Thinking of going with a AR 15 2O inch barrel.

[Robert]

I like Varget too. It's dang expensive now.

I've basically settled on 4895 for everything. It works in my 5.56, .308, and 375H&H. It might not be the most accurate powder across the board, but it works and I don't have to buy pounds of different powders. The only rifle I might buy something special for is my AR308. I'm fairly certain the handloads for my FAL are holding it back...lol

 

[Robert]

20” would be next to useless for home defense.

Unless you actually train in the house with it and work on moving through doors and clearing the fatal funnel. It's might not be ideal, but it is far from useless. Just take training and practice. And yes, I practice clearing the house when no one else is home.

 

[Varminterror]

[A 20” AR] might not be ideal [for home defense], but it is far from useless.

This, 100%.

That claim struck me sideways as well - a shorter barrel might be better for CQB, but a 20” isn’t so long to be “useless.” That claim is the same premise as folks talking about the 6.5 creed being useless because the 6.5x55 swede does the same thing… Quoting ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou’ - “that don’t make no sense”

 

[12Bravo20]

And we see similar arguments about shogun barrel lengths too. I have no problem using a 20" AR or a shotgun with a 20" barrel for home defense. The M4 was just starting to show up outside of SOCOM units and the 18th Airborne Corp when I got out of the Army in Feb 1996. For all other units the M4 was not generally issues as it was meant to be a replacement for the M3A1 for armored vehicle crews. So all of my CQB/sturcture clearing was with the M16A2 which worked fine.

@Robert we know all too well each barrel can and will prefer different ammo. But yours shooting more than 4 MOA at 100 yards with M855 is a bit odd especially since it shoots other weights just fine. Maybe try some different brands of M855 before totally giving up on it. Ammo marked as XM855 is just M855 that was rejected by the US military.

 

[FL-NC]

I have never seen a AR/M4?M16 lower damaged from just firing it. I have a AR that I have shot out 3 barrels with, and in my unit in the mil, barrels lasted on typicaly 18- 24 months before they needed to be replaced. I never saw a lower that had to get scapped.

 

[Varminterror]

I have a friend that used to shoot High Power at Perry. He said Varget is never the wrong answer.

100%.

I usually say it this way: if I’m doing something with 223/5.56 and Varget doesn’t work well, then it’s indicative that I’m probably doing something I shouldn’t.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I have no plans to use mine for the home. Range toys for me.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

My upper came today. I found out what happened. The warehouse don't always pack the trucks right. The driver said he was done with his route he saw it.

 

[Varminterror]

My upper came today. I found out what happened. The warehouse don't always pack the trucks right. The driver said he was done with his route he saw it.

Which roughly translates to - "I saw who it was from and I was gonna steal it, but then I opened the box and saw it was a 20" upper and I didn't want it, so I brought it back."

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Got it together. It looks pretty radical with the long barrel. When my other lower comes ill take a group of all 3 AR'S.

 

[Varminterror]

Got it together. It looks pretty radical with the long barrel.

What handguard length do you have on it?

Still feels weird thinking a 20” barrel is considered to be “long,” even on an AR. Gotta check out a High Power Match Rifle some time - 29” barrels on AR’s look LONG, no matter what handguard you wrap around them. My “mode” is 10.5” for my uppers, but I also have 12, 16, 18, 20, 22, and 24, with 24” being my second most common length - and I wish a couple of those were 26”. But most of mine wear 15, 16, 18, or 20” handguards, so they don’t look as long as they could.

 

[mavracer]

Got it together. It looks pretty radical with the long barrel. When my other lower comes ill take a group of all 3 AR'S.

What sights/optic are you putting on the 20"

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

A Vortex strike eagle. 4x24x50. https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-strike-eagle-4-24x50-ebr-4-moa-riflescope.html

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

It has a 15 inch M-Lok hand guard.

 

[DMW1116]

Somewhere I missed it, but what upper did you get?

 

[LiveLife]

Somewhere I missed it, but what upper did you get?

BCA 20" 1:7 5.56 NATO heavy barrel 15" MLOK

I went with a heavy barrel dual charging one.
https://www.bearcreekarsenal.com/5-...st-rifle-15-mlok-nrail-dual-charge-upper.html

 

[mavracer]

A Vortex strike eagle. 4x24x50. https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-strike-eagle-4-24x50-ebr-4-moa-riflescope.html

Very nice that setup is dang close to my Valkyrie.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Took it out today. And got it zeroed in. 55 grain bullets no issues. I was dancing a spray paint can around on the 200 yard line. I also ran some of the 62 grain loads too. They worked well too. Im a happy camper. Only thing i noticed the spring in the lower was sounding a little weird. It cycled fine.

 

[LiveLife]

Took it out today. And got it zeroed in. 55 grain bullets no issues ... also ran some of the 62 grain loads too. They worked well too. Im a happy camper.

Nice.

I was dancing a spray paint can around on the 200 yard line

In the Army, my sergeants told me, if I couldn't hit the enemy, to aim in front of enemy to kick dirt/rock into their faces.

 

[DMW1116]

Which spring? The buffer spring?

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Yes the buffer.

 

[mavracer]

My upper and scope are both showing delivery tomorrow.

 

[DMW1116]

Mine makes a fair bit of noise but I just thought that’s how they are.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I was wearing new ear muffs today. The electronic ones. I just thought about that fact. It probably is from them.

 

[12Bravo20]

Yes the buffer spring is noisy and you will always hear it. Yes it can be quieted down some but why bother throwing money at a non issue. I have been shooting M16 and AR15 rifles since I was 17 when a smiling drill sergeant introduced me to one. The spring noise has never bothered me.

Now if you are wearing ear muffs then you will definitely hear the spring more since the plastic muffs are usually against the stock when you shoot. This is more true if you are using a cheek riser. If the spring noise bothers you then I suggest using ear plugs instead.