I need some advise and wisdom from the experts here. This will be my first AR and will be used as a patrol rifle. I understand about the loss of velocity w/ a 14.5 (doubtful I will ever take a shot more than 50 to 100 yrs as I work in a very urban enviroment) and what a PITA having a perm. flash hider is (having dd lite 7.0 or 9.0 installed when I order the rifle). Due to the tight spaces I may have to deploy the rifle, I sure I want the 14.5.
All that said I’m unsure if I want a 14.5 carbine or a 14.5 middy. I’ve tried to research the topic, but seems like I get conflicting results. I’ve read that the dwell on a 14.5" midlength is about the same as a 12.5" carbine, and that is plenty enough of barrel length after the gas port for reliability purposes and then I’ve read that on a 14.5 there is not enough barrel after the gas port for the system to draw off enough gas before the bullet exits the barrel which is the same problem with the 18 middy.
Which gas system is more correct? Does one have more advantages than the other? Your advice is greatly appreciated!
I asked Randall at www.ar15barrels.com about cutting down a middy and having gas port work done on it (so it’ll still work even in winter) and he said that he wouldn’t shorten it shorter than either 13.25" or 13.75" I can’t remember which.
Either way a 14.5" middy would work great. John Noveske offers this in his barrels in the 14.5" Afghan. If it’s an option for you I would use a middy over a carbine gas system. If I had to use a carbine gas system I’d either buy a 12.5" Noveske barrel or have a 14.5" or 16" cut to that length w/gas port work, it would be a very handy short AR.
I am a HUGE fan of the 14.5" midlength barrel. Having a fixed flash suppressor (for non NFA stuff) can be a bit annoying, but, with rails out like the Samson, Troy, new ARM’s CV SIR, and others, its not really that big of a deal any more.
I have been extremely happy with my 14.5 mid. Balances great and has a very unique recoil impulse that lends itself to quite accurate yet fast shots.
In the process of my first Middy build right now! I’ll post pics when she is done. Here are the goodies so far. My workbench is cluttered.
CMMG 14.5" lightweight mid-length barrel
YHM Phantom 5C1 hider
Mega upper receiver
Mega lower w/CMT LPK
Mega billet charging handle
Badger Ordnance Gen 2 Tac-Latch
Young Mfg. chrome BCG
Ambi selector lever
LaRue 9.0 FF forend
LaRue ACOG mount
TA31RCO-M4 ACOG
YHM rear flip-up sight
Vltor Carbine Modstock, OD green
Vltor single-point sling mount
Vltor Scout light mount
Surefire G2, OD green
Tangodown Battlegrip, OD green
Tangodown VFG, OD green
Magpul ladders and rail panels, OD green
NE Tactical single-point sling, OD green
I appreciate all the advice. I think I’m gonna go with the 14.5 Middy. That sounds like a sweet rifle Turbo.
Maybe a stupid question, but any of you guys w/ after market rails and a perm. flash hider have problems cleaning under your rails? Thanks for the help, don’t mean to be such a FNG!
I’ve been trying to decide what to do about a carbine or mid-length myself. I want to get a mid-length but there isn’t any top quality companys making middy uppers. The only companys as far as I can tell that have all top quality features I want is Colt, LMT, and BCM. I don’t want to pay for a Colt rifle for what they go for, not to mention they dont make any mid-length rifle. I’d love to get a BCM middy upper but they have been backordered forever and I’m not sure I’m ever going to be able to purchase one.
The other thing I’ve considered is getting a LMT but the problem is they dont make middy uppers. I’m can’t decide if I should just buy the LMT upper and buy a middy barrel and gastube and get it installed as soon as I buy it or just go with the carbine gas system. Is having the midlength gas system that much better than having a carbine system in that it would justify me spending more money to by a mid-length barrel and having it installed by the person I purchase it from?
Not sure about CMMG but I know Sabre doesnt do m4 cuts so it isn’t top quality. To me top quality means it should have all the reliability features that Colt rifles have. Close is not good enough for me, I want it to be as close to the TDP as possible or better. LMT and BCM both follow the TDP closely. I follow the advice of instructors such as Pat Rogers who see guns from these companys that are supposedly “good enough” fail. I will not compromise
on features or material. YMMV
Every Sabre I have ever held, including my own, has standard M4 cuts. My CMMG barrel has a standard M4 extension and I put it in a standard M4 cut CMT upper. Sabre is a Govt. supplier of barrels. You are a bit misonformed/mistaken on what makes something quality or not.
