Intermediate length gas system

[Voodoochild]

Out of curiosity what exactly is intermediate? Is that another term for Mid-length? Was looking at Noveske 18" Barrel for a MK12ish build. And was curious as to the exact meaning of intermediate.

[rob_s]

AFAIK just another term for "midlength". It's probably actually a better term.

[Failure2Stop]

Just going off of the Noveske web-site here, but the 14.5 and 16.1 are listed as mid-length, whereas the 18 is listed as intermediate, which seems to indicate that the two are different. The pics also seem to indicate that the gas block position on the intermediate maintains about 6" of barrel forward of the block.

This is pure speculation on my part though.

ETA- From Noveske's web-site:

Since the development of the 18" SPR barrel, there has not been a proper gas port placement to work with the desirable barrel length. Now there is a perfect combination, introducing the "Intermediate Length" gas system. Developed by Vltor Weapon Systems, and perfected by Noveske Rifleworks, the intermediate length gas system offers the ideal gas port placement, providing maximum accuracy and reliability. Overall, the intermediate length gas system (1.5" shorter then a rifle length) was developed from feedback from end users and industry professionals. Accuracy and reliability are the best characteristics of the intermediate length gas system.

[Voodoochild]

So it's not a middy and not a rifle length. That is interesting to say the least now I wonder would a DD 9 lite rail or a DD 12 lite rail do the trick?

[Bob Reed]

Hello,

The intermediate is a gas system of it's own, and it's listed in the 5 different lengths of replacement gas tubes that he sells. http://noveskerifleworks.com/cgi-bin...play.cgi?cat=9

[Robb Jensen]

It's gas system length between midlength and rifle length, ideal for 18" barrels. IIRC it was designed by VLTOR.

[militarymoron]

gotm4 is correct - the intermediate length system is longer than a midlength, and shorter than a rifle length system. It's actually 1.5" shorter than a rifle length system and utilizes an intermediate length gas tube. This enables the gas block to be protected just inside a rifle-length rail.

eric at vltor thought it up, and had a two vltor-marked sample barrels made up with the intermediate system. i have one of them and featured it as part of my DD lite 12.0 build writeup back in october of '06 (it's the bottom paragraph):
http://www.militarymorons.com/weapons/ar.uppers.html#dd

vltor was planning on offering it last year, but got too busy. i'm not sure where the project stands - i had forgotten about it.

updated to add:
just spoke to eric at vltor - the project continued/materialized as the noveske SPR barrel. from noveske's website:
"Since the development of the 18" SPR barrel, there has not been a proper gas port placement to work with the desirable barrel length. Now there is a perfect combination, introducing the "Intermediate Length" gas system. Developed by Vltor Weapon Systems, and perfected by Noveske Rifleworks, the intermediate length gas system offers the ideal gas port placement, providing maximum accuracy and reliability. Overall, the intermediate length gas system (1.5" shorter then a rifle length) was developed from feedback from end users and industry professionals. Accuracy and reliability are the best characteristics of the intermediate length gas system."

[mtdawg169]

HOLY NECRO!!!

that said the 16" intermediate would not make sense, intermediate is for 18" barrels, middy is made for 16" barrels

Intermediate actually works very well, Noveske & KAC have proven that. It seems to me that the 14.5" midlength trend may even be a result of the development of the intermediate gas system. Same idea, different execution using the more readily available midlength gas tube.

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[mtdawg169]

Wes from MSTN has a 17" Noveske Barrel with a rifle length gas system (One of Wes's personal guns) on his FB page. He says it shoots really smooth.

THAT setup is something I may be interested in....or a 16" with an intermediate length.

Obviously, with proper gas port sizing, these designs can work 100%. The question is how long will it take the market to catch-up. It took over 2 years for everybody else to catch up with BCM's wide-release of their 14.5" middy format carbine. I hope it won't take that long with this movement.

A 15" Troy TRX alpha rail or 15" Noveske NSR or KAC URX 3 (in 15" if they offer it) would be perfect on a 17" barrel with a rifle gas system. Something like an N4 contour barrel in that format could be a mean all-around setup. Very mean, indeed.

I also have one of the Noveske / MSTN 17" rifle gassed barrels. It is indeed, extremely smooth. It is a special contour cut by Noveske for MSTN. Mine was marked as "JLZ" on the packaging when I received it from Wes. I set mine up as an SPR with a URXIII.

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[BufordTJustice]

I also have one of the Noveske / MSTN 17" rifle gassed barrels. It is indeed, extremely smooth. It is a special contour cut by Noveske for MSTN. Mine was marked as "JLZ" on the packaging when I received it from Wes. I set mine up as an SPR with a URXIII.

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Vetty Nice!

Apparently, 'JLZ' stands for Just like Zak's as far as the contour is concerned.

Pix please.