I am thinking about an 18" Larue with a mid gas system but wonder if it makes sense to get a 20" with a rifle gas system due to slight velocity increase and most importantly, softer recoil impulse. I don’t care about compactness.
I had a 20" once upon a time years ago and from what I remember, it had a softer recoil impulse than a 16" mid. I never had an 18".
If a softer recoil impulse is the goal then how about an 18" with a rifle gas system, like a 3-gun rifle?
My Sionics 18" barrel with rifle length gas system shoots very smoothly, even though the lower has a carbine buffer system. Haven’t shot a 20" in a while., so I can’t really compare the two. I’m betting the A5 would make a big difference as well. An 18" or 20" with A5 would probably be awesome.
I always wondered if the 18" with midlebgth would be like 16" carbine?
Entirely dependent on Gas port size. If soft recoil impulse is priority, the BCM 14.5 middy can not be beat.
Your 14.5" middy with FSC556 video like 5 years ago Is what got me on the damn AR BCM bandwagon in the first place.
And the advice still stands.
It’s pretty phenomenal with the A5. We typically advise to use the 5.33 oz buffer. I also personally prefer the green Sprinco spring.
I don’t understand why they go with a midlength gas system on an 18". I would have considered buying an 18" from them if it was rifle gassed (or even intermediate if they made one), but ended up buying the 20" rifle gassed Stealth barrel instead so I’m building something that will rarely be fired unsupported.
I’m too am in the why mid length on an 18" barrel. I was under the impression that the mid length system was developed to drop pressure, reduce wear, tear, heat and fouling and smoothen the recoil impulse some on carbines. An 18" rifle length system is generally very reliable. My WOA barrel will eat anything I feed it from mid 80’s surplus to FGMM. It runs with a rifle buffer system or Carbine with up to an H2 buffer. The Mk12 system has been pretty reliable in the field AFAIK so why **** with it?
Taqz, did the H3 not work, or just unnecessary?
I have a 20 inch barrel with rifle gas (Syrac adjustable) gas port but carbine stock. Currently using an H buffer but wanted to try something heavier and closer to the rifle buffer in weight. H3 is really close (2 oz more).
The 20" rifle gassed LaRue Stealth (fairly heavy) barrel that I’ll be building an upper around soon will have a carbine tube… or maybe an A5 tube, not sure. It’ll be California “featureless” with a Thordsen Customs FRS-15 stock, so I don’t need a bullet button. I may try some other setups on it too, rifle tube isn’t entirely out of the question. I wonder how it’ll run, and I guess I’ll need to pick up a very heavy buffer.
FWIW, I have a BCm 20" Government on an A5 lower with Sprinco Green spring, and it is awesome. I have also fired the same lower with a BCM SS 410 18" rifle gassed upper, and found that the 20" shot just a hair smoother. But that is just a sample size of one.
In general, I don’t think you will find much of a practical difference between a 18" rifle gas or a 20" rifle gas.