Super short/ pistol ARs. Calibers and performance.

R

Rock Knocker

Well-known member
I've recently been thinking about a real short AR. Im not convinced that I want the bare or padded buffer tube but maybe a real small stock with a barrel no longer than 10.5".

I am curious about cartridge performance out of these little buggers.

I've all but ruled out .223 in that short of a barrel but I am interested in other calibers like. 300 Blackout, 6,8 SPC, 7.62x39 or other possible rifle cartidges. Im not interested in a 9mm upper but something like .40 S&W is possible or if an AR could be rigged to shoot 460 Rowland I would be quite interested.

I've got one AR, a 223 with a 24" bull barrel. So I don't have much experience with them or the new cartidges and a tiny little barrel.
 
Well I'm in Minnesota, I would love to follow the instructions but I would get several years in jail.

But I'm interested in the ladder half of step #2. What sort of bullet wheights are people using and velocities?
 
I have a seekins 8" blackout upper I bought from SWFA a while back. I run it only with subsonic loads now but have ran supersonics as well. It is on a SBR registered lower with a UBR stock. I have a pet load with 208AMAX's that shoot extremely well. I've taken several foxes and a couple racoons with it. The longest kill shot was right at 122yds according to the LRF. Over a chrony the load is running about 1020FPS. Trajectory is about what you'd expect, a rainbow. I have drop charts at home for it to 400 yds actually and have hits on steel out to that distance. You can pick up the blunted bullet at the ground of the steel at those distances.

When i ran supersonic through it, I had no problems taking foxes, deer, and a few pigs with the barnes 110 AAC bullet. Velocity was never measured but not 1 animal shot took another step after impact.

You have to be cautious if you plan to suppress a short barrel to make sure it will withstand the pressures generated by a SBR and full supersonic loads. A full house supersonic blackout load is pretty high out of an 8" barrel. I got written confirmation from my suppressor manufacturer that it was safe to use. I just dont due to thats not what I built it for.

If you dont' plan on running a barrel that short suppressed, good luck, it won't be fun to shoot. I've shot a few full auto SBRs including the 7" 223 uppers ("kitty kats" and "Diplomat") and even wearing ear plugs and muffs it wasn't plesant.
 
I've not though about an AR not being fun to shoot, but I am religous about ear protection.

What sort of over all lengths for the gun can I get with 8.5"-10" barrel and shortest buffer tube?
 
If you're looking for a SHORT stock, then you need to consider companies that have come out with the "PDW" civilian versions of the AAC HoneyBadger. King's Arsenal being one, but there are a couple others that have as well.

Jordan at King's Arsenal recently released the "King of Diamonds" PDW in 300 BLK and I believe 6.8 but regardless, it's the stock that makes it a winner.

Skip to 2:10 in the video to see.


 
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I would much rather compromise stock legth than barrel length. I looked into some of those ARs without the buffet tube with some of the folding stocks and wirey extendable one. I like those folding stocks but those wirey ones dont look like any fun to shoot.

I believe with my budget and purpose though I can make by with a buffer tube or little Hammer stock.

How about 6.8 SPC vs. 300 AAC in 10" barrel???
 
No, but the shorter the stock the longer the barrel I can get to control some muzzle blast.

Heck, I may be selling or trading a Ruger 454 for part of this, so muzzle blast and comfort aren't too much of a concern
wink.gif
 
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