I’m building my first AR and have the lower done. I’m really thinking of going ahead and making this a 10.5 or 12.5 shorty!!
Other than the paperwork and fee ($200) involved, is there any real drawback to having only one AR and having it be a shorty?
My uses will be Home Defense, some paper target shooting, but mostly plinking at anything up to 250-300 yards.
Pro’s/con’s?
Thanks guys!
For the uses that you stated, I would go with a 10.5". It will be fairly accurate at the distances mentioned depending on the quality of parts and the skill of the user. For the only serious role (home defense) the 10.5 will be excellent unless you live in a giant ranch with 200 yard indoor shots. YMMV:D
SBR- becuase you can, it’s small evil and black. Not accurate enough for ya, buy another upper for longer range and use the shorty for fun.
Many of the smart people I know say that if they could have only one length AR15 it would be a 12.5".
That being said, I’m a sucker for light and short…I’d go 7.5". 
I gotta think that would be a bit noisy!!! How good would that little thing shoot at say 100-200 yards?? 2MOA?
Thanks for the replies guys!
Haha! I can’t imagine. IIRC one of the MSTN guys posted that it sounds about like a .50 BMG without a Noveske KX3. They did report sub-MOA @ 100 yards from a Noveske, though…pretty impressive. I don’t know anyone who uses a 7.5" for anything besides fun/testing, though.
If peoploe have problems with 10’5 functioning… how reliable are 7.5’s!! Yikes…
Thats why I wonder… 10.5 or 12.5?? Maybe the 12.5’s are more reliable?
The longer the barrel, the more velocity and more reliable the weapon becomes.
C4
So how reliable are the 10.5" guns? Is a Noveske 10.5 really any more reliable than say a LMT? Would a 12.5 be much more reliable than a 10.5 really??
How reliable a 10.5 depends on many different things (ammo, mags, proper lube and maintaining the extractor and other springs).
A SS barrel can not be more reliable than a chrome lined barrel. A 12.5 will be more reliable than a 10.5. A 14.5 will be more reliable than a 12.5.
C4
You guys in no ban states make me jealous…I dont get post a poll about going SBR or not :mad:
Around here, the only drawback is that the biggest outdoor range close to me doesn’t allow anything NFA. The only other potential problem I could think of would be if you wanted to go take a class in a state that doesn’t allow NFA.
With that said, you could always buy another upper later if you wanted to travel to one of those god-forsake places.
Yes, it will be cool to get a SBR… but I really wish I could also get a silencer!!! Not legal here in MN.
I’ve been desperately craving one lately, so my vote goes for a 10.5".
I’d go with the 10.5".
It has gotten a really bad name, and most of it started back in the late 90’s early 2000’s when Crane NSWC would get 14.5" bbl’s from Colt and cut them down themselves. After they were cut, they never properly ported the Gas Port, and the “reliability” issues occured. With the proper Port size a 10.5" will run just fine, and yes even without a Krink.
I have a few Powerpoints from the testing done at NSWC Crane regarding the 10.5 (after the port issue was worked out) and it clearly shows that it runs just as good as a 14.5" or 16" bbl.
Brett
No! That wouldn’t help because the rifle is still registered as an SBR and is a NFA weapon regardless of the upper used. In a non NFA state you would still be up shit’s creek. Of course, someone would actually have to run the serial number to know it was registered…
ETA UPDATE: Keeping in mind that this was written 4(!) years ago, there is updated info available from ATF here: http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/national-firearms-act-short-barreled-rifles-shotguns.html#interstate-transportation My thanks to Iraqgunz for the link.
Get a 11.5". It’s a good compromise between the handiness of 10.5 but without the usual reliability problems.
I have a CMMG 11.5" and it runs great.
What is SBR?
What is the shortest barrel you an have as a civilian and not be breaking any law?
16 "…
or
14.5 with a pinned or fixed Flash hider or muzzle break.
but what is “sbr”?