Anyone here into firearms?

MacCool

Once you get below about 11.5 inches, gas systems can get a little finnicky due to the decrease in dwell time. An 11.5 inch SBR has about a 40% greater dwell time than a 10.5, so 11.5 and above---no problem. Add a suppressor, things can get a little more complicated, solved with an adjustable gas system like the Switchblock.

As to performance, I lose about 250 FPS with my 11.5 compared to my 16 inch using PMC .223 ammo in 55 gr. Since my SBRs are entirely for shooting at 50 yards or less, there is no meaningful performance degradation for my purposes. YMMV. For those who want a rifle to shoot out at 100 yards and beyond with MOA accuracy, an SBR wouldn't be the best choice.




That, of course, is the bottom line. The reason I persist on the subject is that I wouldn't want anyone to get inaccurate impressions.


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ImportConvert

I have seen a lot more people with baffle-strikes on the <14.5" guns, though. Further, gas-port noise is enhanced greatly.

I just don't mind the extra barrel length and the CDI factor isn't enough to make me pursue it.

An SBR can be very accurate at 100+ yards, though. Don't limit yourself to 50 yards.

As to your point:
-Yes, 10.5-11.5" guns are reliable with a can.
-The new SOST ammo (tested some the other day, love it!) was designed to function out to 100m from the 10.5" barrel.
-No SBR's are not less accurate.
-You need a brake instead of a flashhider if you run a SBR and a can. Your can will thank you and the blast baffle will last a LOT
longer.
-The shorter the barrel, the more you need an adjustable gas-system (like the Noveske SB. Speaking of which...where can you buy replacement gas-tubes for that thing?)

MacCool

I limit myself to 50 yards with an SBR because I'm not interested in shooting farther, not because the rifle can't hack it. As you note, they can be very accurate if you use a quality barrel. I do sight in my red dot sights from a sandbag rest with a 3x magnifier, but otherwise I never use the magnifier nor do I shoot from the bench. A 3 inch group at 50 yards is completely acceptable to me. For my purposes, if I can put two in the chest and one in the head from 50 yards on a 3-D paper target while moving...that's my Holy Grail. SOST ammo is techically interesting but irrelevant to my needs and would/will be unnecessarily expensive in the volumes that I shoot.

I don't worry about suppressors because I can't use them anyway (illegal). I do use brakes on all my rifles (BattleComps). They're great.



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tvfreakazoid

Are you guys talking about gas impingement or piston ar15? Or it doesn't matter?

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Mudders milk

MacCool

I'm not sure I see the advantage of a gas piston on the AR platform. A friend of mine has started a line of gas piston guns (Huldra Arms). It's a very nice weapon, but I haven't yet bought into its superiority over direct impingement.

ImportConvert

Same. DI is what the entire weapon was designed for. Piston systems place stress on components not meant to be stressed. IMO they are worthless, as the junk in the weapon also comes back up the bore on a suppressed rifle because the pressure in the can has not equalized by the time the bolt un-locks and you get blow-back through the barrel.

Changed my order from an M4-2000 to the SPR/M4 at the last minute btw : )

ImportConvert

That sucks. Where do you live?
I like the SOST stuff. It's good to have a few rounds in the wings. Other than that, XM193 is good enough for me and plenty cheap.

EDIT: Changed my order from an M4-2000 to an SPR/M4 in the nick of time!

MacCool

Minnesota. The DNR is an inordinately powerful organization here and they have persuaded the legislature that if suppressors become legal, everybody would be out crawling through the woods poaching deer and the DNR would never know because, of course, a suppressor turns a loud rifle report into nothing more than a pffft.