What barrel is closest to a 14.5" SOCOM but mid-length gas?

[ABNAK]

Just curious. Why would you want to try and custom tune or build a barrel for ammunition that isn't readily available for purchase or use? Notwithstanding the conflicting information about it's legality for civilians or non-government agencies to possess.

Why not? If it was made to run with something like M855A1 then one could assume it'll run with just about any 5.56 NATO load. I only shoot M855, Mk318, Mk262, and some M193 (mainly for plinking or drills). I don't buy shitty Wolf or Tula. The only .223 powered loads I have are 64gr Gold Dots, and that's only because they don't make them in 5.56 NATO.

If someday M855A1 makes it to the civvie market this'll be what eats it. Besides, I happen to have the $$$ at the moment and guns are what I spend my spare change on.....just ask my wife.

[Iraqgunz]

Well I guess my point is that there are already plenty of barrels out there that can suit these needs. Get a midlength that isn't overgassed and it will be fine.

Why not? If it was made to run with something like M855A1 then one could assume it'll run with just about any 5.56 NATO load. I only shoot M855, Mk318, Mk262, and some M193 (mainly for plinking or drills). I don't buy shitty Wolf or Tula. The only .223 powered loads I have are 64gr Gold Dots, and that's only because they don't make them in 5.56 NATO.

If someday M855A1 makes it to the civvie market this'll be what eats it. Besides, I happen to have the $$$ at the moment and guns are what I spend my spare change on.....just ask my wife.

[ABNAK]

Well I guess my point is that there are already plenty of barrels out there that can suit these needs. Get a midlength that isn't overgassed and it will be fine.

Point taken. I have generally purchased more quality AR stuff as the years go by and Hodge Defense is certainly right up there with the best of 'em. Now almost $1700 for a complete upper or $2800 for a complete rifle (when available) pushes the envelope, but if I can get the part at the heart of it for $425 I'll do it. I've spent way more than that on an HK416 upper years ago, which of course I no longer have and could kick myself for that fact. I can add a high-end BCG of my choice to it (I have 2 LMT EBCG's, 2 Colt BCG's, a Sionics NP3 BCG, and a Cryptic Coatings Mystic Black one to choose from) and be set. It will be set up near identically to a couple other carbines I have so once it is zeroed with the few rounds of M855A1 I have it would be shot with my other 5.56 NATO rounds in the future. It would NOT be a regular shooter because the others nearly identical could be used to train with. I try to keep one really nice AR relatively unfired (other than zeroing) and use others of the same ilk to shoot more regularly with.

Who the hell am I going to leave this shit with when I croak? Not planning on it for a few decades mind you (I'm 53) but my only "kids" have four legs and fur and my wife can only shoot so many!

[vicious_cb]

So with the Hodge barrel could you use an LMT enhanced BCG since it's specifically tuned to run with "hot" M855A1 ammo? Like either with M855A1 or, say, Mk318, or even regular M855. Just wonder if the EBCG would cause malfunctions. Might have to change the buffer/spring combo if not running M855A1?

What about running an A5 buffer system with the Hodge?

One more question: if you get the GB-7 Micro Pin gas block that is made for the Hodge, do you HAVE to use only a Hodge rail with it or will it work with other rails (like a BCM KMR or MLR)?

No, you wouldnt want to use an LMT enhanced bolt carrier. The Hodge barrel is already undergassed, throw on a bolt carrier that vents more gas and you have too much of a good thing that will lead to short stroking. Use a regular mil-spec carrier. A5 system works fine. The SLR gas block is just a regular gas block thats slightly shorter vertically than something like a Vltor.

Dont get too caught up on the whole "optimized" for hotter ammo. The gas port is 0.075" thats 0.001" smaller than a BCM so there really isnt a dramatic difference between how they will function.

[Wake27]

Who the hell am I going to leave this shit with when I croak? Not planning on it for a few decades mind you (I'm 53) but my only "kids" have four legs and fur and my wife can only shoot so many!

Dibs.



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[opngrnd]

OP-are you planning to pin & weld?

[ABNAK]

OP-are you planning to pin & weld?

Yes I am.

[Rascally]

Dibs.



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"My greatest fear is that, when I die, my wife will sell all my guns for what I told her I paid for them."

[opngrnd]

Yes I am.

BRT makes a 14.5" barrel for that you might like. I bought the 14" version to P&W for my suppressed build. The 14" barrel had a similar weight to the SOCOM barrel without the silly cutout and handles very well.

[MistWolf]

No, you wouldnt want to use an LMT enhanced bolt carrier. The Hodge barrel is already undergassed, throw on a bolt carrier that vents more gas and you have too much of a good thing that will lead to short stroking...

The venting occurs after the gas has already done it's work.

My experience with the LMT enhanced carrier is that it takes less gas to function reliably. Tested an E carrier and a standard carrier in an upper equipped with an SLR-7 adjustable gas block. With the E carrier installed, I adjusted the gas so the AR would eject and lock back. (If the gas block was closed one more click, the action would eject, but no lock back.) Next, the E carrier was replaced with a standard carrier. The action would eject but not lock back. The gas block had to be opened one more click for full function.