Quick Tip: Making a Compact AR-15 Rifle

Bigger isn’t always better! Brownells Gun™ Tech Caleb tells us how to build the most compact AR-15 possible without having to register it as an SBR or building a pistol. Caleb’s newly built rifle owes a lot of its compactness to Law Tactical’s AR-15 Folding Stock Adapter and ARIC – “AR Internal Carrier”. The ARIC eliminates the need for a buffer system, so the entire operating system is contained inside the upper receiver. That means Caleb can shoot this rifle with the folding stock FOLDED. This is just not a “wow” factor item: in a self-defense emergency, the ability to deploy your rifle very quickly may be critical to your survival. Bonus: the ARIC weighs less than the standard bolt-carrier group, plus the weight of the buffer and spring is also eliminated.

Caleb still has the standard carbine buffer tube on this rifle, so he can mount any AR-15 carbine stock he chooses. And he chose the lightweight yet ergonomically comfortable Reptilia RECC-E Stock.

The Brownells Lightweight 13.9″ AR-15 barrel up front lets you choose from a wide variety of muzzle devices that land the overall barrel length at 16″. This is the minimum length you can have without registering the gun with the ATF as an SBR (short-barreled rifle). There’s a little extra work to do: the muzzle device must be pinned and welded to the barrel to make it a permanent part of the barrel’s total length. The “pencil” or “skinny” profile Brownells lightweight barrel uses a .625″ gas block (the original M16A1 size, for you old timers and history buffs), instead of the standard .750″ O.D. gas block. Both the gas block and the handguard on Caleb’s rifle come from Bravo Company.

Brownells and other companies also offer AR-15 barrels in the 14.5″ length, which is great if you want to use a shorter muzzle device, such as the classic A2 “bird cage” flash hider (about 1.75″ long). The 14.5″ length will ensure your barrel-plus-muzzle device combo meets the 16″ requirement. Plenty more barrel options, in a variety of lengths, from Geissele, Sons of Liberty Gun Works, Ballistic Advantage, and Rosco – all available at Brownells.

Does the difference between the 13.9″ and 14.5″ barrels affect ballistics and bullet velocity? Caleb gives us the inside scoop on that, too.

NOTE: Products in this video are to be used only for lawful purposes, including hunting, self-defense, and competitive or recreational shooting. If you purchase any of them, you are responsible for understanding and complying with all federal, state, and local laws that apply to the purchase, possession, and use of these products.