life is very good, but as is the case with all barrels, varies greatly depending on caliber, loads, and a number of other factors. Long term testing for barrel life is onging, and will be updated as the barrels continue to wear. Currently, each barrel has had less than 4,000 rounds through it, and none show significant wear. Test firing is done according to our standardized procedures, with small variations due to our moving facilities and other unforeseen events. Full reports will be available at a future time, in an updated review.
Fit and finish on all three barrels matched the high standards that we have come to expect from JP Enterprises. It should be noted that the different finish options will affect the appearance of the barrel ordered. The three barrels that we ordered each had the Teflon coating, which we found to be quite durable, easy to clean, and very aesthetically appealing. For those who might prefer to to the polishing themselves, or for people who simply want a high functioning barrel without care for the looks of it, the machine finish may be a good fit. The high-grade polish gives the stainless shine that some prefer, and the light polish falls between the two. Each barrel installed without issue, and once assembled and checked for headspace functioned perfectly. To complete the installation, it is necessary to have a few tools on hand, but no more than are needed for any other barrel For simplicity, we paired each barrel with a JP Low Profile Adjustable 1-Piece Gas Block, and a JP 3 Port Compensator.
The Supermatch barrels are available in a wide range of calibers, contours, and lengths. The options listed on the JP Enterprises website are: .22 Lr, .223 Wylde, 5.56 NATO, 6.5 Grendel, .300 AAC BLackout, .224 Valkyrie, .308 Winchester, .260 Remington, 6mm Creedmore, 6.5 Creedmore, and 9mm. Most of the caliber options are available in a number of contours and lengths (and in some cases twist rates) to fit your desired application.
Prices range from $479 to $669, depending on configuration. This price point puts the Supermatch barrel easily into the category of the more expensive barrels available, but like several of the other high end options, the included JP Enhanced Bolt ($124.95 – $159.95 ) makes this an appealing option. While on the more expensive side, the Supermatch Barrel out-preformed all but a small number of similarly priced barrels in both accuracy and durability tests, with no barrel being superior to the Supermatch in both categories.
While barrel preference and choice vary greatly from shooter to shooter, these barrels should be seriously considered by anyone looking for a high-quality option for their rifle. Give one a try, and we doubt that you will be disappointed. We certainly have not been.