Dave DeLaurant
Member
FYI for inquiring minds, a free online publication dating from last summer from Small Arms Defense Journal:
Barrel Length Studies in 5.56mm NATO Weapons – Small Arms Defense Journal
sadefensejournal.com
Cliff notes: short barrels suck for muzzle velocity, gas operation reliability, and effective sound suppression with silencers
Shorter barrels can reduce velocity significantly, while raising exit pressure significantly. If using a short barrel , consider a round other than M855. Beware of using a lightweight suppressor on a short barrel.Have a cliffs notes summary?
However, the suppressor additions were quite insightful pertaining to materials and construction.
Another way they could have worded it is a 10.5 in ar with a silencer can be about as short as a 16 in AR, and MUCH quieter. Of course you lose substantial velocity.To attempt to preserve sound reduction performance, a suppressor will need to be longer (and heavier) with a shorter barrel, negating most of the compactness gained by barrel shortening.
It's not quite a zero-sum game, but very nearly so. It's always been the trade-off between barrel length and practicality... sacrificing bullet energy for a more compact weapon.
Well for me it comes to same coclusion as I have that the hassle free 16" with or without suppressor is about optimum.
but if I was starting with a clean sheet of paper, I'm picking a different cartridge for those small arms.
Shorter barrels can reduce velocity significantly, while raising exit pressure significantly.
Another way they could have worded it is a 10.5 in ar with a silencer can be about as short as a 16 in AR, and MUCH quieter. Of course you lose substantial velocity.
Switch from 55s to 77s and you have about the same if not more retained velocity and close to double the energy.I can still make 300 yards hits with my 10.5" but its not much more powerful than a 22 magnum is at the muzzle out that far. Not what I'd pick for many situations but does make a handy gun to have around the farm.
My 12.5" with a Griffin taper lock mount and a 5" suppressor is actually a smidge shorter than a 16" with a bird cage. No it's not anywhere near quiet, it's significantly quieter than an unsuppressed 16"Another way they could have worded it is a 10.5 in ar with a silencer can be about as short as a 16 in AR, and MUCH quieter. Of course you lose substantial velocity.