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16" or 18"??

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:33 pm
by JohnFH
I'm finishing a 3 gun upper and I'm still undecided on barrel length.

16", carbine length gas system with comp, or 18" rifle length gas system with comp?

Rifle length does tend to shoot a little smoother, ranges will be under 300 yards. 55 or 62 grain so 1/9 twist is plenty too.

Opinions?

Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 10:10 am
by nuke
If you haven't bought the barrel yet I suggest 16", rifle length gas, 1-8 twist:
-300 yds you don't need the little added velocity of 18" for distance
-16" with comp, rifle gas and maybe improved buffer spring/buffer combination can be soft shooting.
- 1/8 twist so you can shoot from 55s to 77s; hits on steel with 75s-77s are much easier to see/call than 55s when the distance gets out to 300. 1-9 twist is on the borderline with 75s.
- While 18" have been very common the recent trend toward shorter barrles for shorter ranges seems to be popular.

I use a 16" rifle gas (1-9) with a Leupold CQT, CM-R2 BDC and can hit MGM swingers (10" round steel) out at 425yds. You need to be able to make your optic BDC match you load or vice versa.

The 1-9 limits you on bullet weight which I think would be the first thing you would want to change with either of your 2 current choices.