barrel length

foxhound

New member
I'm curious, what length barrel are most of you guys using on your AR's? I'm torn between buying one and "building" one. I was wanting a 20" barrel. Any pros or cons to that choice that I may be overlooking? Thanks guys.
 
That's something I hadn't even considered. I was thinking longer barrel = better accuracy. Loudness never crossed my mind.Any noticeable accuracy differences between your 18 and 20 beyond 100 yards?
 
I have a 20" from Wilson Combat I just ordered. Thought it was going to be unbalanced and heavy but it balances fine. Got a .264 LBC ordered in 20" and hope it feels just as good. Have a 24" and don't really like it. As long as they go bang I like them.
 
My 6x45 is 18", my Grendel is 20". The 6x45 has a polymer lower and balances well with the 18"; the Grendel is aluminum and the longer barrel seems to balance well with it. It's of course heavier but I use tac slings on both guns so when I'm carrying them the weight doesn't seem to really be an issue.
 
Thanks for the info guys. Much appreciated. They're finally going to make them legal in my state. I believe we're the only state in the union that doesn't allow them. So, I've been trying to get an education on where to start. I guess the next step is visiting some shops and getting my hands on some to see how they feel and balance.
 
Ive got 16-20" and use them for different purposes. But 16-18 is my favorite for most of what i do.
If i ever get my Stamps back ill be testing a 12.5" 6.8.
 
I like a 20. you need all the speed you can get from the 223. There are several contours to choose from that make a 20 not that heavy. I would recommend a black hole LTR or standard with as light of handguard as you can get. one of mid west industries ultra light hand guards.
 
Originally Posted By: foxhoundThat's something I hadn't even considered. I was thinking longer barrel = better accuracy. Loudness never crossed my mind.Any noticeable accuracy differences between your 18 and 20 beyond 100 yards?

Longer doesn't necessarily mean more accuracy in most situations. Longer just means a little more speed, depending on the caliber. There are numerous threads on barrel length vs. speed, so a quick search will tell you all you need to know. I think the bigger factor to consider, when it comes to barrel length, is weight. Think about how you hunt, how much walking you'll be doing, and how much you want to carry when you're out there. The difference between a 16" barrel and a 20" barrel is pretty noticeable, the farther you have to carry it. The same can be said when considering the barrel profile, as well.
 
My 18" RRA is pretty balanced. I put a lot of thought into this, beings it was my first AR, I'm glad I went with an 18" over a 16" or 20" for .223. Sure, a longer barrel might give me a little more speed, but I'm not shooting match and most shots will probably be under 250, so 18" should be plenty.
 
I like the 20" for the added velocity. A brand of reman ammo loaded with a 55gr V max that shoots well in my 20" and 16" AR gets 2750fps from the 16", 2962fps from the 20". The 16" might be a shade more accurate with it's shorter stiffer barrel but they are so close I was never sure. I have a 1-4x scope on the 16" now for places where shots are likely to be close, a 2.5-10x on the 20" for normal hunting.

My 20" AR is a DPMS Prairie Panther and I like it very well now. It's picky on ammo and I had to have the barrel lapped to get the accuracy I was looking for with anything. Now it's my favorite calling gun. A RRA probably would have shot that well right out of the box, I have always liked them and the ones I've shot have been darn good shooters.

I never tried an 18" so I can't comment there. If I ever do it will be a RRA ATH.
 
Originally Posted By: moonshine44My 6x45 is 18", my Grendel is 20". The 6x45 has a polymer lower and balances well with the 18"; the Grendel is aluminum and the longer barrel seems to balance well with it. It's of course heavier but I use tac slings on both guns so when I'm carrying them the weight doesn't seem to really be an issue.

On your 6x45 18", what velocity are you seeing with x bullets? Perhaps you haven't chrono'd loads but if you did, I would be super interested. I'm in the middle of contemplating another Dtech in a 16-18" length for a handy coyote calling gun. It will be suppressed 100% of the time.
 
I haven't shot enough different rifles to compare, but will you notice the difference in recoil and faster follow ups with the different length gas systems?
 
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