Depends on what you want to do.
For some missions, they've (military/SOF/LE groups) obviously feel that sub-12" barrels with suppressors is better than 14+" barrels.
C7A1 vs M16A4 - small arms solutions
- Thread starter cyclone
- Start date
Depends on what you want to do.
For some missions, they've (military/SOF/LE groups) obviously feel that sub-12" barrels with suppressors is better than 14+" barrels.
Yep. It's all about the engagement distance.
Merely pointing out that even though it didn't have enough energy to penetrate his front plate, it did have the effect of taking him out of the fight for a period of time.
There are numerous military units using 10" 556 rifles operationally. If that can work for them, I'm sure it can work for you to.
You know that none of this subject applies to civilians. The velocity limitations only apply to military FMJ projectiles. We civilians are not limited by The Hague Convention limitations on expanding projectiles. I can guarantee you that lightweight, thin jacketed, poly tipped varmint bullets will expand as desired.
Gunnerlove
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There are numerous military units using 20" 556 rifles operationally. If it can work for them, I'm sure it can work for you.
14.5" was a decent compromise. But so was 15.7" for velocity and flash with C77.
14.5" was a decent compromise. But so was 15.7" for velocity and flash with C77.
I'm sure it is like being slammed in the chest w a baseball bat. Not to mention the psychological shock of the realization you just got shot ... and that you are still breathing.
This is something you have to take with a grain of salt - SOF guys can get it wrong too. Here a former US SOF operator talks about how theory (urban fighting will mean a 10.5" and red dot would be optimal, right?) turned out to be completely mistaken when put into practice. Just because you see video clips of them using something doesn't mean it was the right decision.
Relevant timestamp at 3:50
Everything is a compromise.
No one weapon system configuration you pick is going to be best at every situation you will encounter. SOF or otherwise.
I personally don't have military experience. But its clear that 10-12" ar15's have their place, operationally. I personally have a friend who was army SOF and then went on to work for "the agency", in 40+ deployments around the globe - almost all with 10-12" barrel ar-15 systems. It worked very well for him and his purposes.
It all comes down to what you want to achieve, and what tradeoffs you are willing to make. In some situations, a 20" barrel ar15 will be optimal or suitable. In others, a 10.3" barrel. Others, 14-16". It's all a compromise. Arguing that one barrel length is better in all situations, or that barrel lengths less than 20" are less reliable is idiotic.
Context is everything, but the point being made here is that even highly trained and experienced SOF guys can misinterpret the context. Anyone who's kicked in doors at a FIBUA site might need some prodding to remember that you're going to be walking a few kilometers through woods, fields and across streets to get to that door before you can put a boot to it. I think we'd all agree that Toronto is a "dense urban environment" but if you look around, you can see a few hundred meters down the road just about anywhere you go, so say nothing of the verticality. Oversimplifying what you think your requirements are is an easy trap to fall into.
The thing is, there WAS a time when this was true, along with other factors like optimal terminal performance with 5.56. The C7A2 entered service nearly 20 years ago, and the decision to keep the 20" barrel was made probably long before that. When the bureaucrats who make these decision are also behind the curve, what seems like an idiotic decision now probably seemed like a very sensible decision at the time. On the flip side, anyone who wants everyone to have C8A3s has never held one. That HBAR carried over from the SAS requirement has no place on an infantry carbine. "The SAS wanted it so it must be the best!" is another decision made with no understanding of context. The proposed C7A3/C8A4 seems very sensible but who knows if the DND will go for it. Small arms don't matter all that much in the big picture.
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I've long had 14.5" bbl and just recently got a 12" bbl that I like a lot more than the 14.5". It's lighter and handier and overall easier to live with. IF it came down to serious anti-social, martial usage in an urban setting, I'd totally choose the 12" over the 14.5".
The notion that anything under 14.5" is not worthwhile belies the reality of real world usage, which most of the time means carrying the thing in and through confined spaces and vehicles. I've jumped in and out of enough vehicles with a full length C7 to know that long rifles are an annoying PIA 99% of the time you spend with them. Give me a shorty carbine any day.
The X95 is a bloody good option these days. I'm still getting used to mine but really liking it in pretty much every way. I need to work on mag changes as those are a bit different from an AR patter rifle.
The single annoyance I have with the X95 is the bolt hold open when unloading. It is more than a bit tricky to get the bolt catch engaged by hand.
A lot of people don't realize this but the bolt catch is a seesaw just like an AR's. Press in on the opposite side to engage the catch and hold open the bolt.
I learned something new.
Still a balancing act to hold the charge handle back, push the bolt catch and hold the rifle all at the same time.
