Im getting ready to buy just can’t make my decision whether go with a 16 inch or 18 inch ss410 bcm upper Im going to put a 2.5-10 optics and going out to 500 yards maybe more is it worth the extra fps? any guys have experience with this or should I stick with the standard spr length and go 18 in?
I have done 18" in the past. My latest is with an A2 stock. When I do it all again, I will go 16 SS410, with a collapsible stock, and KMR rail. 600 ain’t tough with a 16" barrel. With my suppressor, 18" gets pretty long.
Im going to run a magpul prs stock on this one I have a sbr for close range cqb!
What are you going to do with this? What are you shooting at 500? Are you a sniper? Are you shooting competition? I just did some shooting at The Site in Illinois and I was using a 16" midlength SIONICS melonite barrel and Carl Gustav SS109 ammo. I was hitting steel plates at 600 yards.
I had similar criteria (steel out to 500 yards) and a 2.5 x 10 optic. I went with the 16" SS BCM with the 13" KMR rail. In my experience, the correct ammo will make more of a difference than the 2" of barrel.
That PRS stock might look pretty funny with the 16" barrel if that matters to you. I wanted something a little lighter and handier and went with a standard collapsible stock.
Actually I am a marksman on a sheriffs office team “sniper” I might shoot competition but I just want a precision long range ar platform that I can shoot out past 500 yards and in if its 800 plus Ill just shoot my bolt gun.
But, you still didn’t address the issue. What are you expecting out of this? The extra 2" is going to give you additional muzzle velocity, but do nothing for your accuracy.
As a sheriff’s marksman, you’re taking 500 yard shots with a 5.56?
Either one will make hits on Full IPSC Targets at 500y. Going with the 18" for the additional 40fps is hardly a deal breaker for me. My vote goes to the 16". Easier to Carry and Lighter Weight… can still be ran fine for Close Quartered Environments or as a General Patrol Rifle.
I would give the nod to the 16". I have both and the 16" is a lot more “handy”. The 18" is a smoother shooting gun due to the longer gas system.
Read this thread (what’s left of it):
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?80882-Battle-for-light-precision-supremacy-The-Recce-Rifle-Vs-The-SPR
I opted for the 16" SS410 upper primarily because it was available at the time and the 18 wasn’t available. I’ve been very pleased with the accuracy. I’ve only taken it out to 200 yards as there aren’t longer ranges where I live. However, several others on this forum have reported good results at 500 yards.
You might consider a KMR model as the lightweight rail helps offset the weight of the stainless steel barrel.
You’re not really gaining a whole lot of velocity with those 2 inches .
Depending on the ammo used the velocity difference between a 16 and 20
is usually under 200 FPS .
Between a 16 and an 18 it should be well under a 100 FPS , and with some
loads the velocity difference could be as low a 35 FPS or less .
Meanwhile an AR with an 18 inch barrel is noticeably more cumbersome .
( Especially getting in and out of vehicles ,indoor use , thick brush , ETC )
I’m a big fan of the 16 inch barrel .
I’d rather not have to deal with permanently attached muzzle devices on a 14.5
or SBRing it .
You first need to understand the capability of the platform, 500 yards is not hard with a 16 inch or 18 inch barrel but instead relies on the shooter. Long range for the AR platform is 800+ yards. You need to specify what you want to do with the rifle. Even a “sniper” would figure out his target
I was asking this same question a couple weeks ago. I ended up going with the 16" SS410 with 15" KMR rail and couldn’t be happier. It is scary accurate.
That sums this whole thread up nicely.
I used to have a 18 barrel for varmits, it was cumbersome and I was finding I can kill a coyote the same at 250-300 yards with a 14.5.
I’ll take a slightly different tack.
All the points above regarding being more cumbersome and such when operating out of vehicles or confined spaces are valid. But if that’s not what you’re going to do, then what does it matter? The rifle length gas does feel smoother (to me) than a middy. And if you aren’t going to be using it in a way that the extra two inches of length matters from a handling standpoint, then why not get the extra velocity as well? There isn’t anything a 18" barrel can do that a 16" can’t do, but the 18" does feel smoother and the extra weight in front does help you settle into some positions better (if that’s how you’re going to be sooting).
I’ve been practicing a lot of positional shooting (offhand, squatting, kneeling, sitting, prone, all with traditional shooting sling) while swapping back and forth between a BCM 16 LW upper, a Centurion CHF LW, and a BCM 20" government. Of the three, the 16" guns do feel quite a bit more handy, but the 20" feels a lot more smooth and stable. I would imagine an 18" SS410 would do about the same.
I’ve been only shooting my 18" SPR rifle gas barrel for quite sometime. When I recently shot a buddy’s 16" carbine gas rifle I caught myself wondering why the recoil was so stiff.
If you are going to be getting in and out of a vehicle with the rifle, I would go with the 16" barrel.
I might agree. Except the gas port on an 18" is actually larger than a 20" rifle.