Anyone make AR 14.5" pencil barrels?
- Thread starter j-man
- Start date
Greenhorse six
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
+1, same here,would like one.
People do make them. JT distributing, BMC, Daniel Defense all come to mind. Good luck finding one up here. Dlask may turn one for you, all the other Canadian AR manufacturers seem to be focused on HBARs, like looking at a US catalog from the 90s, weird.
Just bear in mind that the C8 didn't use a pencil barrel. While they are a skinny profile they measure .750" at the FSB as opposed to the .625" that traditional pencil barrels use. I have only ever seen that particular profile on the C8 but apparently it was originally designed as an experimental profile for the XM4 carbines.
Just bear in mind that the C8 didn't use a pencil barrel. While they are a skinny profile they measure .750" at the FSB as opposed to the .625" that traditional pencil barrels use. I have only ever seen that particular profile on the C8 but apparently it was originally designed as an experimental profile for the XM4 carbines.
Greenhorse six
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Is that so they can use an A2 FSB???
I'm just assuming there is a difference.
I'm just assuming there is a difference.
- Location
- calgary alberta
We HAVE some 14.5 light contour barrels.
The contour under the handguards on government profile and pencil barrels are virtually the same, the shoulder that the FSB rests on is obviously thicker on barrels that measure .750" at the gas block. The C8 is a weird duck, it's .750 at the FSB and is probably around .610" or so forward of that and then it has a large flare at the end then probably ends arounds .740" or so.
This picture would be better without the triad mount since the difference in diameter would be more obvious but you can still see the pronounced flare at the end.
ATRS, perhaps you could show us pics of your light contour barrels, don't see them on the website, which is a shame since pencil barrels are very desirable these days. Are they .625" at the FSB?
Greenhorse six, I can only assume they went that way because they wanted a lightweight carbine and to maintain parts commonality with the C7.
CF uses a standard A2 FSB because the weaver rail is slightly higher than the 1913 rail. If you use a 1913 rail, you would need a "F" marked FSB.
I think the best thing would be to use an A1 upper... of course nobody seems to have them anymore
Both Bushmaster and DPMS sell C7 style uppers, they call them A1 style though.
EE would be a good place for an upper, I've picked up a couple that way, not as common as they used to be though.
I know they are still made, I mean that nobody imports them any longer.
The best copy I have seen are the "C7 stripped uppers" Nodak sells which are reportedly made from surplus Colt Canada forgings. They might be sold out though as I no longer see them on their website...?
They do have some very close copies though like the Nodak-proprietary forging they make into the NDS-603 upper:
I REALLY wish someone up here carried (imported) the Nodak line of retro AR parts. I think they would sell at least as well as most other AR stripped receivers being imported and they are relatively free of obnoxious animal pictograms.
Craftsman 441
CGN Regular
- Location
- Wainwright
Here's mine. It's waiting for a Bushmaster A1 upper from Wolverine.
From the barrels I've measured, the C8 barrel is a standard government profile under the handguards and 0.750" at the gas block journal. Then it gets different.
The barrel is a straight 0.570" and has a flange at the end behind the threads for the flash hider.
I was expecting the barrel to be 0.625", since almost every dimension on the AR is a full fraction, or near to it.
Then I did the math, and found that 0.570" is pretty much 14.5mm.
The flange is dia. 0.695" to 0.700" for 0.125" back, then tapers at 10 degrees to the 0.570" diameter.
The good news is that you can make one from a 14.5" M4 profiled barrel since the diameter of the the 'pencil' is smaller than the diameter of the M203 step. That is what I did to make mine.
I'll post a better drawing when I get AutoCAD to cooperate.
Hope this helps.
From the barrels I've measured, the C8 barrel is a standard government profile under the handguards and 0.750" at the gas block journal. Then it gets different.
The barrel is a straight 0.570" and has a flange at the end behind the threads for the flash hider.
I was expecting the barrel to be 0.625", since almost every dimension on the AR is a full fraction, or near to it.
Then I did the math, and found that 0.570" is pretty much 14.5mm.
The flange is dia. 0.695" to 0.700" for 0.125" back, then tapers at 10 degrees to the 0.570" diameter.
The good news is that you can make one from a 14.5" M4 profiled barrel since the diameter of the the 'pencil' is smaller than the diameter of the M203 step. That is what I did to make mine.
I'll post a better drawing when I get AutoCAD to cooperate.
Hope this helps.
I ordered this a few days back w w w.dpmsinc.com/store/products/?prod=5219&cat=1704 will need to get rid of the tear drop fwd assist. Went with alberta tactical rifle again to help me out. They did a bang up job on a M24 clone for me several years back. I'm not too concerned about an exact C8. Just want a nice light range toy with irons.
Craftsman 441
CGN Regular
- Location
- Wainwright
Thanks. 
I turned the barrel at work when I started Christmas vacation early.
ETA: It was a Stag 1/9 5.56 MP chrome lined barrel.
I turned the barrel at work when I started Christmas vacation early.
ETA: It was a Stag 1/9 5.56 MP chrome lined barrel.
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Necropost, I know. I'm bumping this thread because there has been some questions about early CF C8 barrels recently.
It's a shame he didn't measure behind the FSB because it's different from a regular M4 government profile as well. It has a straight taper behind the handguard cap instead of a curve. I do believe that CODfan's barrel might have the same straight taper iirc even though his has a .625" FSB.
ETA: I could be wrong about the profile behind the FSB. Craftsman does mention it being standard M4 profile under the handguards. The XM4 profile does have the straight taper that I talked about and I believe that CODfan's does as well. With the C8 pulled from service we may never know the truth.
It's a shame he didn't measure behind the FSB because it's different from a regular M4 government profile as well. It has a straight taper behind the handguard cap instead of a curve. I do believe that CODfan's barrel might have the same straight taper iirc even though his has a .625" FSB.
ETA: I could be wrong about the profile behind the FSB. Craftsman does mention it being standard M4 profile under the handguards. The XM4 profile does have the straight taper that I talked about and I believe that CODfan's does as well. With the C8 pulled from service we may never know the truth.
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