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Posted: 3/20/2003 4:36:41 PM EDT
| How is the AR15 carbines modeled after the CAR-15 of the Vietnam Era? Are they any good in accuracy? Have you had any first hand experience with it, if you did how was it? |
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The GI "carbine" of the Viet Nam era was primarily the XM177E2, which had an 11.5 inch barrel, and a 4.5 inch flash suppressor, that (supposedly) also had some noise reduction ability. It is classified as a silencer by BATF, though it really doesn't do that much silencing. The civilian CAR15 was basically a take off on the XM, with a 16" barrel and a standard AR15 flash suppressor being the only visual difference. Also, the lower reciever was the regular AR15 unit of the era; flat side and semi auto only. Ever since that time, people have been producing what they want the public to believe is a clone of the XM177 suppressor. Some allow you to keep your 16" barrel; the piece simply slides over the barrel. Others you have to cut the barrel back and then permanently attach to make legal. In no case have the aftermarket units exactly duplicated the original. The closest has been the piece listed in the Bushmaster price sheet. It at least is the right diameter and length, though the rebated portion does not match the E2 length or diameter. It's more a clone of the 10" barreled XM177. It also doesn't come with the odd washer that the E2 used. Over 20 years ago I modified my SP1 carbine to the E2 configuration, using a much modified early type flash suppressor, and the washer I obtained at the time. It's still my favorite AR. What I lost in velocity by going to the shorter barrel I feel I made up for in handiness, and yes, in "sexiness"[:D] Accuracy is just about on a par with what it was with the 16" barrel, though i'd have to say that velocity loss makes it a 200 meter piece. |
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