Why are BOA Barrels So Coveted?

[iamthelazerviking]

In my journey to build something oozing of old school goodness, I am in the works on a deal that includes a cool BOA barrel. There is little about them, and I came across this mention on Custom Cockers, but it's from the old MCB site so I can't view it...So let's start the discussion again.

http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/a...o-coveted.html

[OpusX]

Stainless or bass and well honed. I think they gained the rep from the "concealer".

[Jordan]

Always hardchrome or nickel plated brass, never stainless.

[Chappy]

What Jordon said^ they never made stainless

[OpusX]

I stand corrected

[flyweightnate]

Simply, they shoot really well. The honing and material choice might have something to do with it, but compared to the stock barrel on my SI Bushmaster, just a world of difference.

[scottieb]

Awesome barrels, that's why. The Express is my favorite. The bore on them was never small so not the best with small paint. A freak bore or nail polish is all it takes though.



Pretty soon Doc will be in here and say they're only mediocre barrels.

[iamthelazerviking]

I figured, and I just overbore now anyways with freedummy wedgits

[Jordan]

They are great barrels, but like scottieb mentioned, not the smallest of bores.

[DocsMachine]

Your link only circles back around to MCB itself, but here's my take on it.

TL;DR version? They're moderately decent, big-bore barrels today, but when they were new, literally thirty years ago, they were among the best of the very limited number of aftermarket barrels.

Keeping in mind that, today, we think of barrel kits, interchangeable bores, and aftermarket barrels, period, as a given. It's as established as the sun coming up in the morning and lying politicians. That hasn't always been true.

Back in the day, a good many markers didn't even have a removable barrel. Unibody Phantoms and Bushmasters, most Carters, most LAPCOs, any PMI or PGP, the Nightmare, etc. And guns that did have removable barrels... well, nobody made replacements. The Sniper, the SL-68, the NW series pumps, the later Bushmasters, and so on.

So very early on, the "aftermarket barrel", er, market, was very, very limited. Smart Parts just sold you a factory barrel that they'd drilled spiral rows of holes in. (Literally- they'd buy stock barrels from Tippmann and WGP, etc. and just drill the holes.) J&J and BOA would make you custom barrels in brass- and a big reason those two were so popular was they'd make a barrel to fit any gun. (And barrel threading was nowhere near as standardized as it is today.) You had an old Storm or Spartan or Cobra? Nobody ever made aftermarket barrels for those... except J&J and BOA.

BOAs were very well made and were great back in the day, but they're just barrels today- and since you'll never find one below about .689" or so, of rather limited utility, too.

Doc.

[Ecapnation]

They are?

Honestly I've had a few up with little to no interest.

[zenmic]

If you are looking for a "WOW" factor and to get that extra Geritol vibe on an old school gun, BOAs will do it. I am fortunate, to have two. A brass one for my Phantom and a steel custom built and threaded for my ATS.

[Cunha]

as mentioned - it will be hard chrome.

[Pyrate Jim]

I have a BOA Snakebite on one of my 'Mags, and I love the sound. It actually rings like a bell when the bolt hits it.

[fsj1991]

Always on the hunt for one of the "Concealer" version.

[Dusty Bottoms]

I never thought they were that coveted here, just admired for their od school flavor like many old barrels are. The first aftermarket barrel I ever bought was a BOA for my ProLite. Nice barrel, but like others said, the bores are humongous, and the bore finish isn't any nicer than my DYE Stainless barrels, or even my trusty $25 CP. I didn't like that the powdercoat finish mine had did chip fairly easy.

[kyote]

Always on the hunt for one of the "Concealer" version.

That was the one for me!
Acquired one a couple years ago with some spyders by happenstance on CL.
It lives in a Lapco Remora adapter in a Stingray II.
I like the thrill of owning such a controversial piece of PB history, but it's not the most effective rain cover TBH.

[Meleager7]

they are pretty sweet ! I sold my automag boa snakebite barrel to Jordan , since it had this rough shape speckle hardcoat on it, all chipped and such. He restored it back to its hardchrome brass glory, and now i kind of want it back! :P

I borrowed it for a couple games at one outing, and has such a nice sound, "ting , ting, ting" !

It was raining that day too, and the small porting section on the end of the snakebite was an advantage for those games!

[MrKittyCatMeowFace]

I missed out on a 8in chrome cocker snakebite on here awhile back. I would be sort of happy with a 10 or 12in one but i need that 8in bad. I think many like them cause certain models are considered "nice looking". Its aesthetic+history that drives up the price. They definitely aren't paying all that money for better performance.

[iamthelazerviking]

On the topic of BOA, not much out there about the company but I did come across an older ebay listing for a headband with a BOA logo patch which is really rad. Seller still happens to have it...