AR-15 Hunter _ 16" or 20"

[Dust]

Just wondering what you hunt with. Trying to decide between 16 and 20" and a heavy or a bull barrel.

 

[Reverendbiker]

Just wondering what you hunt with. Trying to decide between 16 and 20" and a heavy or a bull barrel.

My ranch rifle is a Bushmaster Carbon 15 with a 6.8 SPC upper, 16" carbine. It dispatched over 50 hogs and 2 deer on my ranch in 2008. I bought it because it was light and rugged--good to carry on my Rhino while working on the place. I never expected it to replace my trusty old Savage .30-06 for hunting, but the black rifle is all I carry these days.

 

[Dust]

Why did you go with the 6.8? How much are you paying for ammo?

 

[kville79]

16" of barrel is about more than enough for accuracy than most people need... I'd go with a mid-length gas system rather than the carbine length though.. I believe you get better functioning from it.... I could be wrong though.

 

[Reverendbiker]

Why did you go with the 6.8? How much are you paying for ammo?

I loved the Carbon 15 in 5.56/223 and killed many hogs with it. I wanted something with a little more knockdown power, so I bought a 6.6 SPC upper and really love it. Silver State Armory makes a great hunting round with the 110 gr. Sierra Pro Hunter bullet; depending on the sales at the moment they cost $17-19 per box. On my ranch I seldom get a shot at a hog over 125 yards; this gun can put one in a pig's ear at that range so I saw no need for a 20" barrel in my situation.

 

[yam13f]

go with the 20 inch, better velocity=better bullet performance=cleaner, more humane kill, especially if you get a .223.


for example, a FMJ 5.56(.223) is designed to turn base forward and blow apart in soft tissue. under 2000 fps, it wont. (thats why the USMC doesnt use the M4). 16" barrel velocities arent what the bullet needs beyond 200 or so yards.




just my 2 cents.....

 

[kville79]

Yam, everything you said is true.

It all really depends on what the person is using the rifle for. If you want a more compact, less heavy rifle (not like 20" barrels are that heavy, even the heavy barrels) and you're like most people who aren't going to shoot at anything further than 100 meters the 16" barrel will do fine. On average people are going to use FMJ for target practice and small rodents, so bullet expansion on target isn't a big deal. where's if you're hunting with 5.56mm I would suggest soft point ammo.

But if you love excellent accuracy beyond 200 meters a 20" crowned barrel is the way to go... floating barrel and all that

 

[Texas Patriot]

I find the 16" Midlength or carbine model to suit me fine. Most shots at deer or hogs where I hunt are under 200 yards. I took a deer last year with my RRA 16" Carbine with a neck shot at 50 yards. DRT. Used a 62 gr sp Silver Bear bullet.

If you want a target gun, get a 20" Hbar version. Otherwise, I am happy with my 1.5" groups from my 16" AR.

 

[Dust]

Okay, dad is looking at a bull jut because he wants it, but i am thinking 16" and 20" in 5.56 and a 16" in 7.62x39. Is freefloating a non-bullbarrel worth it? IT will only be about $80 to free float the guns