10.5" vs. 14.5" barrel

I'll offer my opinion. I currently shoot a 10.25". After spending the better part of a year with it, and shooting a few thousand rounds through it, I kinda wish I had gone with a 12.5 or even 14.5.

Reason? I feel I can't get my hand far enough out on the gun to properly control muzzle flip (even with a very good brake/comp on the gun). Perhaps if I shaved the FSB and went with a 9" or 10" hand-guard I would be happier, and this is probably the rout I'll take. I feel like a 12.5 with 11" hand-guard would be pretty near perfect. Or a 14.5 with a mid-length gas system, ooo yeah, that sounds good.:)

In terms of accuracy, for blasting targets, and as long as you know your holdover, you are well served with a 10.5 out to 300 yards. Just use a decent optic designed for the task. But if you are worried, just go with a 14.5 it isn't that much longer and it offers the benefits I described above.
 
Clobbersauras said:
I'll offer my opinion. I currently shoot a 10.25". After spending the better part of a year with it, and shooting a few thousand rounds through it, I kinda wish I had gone with a 12.5 or even 14.5.

Reason? I feel I can't get my hand far enough out on the gun to properly control muzzle flip (even with a very good brake/comp on the gun). Perhaps if I shaved the FSB and went with a 9" or 10" hand-guard I would be happier, and this is probably the rout I'll take. I feel like a 12.5 with 11" hand-guard would be pretty near perfect. Or a 14.5 with a mid-length gas system, ooo yeah, that sounds good.:)

In terms of accuracy, for blasting targets, and as long as you know your holdover, you are well served with a 10.5 out to 300 yards. Just use a decent optic designed for the task. But if you are worried, just go with a 14.5 it isn't that much longer and it offers the benefits I described above.
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Best of both worlds. 10.5" barrel under a 12" forearm. Had to open up the end a few thou to get the flash pig in there, but is very handy... and light.

10.5" is my favorite barrel length. However I am beginning to eat the kool-aid (dry) on the long forearm.
 
Dave,

wanna ship my 10.5 to OSTS with a 12" opened up forend like that? :eek::cheers:

That looks awesome!


North Eastern Arms said:
312287_10150303956724016_512014015_8251952_1685197723_n.jpg


Best of both worlds. 10.5" barrel under a 12" forearm. Had to open up the end a few thou to get the flash pig in there, but is very handy... and light.

10.5" is my favorite barrel length. However I am beginning to eat the kool-aid (dry) on the long forearm.
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Stevo said:
Skateboard tape on the handguard flats, Dave?
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Actually its tread tape. It's a rubbery strip you add to the floor for non-slip. Non gritty. Extremely strong, takes heat and chemicals like a champ. 3M makes it.


CDCarts said:
Nice combo, is that a model that NEA offers?
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We don't offer it, but if you wanted a 12" handguard on a CQB I'm sure one of our dealers could pass along the request. Keep in mind that the Flask Pig is about 1/16 larger than the space in the handguard and it had to be opened up.
 
That article is pretty far removed from discussing the merits of a 10.5" AR barrel compared to a 14.5" AR barrel. While it has some good information about 20" and above precision rifles chambered in 308, it doesn't really apply to this thread.
 
wicked_police said:
That article is pretty far removed from discussing the merits of a 10.5" AR barrel compared to a 14.5" barrel. While it has some good information about 20" and above precision rifles chambered in 308, it doesn't really apply to this thread.
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Perhaps, but in my opinion I think some of that logic applies here. Why wouldn't it? Heres Mr. Noveske's take on barrel's and choosing length...

John Noveske said:
(In my opinion)
Barrel lengths and caliber selection are determined by the following factors: weapon weight, maximum required range, terminal ballistic requirements, ammunition supply, and vehicular or mission-based length maximums. In my opinion, a shooter should try to select the shortest barrel possible to accomplish the given task. Short barrels are very accurate because of their relative rigidity compared to a longer barrel of equal diameter. I don’t subscribe to the school that thinks short barrels burn powder at differing rates; if that were true, the velocities would differ on the longer barrel as well. Also, in most cases, the fastest load out of a short barrel will be the fastest load out of a long barrel. Adding barrel length only increases velocity, which translates to increased range. If you have a barrel length maximum, but require greater terminal ballistics, choosing a larger round may be a good answer. There are too many anecdotes to list here. I like the saying, "Overkill is an oxymoron, there are many levels of wounded, but only one level of dead." Choose what you realistically think you will need, and err on the lighter/smaller side.

-John
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North Eastern Arms said:
312287_10150303956724016_512014015_8251952_1685197723_n.jpg


Best of both worlds. 10.5" barrel under a 12" forearm. Had to open up the end a few thou to get the flash pig in there, but is very handy... and light.

10.5" is my favorite barrel length. However I am beginning to eat the kool-aid (dry) on the long forearm.
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If I go with a 12" rail on my 10.5" NEA (when I get it) would I be able to leave the A2 flash hider on there for the time being? Will it stick out far enough?
 
wherermykeys said:
If I go with a 12" rail on my 10.5" NEA (when I get it) would I be able to leave the A2 flash hider on there for the time being? Will it stick out far enough?
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Not unless you want to set your hand on fire.


CDCarts said:
How hard is the forearm to remove and reinstall?

Obviouly it must be removed to put the flash pig on.
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4 screws. 2 mins. Flash pig has to go on last.
 
There is nothing a 10" barrel can do that a 14" or 16" can't...with less velocity too. Unless you are kicking doors down for a living that is...

I know there are lots of stories, anacdotes, etc. that guys are getting good hits past 300, but in my limited experience the guys with 10" guns can't hit #### for shineola and all that talk of accuracy evaporates when the targets are scored. This is a really general statement, but if you like making noise go with a 10" - If you want to hit stuff at distance go with a 14"+. Flame away mofos:cheers:
 
beltfed said:
There is nothing a 10" barrel can do that a 14" or 16" can't...with less velocity too. Unless you are kicking doors down for a living that is...

I know there are lots of stories, anacdotes, etc. that guys are getting good hits past 300, but in my limited experience the guys with 10" guns can't hit s**t for shineola and all that talk of accuracy evaporates when the targets are scored. This is a really general statement, but if you like making noise go with a 10" - If you want to hit stuff at distance go with a 14"+. Flame away mofos:cheers:
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I would agree. That loss in velocity on the short barrels, destroys the flat shooting properties of .223/5.56 with no real benefit for all but the door kickers. I say 16" preferably with midlength gas for the win.

TDC
 
Barrel length is a factor of what do you want to do.

In Canada, (unlike here) your not restricted by annoying rules on BBL length for AR's (its not just the Tax for SBR's, but the hassle of taking them out of state etc.).

Shorter Barrels mean more muzzle blast, and Flash.
While down here ou can suppress them (at least in Free States ;) ) - but that is not possible for civilian enthusiasts in Canada -- so your uber cool micro barrel will probably be an annoyance to the shooters beside you.

Short barrels of equal diamter and profile will be more rigid than a longer version (I mean this is simple physics) While this should mean less barrel whip, barrel harmonics are a thing of their own -- the forces from the exploding gasses cause pressure waves running down the barrel, and combination with pressue exherted on the barrel from the bullet running down the bore, this creates its own little dance.
Now for bolt guns etc with no gas system thats all that she wrote.
If you add in a gas system, when then you have even more going on.
In a DI gun the gas is vectored back thru the tube - and exits the gun prior to any carrier motion, so its just the waves hitting the gas block that can make for funny things, in a piston gun well you get movement and rearward pressure earlier - so they can act even stranger.

That said - ANY good barrel from 10.5" -20" will give you very similar results - the amount of difference we are talking about is so insignificant that human error, and ammunition capability will make it unnoticeabe.

So it comes down to what barrel length do you want/need.
 
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