First thing is all guns are loud. But the shorter the barrel the closer the boom is to your ears. Solving that problem is easy, but takes a couple hundred bucks. Best money you will ever spend for shooting, plus you can hunt with these. They amplify sound and cut off when you shoot. Everyone should have a set to save what little hearing we have left /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
http://www.pro-ears.com
Let me save you some time, and some bucks. I've been through the whole AR barrel length/ noise accuracy thing. It took 4 uppers 'till I found something I even remotely hit on a gun that was light and manuverable as well as accurate. The difference between a 16 and 20 incher loaded up and ready to rock and roll is bigger than 4 inches of barrel. Its also a balance thing.....
A 20 inch AR will weigh at least ten pounds with a scope and full mag. The 20 inchers are unbalance with the weight being very front heavy. If you shoot off sticks or a bench 100% you will love the 20 incher. If you walk and tote the gun all over Gods creation get the 16 incher.
If you need to hear it from someone else read what Byron said here.
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ubb...page=1#52335276
The lightweight 16 incher is most likely all you will need in most calling situations, and I can drill a coyote kill zone sillouette shooting off my knee easily at 150 yards.
If your bag is shooting little groups off a bench get a 14 pound 24 incher or a 11 pound 20 incher and a big honkin' scope.
If you want a handy little callin' gun, get a lightweight 16 incher, and put a low power scope or dot on it. Not sure how many coyotes you'll have to shoot at 300 yards /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
But as many you will most likely end up with a couple uppers so don't sweat it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
In closing I went from being VERY lukewarm on the AR platform to liking it VERY much by getting a lightweight 16 incher. Now it handles and feels like the lightweight calling I need in the East. If all they sold was 20 inchers, I would not own an AR. Just too heavy and unbalanced for my tastes.
Guess it all comes down to what a guys idea of a callin' gun is /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
If you don't buy anything else for hunting, get the ampliphied phones. You ears will say thank you, as you can wear them hunting, and hear better!!
Good shooting!, Sleddogg