I’m planning on an 18" barrel, but am unclear on the benefits of the choice in handguard length. I’ll be using a Nightforce scope and maybe a bipod.
Any recommendations on the handguard length? I would like the most reliable gas tube length, although I don’t know if they are different depending on the handguard.
By the way, these are 1-in-8 twist. I would like the option to use bullets from 55gr up to 77gr. Will this stabilize a 77gr bullet? I thought 1-in-7" twist was required for a 77gr?
Is the IonBond a good coating for the stainless barrel?
I’m all ears if someone has another recommendation on a complete upper - Noveske, LMT, etc. I also saw this Noveske:
Am I thinking right with an 18" barrel? I wanted better velocity than a 16", but a tad shorter than 20". If the 18" compromises reliability, though, I’ll go with a 16" or 20"
12" is carbine length gas. 16 and 18" are middy gas. 20" if rifle length. Handguard length has no bearing on that.
The difference in velocity between a 16 and 18 inch is negligible as most of the powder has burned off with these length barrels.
Ion bond is a very good coating, and extremely durable. Its not “painted” on. Its a metal treatment that hardens the surface of the metal to be extremely hard, and slick. Its very wear resistent.
1-8 will handle 55-77GR just fine. My 16" Stealth shoots SSA 77GR 5.56 OTM just under 1 MOA. Im actually on my 2nd Stealth upper, and both are capable of sub MOA groups with quality match ammo. I also like Black Hills red box 75GR OTM a lot, too.
Nothing wrong with Noveske either. I think LaRue has better CS, and I prefer the Stealth upper and lower to what Noveske puts out. FWIW the only thing Noveske does is the final machining on their barrels. Everything else is bought from a supplier, and then they assemble the uppers that way. LaRue makes a bit more of the final product. It also helps LaRue is 10 mins away from me but Ive owned, and still own several examples of each. I also think the Stealth is a little bit cheaper tit for tat.
Coyotes and paper? Either one will shoot fine, as will many others. You might want to look at getting an upper custom built the way you want in this price range.
Go with a BCG that is shot peened and a MP tested bolt, no reason to go with anything else. Rail choices are diverse, find what you like and go from there.
I have personally between the two uppers around 10k rounds with only one failure of any kind, and that was due to an old 20rd mag with a weak spring that wouldn’t lock the bolt back. My 1st stealth upper went around 7500 rounds without a failure of any kind. Not a one. That is with all types of ammo from Wolf to full 5.56 loads, and still shot sub MOA when I sold it.
The gun pictured is a 16" with a 12" rail.
Yes Noveske makes a good upper too. My recent 14.5" Noveske Lite shoots 1.5" groups with match ammo which is very good for a CL barrel, and has been 100% reliable in the few k rounds I have out of it.
Belmont - What was your reason for the 12" handguard, over an 11" handguard? Is there a benefit to the 12?
I’m toying with getting a 16" Stealth and maybe a BCM 16" Recce upper for another M4.
By the way, I’m putting one of these on a 6920 and the other on a Colt MT6400c. The 6400C has the large front receiver pin. Does LaRue, BCM, etc., offer an upper for the commercial/large front receiver pin?
No real reason other than 1" of rail barely weighs anything, and its better to have and not need than need and not have. I shoot with a fairly forward grip so things like lights tend to be pushed a bit further out.
Daniel Defense makes an upper with large pin holes but the ones you mentioned do not. You’d either have to have an upper built using that receiver, swap it out with a Noveske/LaRue/BCM upper, or sell the lower and buy something else with a small/standard pin size.
A stainless barreled upper, and a BCM with a CL barrel would make a nice duo. I just got a BCM hammer forged upper with a DD RIS II rail, and its a very nice upper. My 4th BCM upper actually, and they are top notch stuff too.
