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Thread: AR Rifle 20"

  1. #1

    AR Rifle 20"

    Hi,the recent threads discussing aspects of AR's with 20" barrels coupled with a few YouTube videos,made me curious about this configuration.Where most everyone seems to want an AR with a short and still shorter barrel,the 20" endures.For the members that favor the full size rifle,would you please tell me what you like about it,your application and how you have the rifle configured?I haven't owned an AR in a long time,but this may soon change.Thanks as always.

  2. #2
    Site Supporter Bigghoss's Avatar
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    Well for starters it's the softest shooting for sure. And the looks are just classic. I had to carry a 20" rifle at work for years and hated it. But for plinking at the range they're nice shooters. I may grab one or two at some point. I can't decide between an A2 or an A4 so I might just grab one of each. If I had a plot of land I'd probably keep one in the truck for pest control.
    Quote Originally Posted by MattyD380 View Post
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  3. #3
    I even have a 26", obviously rifle length gas system, and I think the rifle buffer tube makes it even more mellow.

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  4. #4
    Hillbilly Elitist Malamute's Avatar
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    I much prefer it for several reasons, they have less perceived muzzle blast, which is a big thing to me, with the fixed stock its easy to spot hits at longer distance with a scope. Shooting a standard carbine stock theres enough wobble in the stock that Id lose the image in the scope firing at stuff 300 or more yards away, with the rifle, its like shooting a 22, no problem seeing the hits. Ive tried the stock that locks into place, its still not as rigid as the fixed rifle stock.

    Most of my use is shooting in open country, 300 out to 600-800 yards, and I used them for bunny and jack hunting in Az. The rifle fit me well (Colt SP1 rifle) the first time I tried it on running rabbits I made a first round hit, and that wasnt unusual over time, but the follow-up shots were nice at times.

    The A2 were still good, the stock fits well, and the round handguard was an improvement. The flat top is OK, but I made out OK with handle mounted scope mounts, the ARMS mount being the only one I found that didnt shift zero when the gun lived in the truck leaned against the seat and driven down a lot of rough roads. Getting in and out of vehicles a lot and inside a building the carbines would be better, but none of that has much bearing on my use.

    For toting around the hills in hand, the carry handle upper fits my hand best, the thumb through the handle, the flat top handle doesnt have a large enough opening. I use the irons mostly for most plinking and carry around in the hills use. The A2 sights are excellent iron sights. White paint or nail polish in the arrows and numbers helps adjust for range and whatever much easier in poorer light, heck any time.

    When I see the term "carbine" and get over the initial thought it may be a Winchester carbine, Im meh. Rifle ARs, yes, Im interested.....

    Edit: Something I like about rifles, they are simple. No messing with various buffers. Use a rifle buffer. It works. Done. Use a good make of barrel, no worry about port size, blah blah whatever. Standard format rifles just work. Colt makes pretty good ones.
    Last edited by Malamute; 10-01-2019 at 09:26 PM.
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  5. #5
    Hammertime
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    What would be the 20” iron sighted rifle of choice for a fairly ignorant buyer? I don’t need highest quality, just something decent. The 6920 of this class I guess.

  6. #6
    Site Supporter Bigghoss's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doc_Glock View Post
    What would be the 20” iron sighted rifle of choice for a fairly ignorant buyer? I don’t need highest quality, just something decent. The 6920 of this class I guess.
    As far as I know, there's not a really good A2 clone, but you could easily get an upper and a lower from Aero Precision and put a carry handle on it. Aero Precision makes an A4 clone that runs about $1,000. FN has their collector series A4 clone for about $1600 I think.
    Quote Originally Posted by MattyD380 View Post
    Because buying cool, interesting guns I don't need isn't a decision... it's a lifestyle...

  7. #7
    Hillbilly Elitist Malamute's Avatar
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    I dont know what other makers are offering, but Colts are the AR15 A4. Other variants have been out for some time, theres a number of Match, Match Target and Match H-Bar guns around that are the same basic thing, but with heavier barrels. If having the front pivot pin require a screwdriver to remove instead of a push pin isnt a problem to you, it gives more of the aforementioned guns a leg up. Many were so made. I had a match H-Bar flat top about 10 years ago that I liked a lot, but had to sell.
    Last edited by Malamute; 10-01-2019 at 10:19 PM.
    “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”
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  8. #8
    Member TGS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doc_Glock View Post
    What would be the 20” iron sighted rifle of choice for a fairly ignorant buyer? I don’t need highest quality, just something decent. The 6920 of this class I guess.
    BCM sells their A4-type upper sans handguard, BCG, CH and carry handle for $439, a complete Brownell's retro musket for just under grand, and a complete PSA 20" A4 is only $519.

    One of those is probably the way I'd go, given a complete Aero A4-type is almost $1400.
    Last edited by TGS; 10-01-2019 at 11:33 PM.
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  9. #9
    Glock Collective Assimile Suvorov's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RONK View Post
    Hi,the recent threads discussing aspects of AR's with 20" barrels coupled with a few YouTube videos,made me curious about this configuration.Where most everyone seems to want an AR with a short and still shorter barrel,the 20" endures.For the members that favor the full size rifle,would you please tell me what you like about it,your application and how you have the rifle configured?I haven't owned an AR in a long time,but this may soon change.Thanks as always.
    The 20" A2 will always hold a special place in my collection. First mostly due to nostalgia as the M16A2 was the rifle I mostly used during my military career. In that time I found them to be extremely reliable as well as accurate. My first AR was a Colt Target Sporter which was basically an A2 configuration without a bayonet lug and the ability to drill a hole for a fun switch. It's still one of my favorite ARs to shoot and I have used it for local service rifle matches. The plus sides of the 20" rifle are the longer sight radius which makes shooting with iron sights a little easier, soooper soft recoil, and a little better ballistics at longer ranges. With modern optics the sight radius advantage is negated but if I were to buy a rifle I wanted to shoot with irons - that would be the way to go.

    Quote Originally Posted by Doc_Glock View Post
    What would be the 20” iron sighted rifle of choice for a fairly ignorant buyer? I don’t need highest quality, just something decent. The 6920 of this class I guess.
    If I were going to go out and buy a 20" gun it would most likely be a BCM CHF 20" A4 upper. Lower would be your pick but as other have mentioned in other threads the A5 and even carbine extensions with the right buffer work fine. I'm also a fan of the the longer stroke rifle extension with either the A2 or BCM MOE stock. If I was wanting to spend less then I would probably go with a PSA Premium upper with the FN CHF barrel.

  10. #10
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    I have the A2 that I bought new in 1987. I enjoy shooting it when fooling around on rural property. My lgs has a Colt A4 for under $1100. I'm seriously eyeballing it.

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