View Full Version : Question for 14.5“ Carbine and 16” Middy owners
I wanted to ask those you who have owned both a 14.5“ Carbine and 16” Mid Length if you had to choose one of the two, which would it be and why?
I am working on my first AR build and have found answers to just about all of my questions in these and other forums. I was all set to get a BCM 14.5” Carbine upper and have a Vortex flash suppressor permanently attached, when I started to really consider a 16” Min Length upper. I want to keep the build relatively simple and was planning to use a Magpul MOE hand guard with and a Surefire (when available if I go the Middy route), so I don’t have an issue with not being able to remove the flash hider. In all honesty I probably won’t shot more than a couple hundred rounds through it a year (general target practice and plinking) and my initial thought was that the shorter length of the 14.5”carbine would give a bit of an advantage over the Middy in the home defense role. Thanks in advance for the opinions.
IMPO the "shorter" length won't even be noticed. If we were discussing 16" vs. 12.5"/ 11.5" or something that's completely different.
If you can get the mid, go for it. Getting a 14.5" with a pinned flash hider is pointless in my opinion.
I wanted to ask those you who have owned both a 14.5“ Carbine and 16” Mid Length if you had to choose one of the two, which would it be and why?
I am working on my first AR build and have found answers to just about all of my questions in these and other forums. I was all set to get a BCM 14.5” Carbine upper and have a Vortex flash suppressor permanently attached, when I started to really consider a 16” Min Length upper. I want to keep the build relatively simple and was planning to use a Magpul MOE hand guard with and a Surefire (when available if I go the Middy route), so I don’t have an issue with not being able to remove the flash hider. In all honesty I probably won’t shot more than a couple hundred rounds through it a year (general target practice and plinking) and my initial thought was that the shorter length of the 14.5”carbine would give a bit of an advantage over the Middy in the home defense role. Thanks in advance for the opinions.
I would love to go shorter than 14.5" but I live in Illinois and as I understand it I can't own a SBR even with a federal stamp. Thank you for the advice.
pilotguyo540
07-26-10, 08:41
If you doubt your wants will change, you can always go for the 14.5" middy. Like iraqgunz was saying, if your flavor in AR's ever changes, the perm'd FH will soon become your enemy.
restfortheweary
07-26-10, 08:53
+1 for the 16". You will have more choices for rail systems, brakes and suppressor mounts in the future.
If you doubt your wants will change, you can always go for the 14.5" middy. Like iraqgunz was saying, if your flavor in AR's ever changes, the perm'd FH will soon become your enemy.
Naw it will just be an excuse to by another AR. It comes down to personal preference and what you want in your gun.
I would love to go shorter than 14.5" but I live in Illinois and as I understand it I can't own a SBR even with a federal stamp. Thank you for the advice.
You are correct. I am in Illinois too - no SBR's for us. I was trying to decide the same thing you are with my first AR. I ended up going with a Noveske midlength with a 9" Larue rail for my first one. I havent changed a thing on it since I built it, and I probably won't. But it is easily done if I decide to.
That being said, I have just started to piece together my second one, and am going to do a 14.5" midlength with a perm flash hider with this one. I have thought about it for quite a while now and know exactly what I want so I don't think I will be tempted to change anything out down the road. If I were you, I would get the 16" midlength so that your options are open for changing things if you want. Do a 14.5" later.
I have the 16" because I wanted to be able to change the flash hider to a brake and try whatever device I wanted. I put a PWS FSC556 on it, and want to try a Battle Comp now.
If I had a 14.5" with a pinned and welded flash hider/brake, I couldn't do anything with it.
Get both:D
Buy the gun you described and have fun with it. A pinned flashhider doesn't hurt the gun in any way and there are free float options out there if you want them.
I have a 14.5" with a pinned Vortex and love it. It's a Noveske N4 and I like the fact it seems lighter and handier moving around. It also gets out of a truck window pretty damn quick. I also have a BCM 16" middie that does everything I want it to do. People get way too wrapped up on this, it's a rifle. Buy it and shoot it. They make plenty of them.
Spence
If you're going to go the 14.5"/Pinned setup, go all out and get the handguard you want up front. That little bit of cost up front will save in not buying a new upper later anyway. I would almost say just through dictat, get the rail system you want, and make it a quality one (DD Lite/OmegaX, LaRue, KAC URX-2, TROY Extreme, Centurion FF).
In your case, when BCM or Daniel Defense rolls out complete uppers with lightweight barrels, go with a 9" handguard from the above, an 03 Design Group Light Mount, and the matching Surefire of your choice.
Alternatively, an X300 light mounted at 12:00 can be an extremely effective setup.
14.5"/A2X or 16" is still a tough call, but if you solidify exactly what upper you want for handguard the 14.5" doesn't carry much of a penalty.
Still, a 16" with MOE handguard is a great setup.
If you care, I'm going with a 14.5"/A2X Daniel Defense Carbine Upper; TROY/VTAC 9.0 Extreme; X300 Light at 12:00 and Daniel Defense Fixed Front Sight. 6# Base, 8# loaded rifle.
I prefer 14.5" middy. I do notice the difference, some say you can't but I do. I am issued a 14.5" M4 so I feel comfortable with that length, my .02 just based on "feel" nothing Tangable
Quiet-Matt
07-26-10, 20:31
Are you mechanically inclined? Do you have access to a welder or someone who can do quality tig or mig welding? If "Yes", go for the 14.5" perm. If "No", go the 16" and save yourself the frustration. Choose the one that will be more conducive to your abilities, so when you decide to make a change you wont have to rely on someone else to do the work for you.
I don't like perming a FH generally speaking. But if you're in a no go state for SBR, it's an option.... :confused:
I don't know.... I have 14.5's that with mounts that I wouldn't care if they were pinned.... I guess if I had ONLY one AR, I wouldn't want to be stuck with a pinned... but I'm not in that boat.
Failure2Stop
07-27-10, 05:31
A 14.5 carbine with an FSB, 7" rail, and A2 FH definately feels different than a 16" carbine setup the same way; and I definately prefer the feel of the 14.5.
However, once you deviate from the mini-rail and change gas system, things change.
There isn't much that you can't do with a well thought-out 16" middie.
Comparing my 14.5 Noveske upper with the pinned AAC 51T flash suppressor to my 16" LMT upper when both were on the rifles, I was only saving 1" by going to the 14.5" pinned upper. You make up your mind if it is worth it, but I am using mine for patrol/swat so every inch counts in my opinion, especially trying to get the damn things out of the car on a traffic stop!:mad:
First AR, GO 16, then branch out.
I have 2 14.5 middys w/perm attached vortex and pws. I have the Troy TRX extremes I went from a 9" then a 11" and then a 13" and back to the 11" TRX . Just by simply removing the trx slides over the gas block real easy..
Hendricks433
08-02-10, 20:20
Absolutely love my 14.5" Middy with a FSC556. No muzzle rise, runs flawlessly. Cant wait to move to a different state and get a SBR.
I have been mulling this same question over for a while. I think I have decided to go with a 16" Daniel Defense LW Middy barrel and possibly a OmegaX 9" rail. I think I will be happy with that. I think. :D
spamsammich
08-02-10, 20:50
I have been mulling this same question over for a while. I think I have decided to go with a 16" Daniel Defense LW Middy barrel and possibly a OmegaX 9" rail. I think I will be happy with that. I think. :D
the omega x is a good way to go, if you ever decide to go with lite rails you can use the same barrel nut and just throw the lockup ring behind it. I have a Omega X 12FSP on a 6920 and love it.
As soon as they come out in about 3 weeks. i plan on getting one of the DD 14.5" lightweight (.625" profile) mid-gas barrels. I will be adding the 1.5" BC to it and will probably go with the Spikes 9" skinny quad rail when they come out. On this built i will also be using the new VLTOR 7 position receiver extention package with the imod stock.
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