Hello all,  I am new to this board and this is my first post.  I have finaly got my first ar15 project going and I have come up with a question that I am hoping someone can help me with.  I have my complete lower half ready to go (RRA), and now all I need is a complete upper half.  I don't want to build the upper myself but I can't seem to find exactly what I want.  I want a flat top varmint grade upper with a 20" bull barrel.  The problem is I don't like the way all of the 20" uppers look.   They have the same forearm as the 24" uppers which I think is to long for a 20 inch barrel.  Does anyone make a 20" upper that doesn't have such a long forearm?  Looking at the ones RRA makes, I think that the 20" upper should use the forearm from an 18" upper.  There's just not enough barrel sticking out past the forearm for my taste.  However I don't really want the 24" upper because I just don't want something that long.  I appologize for such a lengthy post, but can anyone give me some advice?

Deal with the longer forearm... form follows function.  You want a bipod out there as far as you can get it.

   CJ8R

 I just got on line to ask the same question. I've got a 22" upper that has a great profile. Its not a .223, But I would like to have built a 20" with the same profile in .223. I think that 18" size free-float tube and gas system would be perfect. Looks like the USAMU has been building similar prototype (SPR)'s in 18" length. Its hard to tell whether they are using 16" gas systems or 18"s from the PIC in the article I read. The article read like they understand the Fluted Stainless Heavy Barrel, Free-Floated idea for the squad designated marksman rifle. Can't be all that bad of an idea if they're already working on it.

the longer forearm is to cover the barrel and keep you from burning yourself along with protecting the gas tube.

most here use longer tubes and this thread is surely different.


im sure it can be done, contact one of the dealers in the industry forum and see what they can do for you. jt distributing offers varmint uppers and im sure he can swap the rifle length tube out for a carbine one or something

Quoted: The problem is I don't like the way all of the 20" uppers look.

Why does it matter how it looks? Looks do not have anything to do with how the rifle functions. A rifle is not inherently a piece of art to be studied and admired. A rifle is meant to deliver a projectile to your target as accurately and efficiently as possible. Once you can get past being concerned about aestethics, you will find that you will choose the best gear for the job. For more information on this subject, please reference my sig line.

the length of the handguard is generally dictated by the length of the gas tube, thus the location of the gas block/front sight... the logic is no more difficult  than that. There are reasons to run a shorter than normal HG and we have made up a few guns with 2" shorter guards for the mil/LE crowd, I would suggest contacting Steve at ADCO and see if he can help you out.

Thanks for tips thus far.  I'll have to look into it some more and see what can be done.  Who sells 22" uppers, Ive seen a few but can't remember who makes them.  That would be a compromise between a 20 and 24" barrel obviously.  I know looks shouldn't be that important and generally looks aren't that big of a deal for me, but this is a fairly expensive gun for me and I want it to be exactly how I want it.

Quoted: I know looks shouldn't be that important and generally looks aren't that big of a deal for me, but this is a fairly expensive gun for me and I want it to be exactly how I want it.

That is the most honest thing I have seen anyone post on this site in a long, long time...and I'm not kidding.

But a rifle length gas system with handguards any shorter than "rifle length" will leave an exposed gas tube.  What's the reason for this?  

I can surely see doing something becaues of the way it looks when you have more than one option, but this is just a little silly.  Handguards have always been there to cover and protect the gas tube.  Making a custom barrel that will have a handguard cap in an unusual place so you can use carbine handguards is going to limit your options in the future (like when you realize this is a little wierd.)

Quoted: Quoted: But a rifle length gas system with handguards any shorter than "rifle length" will leave an exposed gas tube.  What's the reason for this?   I can surely see doing something becaues of the way it looks when you have more than one option, but this is just a little silly.  Handguards have always been there to cover and protect the gas tube.  Making a custom barrel that will have a handguard cap in an unusual place so you can use carbine handguards is going to limit your options in the future (like when you realize this is a little wierd.) Who said anything about a carbine handguards on a rifle length gas system? I can make him anything he wants, to include a 22" barrel with a rifle length handguard, or even a 20" with a mid-length gas system and handguards if that's what he likes to look of. I agree that carbine length handguards exposing a rifle length gas system would be FUGLY.

 

I think you might have missed something:

The problem is I don't like the way all of the 20" uppers look. They have the same forearm as the 24" uppers which I think is to long for a 20 inch barrel. Does anyone make a 20" upper that doesn't have such a long forearm?

He wants a shorter handguard on a 20" barrel.  I guess you could make him a 20" carbine but was thinking that would be just as odd and even if you put looks aside, Why go from a rifle length gas system on a rifle to a carbine length gas system on a rifle?