20 vs 18

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12 years 5 months ago #23670 by Siscowet
Replied by Siscowet on topic 20 vs 18

13fcolt wrote:

Siscowet wrote: Now comes all the bad jokes of how intimidating those two extra inches can be.


you beat sharkey in bringing that up. :clap:

Don't ask for pictures.
Back to thread: I think that stainless bull barrel on the AR10T Carbine would be the best combination of accuracy and handiness.

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12 years 5 months ago - 12 years 5 months ago #23675 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic 20 vs 18
Looks like I asked a good question and the answers confirmed my thinking on this. I am looking to find the balance point on the AR10T. Now I know its the target model but if I had had my druthers I would have rather had the SASS, but I found the SASS upper first and bought it and I did not want to mate it to anything other than the T or the SASS and I found the T. So they are mated and I have an objective in mind.

The objective is and all purpose gun, from Zombie killer in my SHTF last line of defense, all around hunter from Hog to Elk, accuracy and finally not lose much on the outer of range...given that its a 800 yd rd and gun.

So where is the balance point? Well I don't plan on shooting out to 800 and even if I did at my age 800 is not in my game plan anyhow. In the range of 16" - 24" the 20 sits dead in the middle and on that I cannot argue, but what I lose on 18" as stated is very little. Accuracy is still maintained but the take away seems to come at the expense of range in this case.

Overall the weapon (mine) with Magpull stock is about 42 in long. Lot of weapon there and on top of that its heavy, very heavy as in M 14 heavy. Immediate weight savings can be achieved by shorting the bbl and fluting it. Guessing: about 1 lb maybe a bit more. That said looking over the form factor there is little weight savings to be had in large chunks such as bbl.

My frame of reference in shoulder firearms is hunting and combat, guess maybe both are hunting. In both cases: Unless you are hunting Mule deer in far west Tex or Sheep in the high mountains where both engagements are measured in the X00's of yards and terrain movement is not so much hindered by thick foliage then weapon form factor is not as critical as is fighting Zombies in some jungle or chasing whitetail thru Mesquite thickets.

So my leanings are toward smaller and lighter without giving up range and accuracy. 18" bbl, fluted saves a lb or better and I have 2" less weapon to maneuver.

Thanks to all to commented, appreciated and useful to me...
Last edit: 12 years 5 months ago by OleCowboy.

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12 years 5 months ago #23687 by 10-76
Replied by 10-76 on topic 20 vs 18
IIRC, there is a gas issue, but cannot remember exactly what it was...

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12 years 5 months ago #23689 by mrraley
Replied by mrraley on topic 20 vs 18

10-76 wrote: IIRC, there is a gas issue, but cannot remember exactly what it was...


If you shorten the barrel it will need to have the gas port checked and possibly reduced in size a little.

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12 years 5 months ago #23690 by faawrenchbndr
Replied by faawrenchbndr on topic 20 vs 18
Precisely why I bought a T model 20" barrel vs having my 24" shortened.

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12 years 5 months ago #23693 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic 20 vs 18
Is the gas port size linear relative to the barrel length? And how close is close enough.

A Goggle search has not brought anything to light other than opinions. ArmaLite site I could not find much in tech notes and it appears the AR 10 only comes in 16 and 20 in bbls.

At first look it would appear that port size is linear relative to bbl length and distance from the end of the muzzle but gas ports are not my speciality in life, ??????

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12 years 5 months ago #23694 by mrraley
Replied by mrraley on topic 20 vs 18
I do know that port sizes ArmaLite uses are proprietary or information they normally just don't hand out.

The gas port on a 20" barrel is larger than a 16" barrel.

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12 years 5 months ago #23695 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic 20 vs 18

mrraley wrote: I do know that port sizes ArmaLite uses are proprietary or information they normally just don't hand out.

The gas port on a 20" barrel is larger than a 16" barrel.

Interesting and may be why I could not find anything on port sizes. I am not a gun smith, that said for x length of gas tube, x distance to muzzle and x buffer config then in my mind they should all be close for any given caliber...but maybe there are factors I am not aware of (I am SURE this is the case).

I wonder if I were to contact AR would they have a recommendation on port size or otherwise for someone who want to cut down the 20 to a 18?????

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12 years 5 months ago #23699 by mrraley
Replied by mrraley on topic 20 vs 18
If it comes down to it, send it to me and I will take it in and get it cut.
The following user(s) said Thank You: OleCowboy

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12 years 5 months ago #23873 by magi
Replied by magi on topic 20 vs 18
Since I got this thing.... I've been thinking about this subject a lot..... However now believe that fluting and cutting it down might not make enough of a deference on my SS to be a nice carry gun... And it would change mine from what it's supposed to be to much... The more I fool with this thing the more I like it for what it is..... Soo..... I'm heading in the direction of getting a 16 inch upper or ordering a 16 inch carbine....

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