Bayonet lugs just for looks?

[Nightcrawler]

Okay, this question pertains to bayonet lugs on M16-pattern (AR-15 family) weapons and clones.

The standard M16A2 has about 5" (I think) between the bayonet lug and the muzzle end of the flashhider. Coincidentally, M16 bayonets fit it perfectly.

The M4 carbine, with a 14.5" barrel, also mounts these bayonets correctly, so it too must have about the same length of barrel between the lug and the muzzle.

However, what about the 16.5" "M4-style" barrels that are so popular for some reason? It has 2" of additional length over the 14.5" barrel. Will it mount a bayonet correctly, or will the ring that goes over the flashhider be too far back on the barrel?

Some M16 variants have lugs but obviously cannot mount a bayonet. The most notable example is the 10.5" Colt Commando. There simply isn't enough barrel in front of the lug to mount the bayonet onto.

 

[ckyllo]

with the 16" barrel you really only have one option short of having the barrel cut and a perminant flash suppressor (A3) and that is a clamp on bayo lug. DPMS sells them on their website www.dpmsinc.com. I think their around $20. IMO they dont look right to have one clamped to the barrel, dont seem natural. but if you want a workable bayo lug that is a option. I am just happy having the scary looking not gonna use it anyway lug on the sight block.

 

[Kharn]

I've heard of there being "carbine" length bayonets around, the grip is ~1.5" longer so it will lock into a 16" bayonet lug and still reach the flash hider.

Kharn

 

[jason10mm]

If you want it to fit properly, you need to get a 14.5" barrel with a pinned phantom FS. The phantom is just long enough to reach the magic 16" length yet allows the bayonet to fit.

 

[Badger Arms]

It's a matter of economy, mostly. Instead of making two different front sight bases, Colt (and later others) simply drew from Mil-Spec sight bases and slapped them on their CAR-15's and other 16" Barreled guns. It was simpler and cheaper to make a slightly longer barrel than to tool up to produce a diffferent barrel length, handguard length, and gas tube length. Of course, that's the best solution and it is being done now by Armalite and Rock River Arms. My pre-ban wears an RRA mid-length handguard.

While there is no purpose to a bayonet lug on a stubby or 16" barrel CAR or even a 24" barrel gun for that matter, there is also no purpose to grinding the lug off. Heck, even with all of them fancy laser and optical gadgets that the Army puts on their M4's, they haven't seen fit to remove the sight tower either, have they?

 

[Southern Raider]

Bayonet for 16" barreled rifles:

http://prebanarms.com/detail.asp?product_id=a03

 

[Destructo6]

Some M16 variants have lugs but obviously cannot mount a bayonet. The most notable example is the 10.5" Colt Commando. There simply isn't enough barrel in front of the lug to mount the bayonet onto.

I have an early Eagle CAR, with 11.5" barrel and long hider. The bayonet would mount properly, if the hider wasn't too large in diameter for the bayonet's ring to slide over. It's about 1" in diameter vs the 22mm of the standard NATO version.