Why do mfgs still make carbine length gas systems vs. mid-length?
Cost? They are already tooled up for carbine system.
Imagine because there are a lot of manufactures who will tell you that it is just as good, and lets be honest how many manufactures out there make a mid length system that you would trust? Well that and the fact that most shooters out there don’t know that middy length even exists should say a lot. Also, when you are looking at a short carbine for many SBR lengths carbine gas system seems to be the way to go. And then you have the guys who want something close to what they carried in the service.
I will say that I prefer my middy, but carbine still has a place depending on the mission and what you want and the pros and cons of what you are looking at.
Two words: Mil Spec.
That is the military spec gas length, and only somewhat recently it seems middy gas systems have become the go-to choice, at least for barrel lengths from 14.5" and up. 14.5" and down, a carbine is a better choice for obvious reasons.
I imagine as long as the .mil continues to use the carbine gas system that manufacturers will continue to make it. It’s also the standard for SBRs as I understand it. Plus there’s no standard spec out for mid-length gas systems. With all the companies out there who can’t make a carbine length gun right when there is a spec for it, do you really want them to start making midlength guns for which there is no spec at all?
I’m curious as to why you would feel they shouldn’t make them?
Carbine length gas systems will run pretty much any ammo you throw at them, and with the right buffer and spring combo will cycle smoothly while doing so.
Both of my ARs have carbine gas systems. Both are easy and very comfortable to shoot. I posted the question because I hear so much about how good middys are.
I guess I need to try one to understand.
Because carbine-length gas systems on ARs are a proven system.
The reason mid-lengths originally came about is because carbine-length gas systems weren’t designed for 16" barrels, and some engineers found that moving the gas port closer to the muzzle than the carbine-length allowed on those 16" barrels was more optimal. Thus, the mid-length gas system.
P.S.
Just to clarify…Is a carbine length gas system ok on a 14.5" barreled rifle?
YES! But as with all ARs, buy it from a proven manufacturer (ie, Colt, BCM, LMT, DD, Noveske, etc.).
Thanks Justin. That makes sense. Both of mine are 16" with carbine gas systems. They both are easy to shoot.
Definetly…I want a BCM.
You can buy with confidence from BCM.
Because The Chart told them it had to be. And virtually everyone on the interwebz said Buy a 6920 and shoot it.
Unless you shoot full auto or shoot 10,000 rds a year I don’t see how it makes any difference except in length of forearm/rail. And it us what is being made for the military so I imagine that length is plentiful.
3 gun says Thou shalt shoot only 18" rifle systems, so in two years that may be all you see.
Ain’t that the truth…
I’m not sold on 14.5" w/ mid length. I prefer my 14.5" to be carbine gassed.
They’re are plenty of threads of people having problems with 14.5" mids, even from good manufacturers.
On the other hand I would never buy a 16" carbine, I would only buy mid length.
The question is, why?
I have both and see no massive advantage. Granted, both rifles are not over-gassed and run a different spring and buffer combo, but the two shoot incredibly similarly. There might be the slightest ammt of recoil difference between the two, but it’s not much. That said, I can feed even the weakest Tula (not that I plan on it, but I have run some very low powered reloads through it) into the 16" carbine and the rifle will cycle every time.
My experience working with manufactures is this:
- Availability - there are just a lot more carbine parts.
- Cost - same as above.
- Lack of education - most folks really don’t know how the rifle works; understanding how to make it work better is completely lost on them.
- Customer confidence - “That’s the same rifle I carried in the service”, “So… what does the Army use?”
If 3 and 4 changed, 1 and 2 would also change… but as we have seen with about every other consumer commodity, the best is not always the one that wins; humans are strange creatures.
OP, just so you know… That’s what a military, select fire M4 uses.
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Example threads?
I am looking at buying a BCM 14.5 mid length and would like to know about said problems.