Question for ARficionados

[Ironbear]

When I look around the internet, I see a bunch of AR's with 11" barrels and 5.5" muzzle brakes. Why... I mean, I know that the 5.5" brake is required to get to the minimum barrel length requirement, but why not a 15.5" barrel with a 1" brake? Gets you the same OAL but with a lot more usable barrel. So... why all the 11" barrels? What fact am I missing for all this to make sense?

[princewally]

I'm guessing it's due to 11" barrels being standard on something or other with a lot of overage. Some bright young sales drone looked in the recycling pile and said "Hey, let's screw on a muzzle brake and sell this to civilians!"

[mnglocker]

Or perhaps they're just to hold you over until you get your $200 tax stamp and a you can SBR it.

[hammAR]

Or perhaps they're just to hold you over until you get your $200 tax stamp and a you can SBR it.

SBR and/or M4-2000 Can...........

From Bushmaster:
11.5" barrel assembly: $225
11.5" barrel assembly w/ 5.5" flash hider welded: $240
Complete w/A2 upper, bolt, 11.5" barrel assembly w/ 5.5" flash hider welded: $685
Complete w/ A2 upper,bolt and standard barrel assembly: $575

[Ironbear]

HammAR understands my point. Anybody who wanted to SBR it or make a AR pistol would simply start with short barrel rather than a short barrel with a "permanently affixed" flash hider and cut it down. It seems that anyone keeping the longer overall length would want more barrel and less flash hider. At least that's what I would expect from a rational, intelligent, informed... consumer.... ahhh... I think I may have just answered my own question...

[JFettig]

HammAR understands my point. Anybody who wanted to SBR it or make a AR pistol would simply start with short barrel rather than a short barrel with a "permanently affixed" flash hider and cut it down. It seems that anyone keeping the longer overall length would want more barrel and less flash hider. At least that's what I would expect from a rational, intelligent, informed... consumer.... ahhh... I think I may have just answered my own question...

Your absolutely right. I started posting earlier then I didn't, you don't gain anything having this setup, you loose velocity, energy, gets louder? maybe more flash?

Jon

[EAJuggalo]

but it looks much more tacticool. I'd much rather have my 22" barreled AK but that may just be me.

[David]

It's a historical thing, having nothing to do with performance. Those who want that 60s CAR15 look (which, I believe, were 10.5-inch barrels with 4-inch flash suppressors) go this route. I had one years ago but put a new barrel on it when I decided I'd rather have a shooter than a pseudo-historic rifle. In fact, the lower is pretty much the only part I haven't replaced on that rifle!