Suppressors QUESTIONS: Shortest mid length gas system barrel for ar15

[nikdanja]

I shot my buddys mid length sbr suppressed the other day and it was really flat shooting compared to mine. (I have a 10.5 carbine system with an adjustable gas block. Yes it’s tuned right)

He has the A5 buffer system along with a mid length barrel that’s 13.5 I believe. The only thing I didn’t like was the OAL Of his rifle. He was saying that you have to watch out for how long your mid length barrel is because if it’s to short, it won’t feed.

So my question is, can I get a barrel that’s a mid length gas system and with a bigger gas port in the barrel? I was thinking I can still get a really short package, but still have reliable cycling.

Yes, I will be shooting my rifle suppressed. I also want this rifle to be reliable unsuppressed.

 

[wade2big]

12.5”. I don’t own one.

 

[FuhQ]

I've seen a bunch of old Spec Ops Colt M16's with rifle-length gas, A2 posts, and plastic delta ring handgaurds that were chopped and threads started about a 1/4" past the front of the A2 sight post, and they worked fine. From a design standpoint, I'd assume that as long as the barrel extends a bullet's length beyond the gas port, it's going to have enough gas pressure in the system behind the bullet, as it passes the port, to cycle the action.

How short you wanna go? You can see the damn bullet tips sticking out, and it's still cycling just fine. I bet that fucker starts key-holing at arm's length.

 

[sam4886]

There's a 12.5 with mid gas in the classifieds now.

 

[newguy2k3v2]

12.5 mid gas seems to be the hotness in 556 ar’s right now.

 

[Zak Smith]

I have a 11.5 mid that runs great suppressed.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

This thread might get more traction in the Semi Auto subforum.
FWIW I've got a 12.5" mid that runs 100% unsuppressed. Almost bought a 12" mid but got a deal on the 12.5". To say it was a night and day difference in recoil from the 10.5" carbine gas barrel it replaced is an understatement.