308 short barrel rifle - how short and which one?

[Sid Post]

I am considering the purchase of a 308 SBR. I initially was intrigued by the DS ARMS FAL clone. Lately, I have been looking at Noveske's Leonidas Rifle.

Does anyone have a good ballistics chart for a standard 308 load with different barrel lengths?

How short can I go and still be effective at 300 yards with reasonable power on target and something other then a trajectory that lobs them in like an M203 shooting 40mm chalk rounds.

The think that attracts me to the FAL is the folding stock. And, I like FALs too!

However, Noveske sure knows what he's doing with the AR-10 clones. He offers two different base platforms but, why? Is it just a magazine issue? Am I missing some other good 308 SBR option? I'll define part of "good" as being available today so HK-417's don't count.

[Trim2L]

Contrary to what DSA says and does you ideally need at least 4" in front of the FAL gas port. You can go less but function suffers (bent pistons when over gassed).

If I were to buy a short FAL gas system rifle I'd get the 16" version and have it cut to 13.5" and adjust the gas port accordingly.

A 13.5" .308 will still hit to 300 but I'd feel more comfortable with 16"+.

[rsilvers]

Consider that the FN SCAR has a 13 inch barrel. The HK 417 has a 12 inch barrel. The G3K has a 12.5 inch barrel. Going from all this, I would go with at least a 12 inch barrel. I would suggest an AAC SCAR-H silencer and this barrel print will help with compatibility:

http://www.silencertalk.com/threadin...GUIDE_4OF5.pdf

[Trim2L]

I'll define part of "good" as being available today so HK-417's don't count.

Consider that the FN SCAR has a 13 inch barrel. The HK 417 has a 12 inch barrel. The G3K has a 12.5 inch barrel. Going from all this, I would go with at least a 12 inch barrel. I would suggest an AAC SCAR-H silencer and this barrel print will help with compatibility:

http://www.silencertalk.com/threadin...GUIDE_4OF5.pdf

Reading is fundamental.

[rsilvers]

Yes, RIF. I suggested he consider that the 417 has a 12 inch barrel and others have 12.5 and 13 inch barrels, so he should consider 12.0 inches a good min barrel length. I did not suggest he buy a 417, as they are not available.

[Trim2L]

Yes, RIF. I suggested he consider that the 417 has a 12 inch barrel and others have 12.5 and 13 inch barrels, so he should consider 12.0 inches a good min barrel length. I did not suggest he buy a 417, as they are not available.

Every rifle to cited has a completely different gas system, and thus barrel requirement from what was asked. You then went on to mention AAC thread specs for the suppressor you tried to pimp unsolicited.

Do you have anything relevant to add or are you going to just parrot some more specs for restricted and unobtainable rifles? Do you have any experience with AR10 and FAL short barrels or gas systems like was asked? How about useful ballistics data?

Something useful, Robert, not just lame numbers anyone can read off a spec sheet.

[rsilvers]

It is very useful to list the barrel lengths of the three premiere short barrel 7.62mm rifles. Suppressor compatibility is just something to think about when picking a short barrel length so I offered a barrel drawing.

[Sid Post]

Reading is fundamental.

What part of Reading is fundamental am I missing?

I asked the question because I didn't have the answer. I have heard good and bad things about the DS ARM SBR FAL. I don't fancy a SBR HK-91. Noveske offers the AR-10 in two different lowers and two different barrel lengths. Is there a thread on this site or elsewhere I missed?

The side folding stock of a FAL variant is nice but, I've heard and read they are hard to suppress. I think I can suppress an AR-10 easier.

I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction of enlightenment. Is my search function just flawed?

[Sid Post]

You then went on to mention AAC thread specs for the suppressor you tried to pimp unsolicited.

I have an AAC SCAR-H on order so, he it the mark there. Of course, you really had no way of knowing that.

[Sid Post]

Contrary to what DSA says and does you ideally need at least 4" in front of the FAL gas port. You can go less but function suffers (bent pistons when over gassed).

If I were to buy a short FAL gas system rifle I'd get the 16" version and have it cut to 13.5" and adjust the gas port accordingly.

A 13.5" .308 will still hit to 300 but I'd feel more comfortable with 16"+.

Thanks! That really answers my question. It seems like the sweet spot for a FAL is right between the two Noveske options I see in the AR-10. Maybe I'm better off just sticking to a 16" FAL folder since I'm not a professional door kicker. The length of a suppressor does negate some of the benefit of a "long" SBR. At least the SCAR-H is QD so transport is easy and compact.

A Noveske AR-10 still has my interest tweaked but, I don't really require a rifle that can shoot battlefield scrounged linked .308.