barrel lengths?

[J man]

I have noticed that many rifles offer barrels in different lengths. AR style rifles being the most common with a 16, 20 or 24(?) inch available. So what are the advantages or disadvantages of the different lengths?

 

[gunman41mag]

I have noticed that many rifles offer barrels in different lengths. AR style rifles being the most common with a 16, 20 or 24(?) inch available. So what are the advantages or disadvantages of the different lengths?

The longer barrel will give you more velocity, shorter barrel are easier to go around obstacles

 

[Fireaxes]

Usually, you pick a barrel length based on what you want to "do" with the rifle. Varmit hunt, longer barrel. Mkost people like the 16 inch guns for ease of handling.
I am currently trying out an 18 inch barrel on one of my ARs.

 

[esrice]

The longer barrel will give you more velocity, shorter barrel are easier to go around obstacles

That's pretty much it!

 

[indyjohn]

For instance, my AR wears a 20" Krieger barrel with a 1:7.7 twist that give me 6" groups at 600 yds with an 80 gr. bullet.





<-------- BTW, AR in action Camp Atterbury KD3 500 yd line....

 

[42769vette]

The longer barrel will give you more velocity, shorter barrel are easier to go around obstacles

thats it in a nut shell

 

[J man]

Would a zombie be considered a varmit?

 

[esrice]

Would a zombie be considered a varmit?

Looks like it would be, if it were a child.

var·mint/ˈvärmənt/Noun

1. A troublesome wild animal, esp. a fox.
2. A troublesome and mischievous person, esp. a child.

 

[gunman41mag]

For instance, my AR wears a 20" Krieger barrel with a 1:7.7 twist that give me 6" groups at 600 yds with an 80 gr. bullet.





<-------- BTW, AR in action Camp Atterbury KD3 500 yd line....

Why not a 24 inch STAINLESS STEEL barrel, for target shooting

 

[Leo]

If a highpower rifle shooter is competing in service rifle class, you have to use the length barrel that came as it was issued. For the AR that is 20 inches. I used 24 and 26 inch barrels in match rifle class. There are issues with timing when you get a longer barrel unless you also relocate the gas block. There is also a case capacity issue with the little 5.56 round. It will not hold enough slower burning powder to really optimize the barrel at longer lengths. I actually had my 26 inch barrel counter bored two inches so the bullet was only on rifling for 24 inches. The reason I didn't just cut it off was to keep the long sight radius which is allowable in the Match rifle rules.


Indy John, good picture of the KD range, I shot there last in 2002. Were you shooting there long enough to have shot with me? Regards, Leo

 

[gunman41mag]

If a highpower rifle shooter is competing in service rifle class, you have to use the length barrel that came as it was issued. For the AR that is 20 inches. I used 24 and 26 inch barrels in match rifle class. There are issues with timing when you get a longer barrel unless you also relocate the gas block. There is also a case capacity issue with the little 5.56 round. It will not hold enough slower burning powder to really optimize the barrel at longer lengths. I actually had my 26 inch barrel counter bored two inches so the bullet was only on rifling for 24 inches. The reason I didn't just cut it off was to keep the long sight radius which is allowable in the Match rifle rules.

I have a COLT CAR 3 ELITE with a 24 inch barrel, that is a TACK driver

 

[dross]

For instance, my AR wears a 20" Krieger barrel with a 1:7.7 twist that give me 6" groups at 600 yds with an 80 gr. bullet.





<-------- BTW, AR in action Camp Atterbury KD3 500 yd line....

If I shot a six-inch group at 600 yards, I'd giggle like a little girl. Even more than I usually do, I mean.

 

[sloughfoot]

Leo, if that is your real first name, we have shot together at Camp Atterbury 10 years ago or so. You and Mog pulled targets for me and Lynn Richter in the 1000 yard State Championships in 2001.

Here is my opinion on the subject..The short barreled AR's that are 16 inches or less are kinda handy if you are part of a stack, or need to egress from an armored vehicle.

The drawback to short barreled rifles is the highly increased muzzle flash and muzzle blast. If you don't have ears on when shooting the short barrels, you won't be able to hear anything for quite a while. The short barrels are also not effective beyond 100 to 200 yards.

Heck I can make hits on a 20 inch target at 100 yards with a pistol

Since I am 59, and no longer in the military or a police dept, and never will be again, I want a rifle that will do what a rifle is intended to do. To reach out and touch my adversary at ranges beyind which he can touch me.

For me, 18 inch is the minimum for 30 caliber and 20 inch is the minimum for 223.

I would like to keep whatever hearing I have left. I like to hit what I am shooting at too.

 

[dom1104]

Sloughfoot has some good points, others seem a LITTLE overstated.

I would love to be able to hit a 20in target at 100 yards with a pistol personally, I cannot.

While I agree that the 20" is easier on the ears, and the 7" is murder on em, the statement that 200yards is the maximum effective range of a 16" 5.56 is a little.. .wrong.

Also, the "reach out and touch adversary at ranges beyond which he is able to reach out and touch me" IS a very "old school" way of thinking, that has transitioned into the civilian home defense / modern military CQB line of thought...

"I want to get my gun up and shoot someone multiple times 10 FEET away faster than he can get his gun up"

Thus, the shorter rifles.


Everything has its place, but there is room in my collection for a 16" Lightweight Carbine, thats for sure.

That said, a 20" DMR style HBAR is my next aquisition. They are easier to shoot well thats for sure.

 

[cosermann]

. . . the statement that 200yards is the maximum effective range of a 16" 5.56 is a little.. .wrong.

Well, it depends what kind of ammunition one is using and how one defines "effective."

Are you shooting FMJ? What weight? JHP? All perform differently at 200 yds from a 16" barrel.

If "effective" simply means hitting the target, that's one thing.

If "effective" means having a telling or incapacitating effect on a target, that's something else.

If one is shooting M193 from a 16" barrel and defines effective as including fragmentation of the bullet and rapid incapacitation of human targets, then 150 meters is about the max.

Different requirements - different "effectiveness." So, it depends.

 

[dom1104]

Well, it depends what kind of ammunition one is using and how one defines "effective."

Are you shooting FMJ? What weight? JHP? All perform differently at 200 yds from a 16" barrel.

If "effective" simply means hitting the target, that's one thing.

If "effective" means having a telling or incapacitating effect on a target, that's something else.

If one is shooting M193 from a 16" barrel and defines effective as including fragmentation of the bullet and rapid incapacitation of human targets, then 150 meters is about the max.

Different requirements - different "effectiveness." So, it depends.

Right. M193 being not even CLOSE to the most effective SD round.

M193 is used by many to "shorten" the range of the AR, leaving out a whole host of great projectiles as if they are unavailable.

 

[cosermann]

Exactly my point. It depends.

 

[sloughfoot]

All good points. I will just add that a 16 inch AR is hanging on the hook in the tornado shelter under the stairs in my house. The mags are loaded with M193. The Peltor electronic muffs are hanging on the same hook.

When it is time to go outside, I want the longer barrel rifle. With different ammo, 69's or 75's. Or a 30 caliber.

Even the US Army recognizes that something different from the M4 is needed for taking back the "Infantryman's Half Kilometer" That is the title of the 2009 paper that discusses the shortcomings of the M4 type and the need for a long barreled, larger caliber rifle for the plains and mountains of the 'stan.

I'll try to find it tonight and post it.

 

[sloughfoot]

Here is the link.....

http://defensetech.org/2010/03/01/taking-back-the-infantry-half-kilometer/

I haven't read it lately, but if I remember correctly, the CQB was forced on the military by the realities of the situation in Iraq after the Iraqi army melted away and became an "insurgent" force.

Afghanistan is different and what works for a door kicking mission in Iraq does not work for a more "conventional" operation outdoors in a different theatre.

Regards

 

[indyjohn]

Indy John, good picture of the KD range, I shot there last in 2002. Were you shooting there long enough to have shot with me? Regards, Leo

I believe we may have. I was there practically every match from 1998 to 2001. I'd have to run upstairs & check my data book for the last time I shot there. I told Mog in January that my goal is 3 matches this year -- we shall see if that happens or not. Last Saturday, they were shooting RMC, I was watching Little League!

There's another active thread in General Discussions that is considering the term "my gun shoots better than I do". My eyes aren't what they were a decade ago, I'm hoping my M1A doesn't embarrass me...