I vote 16 inch barrel, if you are going to have the length might as well make it useful. The 16 inch barrel is more lethal. But realistically I will take a 20 inch I can still clear rooms with it and it gives that little .22 a little more punch.

You lose around 50fps (which means nothing in most settings) by the loss of 1.5" of barrel, a small weight, and about an inch in total lenght.

You are limited in the rails I would put on (but there are LOTS of great rails out there that will work).

The downsides are there, but to many people, they are very small.

If I wanted a long range rifle, I'd buy a long range rifle. Don't really plan on shooting an AR further than 300 yds anyway.

Its the fact that the 14.5 has to many cases of not stopping what you shot.

16" and thread protector is the way to go if you want something short. Why would you want to give up the utility of a threaded barrel? Flash hiders are overrated and loud to other shooters on the ranger, especially when you are spitting unburnt powder from a short barrel.

I went with a 16", because I didn't want to have to pin weld the muzzle devise on.


On a similar note. For new people like me. Consider the barrel profile. I am limited to the amount of gas blocks that I can use, since I got a light weight profile barrel. The light weight is 0.625", at the gas port. A lot of companies only make a 0.75 size gas block. I wanted a Geissele Super, but they don't make one in 0.625. I am, however, happy with the barrel, and there are plenty of good blocks on the market.

Never heard of this and it makes no sense. My 14.5 pin and welded will stop anything a 16" will.

A fact. Really?

A bullet is designed to work in a certain velocity range. Too fast or too slow, and you can have bullet failure (either too much expansion or too little). There just isn't that much difference to make any real changes in terminal effect. If it wouldn't work with a 14.5 inches, it probably would work with a 16 inch (nor with a 20"). You either need another bullet or another caliber.

Bullet construction and placement are more important.

So you are saying you would allow someone to shoot you with a 14.5" barrel? .......because its not leathal...

Thousands are killed with pistols....that have much shorter barrels.

That is one of the dumbest comments I've heard in a while.

Well its posted on the internet so that makes it fact.

I'd rather have the 16 so I can change the muzzle device if I felt so inclined. 14.5 with extra length muzzle device seems kind of pointless to me, sort of like a fake suppressor. Or just pay the government $200 and get a 10.5

funny how my comments are misconstrued, not one was is said that a 14.5 inch barrel is not lethal, my suggestion is lean to read. We are all entitled to a opinion unfortunately you are not. The .223 relies very much on velocity to be effective. And last time I checked I want to be able to have the farthest possible engagement distance I can get if I am going to fight.

Man, I hope my 10.5" barrel will still be lethal on hogs..

Probably not, you should just go ahead and swap it out and let me take that 10.5" off your hands so it can be dealt with properly

Lol, I'm still waiting on my stamp so I can sell my current barrel to make up a little money to buy my new barrel. Sucks being poor LOL.

No one is going to want it because it is shorter than 16", and thats a fact


Okay, I'm done

And my contribution...
Oh and why buy a 14.5 if you cant legally have a 14.5? Its pointless without the SBR stamp. Might as well buy a 16" because that is what your going to end up with anyways.

No, a 16 inch with a flashhider is around 17-19 inches depending on what the muzzle device is. A 16 is no more lethal than a 14.5. The militaries M4's are all 14.7ish. I have killed tons of pigs with a 10.5 so I am confident in it.

A 14.5 is perfectly legal without an SBR stamp, you just perm attach the flashider. So if you have a YHM QD mount on a 16 it will be a 19 inch gun, big difference.

I personally think a 16 inch M4 barrel looks silly, its not supposed to look that long. The only advantage to a 16 is changing out muzzle devices.

That got things didn't it?

This.

There isn't but 50-100 FPS difference between the two either.

Well all i was saying is between the two I will take a 16in. If I really had a choice a 20in. BTW not impressed with the "I've taken hogs with a 10.5" people take hogs with pellet guns all the time.

I've seen many many pics of Morgan and his suppressed SBR taking hogs. I've never been in the photos section here and seen anyone post up "hey look at the hog I killed with my pellet gun".

Maybe it is a Florida thing.

look into it, kinda cool considering

My bad

On an AR, I really don’t think an inch or three is going to make a whole lot of difference other than esthetics. Just my personal opinion…