... a muzzle device to a 14.5 barrel, when a 16" makes more sense? Just curious. If you do this what are pros compared to the cons? Thoughts?

Are bayonets really an issue?

If you want to be able to use a bayonet it is.

Why would anyone want to do this?

Maybe they are working on their machine shop skills?

Better question is, why would anyone give a shit if other people did this?  Riddle me that.

yes

Being from NJ it is the only rational choice.  I have to pin it anyway, so I might as well have it on a 14.5".

Also allows you to have the shortest barrel/FH length possible without a stamp.

Shortest possible length without a stamp.

Clones.

Because they like to throw away money. (I just got two 14.5s back from the shop)

I once wondered the same thing until I got my first one done, I ended up liking it the best. It has a little better balance IMO

Doesn't pinning and welding keep some from doing this? Is it not a bitch if you want to change out a rail?

Buy a new upper or additional AR.

Do you even commitment bro?

I'm just trying to understand what y'all are thinking. I'm asking because I want to know why some of you choose to do this. I'm not trying to be a dick or criticize.

Not really these days with rails that use the factory barrel nuts.

I went with one because a 16" wouldn't fit in my ammo can.





PS this can is not buried in my BOL stuffed with MREs and ammo..  

The price you pay for living in a commie state.

Let me start over. I am asking because I am curious if a removable low- profile gas block system would be of any interest???

At the most basic level, it's how you want to spend your money on your AR.

Years ago, some pompus asshat chastised people here saying things like barrel swaps were "depot level maintenance" and that these things "are not legos".

Well, I'm here to tell you.  After over 10 years of AR ownership, countless combinations including NFA/SBR/Supressors and attending an Armorer class, these things are indeed lego's.

Hard to break, harder to induce a catastrophic failure.  Have at it and have fun.  THAT is the name of the game.

because it looks better...

Have one of these pinned and you can swap on and off any gas block or barrel nut you need.

This.  I haven't used one of those yet, but I think they are awesome.

It always seemed like a big PITA to me, too, but a hell of a lot of people do it, so it must work for them.

Me? I "settle" for 16" and I'm perfectly happy with the decision. Easier to swap stuff.

What if you have a lightweight barrel?

The outside diameter looks similar to an A2 flash hider.  On a standard barrel (there is no "lightweight"), they have a larger OD than the barrel does.

How would you get a .625 over it?

The run a stock barrel nut and a low profile of your choice and pin it.  Then you have the option of switching between several different makers of handguards that use the stock barrel nut.

otherwise figure out what you want and stick with it.

I have a 14.5" pinned that used a stock barrel nut (the one pictured above).  I shaved the front sight and have a Samson Evo rail on it.  I like the set up.

If I wanted something different I could go with a Troy, Rainier Evo, Fortis, Centurion, MI, ect..........

If you are a gear-queer (nothing wrong with that BTW) then stick with a 16" and swap out stuff as much as you want.  Personally I wouldl go with a pinned 14.5" and then just buy another rifle to reconfigure as much as I like.  I actually did that at one point.

Sure it would.  New stuff is always good.

A .625 what?  Gas block?  If the flash hider is pinned, you won't unless you grind the weld and pull the pin.

The majority of people simply do not deal with the issue.  Those that do accept the opportunity cost.

Because I a can

You could accomplish the same thing, in a shorter box, by using the takedown pins.

Yes a 2 piece low profile gas block would be good. A gas block low enough profile to fit a barrel nut over would be good to. Do not know if it's possible though.

Pffffft pushin pins...... nobody ain't got time for dat!  Also, that would mean less ammo and MRE storage.

I'm going to be assembling a 14.7" lightweight middy with pinned A2. I want to have the shortest barrel I can without a stamp. Also, a pinned muzzle device will help keep this one from turning into what my last middy did

I am no purist, but middy's always look "wrong " and "just right" to me.

I think my opinion is skewed because they were a solution in search of a problem.

But the have some aesthetic appeal.

Frankly, there's no real benefits to a 16" 556 over a 14.5" 556. The 16" pretty much just exists for NFA purposes.

The 14.5" handles better for me, and just looks and feels right. I had long gotten rid of every 16" 556 I owned, and never expected to own another due to my preference for 14.5s. I did add a 16" back to the collection over the summer, a KAC Mod 1, but that was purely because of my KAC addiction, and I just had to have one of every model. I still ponder chopping it down to 14.5 at least a few times a week though.

And I'll never regret a pinned muzzle device because I have 3 AAC cans pending, and I'd never not want an AAC mount on my rifles. So that possible issue will never even come into play for me.

I would have a 14.5" even with a stamp. For how I use my rifle it represents the best trade off in velocity, reliability, length and weight.

Agreed. As would I.

the fact that hardly anyone caught this detail and still proceeded to post why they liked 14.5 over 16"  
This would be great, but I think there are some like this out iin the market?  If you have a prototype to show or a working model, can you post pics of it?

people don't really care why he's asking. They want to discuss the topic that he originally brought up.

It's just a choice and a relatively inconsequential one at that. a few ounces, an inch+ in length, a few extra FPS muzzle velocity, a few dollars for the work, not sure why this gets brought up so much and actually debated. A lot of us have an affinity for short barrels (for whatever reason).  That being said, when it comes to feel/handling, I'll be willing to bet anyone they can't tell them apart, I'll give you 1 to 10 odds.

But perception IS reality.

It's not how the weapon handles, it's how the shooter thinks it handles.

In other words... there is no spoon

If all you really wanted was information, and not to stir things up, you might have read the dozens of previous threads that have addressed this question.

......

I really wasn't trying to stir things up. I was just trying to get the attention of the the folks that pin and weld. My go to rifle is a 14.5 middy with a pinned BC 1.5. I have also been a resident of NJ for the last 2 years.  In NJ, even if your semi-auto barrel was 20 feet long, you would still need to pin and weld. Its a total PITA to change rail systems. Yes I know there are numerous rail systems utilizing a mil-spec barrel nuts and that's good. However there some very good systems that do not. I'm merely trying to find out, in other states, if there may be interest of a GB that is removable? I have a design that I am bringing to fruition. It's steel, low profile, pinnable and It looks good. I will be unveiling it soon and will be looking for a few honest men or women to put it to the test.

I'm sure you've done your homework, but is this pinnable block held together by screws?  

I very much prefer the 14.5 set up over the 16" and since I don't have any stamps pin and weld is my only option for my preferred set up.

Nope

OP have you built a prototype yet? Any pics?

This answers a question, I have never seen an ammo can this size! What are the specs on that, and what would it hold (round and amount please)? That is an awesome setup!!

Several have stated the 14.5" is the way to get the shortest possible barrel without SBR. That is baloney. The barrel has to be 16" whether you add a 5" barrel extension to an 11" barrel or whether you add an A2 FH extension to a shortened 16" barrel or an extended A2 FH extension to a 14.5 barrel. They all have to be at least 16" (usually about 16.15" just to be on the safe side).  My preference is to start with a 16" barrel and have it cut back so the standard A2 FH makes it come out to 16" total, actual length to muzzle about 14.9" to 14.7" depending on the actual length of the threaded section. In this case it's not the muzzle that matters - the critical feature is the shoulder behind the threads. That location has to calculated based on the length of the muzzle attachment including the crush washer. I prefer the standard A2 to an extended one, and the extra 0.2" to 0.4" on the barrel doesn't jump out at you.
Okay, so the man wants to know why would I do that. Well, a 16" barrel with carbine gas looks stupid. You get that little mod done and you go from a 17.5" barrel w/FH down to a 16", which puts the barrel more in harmony with the handguard. In my case it was an HBAR, so a nice hunk of steel came off the end of the barrel. If you take a little weight and length off the end of a barrel, the quicker handling and better 'feel' you get is all out of proportion to the small amount of material removed. This is simply physics. You lighten the end of that lever and you'll get far more benefit than you would if you took the same amount of weight off on the shoulder end.
I have another 16" but it's a middy, so there will be no shortening - doesn't need it for looks and since it's my scoped AR, I want to keep that little extra 25 FPS or whatever you get with a 16". Plus, the bayonet fits it perfectly :) And, on the shortened carbine, now the bayonet fits that one perfectly too. But I only have one bayonet! But it's an M9, so it makes up for it. :)
I hope this helps explain why we keep ADCO in business chopping barrels and pinning/welding extensions. I'd like to have an SBR, but I just don't want the hassle. This is a good compromise. But, it is true that you should settle on the configuration you want before permanently attaching a barrel extension if it's a larger diameter than the barrel. But, you could cut a sight base off easily enough and use a clamp-on gas block, so maybe it isn't so permanent after all.