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Posted: 5/14/2013 8:45:05 PM EDT
| So after lots of looking I have finally found my seekins upper and handguard. I was hoping for a 15-inch handguard but I'm having to settle with a 12-inch. My question is whether I should go with a 14.5 or 16 inch barrel? How much velocity is gained in that extra 1.5 inches of barrel? |
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Aside from the loss of muzzle velocity (good info by the way in the above link) you also need to consider permanently attaching a muzzle device to bring the rifle to the legal 16" minimum if you go with 14.5. That's of course unless you are planning on obtaining the permits to own an SBR, but if you were going to do that you'd just go shorter than 14.5 anyway. This can be somewhat of a pain because it involves either doing it yourself if you have the tools and the patience to do a good job or put up with the bad results if you don't, or sending it off to a gunsmith.
ADCO charges $30 for this service + shipping, and they do fantastic work. You just need to pick the device. 16" you can thread on and clock anything you want and not permanently attach it. |
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Get a Noveske 14.5" SS afghan barrel and thank me later Do you recommend a place to get this barrel? Noveske Afghan 14.5. You'll have to get on the notification list. |
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Can I permanently pin a muzzle device to a 14.5 inch barrel or does it have to be done by a "certified" company? Anyone can do it if they have the ability. I still send it out to Rainier Arms or someone else who will be on the hook, because if my buddy that works for beer gets the math wrong and goes into the bore I don't want the drama... |
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Can I permanently pin a muzzle device to a 14.5 inch barrel or does it have to be done by a "certified" company? Make sure it's long enough so that once mounted it is 16-16.1" over all. IMO if this is your only AR then go with a 16". This way you can try things out and see if you like them. |
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This is just my opinion. I'd never buy another 14.5" upper.
I have a 14.5'' BCM upper with perm. attached extended flash hider to make it legal. I have a 16" BCM upper with regular A2 flash hider. Both are mid-length gas systems. Difference in over all length is around 3/4", from upper receiver to end of hider. It's not so much the little difference of lost velocity, it's the limiting of being able to work on and change parts, with the 14.5". You can't change hiders, front sights and/or gas blocks, barrel nuts, and are limited to certain hand guard options, without doing some grinding or cutting. Lots of guy's like the look and handling of a 14.5" barrel, and don't mind the limiting factor, and that's fine. For me the things you limit yourself too and what you have to do to make the 14.5" legal are just not worth the little difference to me. After owning both, I have often wondered, why bother. I am giving my opinion on us civilians and our weapons. Military applications are totally different and the 14.5", under their rules makes sense. Jumping out of aircraft, and vehicles, busting through doors and going from room to room, I can see the need. As I said, my opinions that apply to me. |
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