AR Sponsor
Posted: 10/31/2008 12:09:45 AM EDT
First off I would like to admit that this is my cherry popping post, so please be gentile with me 
I am the proud parent of a RRA CAR-4, It came with the 16'' barrel which is ok, however I want to make it a SBR and get a 10 or 10.5 inch barrel. I have been looking around and I have noticed that there is barrel kits and barrels sold by themselves. What do I need besides the paperwork to make it a SBR? Do I need to buy a shorter gas tube and different bolt or can I just put the barrel on and enjoy the smell of burning powder? Also anyone who sells a 10 inch barrel threaded on the end? Thanks for the help and I hope it was as good for you as it was for me!! |
|
please feel free to look around here http://www.ar15.com/forums/forum.html?b=6&f=17 . most of your SBR legal questions are answered in the FAQ .
as for the shorter barrel. I just bought a compleat upper. |
| I know the paperwork process, I was wondering more about the barrel and other possible parts I may need with it. I'm trying to stay away from just buying another upper. Once I put the short barrel on I don't plan changing anything, I'll be using it for work so I want to keep everything the same way all the time and not switching uppers. |
|
Quoted:
I know the paperwork process, I was wondering more about the barrel and other possible parts I may need with it. I'm trying to stay away from just buying another upper. Once I put the short barrel on I don't plan changing anything, I'll be using it for work so I want to keep everything the same way all the time and not switching uppers. When I SBR'rd my BM, I just bought a BM 11.5" bbl. from a vendor here on the EE and it came with the shorter gas tube and other smaller parts needed except the handguards. Everything was new. You can use your current bolt with your new bbl. especially if you buy a shorter RRA bbl. but any should be OK. I like to stick with brand specific when makeing changes so why not contact RRA and have them set you up with what you need to change your bbl. over? |
| I bought my 10.5" chrome lined RRA barrel from PKfirearms. They are a sponser here and are great to deal with. And you won't need anything else. I do run a 9mm buffer with mine and you might want to cionsider a heavier buffer. Especially if you have cycling problems. See how it shoots first. |
|
I SBR'd my RRA Car A4. I just had my gunsmith cut, recrown, rethread my original barrel. Shoots everything I put thru it and he didn't even open up the gas port. It cost me about $100.
ETA: I've used a YHM Phantom on mine w/ammo ranging from wolf 55 FMJ to SSA 77 SMK's w/no problems. |
|
Quoted:
Ok thanks for the info guys. I wanted to stick with RRA anyways. I'll check out that PKFirearms. Why would you want to pick the barrel with inferior specs? 1/9 twist and 4140 steel. If you ever get a can forget about using the best ammo in it... high probability of a baffle strike. Statements like these always confuse me. I guess people prefer matching brand names to perfomance. 
|
|
Ok, if you're looking at using it for a duty rifle, you may want to consider some things.
10.5/11.5 barrels, especially 10.5's, can be finicky to operate. This has to do with a number of issues ranging from extractors to gas port openings to buffer weights. If you buy right, the most you might have to deal with is to put a H weight buffer in your tube. Having a smith that is unfamiliar with some of the intricancies and quirks of these systems can make for a very frustrating situation with you, as you may experience way more malfunctions that you would normally have. This will be annoying during training and deadly on duty. I know of a department that bought low bid brand guns, and ended up only being able to shoot UMC 55gr FMJ's to even get them to cycle right. Sure, you can go cheap. Some smith can lop and crown the barrel, and not need to touch the gas port. You can buy a Level 2 bargain ballistic vest for a couple hundred bucks for your duty vest too and save $500. Would you? Shorties will perform ballistically better with heavier bullets in the 75/77gr ranges. 1/9 twists will handle these, but some guns have been finicky in this twist with those ranges. Something to consider is the 1/7 will handle 55 gr training rounds nicely and handle heavier loads better. You also will want to consider chrome lining, which I'm not sure the RRA model has. You also will want the feature of the Chrome Lining to protect your barrel. My need for it is due to temperature changes that cause condensation (Cold to warm in the winter months) and humidity in the summer. If you're in Pennsylvania, I'd sure look at this, as you will have the same issues I do. I'm not worried about accuracy issues, as my shorty upper does 1/2 to 3/4 inch groups at 50 yards with open sights. LMT's have been reported to be very accurate uppers. I run a 10.5 Mk18/CQBR upper made by LMT for my duty gun after a lot of research. This is the one that is also issued to US Military guys that need a short system. Now, if you only want one system, I'd look at selling the upper you have now to help finance an shorty upper to suit your needs better. The LMT sells for around $480. To save money, you can keep the handguards and BCG from your RRA, although I'd look at getting a Auto BCG if your RRA isn't one and selling it to help pay for it. Just my 2cents from having gone down this road already. |
|
Quoted:
Ok, if you're looking at using it for a duty rifle, you may want to consider some things. 10.5/11.5 barrels, especially 10.5's, can be finicky to operate. This has to do with a number of issues ranging from extractors to gas port openings to buffer weights. If you buy right, the most you might have to deal with is to put a H weight buffer in your tube. Having a smith that is unfamiliar with some of the intricancies and quirks of these systems can make for a very frustrating situation with you, as you may experience way more malfunctions that you would normally have. This will be annoying during training and deadly on duty. I know of a department that bought low bid brand guns, and ended up only being able to shoot UMC 55gr FMJ's to even get them to cycle right. Sure, you can go cheap. Some smith can lop and crown the barrel, and not need to touch the gas port. You can buy a Level 2 bargain ballistic vest for a couple hundred bucks for your duty vest too and save $500. Would you? Shorties will perform ballistically better with heavier bullets in the 75/77gr ranges. 1/9 twists will handle these, but some guns have been finicky in this twist with those ranges. Something to consider is the 1/7 will handle 55 gr training rounds nicely and handle heavier loads better. You also will want to consider chrome lining, which I'm not sure the RRA model has. You also will want the feature of the Chrome Lining to protect your barrel. My need for it is due to temperature changes that cause condensation (Cold to warm in the winter months) and humidity in the summer. If you're in Pennsylvania, I'd sure look at this, as you will have the same issues I do. I'm not worried about accuracy issues, as my shorty upper does 1/2 to 3/4 inch groups at 50 yards with open sights. LMT's have been reported to be very accurate uppers. I run a 10.5 Mk18/CQBR upper made by LMT for my duty gun after a lot of research. This is the one that is also issued to US Military guys that need a short system. Now, if you only want one system, I'd look at selling the upper you have now to help finance an shorty upper to suit your needs better. The LMT sells for around $480. To save money, you can keep the handguards and BCG from your RRA, although I'd look at getting a Auto BCG if your RRA isn't one and selling it to help pay for it. Just my 2cents from having gone down this road already. Good advice. I also have an LMT 10.5" upper on my Bushmaster lower. Two years later still running flawlessly. |
AR Sponsor