What is muzzle blast like firing 5.56 through sub-14.5" barrels? I just discovered that AR pistols are a possibility in CA (SBRs are definitely not allowed); I was wondering how unpleasant they are to shoot. In the Vietnam era, the 10.5s had that long sound moderator attached, which made them practically 14.5s, but with the Mk18s this does not seem to be an issue. What are your impressions?
Muzzle blast? It’s there, alright. Still lots of hot expanding gasses in play at so little distance from the chamber.
Just put a nifty little Cali-legal and very effective BattleComp on there!
muzzle device is the key, if you’re concerned about blast from shorties. the muzzle device makes all the difference. you’ll need to be careful about selecting one that’s california legal, obviously. the problem with california-legal compensators is that compensators/brakes often tend to be the blastier devices.
check out the battle-comp… www.battlecomp.com… it’s cali legal, made in cali, and is an excellent comp, but brings flash and blast down to very similar to an A2 (which is not cali-legal, for stupid reason).
My 10.5" w/ AAC Blackout is no issue even indoors w/ the lights off (can see the flash, but it is very dim and not distracting)…don’t know about the brakes. That battlecomp is probably your best bet, if it is about like an A2, that will help.
Flash hiders are legal on pistols, you need a mag lock because the mag is outside of the grip. They are illegal on drop free mag rifles because they need to be “featureless”.
The blast is more severe than a 16", but nothing to make one scared or distracted. Plenty of people shoot 10.5’s and 11.5’s. I do and love the shortened length. When on the line in a class, it may give pause to those next to you, but they soon realize it’s no biggie. The benefits far, far outweigh the blast.
I fired my 11.5 with my muffs up on my head (above my hears on accident), and I thought the gun Kaboomed!!
i left mines sittin on a table 30 feet behind me and let one rip from a tenfive a few weeks ago. i thought i’d torn a rend in the fabric of spacetime.
I shot about 200 rounds through my 11.5" SBR last weekend and forgot my muffs, so I used earplugs. I had a definite ringing and music sounded strange for about an hour after. I will definitely not forget my muffs from now on, and would hate to shoot it indoors without ear pro.
That being said, I’ve never shot any other ARs with plugs alone, so I don’t know the difference.
What plugs are you using? Decent plugs are much quieter than most ear muffs. The KEY is getting them into your ears correctly.
My problem is that those orange mushy plugs work TOO GOOD. I can’t hear anyone else around me when I have them in.
The shorties are very loud. I tried firing my 10.5" between two other guys with 10.5" guns with only Ear foam ear plugs. That lasted one string and I ran for my muffs. It was painful.
I used to shoot my .50 all day with only cheap wally world plugs with no issues. Maybe they were not in right. And BTW, my 11.5" BCM has very little muzzle blast. Well, to me…
There is not too much you can do about blast short of using a can, it is just a matter of physics. You can reduce flash, but blast is what it is.
The original moderator on the XM177 - 10" barrel - was a bit shorter than later versions and had no provisions for flash suppression. The moderators on the XM177E1 - 10" barrel and the E2 -11.5" barrel - was a bit longer and had flash suppression slots in it. The moderators reduced sound signature by approximately 1.5 db (according to the ATF making them suppressors in their eyes), and with the chambered design reduced blast significantly over a birdcage.
hahahahahaha
that is sig worthy right there
11.5" with AAC Brake
I fired my 10.5" once resting on the side view mirror of my pickup and the muzzle blast comming out of the side of the flash hider blew the mirror housing off.
I can only imagine how loud that would be.
not SBR, but i fired a round of 7mm magnum from a 20" over the roof of my car when i was like 18… i had an 86 cutlass supreme with the vinyl top- tore out a big ass flapper. i taped it down with duct tape, but it was a long drive home and by the time i got there, it’d torn back to the rear window… looked like my car had a big white superman cape
SBRs are supposed to have muzzle blast and be loud!
I say the best use of an SBR is to keep the OAL manageable with a silencer attached.