Best Barrel Length for 3 Gun....

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GregB

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Considering replacing my 16" carbine (with red dot) upper. My max distance at local matches is @300. Should I go with 16" mid length gas, 18" mid or rifle length gas, or 20"? Looking forward to hearing pros and cons of each.

Thanks.
 
I’ve been shooting a 10.3” for matches that stay under 350.

Clinton (and now Old Fort 3 Gun) regularly has 400+ yard stages. I drag out an 18” for those matches. For that rifle I have a 77gr load that I’m zero’d for and have solid dope out to 700yds. I’ll use that ammo as needed, and carry 55gr for the bay stages with the same rifle. Under 200yds on typical 3-gun targets the POI shift is negligible.

Although, I just put an ACOG on a 16” rifle that I’ll play with at our next match.
 
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At those distances a 16” carbon fiber barrel w/ a mid length gas set up. Half the weight which actually feels nicely balanced.
 
Get a mid length or intermediate length 16" as others have noted. No reason for an 18" unless you like heavy rifles, which many do.
The pulse is softer on a rifle gas, IMO. The intermediate is really good for 16".

These have been pretty popular intermediates. Maybe perfect 3gun barrel that does just about everything:
www.stretchprecision.com

STRETCH 16 Legend AR15 Barrel (Graphite Black)

The fluted elite red STRETCH 16 Precision AR15 Barrel is extremely accurate and soft shooting due to its hand lapped bore and intermediate or stretched gas system.
www.stretchprecision.com www.stretchprecision.com

My 18" just sits in safe. Just nothing around here that really demands it.

If you don't mind the paperwork, SBR a lower and build a 11.5-12.5 if what you do is mostly bay stages and occasional distance.
My fav is a 14.5" mid length lightweight profile (faxon gunner).

Just my opinions.
 
No reason to ever run carbine gas on 16inch guns. I don't know how that became the standard
 
Notacop said:
No reason to ever run carbine gas on 16inch guns. I don't know how that became the standard
Click to expand...
It became common because .mil runs 14.5" M4s with carbine gas.

Mr. Civ wanted M4s but couldn't have 14.5" without pin and weld or SBR so it was stretched to 16".

The midlength gas system concept came later.

Hence the plethora of 16" carbine gas guns.
 
frakncylons said:
It became common because .mil runs 14.5" M4s with carbine gas.

Mr. Civ wanted M4s but couldn't have 14.5" without pin and weld or SBR so it was stretched to 16".

The midlength gas system concept came later.

Hence the plethora of 16" carbine gas guns.
Click to expand...
M203 cuts on so many commercial guns is beyond silly
 
99% of shooters will never ever know the difference between a carbine and a mid-length system. Of all the issues or debates, that should not be one of them.
 
Conventional wisdom is that an 18" is the sweet spot, being heavier means less variance between distance shots.

I use a 18", but my son has a 14.5 pencil barrel (and a polymer lower) that he absolutely tears up stages with. The match we do is more run and gun without shots over 100, so I'm thinking of doing the same.
 
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