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Short barrel AR, what are they best at? Login/Join 
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Who uses any suppressors over 5.5 inches anyway? YHM Turbo K or the Sig SLX556C are shorter than that and do a decent job of making shooting a shorty AR quieter.

Our department recently went to all 11.5” barreled Sig M400’s. We have some of the SigSLX556C suppressors out there w/ more coming as the budget allows. Now, the SLX556C’s are not as quiet as the Turbo K or our out processing Sakers but, the way it keeps all that gas from being barfed back in your face especially for a lefty like me is a game changer.
 
Posts: 4171 | Registered: January 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Sigless in
Indiana
Picture of IndianaBoy
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quote:
Originally posted by jljones:


11.5 inch with 5.5 inch suppressor is pretty much the standard for the worlds hostage rescue guys that can pick whatever they want. So, if unsuppressed 11.5 inch SBRs are a must for “cLosE QuArTErS” due to length, what is the difference in running 17 inches of suppressed rifle (like the big kids do) versus 16 inch guns unsuppressed? Answer- there is none.



Not completely destroy my ears if I have to fire it indoors, in a situation the precludes hearing protection.
 
Posts: 14178 | Location: Indiana | Registered: December 04, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Shackelford
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What I noticed is that with a 11” barrel or shorter, as an individual, I can hold the rifle shouldered and more or less level, and still use my left hand to open a door knob. This isn’t an issue for the HSLD types, because they work in teams, and from what I can tell, the standard tactic is to have one guy open the door, with a teammate first through, who has their weapon already up.

Is there a benefit to keeping that muzzle up, as opposed to having to fully open a door, and then raise the gun? This could be one area where tactics and equipment for individuals differ from the operator types jljones is referencing?
 
Posts: 860 | Location: Volunteer | Registered: January 16, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Not completely destroy my ears if I have to fire it indoors, in a situation the precludes hearing protection.
Or outdoors.

However, the emergence of short-barreled carbines pre-dates the widespread use of silencers. Mil/LE and late 20th century weapon designers perceived some sort of advantage, despite the noise. Perhaps the advantage in CQB is more significant than I understand.
 
Posts: 2532 | Location: Northeast GA | Registered: February 15, 2021Reply With QuoteReport This Post
For real?
Picture of Chowser
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well, after standing outside in the cold for over 6 hrs the other night, I'm glad our 14.5" rifles are lightweight. Big Grin

kinda wished we had 10.5 or 11.5s.

at this distance we would've had no issues.

red x is shooter.

blue x is where we were posted up.

first officer drove past the house when he started shooting at her. blue x is where we got out and posted up when he ran back in the house.





Not minority enough!
 
Posts: 8225 | Location: Cleveland, OH | Registered: August 09, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Prepared for the Worst, Providing the Best
Picture of 92fstech
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A couple of years back when we were looking at buying patrol rifles for our agency, we had the option of 16" or 11.5" guns. I already had concerns about the ballistics of our 55gr duty load out of a short barrel, but I also took the 11.5" T&E gun out after dark and shot it alongside a 16" gun. The difference in muzzle blast was...significant.

I told them that if we were going to do 11.5", we needed to get suppressors. I was told that we're not buying suppressors. We got the 16" guns, and IMO it was the right call. They've been very reliable and the barrel length has never been a hindrance to me in actual use.

I'm no high-speed SWAT guy, so there may very well be a case for shorter barrels in that role. That's outside my lane and I can't speak to it. I'm just a small town patrol cop, so my uses are more general purpose. I've used it for everything from holding perimeter along a woodline, to high-risk traffic stops, to clearing buildings searching for a suspect. I've never had to fire it in the line of duty, but I've had to tote it around a good bit and the length of the barrel has never kept me from being able to do anything that I needed to do.

In a class a few years ago we spent a whole day working in and out of cars, and I found that with proper technique it was pretty easy to make my 16" gun work in that environment. And those were pretty small cars. I deployed it quite a bit from the old Durango with no issues, and in the new Tahoe maneuvering room is even less of a problem.

For my uses, the only reason I could see wanting to go to an SBR would be if I was going to suppress it. And if I was going to do that, I think I'd prefer to go away from 5.56 altogether, and probably to a piston system rather than DI.
 
Posts: 9480 | Location: In the Cornfields | Registered: May 25, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The Unknown
Stuntman
Picture of bionic218
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What they are probably best at in the hands of the average citizen is putting rifle adjacent ballistics in a smaller package.

What they are best at on the internet is starting arguments with the stamp versus brace crowds. Big Grin

My choice is a 300 in an 8.5” configuration. I find it very useful.
 
Posts: 10832 | Location: missouri | Registered: October 18, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by 92fstech:
A couple of years back when we were looking at buying patrol rifles for our agency, we had the option of 16" or 11.5" guns. I already had concerns about the ballistics of our 55gr duty load out of a short barrel, but I also took the 11.5" T&E gun out after dark and shot it alongside a 16" gun. The difference in muzzle blast was...significant.

I told them that if we were going to do 11.5", we needed to get suppressors. I was told that we're not buying suppressors. We got the 16" guns, and IMO it was the right call. They've been very reliable and the barrel length has never been a hindrance to me in actual use.

I'm no high-speed SWAT guy, so there may very well be a case for shorter barrels in that role. That's outside my lane and I can't speak to it. I'm just a small town patrol cop, so my uses are more general purpose. I've used it for everything from holding perimeter along a woodline, to high-risk traffic stops, to clearing buildings searching for a suspect. I've never had to fire it in the line of duty, but I've had to tote it around a good bit and the length of the barrel has never kept me from being able to do anything that I needed to do.

In a class a few years ago we spent a whole day working in and out of cars, and I found that with proper technique it was pretty easy to make my 16" gun work in that environment. And those were pretty small cars. I deployed it quite a bit from the old Durango with no issues, and in the new Tahoe maneuvering room is even less of a problem.

For my uses, the only reason I could see wanting to go to an SBR would be if I was going to suppress it. And if I was going to do that, I think I'd prefer to go away from 5.56 altogether, and probably to a piston system rather than DI.


We started rifle life w/ 11.5 for the SWAT guys(part time) and 16” for the patrol guys. Yes 55 grain ammo is not the best choice for 11.5”. At the time 62 grain Gold Dot was a good choice for a “compromise “ using both barrel lengths. We have done more research in the not so recent past. With ballistic gel workshops, info from Hornady, testing results from various agencies, and real life after action ballistic results we have gone to the Hornady 53 grain CSX round. Seems to be the best “compromise “ round for 11.5 and 16” barrels. All short barrels? Which we will be w/ in the year. I believe the specific short barrel 73 grain Hornady duty round after some research proved to be a very good choice.
 
Posts: 4171 | Registered: January 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of kimberkid
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Very interesting reading all the different perspectives , especially those between military/LEO ect and average Joe’s like me.

I SBR’d a few 16” guns before the brace came along, out of curiosity but mostly for the cool factor. When braces came along the first time I put a few on, and when they were deemed illegal (the first time) I just SBR’d the ones with braces. The SBR is also what prompted me to invest in a few suppressors.

Now that I’m older, have developed arthritis, loosing muscle mass, & other issues, the reduced weight of an SBR'd AR is still manageable. I can still shoot from the firing line, off hand and with a sling, but I can’t do kneeling because of knee replacements and if I try to shoot in the prone position, I have to have help to back up. Although I do enjoy them, I’m not locked into shooting light weight 22 bolt, lever and 10/22’s. I can still shoot my other SBR’d rifles (AK’s, SiG’s & HK’s) from the bench, it’s not as much fun, but they weigh in at 10+ pounds and get heavy quickly, even my SBR’d SiG 556 pistol, with a loaded mag and NSN ACOG, is 13 pounds and I haven’t even checked my SBR’d 805 Bren.

Getting old sucks, but so far, it’s better than the alternative.


If you really want something you'll find a way ...
... if you don't you'll find an excuse.

I'm really not a "kid" anymore ... but I haven't grown up yet either Wink
 
Posts: 5726 | Registered: January 11, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I've never handled or shot a SBR or a can until a couple of months ago. My experiences to this point consisted of full length rifles and a Scorpion and a couple of MP5 clones. The SBR was a Honey Badger with a Surefire can and Eotech ESP3. Hell of a SBR for a first. It held its own against my Daniel Defense LW V1 up to the max 150yd we were shooting at and spanked my DD in handling and manuverbility on multiple targets speed drills. I shot it a few string withiut ear pro. It was much quieter than a unsuppressed 22lr.

I think a well built SBR is idea for CQB out to ~500 yds. urban environments.
 
Posts: 1090 | Location: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: August 11, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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