Barrel length

[GADAWG]

I'm wanting to build an M4gery and I can't decide what I want to do, 14.5 with perm. phantom or 16 inch. What do ya'll think and why? Thanks a lot!!

[Pinnacle]

I have both and love them both!

That said, I personally am not looking to build any more 14.5 perm-attached uppers. I don't think the benefit of the shorter OAL outweighs the hassle of "permanent" if you decide to change things around later. Plus, with a .223 or 5.56 weapon you will enjoy better fragmentation with the added length of a 16 inch barrel.

[C4IGrant]

I personally hate anything pinned. The reason is the cost and inconvenience. We (Men) tend to change our minds a lot (especially when it comes to AR's). Here is a common conversation I have with customers:

Customer: I want a LT FF rail installed on a 14.5 and want a pinned Phantom

Me: Ok, pinning is $50

3 months later....

Customer: Did you see that new rail by so and so?? That is the heat! Can you remove the old rail and install the new one?

Me: Sure, unpinning the phanton is $50 and I might have to have the barrel re-threaded. Then we will need to pin the Phantom again (another $50).

IMHO, it far better to just register your lower and do what you want or just get a 16" weapon. If you add up the cost of pinning a FS and the cost of the tax stamp, they are pretty close.


C4

[M4arc]

It was already stated above but I hate the hassle of pinning and un-pinning a FS on a 14.5"

Shipping off your upper every time you re-configure it is more hassle than it's worth. All I have a couple 14.5s left but everything from here on out is 16".

One of my shooting buddies has probably shipped his 14.5" upper to ADCO at least 4 times so factor in shipping to and from and $50 for the labor each time and you could have bought a new 16" upper with all that money...not to mention the time he went without an upper.

[comp1911]

I agree with the above posts although I do have a 14.5 M4 with a pinned/welded phantom. I built it with a LaRue 7.0 and am not going to change it. It I wanted to I could but it's a good excuse to buy a new barrel. My take on 16" M4 barrels on the other hand is "Why?" There are better options now with the mid length gas system barrels that run better and I think, look better too. I don't plan on doing any 14.5's in the near future but I don't mind doing the weld job. At this point I'd rather build 16" middies or SBR a 10.5 or 12 incher.

Anyway to answer the question, in my opinion, if you have to have the M4 look, go 14.5. If you don't want the hassle of the welded FS, go 16" middie.

14.5 M4 (Colt SOCOM midweight barrel with LaRue 7.0)


16" Middie (Denny's Operator midweight with LaRue 9.0)

[9DivDoc]

I kinda like having a couple of different uppers available to futz with...

So a 14.7 and a 16 were 'necessary'

I am currently savin' up for a 16" Super LW to replace one lost...
and would like to have Randall Rausch cut it down to 14.7...

My wife really like the other Super LW she had...

I am not going to sweat the 'pinning' of the FH on the shorter...as if I really didn't
want it anymore I'd put 'er up on the 4sale board...and take a small loss
or give it to one of my nephews...or kids..

Or save it for one of the grandkids or grandnephews bound to come along sooner
or later if I live long enough...

[watertower]

Anyway to answer the question, in my opinion, if you have to have the M4 look, go 14.5. If you don't want the hassle of the welded FS, go 16" middie.

My thoughts exactly. I had a 16" M4 barrel and it was fine, but I like having the M4 profile on the 14.5" barrel and having a 16" barrel for more of a Recce type setup.

I admit, this is mainly a "looks" thing to me. I know there are advantages to the 16" barrel, but now that I've found the configurations I like, I'm sticking with them and not planning on changing anything that will require the removal of the muzzle device. If that requirement does come up, it will be time for a new upper.

[AR-15A3]

GADAWG,

Anyway to answer the question, in my opinion, if you have to have the M4 look, go 14.5. If you don't want the hassle of the welded FS, go 16" middie.

+1 Same as my answer.

I didn't want to hassle with with the welded FS so I just went with the 16" carbine gas system M4 LMT carbine and also I have a mid length gas system Denny's Operator medium contour (Rock Creek) barrel with LaRue 9.0 rails on my Colt AR6721 tactical carbine.

The 16" M4 carbines looks fugly to some guys but I'm used to it from my former Colt SP-2 and Sporter Lightweight carbines I used to have a long time ago.