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America’s Rifle | How the 16″ AR-15 Became the Standard and Why It’s So Effective

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In recent years, the 16″ barrel length for AR-15s has lost favor with many over slightly shorter 14.5, 13.7, 12.5, and 11.5 setups. In this episode Josh breaks down how we arrived at the 16″ as America’s unofficial standard and what you should consider before ditching it for more trendy options.

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Infinity Targets | Code: DC15

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00:00 The Original AR-15
02:42 Muzzle Velocity Comparisons
10:46 Benefits of 16″
13:34 Brain Fry

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19 COMMENTS

  1. Nah, I'd be hard pressed to go to even a 13.7"-14.5" barrel unless I was absolutely sucked into nonstop CQB with a suppressor requirement. Seriously though if I need to clear buildings a 10mm or .45 ACP PCC is likely the better option. That or a bloody 12 gauge. I've got a plethora of AR based rifles in a handful of cartridge loadings. Not one is less than a 16" barrel. Longest barrel being a recent build 20" 6.5 Grendel that's got me itching to push it to long distance.

  2. 16" just works. I bought some 16" uppers during the fjb sh*t-show and now have a good assortment of them. Nobody ever goes golfing with just one club…

  3. My sweet spot is 13.7” with a p&w Surefire warcomp. I see zero ballistic difference between my setup & a friends 16” identical setup except that the 3.5ish” length takes a bit more work to use in room clearing. He is just as proficient with it as I am with mine tho.
    Training is everything.

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