10.5/11.5" SBRs/AR-15 pistols are okay for the average home defender

[GJM]

Right or wrong, I just put together an 8.5” barreled .300 BO pistol expressly for the wife to use in HD. The setting is a *very* rural / isolated abode (closest neighbor is a ways through the woods - no viz); LE many minutes away at best; no cell signal, but a landline is present; and a large house situated on a large chunk of property. There will be times when she is there alone for extended periods. She is on the small side and not winning any contests when it comes to physical strength. I need to step it off, but there is easily a 20 yard shot inside the residence and potentially one twice that. The single stack 9mm she has relied on to this point was simply not very confidence-inspiring with all these factors stacking up.

Went .300BO because of the reliability at the 8.5” barrel length. Went 8.5” trying to put together the lightest weight, quickest handling package that I could.

This package gives her the ability to do significant damage with increased stand-off distance as compared to the pistol; and with compative ease. Overpenetration is a largely a non-issue. She needed something that she could physically handle and get good hits - probably from a barricaded situation. The short AR pistol seems like a pretty good answer to that.

All that said, I now think it prudent to attach a suppressor to the pistol because the concussion from the 8.5” barrel would be quite disconcerting to her inside say, a bedroom. I don’t want her to hesitate or flinch because of the anticipated concussion. One thing begets another...

Anyone have decibel numbers — my sense is the 8.5 300 BO with supersonic ammo is about the same noise level as a 16 5.56 AR?

[El Cid]

I won’t go shorter than an 11.5” bbl on a 5.56 rifle for reliability and longevity reasons. For HD anything from 11.5 to 16 will be just fine. Better IMO to focus on quality than bbl length. Avoid the PSA deal of the day rifles/pistols as an example.

[breakingtime91]

I like 14.5 as the shortest I'll go in 556. Ammo has come a long way but 14.5 and shot placement seems to do wonders. Saw shorter guns/impacts and was not impressed.

Also just because you can hit at certain distances, doesn't mean you will be happy with the result. 556 works better on living stuff out of longer barrels, just the way it goes.

[El Cid]

I like 14.5 as the shortest I'll go in 556. Ammo has come a long way but 14.5 and shot placement seems to do wonders. Saw shorter guns/impacts and was not impressed.

Also just because you can hit at certain distances, doesn't mean you will be happy with the result. 556 works better on living stuff out of longer barrels, just the way it goes.

Longer has its advantages to be sure. But I wonder what kind of ammo you saw being used in the shorties? Was it FMJ OCONUS? I ask because plenty of domestic tactical teams use a trophy bonded bear claw type of bullet out of 11.5’s with stellar results. I’ve heard the ammo referee to as a “death ray.”

[breakingtime91]

Longer has its advantages to be sure. But I wonder what kind of ammo you saw being used in the shorties? Was it FMJ OCONUS? I ask because plenty of domestic tactical teams use a trophy bonded bear claw type of bullet out of 11.5’s with stellar results. I’ve heard the ammo referee to as a “death ray.”

Mostly green tip. I am sure there are good loads that work well in urban environments. All of it is going to be better than pistol. Mission drives gear but I have heard many guys who worked with short guns (10.3-12) that said its a 100 meter and in gun. Which I will fully admit is fine for most civilian or law enforcement roles. I just don't see the advantage when compared to a 14.5 gun that offers better ballistics.

[Duelist]

I hate being around SBR 5.56 rifles when they are being fired. Even with doubled up earpro, it is no bueno.

My three uppers are a 16” 5.56 lightweight with an A2 upper and a light mounted on a magpull handguard, a 16” 6.8 SPCII with a carbon fiber float tube and a 2-7 variable - that’s primarily a short, light hunting rig - and last but not least, a 20” flat top 5.56 upper with a 4-14 FFP mil dot. Yes, that last one is a PSA. I just wanted it and it was cheap, and yes, it took a little tweaking and break-in. I wanted it, i don’t need a better reason. The other two are builds on quality parts - the 6.8 can be a PITA, depending on ammo. Very fickle. More fickle than a .22. With ammo it likes, it is reliable, accurate, and hard-hitting.

I enjoy shooting the 20” most. By a lot. It’s convinced me that I need a better 20” upper eventually by reminding me about all the things I like about them, so it was worth the money and time. If I’m carrying one, I’d rather it be either of the 16”. The lightweight 16” 5.56 will break down and fit in a large Alice pack. Not super accessible on the trail, but quite invisible.

[JRB]

After firing a 7in 5.56 AR pistol next to my 11.5in 5.56 build, I won't ever go shorter than 11.5.
There are lots of good reasons to advocate a 14.5in.

Personally, since this is America, I advocate buying one of each.

[Josh Runkle]

I wouldn’t use a 10.5 or 11.5 gun in a hallway without a suppressor, ever. The concussion is horrific.

There are too many legal challenges to using the pistol braces in a shooting (I think the prosecution could argue that it is a de facto buttstock if intended to be shouldered by the end-user, despite how it is regulated when sold by BATFE).

There are too many legal challenges regarding access when using title II weapons (how was it stored, etc.).

The only way any AR makes sense to me is if it is the gun you shoot most often.


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[nalesq]

I used to think getting involved in a self defense shooting with a braced AR pistol might look especially bad to an anti-gun prosecutor/jury, but few on the left seemed to get worked up over the fact that the recent Dayton mass murderer used such a weapon. They only cared that it was an “assault weapon,” and using a brace to get around the SBR thing was virtually irrelevant. If he had used a 20-inch AR, it would have been regarded no differently.


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[TGS]

Mostly green tip.

Well, there's the problem.

I'd rather take an SBR with TBBC than a 14.5" with green tip any day.