Is a 7.5" Barrel Viable?

[Stickman]

There is a youtube channel that I subscribe to, the guy is former LEO and worked in the industry blah blah. But he swears by the 7.5 for vehicle stuff due to the over all size

No. Just no.

[georgeib]

That condensed generic answer is no, 7.5" is not a viable barrel length for shooting people who are intent on killing you (assuming we are talking 5.56 / .223). Don't listen to people who comment that they can get hits at 100 yards as that means nothing. EFFECTIVE rounds on target is what counts.

I know some people will say that it is only for short range engagements, but the problem is that you don't get to pick and choose your distances. I don't care if you think you will only shoot in your house, a 7.5" barrel still sucks.

I also know that some people like to say. "Would you want to get shot by it"? My answer is yes, I would much rather be shot by a 7.5" barrel than an effective barrel length like 10.5"+ barrel lengths. Once again, ignore the ignorant people who are making comments like that.

Agreed. My response to him was that I'd seen people make hits at 300 with a .22LR, does that mean that's all we need? Ultimately my opinion on the matter is that what makes a rifle a rifle is hydrostatic shock producing velocity. Once you lose that, you're reduced to having to use "tricks" such as expanding bullets, and you may as well just use a PCC.

[turnburglar]

I would rather Rock my Cz Scorpion in 9mm, than a AR that short. Too much blast for me. And a 10.5 isn't THAT much longer in the total over all length. My go to is a 10.5 AR so I am not biased against short AR's.

[ACE31]

I would rather Rock my Cz Scorpion in 9mm, than a AR that short. Too much blast for me. And a 10.5 isn't THAT much longer in the total over all length. My go to is a 10.5 AR so I am not biased against short AR's.

^^Agreed^^

[Nowski87]

No. Just no.

Oh I know if it isn’t 300 bulk I’m going 11.5 like I did with my current house gun. But the new BRN 180s uppers in 300 blk is calling me.


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[ndmiller]

The shorter the barrel, the less range it is effective and the more important ammo selection is. If going under 11.5”, I would choose .300 Blackout.


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This ^^^^^^^

[ODgreenpizza]

Viable for recreational purposes

[OutofBatt3ry]

300blk out of a 9 inch barrel makes roughly 1100ftlbs of energy.
5.56 out of a 7.5" Barrel makes roughly 700ftlbs of energy.

Pretty huge difference.

With that being said, a .357 mag makes about the same energy in common barrel lengths. (between 600 and 700ftlbs)
For comparison, 9mm makes around 400ft/lbs on the high end.

Are there better options for a 7.5" barrel? Absolutely.

Is a 7.5" 5.56 effective for self defense, especially inside of 50 yards. Yes.
If you don't want the hassle of chasing a hard(er) to find and more expensive caliber, and still want significantly more power than a 9mm/.45 PCC, and want a super compact and an incredibly accurate AR pistol, a 7.5" is fine.

Would I rather get shot with a 11.5" or a 7.5" 5.56?
The correct answer is neither. In both scenarios, you'll probably die equally as fast.

[9X19mm]

I’ve been close to building/buying a 7.5 barrel rifle several times. But posts like Stickman‘s and others easily found on the net have held me back. Also many prebuilt complete 7.5 rifles from different companies use a 2-3 inch long flash hider device of some sort, which begs the question why not just go with a 10.5 to start with? They look cool and I like the idea of a short 7.5 barrel in close quarters... but my shortest barrels currently are 10.5 and 11.5. Physics and all that. Just not sure I want to spend the time and money to find out in person.

[CRAMBONE]

There is a youtube channel that I subscribe to, the guy is former LEO and worked in the industry blah blah. But he swears by the 7.5 for vehicle stuff due to the over all size, but I really can't behind the whole thing especially when he says 55grn is as heavy as he can use to be effective or accurate.

Has he ever shot a 7.5” gun from inside a vehicle? I’ve shot 10.5” 5.56 guns from inside a vehicle and it sucks.