14.5" Recce/"Do-all" build conundrum
I am torn between a 14.5" carbine vs. midlength build, for use with a suppressor about 75% of the time.
Daniel Defense is the build, it's the "configurator" for an upper that I will be using.
EVERYTHING can/would be IDENTICAL except the barrel/gas system. So rail, etc. won't enter into this discussion.
Reasons I like the idea of the midlength:
-Shoots smoother
-Less wear and tear
Reasons I like the idea of the Carbine system:
-Can run a heavier buffer (H2 likely) for more mass/more reliability
-More likely to cycle cheap ammo for training
-The military has used 14.5/Carbine gas in 1 or 2 rifles on 1 or 2 missions and it works.
Unknowns:
Will the smaller carbine port but longer dwell-time equate to better, or worse over-gassing when suppressed? Which will matter more, dwell time, or port-size? The suppressor effectively over-gasses either by adding dwell time, but which will be overgassed more?
Will the 14.5" middy run Wolf, MFS, Silver-Bear, and other "cheap" training ammo just fine?
Knowns:
-Daniel Defense builds their M4A1 rifle with a carbine-length gas system.
Things to keep in mind:
This is NOT a 16" middy. This is a 14.5" NFA build. Yes, the lower is already registered, and has a 10.3" 300BLK upper, so no lecture from the "Go as short as you can!" crowd. BTDT. The suppressor is a 556 SOCOM Mini Surefire.
The rest of the build as planned:
-Kahles K16i in LT104 mount (I hate LaRue, but the levers are out of the way/minimal footprint, the split-rings are a win, and the mount has good reviews)
-Surefire M600 Ultra at 1:30, unsure of the mount
-Surefire SR series tape-switch mounted at 12*
-Folding BUIS, unsure which one's yet (If I go Unity Tactical/VTAC, then that handles the light mount and BUIS, just unsure at this time which way)
-BCM Gunfighter CH
-Registered DDM4 complete SBR'ed lower
-B5 SOPMOD
-SF FH/SOCOM Mount
-BCM Shorty VFG
-Geissele Super-V trigger