working on a lightweight AR build-what is your favorite carbine-length barrel?

thanks for the info gents

also, I'm looking for a barrel-specific thread or sticky and not finding one. Let me know if we have something like that here?

Noveske. Any of their barrels are fantastic and they do have a lightweight barrel. Worth every penny if you can shoot as good as the barrel does!
 

14.5 with a pinned break. I got a new old stock Colt here off the boards a few years back. I had a break pinned and loved it. I just had it hacked to 10.5 and re-threaded now that my stamp came back. I am really digging the shorty.

noveske makes a fine barrel but you pay ALOT for that name. I like BCM barrels, ADCO can cut and reprofile any attel you have too.

10.5?!?

Pics! Would looove to have a shorty

Not sure what your laws are in WA but in Statesvthat allow Short Barrel Rifles (SBRs). Once you go through the ATF process you can run any barrel length you want. Here is my 10.5"

A 16" barrel is best in my opinion that way you don't have to screw with pinning & welding a muzzle device to it or deal with the NFA process to have a registered SBR. If you pin the muzzle device, one day you may want to change the flash hider, remove the front sight, remove the handguard, swap gas blocks, change barrels, etc... pinning that thing is a pain in the ass to have to do or undo.

Shorties are nice, but like said previously, they require the NFA procedure to acquire a tax stamp. Any barrel shorter than 16" requires this procedure unless you pin & weld the muzzle device so that the over all length is 16". SBR length barrels could be considered better for specific purposes because they are shorter, lighter and more agile in comparison. Shorter barrels drop muzzle velocity so their effective range will be limited in comparison to longer barrels.

Personally I don't see the point of a 14.5" pinned & welded barrel when your overall length will be 16" anyway What's the benefit? Is it significant enough to warrant all the hassle? I doubt it ... why screw with it? In other words ... how can you convince someone that a 14.5" is better than a 16" with which there is no hassle? Now some states are different and may require ANY muzzle device to be pinned & welded. That's something for the owner/builder to know & learn.

Barrels longer than 16" typically only benefits people that are trying to achieve higher muzzle velocity for longer range shots. For most a 16" barrel is perfect.

Pin and weld the break, use a or 2-piece gas block (like YHM). The barrel nut will slip over the break, as will any forearm.  I used a little loctite on the screw for the 2 piece block to be safe but never had any issues.  A 14.5" with a pinned break gets to 16" total, a 16" barrel then adds 1-2" when you add a break. Deending on your application impacts form and function.  I have a 16" and had the 14.5" for a while until cut, there was a noticeable weight and balance difference, which can of coruse change depending on how you configure them.

that shorty looks great. I just dont want to go thru the paperwork and wait time to do an SBR. I think I will go 14.5 " barrel and pin the brake on. No intentions of ever changing it. Mostly looking for opinions on weight. thanks all!

Looknat a gas block you can get off with the break pinned.  Trust me,, my buddy thought the same thing, a year later a new rail comes to market he loves with a proprietary barrel nut.  I had to cut the existing block off, replace with a YHM 2-piece etc.
Was it hard-no,
Was it expensive-not really new block was $40 or so and the old one was trash
Was it time consuming and avoidable-yes

What does one benefit by being limited to using 2-piece handguards, a 2-piece gas block and stuck with a single muzzle device that cannot be removed? I don't understand the allure. You drop 2 oz of weight.

I have a low pro gas block in my hand right now and it will not slide over an A2 flash hider. Maybe a 2-piece gas block will, but a standard block will not.

A two piece low profile  gas block is just that, think like standard m4 handguards 2 piece, easy on, easy off.

Using one allows a person with a pinned muzzle device to take the barrel nut off, so say you start with a Midwest Industries rail that uses a standard barrel nut, but down the road you decide you want the latest and greatest Troy rail that uses a proprietary nut.  You are going to have to do some cutting if you can't get the gas-block off, or accept your screwed. I have yet to find a gas block with a small enough profile that a barrel nut can slip over it.  However there are several breaks that a barrel nut can clear with no issue.

I already know everything you described. I just don't understand why anyone would go so far out of their way, limit themselves to 2-piece parts just to save 2 ounces. Hell you probably gain more than 2 oz by using 2-piece parts .

All this for what benefit and what makes it "better" than a 16" ? It sounds like a whole LOT of limitations for nothing (or nothing significant).

All right man, just explaining how to do it.

Couple of ounces and a couple of inches can matter depending on the application and purpose of the upper/rifle. You like 16", which is fine, I have one.

I was simply trying to give the OP ideas on different ways to setup and not run into issues I have helped people with. Not trying to argue or shit in anyone's sandbox. To each their own, apparently you dislike the 14.5" or don't see the purpose, some people do.

Given the choice for just about any carbine, I would generally go shorter and lighter every time.  

I have a 14.5" Black Hole Weaponry polygon barrel in 6mm-223 with 1:9" RH T3 which is my go-to gun. I love this little caliber because it packs the punch to get one shot kills without much more recoil than a 223. Those guys at Black Hole Weaponry make some amazingly accurate barrels. They say the polygon design (which is the same Noveske uses) increases velocity, and accuracy...I have no clue about the increase in velocity, but I tell you they are super accurate. The 14.5" with a pinned Yankee Hill Phantom 5C Compensator brings the Over All Length to just over 16" so I have no compliance issues with the law.

As for people with other preferences, I set up my gun the way I feel it works best for the application I need. The 14.5" I use for home defense. It is small enough to use as a CQB weapon while keeping similar velocity/energy as 16" but still be a little more maneuverable in confined spaces; so for me it is a matter of length, not of weight what made me choose 14.5" vs 16". I have 2 other 16" uppers but for some reason I gravitate to the 14.5 every time I need to shoot something. If the need ever arises for shooting at long ranges I would not use the 14.5" nor the 16". I guess I could have used a 16" barrel with a target crown or without any muzzle devise, but I just like the way this look better.

No problem. I was just hoping for someone to explain what the miracle reason was for drastically restricting/limiting parts options & overall versatility of the weapon. Evidently there is no significant reason for choosing a 14.5" to justify pinning & welding the muzzle device just as I figured.

No significant length advantage.
No significant ballistic advantage.
No significant tactical advantage.
No significant ... reason other than to say, "my barrel is ever so slightly shorter than your barrel" (yet mine is pinned & welded which cost me more money to do and restricts/limits my options).

It's perfectly clear now. No shit, no sand box to concern yourself with. Your conscience should remain clear because am not offended.

Most optics (at least military type) are calibrated for 62gr out of a 14.5" barrel.





 

That is true in many cases, but most people do not use that length of barrel, or the same twist rate or the same ammo and the BDC works just fine. In other words no significant ballistic advantage.

It surely is an option, just keep all the limitations in mind.