Observations on Mid length carbines.

[shootist1970]

This may start a sudden weather change concerning poo!!

I was watching an episode of three gun nation, and i have to tell you, I don't see the point of an 18" race gun.

I understand the mid length gas system is supposed to have less of a recoil impulse in the gas system than a carbine length gas tube, but does that extra 2 inches of gas tube really reduce it that much?

I just don't get it with 18" barrel you neither get the benefits of a 20" inch standard length nor the handiness of a 14.5 or 16 inch M4.

I'm not trying to lampoon anyone's choice of long arm but i truly thought about this for some time.

Maybe i'm just old fashioned but i think if you're going to play a combat game, you should use something as close to what standard issue combat arms are issued like as is possible. That is what they require at Camp Perry matches.

I dunno, i guess i'm asking somebody to sell me on these weird looking race guns and why they should be used instead of what the military and police departments actually issue for service rifles and carbines.

Let me just make this clear, all my Ar's are in military issue configurations but that is not why i'm asking. It's a free country and you can own whatever you want or need to compete but to me it looks goofy to have 8 inches of handguard with 3/4 inches of barrel protruding.

[AKDoug]

It's a game. Simply just a game.

The 18" barrel allows you to run a rifle length gas system vs. a 16" midlength or carbine. They shoot "softer" and the little extra barrel helps with recoil recovery and faster shot follow up.

"Race" handguns have little in common with carry pistols too.

AR's at Camp Perry are far from your normal "carry" M-4 carbine.

[Koshinn]

It's like Nascar or WRC, those only superficially resemble street cars, but are meant to push the limit.

Shooting sports are just that, sports/games. They're somewhat meant to resemble life, but it has often moved away from realism and into just what's more fun or interesting.

I don't fault or begrudge gamers for using race guns. It's a game.

Also, 18" barrels are chosen to run rifle length gas, not mid. Sometimes they use "intermediate" gas which is between rifle and mid.

[Dos Cylindros]

I think you are confusing barrel length with gas tube length. A mid length gun refers to the 9" gas tube as opposed to the 7" of a carbine length gun. A rifle length gas system has a 12" gas tube. To add more confusion to the fire, the knights armament intermediate gas tube is between 9" and 12".

[MountainRaven]

My understanding is that sometimes weak factory .223, like PMC or Wolf, sometimes lacks the poop to make Minor out of 16-inch tubes, hence the 17-18" barrels used on race guns.

Could be wrong.

[Bulletdog]

Here's a reverse question: If the 18" barrel with rifle length gas system works so well in competition, and reduces muzzle jump or recoil impulse, allowing for faster and more accurate shooting, why aren't we all using that configuration for our real world battle rifles? 2 additional inches of length on the end of an AR is not going to make it any more difficult to use in CQB or house clearing, is it? What's the downside?

[Koshinn]

Here's a reverse question: If the 18" barrel with rifle length gas system works so well in competition, and reduces muzzle jump or recoil impulse, allowing for faster and more accurate shooting, why aren't we all using that configuration for our real world battle rifles? 2 additional inches of length on the end of an AR is not going to make it any more difficult to use in CQB or house clearing, is it? What's the downside?

It's a slippery slope. Why not 20"? Why not 22"?

I'll stick with 10.5" whenever possible :)

[Bulletdog]

It's a slippery slope. Why not 20"? Why not 22"?


Is it? I can tell you why I wouldn't run a 22' barrel. But if the rifle length gas system is really all that much better, I would have no problem running an 18" instead of a 16". Hell. I'm already used to 18" barrels from all the shotgun shooting I do.

I guess a refined version of my question would be: Is the rifle length gas system significantly "better" than the mid-length?

[michael word]

The 20" barrel ar is very close to the OAL of a 18" barrel shotgun and does not pose that much difficulty is defensive use. the 16" barrel ar with the collapsible stock is just more handy for that same use. with the standardizations of these two barrel lengths, is is unlikely to come into great popularity among the mass of shooters as it is more cumbersome than the 16" and has less performance than the 20". the use of 18" barrels in competition is a trade-off of performance to make major, and the softer recoil impulse of the rifle length gas system, and the handiness of the 16".