What does everyone recommend for competition ar barrel length? I know 18" was the go to length but latetly I see more and more people using shorter barrels. Im heavily considering buying an Armalite 3gun model and can't decide between the 13.5 barrel with pinned comp or the 18" barrel. Both have adjustable gas blocks and tunable comps. The 18" has a rifle gas system and the 13.5 has a carbine gas system. I've heard great things about both,  and from what I read both can be tuned to shoot very flat.  I don't plan to compete a lot at this time,  but would like a good ar if I decide to in the future. Reliability is a must. I currently have a 16" mid length, I could easily use for 3 gun too. It doesn't have a lot of lightened parts,  but it's a soft shooter that's reliable and accurate.   Thanks in advance for all your suggestio

If the matches you attend are mostly bays  with long distances out to 200 or maybe 300, then the 13.5” Armalite with an LPVO will be great.  Really only if you do a lot of shooting 300 and 400 plus yards do you want the 18” for more velocity.

I have an 18” and while it is a soft shooter, frankly I am sick of the weight.  With adjustable gas you can get the smaller length barrels to still shoot pretty well.

For this next season, I am going somewhat in the middle.  I am building a rifle based on the Odin Works 16” with intermediate gas.  It is basically .750 the entire length and weights 31oz.  Preliminary tests have been very good.  It is not a light rifle but not as heavy as my 18” spr profile one is.

My 18" SPR profile was HEAVY feeling and handling.

My 18" JP rifle with noveske handguard is not heavy at all to me, even with a Vortex Razor HD Gen2 1-6 on top.

I'd be just fine with a 16" mid gas system as well, and for 3gun I'd be using a lightweight barrel or predaTAR profile.

I have the 18" Armalite 3gun model.  It is a great shooting rifle and it has been reliable.  That said, the rifle targets at all of our local matches at <200 yards.  The 18" feels heavy and too long sometimes when maneuvering.  I am thinking about getting the 13.5" model.

I ordered the 18" model and I should have it by the end of next week.  Thanks for your opinions.

Well the 18" model came in and I picked it up, cleaned it but haven't shot it yet. It looked and felt so good,  I also decided to order the 13.5" upper and am building a lower for it. I used a Luth ar mba2 to save weight and the only thing left to buy is a trigger.  Im tempted to buy another Timney so it feels the same as my 18" model. I like Geissele triggers but want a true single stage.  I need options and opinions. Should I just get another Timney and be done with it? Is the Velocity trigger the same as the Timney but a different color? What about the new CMC 2.5lb?
Thanks,