Faxon 350 Legend 20" Gunner Barrel

Faxon .350 Legend 20″ Gunner Barrel | AR-15 Hunting Barrel

The Faxon .350 Legend 20″ Gunner Barrel was designed for builders who want to maximize the capabilities of the .350 Legend cartridge while maintaining the balance and handling characteristics that have made Faxon’s Gunner Profile one of the most respected barrel designs in the AR-15 market. Combining a full-length 20-inch barrel, proprietary weight-saving contour, and durable 4150 CMV steel construction, this barrel serves as an excellent foundation for dedicated hunting rifles, straight-wall cartridge builds, and versatile field rifles built around the AR-15 platform.

The .350 Legend was developed to provide hunters with a straight-wall cartridge option that delivers practical hunting performance while remaining compatible with the familiar AR-15 platform. As straight-wall cartridge regulations became increasingly common in certain hunting jurisdictions, the .350 Legend quickly gained popularity among hunters looking for a cartridge specifically suited to deer-sized game while retaining the modularity, ergonomics, and customization potential of an AR-pattern rifle. Today, it remains one of the most widely adopted straight-wall hunting cartridges available for the AR-15.

One of the most overlooked advantages of a 20-inch .350 Legend barrel is its ability to fully capitalize on the cartridge’s intended hunting role. Many competing product pages simply list barrel length without explaining its significance. A longer barrel provides additional bore length while maintaining excellent handling characteristics when paired with Faxon’s intelligently engineered profile. For hunters spending long days in tree stands, walking fence lines, traversing wooded terrain, or hunting from blinds, the 20-inch configuration provides a practical balance between portability and field performance.

The defining feature of this barrel is Faxon’s proprietary Gunner Profile. Traditional heavy hunting barrels often place substantial weight toward the front of the rifle, creating a muzzle-heavy feel that can become fatiguing during extended carry. Ultra-lightweight pencil barrels reduce weight but may not provide the balance many shooters prefer. The Gunner Profile was developed to bridge that gap by strategically removing material where it contributes the least while preserving strength in critical areas. The result is a barrel that remains remarkably light for its length while delivering the balanced feel that hunters and AR builders consistently seek.

For many shooters, the Gunner Profile represents the ideal compromise between lightweight portability and practical durability. This is particularly valuable on a 20-inch hunting rifle, where unnecessary front-end weight can negatively impact comfort during long days afield. By reducing excess mass forward of the gas block, the rifle feels more responsive and easier to carry without resorting to an ultra-thin contour. This design philosophy has helped establish the Gunner Profile as one of Faxon’s most popular barrel configurations across multiple calibers and applications.

Manufactured entirely in-house from 4150 CMV steel, the barrel is button rifled and stress relieved before receiving a Salt Bath Nitride treatment inside and out. This advanced finishing process increases surface hardness while improving corrosion resistance and simplifying maintenance. Hunters frequently encounter rain, snow, mud, changing temperatures, and seasonal humidity. The nitride finish helps protect the barrel from environmental exposure while maintaining an attractive low-maintenance finish that stands up to hard field use.

The barrel features a 1:16 twist rate optimized for .350 Legend projectiles and incorporates Faxon’s Big Bore barrel extension. While many retailers simply list this feature, the Big Bore extension is specifically engineered to support large-diameter cartridges within the AR-15 platform, providing the appropriate interface for reliable operation with .350 Legend components. Combined with the barrel’s precision-machined chamber and feed geometry, this design helps support dependable cartridge feeding and overall system compatibility.

Faxon utilizes a carbine-length gas system on this barrel configuration. Rather than selecting a gas system solely based on barrel length, the gas system is engineered around the operational characteristics of the cartridge itself. The result is a configuration specifically designed for the .350 Legend platform and intended to work within the cartridge’s pressure curve and operating requirements. Builders assembling a dedicated hunting rifle can confidently follow Faxon’s recommended configuration without needing to experiment with unconventional gas system combinations.

Compatibility remains straightforward for experienced builders and first-time .350 Legend enthusiasts alike. The barrel is designed for AR-15 upper receivers configured for .350 Legend builds and utilizes a standard .750-inch gas block journal paired with a carbine-length gas tube. Builders will need a .350 Legend-compatible magazine system, while the cartridge’s use of the standard AR-15 / 5.56 bolt-face dimension simplifies parts selection compared to some alternative hunting calibers. The barrel is also threaded 1/2″x28, allowing compatibility with a broad selection of muzzle devices designed for .350 Legend applications.

Precision manufacturing details include an 11-degree target crown, button-rifled bore, nitride-treated chamber and bore, and rigorous quality-control procedures. Every Faxon Duty Series barrel is air-gauge tested, magnetic particle inspected, and individually headspace verified before leaving the factory. These inspection processes help ensure manufacturing consistency and reinforce Faxon’s reputation for producing dependable AR-15 barrels trusted by hunters, recreational shooters, and firearm enthusiasts nationwide.

Whether you’re building a dedicated deer rifle for straight-wall cartridge hunting areas, a lightweight field rifle for property management, or a versatile AR-15 configured around the .350 Legend cartridge, the Faxon 20″ Gunner Barrel offers an intelligent combination of balance, durability, compatibility, and hunting-focused design. By pairing a full-length hunting barrel with the weight-conscious Gunner Profile, Faxon delivers a solution that addresses many of the shortcomings found in traditional heavy-barrel hunting builds while preserving the performance and confidence serious hunters expect.

• Caliber: .350 Legend
• Barrel Length: 20″
• Profile: Gunner
• Gas System: Carbine-Length
• Material: 4150 CMV Steel
• Twist Rate: 1:16 RH
• Rifling: Button Rifled
• Finish: Salt Bath Nitride (Inside and Outside)
• Gas Block Journal: .750″
• Gas Block Journal Length: 1.9″
• Muzzle Threads: 1/2″x28
• Barrel Extension: Big Bore
• Crown: 11° Target Crown
• Weight: 1.61 lbs
• Air-Gauge Tested
• Magnetic Particle Inspected
• Individually Headspace Verified
• Made in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
• Faxon Lifetime Guarantee