Barrel accuarcy

[dbrown]

I was looking to get an AR-15 but can't decide which barrel length to get. obviously with the 20 inch you going to have better accuracy, But how better than the 16 inch?

 

[MtnCreek]

Quality, not length is what makes it accurate. All things equal, a 16" barrel has the potential to be more accurate than a 20" because it's more ridged. Longer barrels give more velocity. With an AR, it's MHO you should choose your barrel length based on what you're going to use the rifle for. If you're going to shoot long shots at distant targets off a bench/bag or pod, you may want to look for a HBAR between 20 to 26". If you're going to carrey it around the farm in pretty open areas, maybe a 16 to 20" with a lighter contour barrel. In dencer areas or in your home, I would tend to look for a pinned 14.5 or 16".

 

[jmr40]

At normal ranges barrel length has no effect on the rifles accuracy, but if using iron sights the longer sight radius will make aiming more precise. The rifle is no more accuarte, but is easier to shoot accurately. With optics it does not matter.

A 20" barrel will shoot ammo slighly faster. Most bullets become unstable when they slow down under the speed of sound. At extreme ranges the longer barrel will still be supersonic for a little longer, so at extreme range the longer barrel theoreticaly will be more accurate. At least for a few more yards until it falls below the speed of sound.

The real advanage of the longer barrel is a little more speed and energy out of your ammo. For a target or hunting rifle I'd go longer, for SD the more maneuverable shorter barrel easily offsets the extra speed. Out to 200-300 yards there is not enough difference to matter.

 

[dprice3844444]

get the shorty,way easier to store in the smaller cars

 

[LTR shooter]

obviously with the 20 inch you going to have better accuracy, But how better than the 16 inch?

I agree with the others , just pick the barrel length you like best , as the level of accuracy between the two is like splitting hairs , assuming the barrels are of the same quality.

I was looking at Rock River A4 Varmint ARs and the accuracy guarantee was the same for 16 , 18 , 20 and 24 inch barrels,

 

[ac6916170]

A Wylde chamber MAY help more with accuracy than barrel length. If you're talking 5.56/223.

 

[Welding Rod]

I have owned a fair number of ARs over the years, probably 14-16. And about an equal mix of 16" and 20". The most accurate one was a RRA 16" Varmit. I could put 5 shots sub 1/2 MOA with it. I am not sure what the gun could do, but that was certainly my limit. It shot every thing very well. It even shot Remingston's cheapest ammo into a 10 shot sub 1.5 MOA group. I didin't even know the ammo could do that... must have been a good batch.

I have a RRA floated 20" SS HBAR that I can shoot sub 3/4 MOA for 5, no problem. I also have a 20" non-floated chrome-lined RRA that I can shoot pretty close to MOA with iron sights, so it is probably capable of some pretty stellar mechanical accuracy as well.

If you want accurate I would bet on go short, fat, and floated, but you can still get pretty good accuracy with a run of the mill 20 in my experience.