AR Pistol Barrel Length

[O4L]

I have recently considered building a .223/5.56 AR Pistol for home defense.

I seemed to have gleaned from the interweb that 11.5" is the shortest barrel length that is suggested for the best reliability.

I wouldn't be using a suppressor because I refuse to pay the tax on one.

Is an 11.5" barrel the best or am I just imagining that is what I have learned while surfing through the wisdom of the gun forums?

 

[dancer4life]

I used Stoner 10.5 “ barrel on my last build and haven’t had any problems with it at all.

 

[MilitantBEEMER]

10.5 here and it runs like a champ.
Also have a 7.5 which is a fireball canon!

Both have ran reliably

 

[bigchuck83]

I have a 10.5 barrel palmetto state armory upper and have had no problems. Would Not want to fire it without hearing protection on though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Perplexed]

I have a 10.5” barrel too, have had no issues. It has a KX5 Flaming Pig flash suppressor, which helps to direct the sound as well as the flash forward a bit more. Still loud, though!

 

[JD8]

I have recently considered building a .223/5.56 AR Pistol for home defense.

I seemed to have gleaned from the interweb that 11.5" is the shortest barrel length that is suggested for the best reliability.

I wouldn't be using a suppressor because I refuse to pay the tax on one.

Is an 11.5" barrel the best or am I just imagining that is what I have learned while surfing through the wisdom of the gun forums?

Is your hearing worth $200? Mine is. Granted you're still not "hearing safe" but if I were using a short barreled 5.56 AR I'd want all the reduction I could get.

 

[O4L]

Is your hearing worth $200? Mine is. Granted you're still not "hearing safe" but if I were using a short barreled 5.56 AR I'd want all the reduction I could get.

Huh?

 

[Mad Professor]

10.5” is fine on a .223. If there is reliability issues, it is not from the barrel length on a 10.5”.
Shorter can be a mix of results. 11.5 only gains about 100fps of velocity over 10.5.

My 10.5” AR is loud in an indoor range. Much more than the 16” in the same class settings. I run it with a K-length suppressor that adds less than 3” to the barrel length. Still not hearing safe, but close.

If you use an unsuppressed rifle caliber in an indoor self-defense situation, you will suffer hearing damage. No question about it. You have to choose whether or not you are willing to pay the price on the stamp or not. It was never a question for me.

Your other option is pistol caliber like 9mm or .40, but they are not much more effective than a pistol of the same caliber. Another might be 300BLK. My 9” is not as loud as my 10.5” 223 unsuppressed. With both suppressed, it is yet quieter still. Even with 110g bullets.


Good luck with your build, but a 10.5 is a proved reliable performer.

 

[JD8]

Huh?

You said you won't pay for the tax on a suppressor. I'm relaying that short barreled ARs are REALLY loud, couple that with being used for HD indoors and you'd think the $200 would be worth it.

 

[Timmy59]

If it were me and it was for HD, I'd go 9mm pistol with Glock mags.. A rifle round in the suburbs, nah and in a mobile home most definitely not.. 8"-10.5 ar in 9mm with red dot..