AR pistol, your barrel choice?

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gun'sRgood

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I got one of the first AR pistols. Back when the "arm brace" was the size of a basketball. At that time it seems the shorter the better. Now? Not so much. It seems the .300BO is happy in 10.5". For a multi 5.56/.223, is it also 10.5? I've also been told that a .223 Wylde is a good all around choice? I've never chronoed my stubby old friend but I have been amazed that it hits stuff at 200yds without problem. I just don't know if it's hitting anything with any degree of force.
 
I think 10.5 is right around the sweet spot for both those calibers. The 300 could go down to 8.5 and still be good and not lose much FPS, but the 556 any smaller I hear can be less reliable so for me don’t go shorter
 
The 10.5, 11.5, and 12.5 are all good to go in 5.56. Not really recommended to go under 10.5. My personal choice was a 12.5" Rosco. It's gassed well, accurate, runs very well with an H2 buffer. I was trying to decide between 11.5" and 12.5", and well, the 12.5" was in stock, so that's what I went with!
 
No chrono and nothing scientific, but from my readings on the internet, I went with an 11.5" barrel for my 5.56mm AR pistol.

I chose Bravo Company Manufacturing (BCM) brand as I was having some problems with my Springfield-Armory 16" 5.56 AR at that time and didn't want to get another from Springfield-Armory. (S-A fixed the rifle which apparently needed the chamber re-reamed. The rifle was blowing out primers fairly-regularly ~10% of the time.)

I've since converted the AR pistol to an SBR as I didn't like the feel of the SBA4 brace it came with at the time. I'm hearing braces are up-in-the-air with the ATF right now, anyway.
 
I own three AR pistols my first one a 5.56/.223 with a 7" barrel it's worthless I can hit a target at 20yds. My 2nd one is a .300 BLK I use for deer hunting it has an 8.5" barrel & can hit a prefect shot on a deer out to 125 yds.
The other one is a 9mm, it has a 9" barrel & easy to shoot out to 100yds.
 
8.5" seems to be the sweet spot for 300BLK while 10.5" is the minimum for 5.56/223 without having excess blast or possible functioning issues.
 
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I use a 10.5" for my 5.56 pistol build. The standard A2 birdcage compensator that it came with made it very barky, especially shooting indoors. I put a flash can on it which made a big difference on the perceivable muzzle blast. Eventually I would like to suppress it, but the flash can works great right now for me.
 
Twist rate depends on the type and weight of bullets you want to shoot. If you are shooting the very heavy and/or long bullets then go with 1:7 twist. But in reality 1:9, 1:8 and 1:7 are good to go.
 
12Bravo20 said:
8.5" seems to be the sweet spot for 300BLK while 10.5" is the minimum for 5.56/223 without having excess blast or possible functioning issues.
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This is what the pro's are saying, and that's backed up by the Commando being put out by Colt in 10.5" as far back as the mid 1960's. If it needed to be longer or shorter they would have done it, and the modern version is still within a fraction of an inch of that.

You can get more power down range with .300BO and use an 8" because the larger diameter bullet absorbs more pressure sooner before it's out the barrel. I've read 6.8 will do the same, albeit was designed for the 14.5" from an M4. However, there is not cheap ammo for either. I still have boxes of steel cased 5.56 I bought for $7.50 a 20. Ah, the good old days.

Form 4999 has once again reinforced the under or over 26" issues with a pistol, and whether your state considers it legal to conceal in a vehicle loaded, how a VFG makes it change classification, etc.has been there all along. Its worth it to research and pay attention. No Court allows ignorance of the law as a defense.
 
I went with 10.5" as it was the minimum that my suppressor was warranted for at the time. Ive found them to be accurate and never had any function problems with them. The can does make them a bit gassy. A little annoying, but really not all that bad.

My son has a 7.5" gun, and its obnoxious if youre nearby. Not bad behind it though.


Tirod said:
No Court allows ignorance of the law as a defense.
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Now, if only we could get "them" to follow that. :)
 
Tirod said:
This is what the pro's are saying, and that's backed up by the Commando being put out by Colt in 10.5" as far back as the mid 1960's. If it needed to be longer or shorter they would have done it, and the modern version is still within a fraction of an inch of that.

You can get more power down range with .300BO and use an 8" because the larger diameter bullet absorbs more pressure sooner before it's out the barrel. I've read 6.8 will do the same, albeit was designed for the 14.5" from an M4. However, there is not cheap ammo for either. I still have boxes of steel cased 5.56 I bought for $7.50 a 20. Ah, the good old days.

Form 4999 has once again reinforced the under or over 26" issues with a pistol, and whether your state considers it legal to conceal in a vehicle loaded, how a VFG makes it change classification, etc.has been there all along. Its worth it to research and pay attention. No Court allows ignorance of the law as a defense.
Click to expand...

Actually the US Army found that the 11.5" barrel worked better with the M193 55Gr FMJ during the Vietnam War. That is why the XM177E2 was developed. The Army found that the 10" barrel didn't work as well with the ammo of the day. Eventually all of the XM177 carbines with the 10" barrel were either replaced or retrofitted with the 11.5" barrel.
 
I have a Bear Creek Arsenal .223 Wylde with a 10.5" barrel atop a PSA braced lower. Works fine. It did need a break in to be considered reliable. I would hate to fire this indoors without ears.
I also have a 7.5" .300 BLK upper (forget the make) atop another PSA braced lower. It didn't want to cycle S&B subsonic FMJs reliably, but fired the lighter/supersonic ammunition just fine.

51072723362_d9b82dda8d_c.jpg

My .300 BLK 7.5" upper (before mated with a PSA braced pistol lower)

51236567607_c8d0503657_c.jpg
 
10.3" barrel, ballistic advantage paired with a SOLGW BCG. Using a 3 prong retro A1 flash hider. I have no complaints
 
Have a RRA 9" (1:9 twist) 5.56 Piston operated, loud and seems to be accurate...at least to 100 yards. Haven't pushed it beyond that.

PistPDS_223Tri.png

Other unit is a 9mm with 4" barrel. Use it primarily for under 100 yds.

2A2B0E8B-FA65-46B9-AAB3-1FF81ED3E8F9.JPG
 
Snowdog said:
I have a Bear Creek Arsenal .223 Wylde with a 10.5" barrel atop a PSA braced lower. Works fine. It did need a break in to be considered reliable. I would hate to fire this indoors without ears.
I also have a 7.5" .300 BLK upper (forget the make) atop another PSA braced lower. It didn't want to cycle S&B subsonic FMJs reliably, but fired the lighter/supersonic ammunition just fine.

View attachment 1003835

My .300 BLK 7.5" upper (before mated with a PSA braced pistol lower)

View attachment 1003836
Click to expand...
I really like Holosun. Not exactly military duty grade but for the difference in $$$, well worth the trade. My 0.02
 
gun'sRgood said:
I really like Holosun. Not exactly military duty grade but for the difference in $$$, well worth the trade. My 0.02
Click to expand...



My AK-V sports a Holosun HE510C-GR and I have another Holosun on that Bear Creek Arsenal. I forget that model, but I couldn't really justify the $$$ of another HE510C, all I really wanted was something with the shake-awake/auto-off feature.

I am especially impressed with the Holosun HE510C's construction though. Being shot with birdshot out of a 12ga is impressive! Hop to 13:15 minute mark



51072627256_52aeba214f_c.jpg
51072723362_d9b82dda8d_c.jpg

Both units have been wonderful. A Sig Romeo I have on my CX4 Beretta Storm also works quite well (no picture of that).
 
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I've got a few.
• 300 blackout with a 8.5"
• 5.56 with a 10.5"
• 5.56 with a 7.5" also has a law tactical folding adapter, fits inside a 17" sling bag w/3 extra magazines
• 5.56 with a 5.5" ( CMMG conversion to 22lr) .... It's pretty useless with a 5.56 other than to make big fireballs.
• 9mm with a 5"
 
Snowdog said:
My AK-V sports a Holosun HE510C-GR and I have another Holosun on that Bear Creek Arsenal. I forget that model, but I couldn't really justify the $$$ of another HE510C, all I really wanted was something with the shake-awake/auto-off feature.

I am especially impressed with the Holosun HE510C's construction though. Being shot with birdshot out of a 12ga is impressive! Hop to 13:15 minute mark



View attachment 1004250
View attachment 1004251

Both units have been wonderful. A Sig Romeo I have on my CX4 Beretta Storm also works quite well (no picture of that).
Click to expand...

The last pic with the side charger, who's is that? Or which hand guard and barrel are those? Super kool! Got to be fun as all get out!
 
AK Hunter said:
I own three AR pistols my first one a 5.56/.223 with a 7" barrel it's worthless I can hit a target at 20yds. My 2nd one is a .300 BLK I use for deer hunting it has an 8.5" barrel & can hit a prefect shot on a deer out to 125 yds.
The other one is a 9mm, it has a 9" barrel & easy to shoot out to 100yds.
Click to expand...
If you get a moment how about a few pics?
 
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