I’m thinking of replacing the barrel on my 3 gun AR with 16" HBAR. I’m looking at a stainless 1/8 which is available with CAR gasblock or mid-length. I will be using a 12" handguard in either case.
Can anybody give me an advice on which to choose and why?
If you are going to use it for 3 gun I would get an 18 inch barrel and a rifle length gas system, less felt recoil and faster follow up shots. Out of the two you listed I would get the 16 inch mid length because it would have less felt recoil and faster follow up shots. The only hindrance is you are going to be moving some of the weight out a little farther, but it would be very hard to feel the difference IMHO
Midlength. Softer recoil impluse and less parts wear.
That’s what I have now. I live in PA and there just aren’t any matches in the region that shoot longer than 200 yds. Most of the shooting is on pistol ranges with lots of walls and ports and I’ve found I like my wife’s 16" rifle better. If it wasn’t a matter of duplicating the optics and dot scope, I’d just get a 2nd top end but the glass makes that too expensive for now.
For especially 3gun for a 16" middy, or for bigger than 16" I’d recommend a 18-20" rifle gas length barrel. I use a WOA (White Oak Armament) 18" 1x7 rifle gas SPR barrel. I’ll soon be taking some dead weight out of it turning the middle of it down to .650".
The longer the gas system the softer the AR shoots and parts life is longer.
I definitely vote for a mid-length for the same reasons gotm4 stated.