I've never had a carbine length upper before.  I've read all this stuff about carbines, beating their bolts up worse and not being AS reliable as the rifle or midlength.  But, in the real world, aren't they still reliable?

I have an extra RRA Lower with a  6 position, collapsible stock and NM trigger.  It's a funny story but we needed one and ended up getting two.  We didn't think one of the guys was going to order it, but he did.   Well regardless.  We don't want to send it back we want to build another complete firearm.  We have a Colt A2 20" the other RRA lower with an ADCO recce upper and I think I want to make this next one a M4 type with the a4 flat top and removable handle in case I want to mount my scope on her once in awhile.  (when I say we, I mean me and my dad, he's got BRD and I just help him figure out what to get )

So, am I better off with a middy?
If I do an m4 barrel length, will I miss that 1.5 inches (difference between 16 and 14.5, which I'm thinking I wouldn't)?
Can you put the slimmer handgaurds on instead of those big chunky M4 ones?
Will it blow up faster than a rifle or middy if I shoot like say 2000 rounds a year?

Any help would be much appreciated.  You guys on this site make it hard to not want carbines.

If I had to do it all over again, I'd get a 16" middy (with med profile),
slap a FF quad-rail on there, and call it done.


If you think you can't justify a rail, your BRD is still in the early stages...



*there are people here who will shoot 2K over the weekend - you'll be fine!*

Carbines are still reliable, make no doubt about that.  Yes, some say that the middy is a bit easier on the rifle, but I don't worry about such miniscule differences.  I have a carbine, and I will have a middy and a standard 20".  But that is the nature of BRD.  

As far as 2k rounds per year, I shot almost that last month.

Brian

What about the extra 1.5"???

Anybody else got any advice??