AR barrel question

[1340]

Educate me;
The legal barrel length is 18.5" right? Are people shooting shorter barrels?
Is that possible?
Thanks.

 

[koalorka]

That's the non-restricted barrel length. But AR-15's are all restricted by name, so you can have a barrel as short as practical on an AR. I have a 16.1, 14.5 and 10.5" uppers.

 

[Questar]

We offer commericially made 7" AR's... I've seen shorter.

Handguns must have a barrel length LONGER than 105mm but if the AR is registered as a "rifle" then technically it's not limited to that restriction... so it could be any barrel length you wanted.

If it's registered as a "handgun" then it must be MORE THAN 105mm (105.1 would do ).

Mark

 

[w squared]

Short barreled AR's are a pile of fun at the range. I've got an 11.5" and a 9mm 10.5" on the way from Questar.

Yeah, Yeah...I know that two shorty AR's seems like a whole lotta burger without much bun, but my "long barreled black rifle" funds are in reserve for a Tavor.

Sometime in the future, I may rebarrel the 11.5" to 14.5 or 16 if the urge hits me.

 

[Paulinski]

AR's are fun period.

I have 10.5", 12.5", 14.5", 16", 18.5", 20" and working on a 9mm 10.5"

 

[1340]

So , because AR15s are restricted the barrel length doesn't matter?
I have a Colt AR15 (A2?) with a 20" barrel and just bought an AR180B. The Colt WOULD be more fun with a shorter barrel! Or even a complete shorty upper.

 

[w squared]

Any centerfire semi-auto immediately becomes restricted if the barrel is less than 18.5". For example:

PE-90 Blue Smurf special with a 20" barrel = non-restricted bad days for gophers

PE-90 CQB with short barrel = lotsa fun, but only on the range.

Clear like mud?

 

[geeg]

for a long time the only AR I had was (and is) a Colt with a 24" barrel. fun for "serious" target shooting.

Just got a 10.5" and its lots of fun too......still working on getting all the toys for the shorty one..

 

[1340]

The restricted part I understand. The "any barrel length you want" is new to me.

 

[Scocou]

So , because AR15s are restricted the barrel length doesn't matter?<snip>

Correct. The only effect a shorter-than 18.5" barrel has is to render a rifle restricted. Since it's already restricted by-name, there's no effect.

 

[w squared]

The restricted part I understand. The "any barrel length you want" is new to me.

You can indeed have any factory barrel length you want on your rifle. Just be aware that if it's a semi-auto, a barrel length under 18.5" = restricted.

All of those AR's are already restricted, so people don't have anything to lose (except muzzle velocity and being able to shoot in the states) by going to a very short barrel.