Any fans of the 20" AR15 ?

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mp5a3

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Almost all of the AR's I see are 16" M4 style, I wanted to see if anyone preferred the 20" w/ the fixed stock. My Buhmaster XM15 was my first ever AR15 and I would find it hard to sell. I've heard that no one wants to buy this style and they sell for much less.

Also a question, what's an "HBAR" barrel ? I did some research but didn't find anything on it.
 
Heavy Barrel Accurized Rifle

Some other people may know the history of "HBAR" a lot better than I.

I have a 20" AR with a fixed stock. I like shooting it.

The 16" has been popular lately, for various reasons, not the least of which was the expiration of the Clinton gun ban that didn't allow collapsible stocks.

There are several markets for the AR, though. There are the "gotta have one" buyers, serious target shooters, varmint hunters, 3-gun competitors, National Match competitors... Each one favors certain characteristics.
 
I'm a fan of the 20". Easy to shoot accurately, and unless you're riding around in an APC or kicking in doors, it is still light and handy.

HBAR is short for heavy barrel. It's what most commercial ARs have now, but really doesn't make a lot of sense. It weighs about a pound more and it does only very, very little for accuracy and heat capacity. For some reason most commercial AR makers adopted it during the ban years, however. You can get the lighter government profile setup from CMMG, Bushmaster (occasional run), Model 1 Sales, I think J&T Distributing and Double Star, and probably others.
 
I once bested an assailant in close combat using a M-16A2 (20" Barrel, fixed stock).

The encounter was so close that I was only able to club my attacker with the weapon, rather than shoot him. I broke the stock (and my attacker's collar bone) in the process.

So, the "fixed" stock worked, for precisely one strike, then needed to be "fixed"...
 
I like them ok. They are a little long but with a light barrel the balance is very nice.

HBAR refers to a heavy barrel. It pretty much keeps the chamber thickness out the whole way to the muzzle. That makes for a stiffer barrel but also a more awkward one.

Me at a rifle match last weekend. BSW

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love it it my govt profile barrel.. hate iit with a HBAR.
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+1, I dislike the HBARs. I do happen to like the 20" AR15, but honestly, everytime I pick up a 16" or 14.5", I can't help but appreciate the smaller lighter carbine that can do 90% os what the 20" can do.

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dscott: isn't that an HBAR?
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Negative ghostrider, gov profile. The extra pound in weight makes a difference, specially when hanging off the front. So I decided to just grab the lighter of the two.
 
Looks just like my heavy barrel 20". Not a NM barrel with a REALLY heavy section under the HG, but a heavy profile 20" barrel (which I like -- mine doesn't seem as heavy as some describe).

briansmithwins, above, is shooting a government profile AFAIK.

Obviously, I can't see under the handguards.
 
the govt profile is extruded in between the front sight and the barrel nut.. You cannot see it with the handguard still on..

but there is a HUGE weight difference with an HBAR . AT least when handling it
 
There are several markets for the AR, though. There are the "gotta have one" buyers, serious target shooters, varmint hunters, 3-gun competitors, National Match competitors... Each one favors certain characteristics.
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You left out the Guardsmen who wants more prctice and familiarization than they can get at the yearly qualification/pre-deployment mob station inundation of training. I bought a 16" M4gery from the CMMG Bargain Bin right before they ended the program, it is an excellent rifle and does exactly what I want it to, plus it is a superb home defense weapon for me. Can't imagine I'll ever need it for that, but it's good for it. Looking back on it I think I would have postponed buying a pistol I got around the same time to get on of their 20" fixed stock bargain bin rifles to go with it.

How does a fixed stock 16" handle? Seems like it would be extremely fast to get on target.
 
I've got 3 ARs. One is a 20" fixed stock I got so my kid could get into DCM NM (hasn't happened yet). Of the three it's the best shooter hands down mostly, I'm sure, due to the stainless Shilen barrel.
I got over the fixed carry handle right away and threw on a compact ACOG. Sweet.
 
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+2 on the hate a 20" HBAR ... makes it a bench rifle primarily. The beauty of the AR is firepower in a light mobile platform. It was always meant to have a 'light' profile 20" barrel, and in that config just feels right. I've built 2, one with a Govt profile and one with the CMMG Med-Con barrel, neither with any tacti-cool foolishness on them. They both feel and shoot beautifully, I can stand and bang with them all day.
 
My heavy barrel (maybe not true HBAR profile?) 20" is good for "stand and bang" -- good offhand practical accuracy, enough to win me some stuff at the range. Not fatiguing.

How many profiles are there out there that look "military" -- not counting bull, varmint, etc. styles?

I never gave much thought to exactly which profile I had. When I bought the thing, it was what was available... The world is a better place, now.:D
 
Got a Colt '78 AR with HBAR 20'' upper. I like it just fine, very accurate. Weight of a rifle doesn't bother me for hauling around at the range or hunting. It just has a scope on it, an feels like the same weight of my Garand when they are loaded. Last time at the range the AR HBAR was hitting a 9" Iron triangle at 540 yds. 12 out of 20 shots hit it. Not bad for a cheap 9X scope.
 
My 20" HBAR- Varmint- Target- Bench Rifle, is my favorite shooter:) Would be no fun lugging through the woods, but a great paper puncher.
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The 20" AR is a rifle.

The 16" AR is a whole different animal, especially with a collapsible stock.

One could quite possibly like both equally, for different reasons and for different kinds of shooting.

I like my relatively heavy 24" .30-06 scoped hunting rifle. That doesn't keep me from liking my light 18.5" .357 lever carbine.
 
I like the A1 style barrel. Feels just right haven't shot an HBAR so I can't comment. What about a fluted HBAR? Not sure if I have seen a fluted 20'' but I think POF has fluted barrels.
 
I like it, can't say I prefer it though. 1 of my several AR15's is a 20" though.

HBAR = Heavy Barrel, and they suck. Avoid them unless accuracy is your number one priority.

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