Carbine length on 14.5" and 16" barrels - why?

[samuelshoun]

Been meaning to ask this a while now... Why do these exist? Why not just make them midlength? Is the higher gas pressure advantageous under adverse conditions? Better for full-auto, maybe?

For a civilian AR, carbine gas seems to me obsolete in 14.5" & 16" barrel lengths. But I see a ton of them being sold. What am I missing?

 

[jtischauser]

Good question!

 

[technetium-99m]

Because that's what the average AR is made as. Don't be asking the manufacturers to change the machine settings.

 

[Matt1911]

Because tactical Timmys love em.

 

[Wormydog1724]

Because tactical Timmys love em.

No I don't. nthequiet:

 

[Spiff]

The operating pressure is disadvantageous, and that's what spawned all the different heavy buffers and extractor enhancer thingies.

 

[Matt1911]

No I don't. nthequiet:

You're an ATAS ninja, not a tactical timmy.
Tac tims are the rookies, ATAS ninjas are the masters.

 

[drmitchgibson]

You're missing the "Mil-spec" factor. That factor sells countless millions of guns to people who will never shoot more than 1000 rounds in their entire lifetime.

 

[aeropb]

Its about money. All the fanboys want a milspec M4. Milspec sells.

 

[foghorn918]

I want one of all of them.

 

[samuelshoun]

Hmm... I guess "carbine" does sounds more badasser than lame-o "midlength" anyway. Plus I like my guns with MORE recoil!!

Anyway, thanks for confirming my suspicion. My guess is these are still "milspec" because military beaurocracy yada yada, and eventually the military will go to midlength? Or maybe they're using shorter barrels...

 

[nikatkimber]

Am I remembering right that it had to do with the M203 mount location or something?

 

[dennishoddy]

I like the 16" M4. Velcro's nicely in the cab of the tractor. Middy won't fit.

 

[Chambers]

The 10" barrel came around before the 16".

 

[foghorn918]

Weren't the original AR's issued to MIL in Vietnam 20" barrels? DId they have rifle length gas systems?

 

[drmitchgibson]

Yes.

 

[Wormydog1724]

All the fanboys want a milspec M4.

No I don't!!

 

[Burk Cornelius]

I can't believe I'm saying this but a GOOD friend told me that the OSA guys likes carbines

 

[aeropb]

No I don't!!

You are not the target fanboy. Rumor has it that you actually shoot guns.

 

[Wormydog1724]

Just a rumor man. I only take pictures of them and apparently piss OSA guys off when I post them. :/