The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word HECKLES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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More clues leading to the result HECKLES
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "barracks" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case barracks = heckles.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does HECKLES mean?
HECKLES verb- To question harshly in an attempt to find or reveal weaknesses.
- To insult, tease, make fun of or badger.
- To prepare flax for spinning using special combs called hackles