16" vs 18" barrel length

[stalagna]

Getting ready to purchase my first AR10 style rifle  I know this has been talked to death before, and I've seen the tests, studied the ballistic data, weighed the pros and cons but for the life of me I can't decide between a 16" and a 18" barrel.

I know that the difference is in many aspects minimal, but I would like to hear from anyone why to choose one over the other.  (even if the reason is you fear the number 18...)

 

 

 

[Armed Eye Doc]

You will have little meaningful ballistic advantage with an 18" barrel.  But you will have the extra weight.

The big question is: What are going to use the rifle for?  You will get a better recommendation with that information.

[stalagna]

I'm not looking for a recommendation, I was looking for reasons why people chose the barrel length that they did, even if the reasons are frivolous.  (I'm well aware of the actual ballistics and weight issues as I said in my post.)

[shooterrex]

I have a 18" on the PA10 because they didn't offer a 16". I just built a 12" 308 pistol. If it shoots as well at distance as it does at 25yds the 18" rifle will set in the safe a lot of the time.

[98Z5V]

46 minutes ago, stalagna said:

I'm not looking for a recommendation, I was looking for reasons why people chose the barrel length that they did, even if the reasons are frivolous.  (I'm well aware of the actual ballistics and weight issues as I said in my post.)

Okay.     So, which one did you choose, and why?...

[DNP]

So you’re open to any reason, as long as it was a reason. Got it. 
 

getting ready to purchase one and curious why someone chose x over y....sounds an awful lot like looking for a recommendation. Someone offers up info and you come back and crap on em?  (Might as well click the ignore button now). I don’t know why I put that pat in parenthesis....(or this one for that matter). I guess I just like to see my thoughts on screen. 

[stalagna]

Thanks shooterrex, exactly what I was looking for, just what you bought and why. 

Seeing as this is a 308 AR forum, I figured a lot of people would have experience buying 308 AR's and could relate the story of why they bought what they did, but I guess not...

 

Thanks anyway.

[shooterrex]

Your welcome. Got my guns mixed up though. My 12 1/2" 308 pistol shoots MOA at 95 yds. It is good to go. It is my 12" 6.5 grendel I only shot at 25 yds. Too many toys to keep straight.

[Cliff R]

I built my first 308 AR for hunting and didn't even consider barrel length, barrel profile or hand guard length/weight.  Ended up buying an 18" barreled upper and full length relatively heavy handguard.  After the weapon was finished and scope mounted on it I noticed that it was pretty heavy, and didn't feel all that well balanced. 

By chance Palmetto Armory ran a quick special on some 14.7" barreled uppers with a shorter handguard & welded flash hider so I grabbed one up an built another one.    The difference in performance at the range is equal to both weapons and I use and much prefer the shorter barrel for hunting.  At 10,000-12,000' every ounce feels like a pound when you are hiking in pretty deep on Public land to find out why the Elk stay away from the hunting pressure near access roads and such.......Cliff

 

[Ravenworks]

It's real hard to not buy a barrel and a spare for what Primary arms is selling Ballistic advantage barrels for.

18",16" & 14.7" modern $125

The next grade up in their line is only $147

Even the Hanson line is cheap.

DeVore was selling some of them for under a hundred.

 

[392heminut]

My DPMS is 18" because that's what my wife and son bought me for my birthday. My Matrix build is a lightweight 16" because I wanted a lighter weight gun for hunting.

[Cliff R]

I acquired a DPMS in a trade and set it up for hunting.  Very nice unit right out of the box, didn't even have to "work" the trigger or do much beyond mounting a scope and outfitting it with an A2 stock.  Below are groups from it and my PSA 14.7"........Cliff

 

[98Z5V]

On 10/17/2019 at 12:31 AM, stalagna said:

Thanks shooterrex, exactly what I was looking for, just what you bought and why. 

Seeing as this is a 308 AR forum, I figured a lot of people would have experience buying 308 AR's and could relate the story of why they bought what they did, but I guess not...

 

Thanks anyway.

More info on you is what's requested...  That's all.  YOU tell YOUR story.  Don't demand info from people, with no background first.  I have a 12.5", 13.5", 18.5", two 16", and a 20".  I have a spare 18" barrel hiding in the gun vault, yet to be built.  They're all different, and built for different things/reasons...

Which is back to the original question, that you didn't want any recommendation on - what are YOU using YOUR rifle for?  Mine are all different - for different reasons. What do you want to accomplish with yours?...  

Since you're "not looking for any recommendations," you'll get better input by stating what you're trying to accomplish with your gun/build.  This goes back to basic computing, and 1s and 0s.  Garbage in, garbage out.  YOUR input on YOUR goal will give you better responses and results.  Otherwise, you taking up the defensive, with garbage in, is just bullshiit. 

Edited October 19, 2019 by 98Z5V

[Magwa]

On 10/16/2019 at 6:15 PM, stalagna said:

I'm not looking for a recommendation, I was looking for reasons why people chose the barrel length that they did, even if the reasons are frivolous.  (I'm well aware of the actual ballistics and weight issues as I said in my post.)

WEIGHT...is the culprit if you plan on packing it around....after you get the gun you will spend a lot of money trying to reduce weight .... 16 is all you need and it balances well