Video: When Is An AR-15 Barrel Too Short?

[Talyn]

Size does matter when it comes to performance, velocity that is....

Is this barrel too Short?

 

[HansGruber]

Depends on the caliber, but...in 5.56, anything shorter than 10.5” is too short, imho. Excessive blast and flash, a lot of velocity drop.

 

[Bassbob]

Depends on the caliber, but...in 5.56, anything shorter than 10.5” is too short, imho. Excessive blast and flash, a lot of velocity drop.

So for let's say a 7.5" barrel an apropriate caliber would be ?? 300 BLK ?

 

[HansGruber]

So for let's say a 7.5" barrel an apropriate caliber would be ?? 300 BLK ?

I think 8.5 is considered minimum length for .300...

7.5 would probably be best in pistol calibers.

 

[Bassbob]

I think 8.5 is considered minimum length for .300...

7.5 would probably be best in pistol calibers.

I probably would want to stay around 11" anyway. Initially I was thinking 300 BLK, but someone here, maybe you, got me thinking against it. Really 5.56 is more convenient anyway.

 

[10mmLife]

I probably would want to stay around 11" anyway. Initially I was thinking 300 BLK, but someone here, maybe you, got me thinking against it. Really 5.56 is more convenient anyway.

.300blk is the way to go if you plan on running your firearm suppressed.

The smallest rifle caliber pistol firearms I currently have are in 10in barrels.

Typically pre-covid .300blk ammo was much more expensive than 5.56 but now the price per round are almost equal with rate increase associated with the high demand for 5.56. The current big negative is 5.56 being hard to find in stock anywhere and .300blk is near impossible to find.

Fortunately I have plenty of both on hand to survive the zombie apocalypse...

 

[Talyn]

I've gone as hort as 11.5" but realized there wasn't any real advantage in manuverability, and the subsequent velocity loss was a detrement for my AOPs.

The shortest I go now is a 14.5".

My .02