I am looking for a barrel for my MA-TEN and have some questions about gas system lengths.



The 14.5" Noveske uses a carbine length system, correct?  Rainier arms has Kaiser 16" barrels that I was thinking about cutting down to 14.5 or 13.7. The gas system on the Kaiser barrel is midlength according to them. How much does a .308 midlength differ from a carbine length? Will the midlength be too long for a 14.5/13.7 and not provide enough dwell time?



Basically, which is better for a 14.5/13.7 the carbine or midlength? I am guessing Noveske put a lot of research into theirs when deciding to go with the carbine length.



Any ideas?

I cannot really answer your question, but i wanted to piggy back this for an answer of my own.

Was looking at the KAC sr25 EMC 16 inch guns, and i see that they have thier gas block showing out of the handguards which leads me to belive its a rifle length system. I have never seen this on other 16 inch 308 rifles. Is this common? Can i get it to work on a custom turned barrel? Is there some magic they do that i will never get without getting one of thiers?

Thanks
Pat

OK, someone please correct me if I am wrong. The KMT 16" barrel uses a mid-length gas system. This is the same length gas system as an AR-15 mid-length, right?





How much barrel do you need (roughly) to allow for reliable function of the rifle and would a 13.7" .308 with a mid-length gas system get enough gas to operate reliable?

 

This can get very confusing but I beleive the noveske barrel being an armalite style barrel is labeling their barrels as carbine gas which in armalite world is the short gas. armalite has only 2 gas lengths carbine and rifle. armalite carbine is supposed to be longer than regular AR15 midlength. the 16" from rainier is IIRC ar15 midlegnth based so its close to the same as the noveske only a tad shorter. clear as mud right? ;)

Yep, definitely muddy.



I have been trying to decipher it all and just get more confused. As for now, i am trying to forget everything Noveske and Armalite related and focus on a DPMS style barrel and gas system. Divide and conquer is my strategy.