Full Answer
What is the best barrel length for an AR-15?
Any shorter necessitates a pistol or short-barreled rifle. Sixteen inches gives you a light and handy rifle that makes good use of the 5.56 cartridge. It’s the most popular AR-15 barrel length. 14.5-inch barrels are the standard for the military’s M4 program.
What is the legal length of a rifle barrel?
To satisfy the legal definition of a rifle, a 16-inch barrel is required. When paired with a stock, all-in-all, your rifle should be 26 inches. The barrel length must be under 16 inches for a pistol, though the law does not state a total measurement — barrel to the stock.
What is the shortest barrel size for a gun?
16 Inches 16-inch barrels are the shortest a civilian can legally go as a title 1 firearm. Any shorter necessitates a pistol or short-barreled rifle. Sixteen inches gives you a light and handy rifle that makes good use of the 5.56 cartridge.
What size barrel do I need for a 20 inch rifle?
This is pretty well optimized for a 20″ rifle, 16″ midlength, or 14.5″ carbine barrel. Where you see some trouble is the oddball lengths. For example, 18″ barrels with rifle-length gas systems have two inches less “dwell time” when compared to their 20″ cousins.
How long does an AR-15 barrel need to be?
When paired with a stock, all-in-all, your rifle should be 26 inches. The barrel length must be under 16 inches for a pistol, though the law does not state a total measurement — barrel to the stock.
How long is an AR-15 upper?
If you have an AR 15 with any barrel shorter than 16 inches, you run the risk of it being defined as a pistol or AOW. So, the rule of thumb, is to be sure you have a 16” barrel if you want a rifle. Barrels commonly are sold commercially from 7.5 inches to 20 inches, with 16 inch being the most common.
What is a carbine length AR-15?
The carbine-length gas system, combined with barrel lengths from approximately 10 to 18 inches, is perhaps one of the most common setups across all types of AR-15 rifles. Carbine gas tubes are approximately 7.5 inches long, which means the handguards are approximately 6.5 to 7 inches long.
What are the dimensions of an AR-15?
Colt AR-15Barrel length20 inches (510 mm) (standard) 16 inches (410 mm) (carbine) 24 inches (610 mm) (target)Cartridge.223 Remington 5.56×45mm NATOActionDirect impingementEffective firing range~550 meters (600 yd)11 more rows
When was the AR-15 made?
The origin story of the M16/AR-15 is well-known. Starting in the late 1950s, Eugene Stoner’s original 7.62x51 mm NATO-chambered AR-10 was refined by ArmaLite engineers Robert Fremont and L. James Sullivan into the AR-15 to meet the demands of the U.S. Army’s Small Caliber, High Velocity (SCHV) project.
When did the Army start testing AR-15s?
The AR-15 design retained the 20" barrel of its AR-10 parent. The U.S. Army would start testing the AR-15 by late 1958, but it was the Air Force that was the early adopter, purchasing 8,500 AR-15s in 1961. The Army officially adopted the rifle in 1963, designating it the “M16.”.
What barrel size is the Brownells Model BRN-601?
While the M4-style AR has become America’s gun, there are still plenty of reasons to choose an AR-15 with a 20" barrel. Maybe you want the added velocity that those few extra inches can provide.
What is the bolt closing device on the M16?
The XM16E1 added a forward-assist device on the right rear of the upper receiver, and the design was standardized in 1967 as the M16A1.
What does shorter length mean on a rifle?
In contrast, the shorter length of a carbine gas system means the bolt is unlocking sooner, while chamber pressure is higher, which results in more stress on bolt lugs and extractors.
When did the AR-15A2 come out?
Most civilian shooters’ experiences with rifle-length ARs are limited to heavy-barreled match or varmint-hunting rifles—the first being a style brought to the civilian market by Colt in 1986 with its AR-15A2 “H-BAR.”.
Is the SP1 an AR-15?
American shooters now had their own version of “the black rifle.”. For 20 years, the SP1 would be the only AR-15 in the civilian world. Colt marketed the rifle as a do-all firearm, in the same way it had sold the design to the U.S. military.
How long does an AR barrel last?
At that pace, it would take about 16 years to wear out that barrel. And that was being generous.
What is the best barrel length for an AR-15?
The 16″ length is the most common AR-15 barrel length sold today. It doesn’t do anything particularly better than other options, but it has good all-around performance. The National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934 limited a rifle’s barrel to a minimum of 16.1″ before more taxes and restrictions come into play.
What are the three methods used to make a barrel?
There are three methods that manufacturers use to form the rifling of a barrel: cutting, button rifling, and hammer forging. Each of these has pros and cons and the balance is between how long it takes, the consistency of the end result, and how much stress the steel undergoes during the process.
What is the most important thing to consider when choosing an AR-15 barrel?
When selecting a barrel, you must balance accuracy, weight, handling, compactness, parts longevity, and recoil characteristics.
What is a light barrel?
Light barrels are best suited to guns that are carried a lot and see easy to moderate shooting schedule. This is most people, including military members who live with their rifles.
What happens if you fire a rifle after rifling?
Applying high amounts of force on steel results in stress. If you fired the rifle immediately after rifling, its accuracy would quickly degrade as the steel heats up. To help, we need to stress relieve the barrel.
Does barrel length affect accuracy?
Barrel length has little to do with accuracy. If anything, longer barrels reduce accuracy potential. Imagine a long 2×4 wood board at the hardware store. The longer it is, the more prone it is to “flex” under stress as you hold it from one end.
What is the barrel length of an AR-15?
This rifle comes with the minimum legal barrel length of 16" (service-issued rifles in the military sport 14.5" barrels). With a typical 30-round magazine affixed to the lower receiver, and with a Trijicon ACOG equipped up top for optics, this rifle sports the following dimensions:
What barrel do you use for a 308?
We didn't forget about the .308 or bench rifle crowd. If you're slinging .30-cal downrange, you're probably using an AR-10 with a 20" barrel. That's the most common length found on .308 ARs, although the longer bolt and receivers also add some extra length compared to an AR-15. Thankfully, though, most AR-10s and LR-308s still use AR-15 buffer tubes and buttstocks. The rifle shown above is sporting a longer adjustable stock that approaches A2 lengths. We figured it's best to example the most extreme setup to ensure you buy a gun case that's long enough. For reference, the AR's .308 receivers measure 1.25" longer, overall, compared to the AR-15's. With a 20" barrel, this rifle provides the following dimensions:
What is a mil spec rifle?
That is, a "mil-spec" configuration which employs a standard lower parts kit and buffer tube. Custom chassis setups or ultra-compact buffer setups (like the Troy PDW) will increase and decrease overall length, respectively.
What is the M16 clone?
We didn't forget about those who love the old-school AR look. This is an M16 clone, which sports a much longer barrel, measuring 20". Its fixed stock, often referred as an A2 stock, is also much larger than the modern M4-type collapsible stock. Lastly, this rifle doesn't use the conventional "Flat Top" upper receiver with a Picatinny rail. Instead, it uses a carry handle with integrated rear sight, which also adds to the overall height. Although this clone's pictured with an original 20-round magazine, we're taking measurements with a 30-round magazine factored in. This configuration reports the following dimensions:
AR-15 Rifle Barrel Length
Just to set the stage, we’re talking about service rifles here, not fancy bench rest stuff where competitors have to call their shots for either the right or left eye of a mosquito or other ectoparasite at distances of 800 yards.
There are two big factors that impact the velocity of a bullet in Barrel Length
First, in a perfect, frictionless environment, as long as the pressure behind the projectile is increasing, the bullet’s velocity will also increase. Certainly, the powder charge type and burn characteristics will have a major impact on how long pressure continues to increase. However, barrel length also comes into play.
What About Barrel Length & Accuracy?
For accuracy testing, I used a concrete bench. I recommend a Caldwell Rock Dlx Shooting Rest and Rear Bag Combo weighed down with a 25-pound bag of lead shot – plenty stable!
How long is a rifle barrel?
To satisfy the legal definition of a rifle, a 16-inch barrel is required. When paired with a stock, all-in-all, your rifle should be 26 inches. The barrel length must be under 16 inches for a pistol, though the law does not state a total measurement — barrel to the stock.
Is barrel length legal?
But for now, let us focus on barrel length. The short answer is that all barrel lengths are legal in some manner. Unfortunately, that is not the end of the discussion. According to the NFA of 1934, barrel length dictates what firearm is considered a rifle, pistol, or “Any Other Weapon.”.
Can you add a foregrip to a pistol?
Once you have the go-ahead, you may add a foregrip to your pistol. In summary, adding a foregrip to a pistol reclassifies your firearm to “Any Other Weapon,” and is therefore heavily regulated by the ATF. A pistol is not.
Do muzzle devices count towards rifle length?
We all do. You’ll want to measure the length of your rifle. First, understand that muzzle devices (flash suppressors, muzzle brakes, etc.) do not count towards the length of your rifle or barrel length. You must remove any barrel attachment before measuring your firearm.
Do you have to remove barrel attachment before measuring?
You must remove any barrel attachment before measuring your firearm. If your firearm includes a stabilizing brace, the ATF has something to say about the matter. If the brace is stationary, they include only a standard receiver extension in your measurements. However, if your stabilizing brace folds or collapses, ...
What rifles preceded the M16?
(Midwest Industries is a great source for these.) The rifle that preceded the M16 in combat in Vietnam was the Colt/Armalite-produc ed 601/601.
How much does a C15 weigh?
The C15 snaps quickly up to the shoulder, swings like a lively field shotgun, can be carried all day with a basic weight of 6.5 pounds (you gotta love that) and, because of the 20-inch barrel, retains the full ballistic potential of the 5.56 round.
How much does a Lite 20 weigh?
The Lite 20 weighs in at 7.3 pounds (still heavier than an A1, but not by much), compared to the nine-pound heft of the standard A2-style rifle. Weight is saved by using a lightweight barrel and the A1-style carry handle and sight system, which drops nearly two pounds off the basic weapon load is significant.