AR-15 Pseudo-Shorties - why?

[saltydog]

I still like the CAR15. They may be less lethal tha there brothers with the 20 inch barrels but I wouldn't hesitate to use it if all 5 of my AK's quit working.

 

[mr fixit]

You can always get a reverse 5.5" flash hider for your 16" barrel.
Basically, it is a sleeved flash hider that looks like the XM177, but only extends past the barrel about the length of an A2 birdcage. It has internal threads sorta like the STOLL on a STG58 FAL.

You could still get 16" barrel preformance with the look of a 11.5"barrel with the longer flash hider.

Just one I found.

http://jtdistributing.net/store/product274.html

http://jtdistributing.com/store/flash_hiders.html

 

[outofbattery]

Most AR's end up spending their lives shooting at paper and cans etc. at maybe 50 yards,it honestly doesn't make one fig of difference what they look like:they're never going to shoot at anything past 100 yards and the chances of them being used on a living thing is mercifully nill.The reason people like the 11.5" with pinned on hiders is the same reason everyone has to have rails and optics on their AR's- oh wait, _you_ are going to use yours to engage zombies/UN paratroopers/Al Quaeda/crackheads at 900 yards,at night...AR's are simply toys for most people that have them,often for people with a little over active imagination,but they're by and large just for fun.I didn't buy a 16" flat top so I could more easily swing it around inside my house,I got it because it looked neat and wanted it,just like I'd want a pseudo XM177,for funsies.

 

[.45FMJoe]

How is wanting a clone of a very outdated, Vietnam era weapon considered "tacticool?" Tacticool is an M4 with lights, laser, optics, fore grip, etc. Now, I'm not bashing those who dig the tacticool thing but an XM177/XM177E2 clone is far from tacticool. Hell, I doubt those humping them around in rice paddies read their SOF mags, calling everything "tactical."