Why 11" barrel plus 5.5" flash hider?

[jmb79]

Bushmaster (and perhaps other manufacturer's) offers 11" barrels with 5.5" flash hiders permanently affixed. I cannot figure out why someone would choose this configuration over a a 16" barrel with a normal (eg. A2) flash hider.

It seems as though both would give you the same total protrusion length so there is no manuverability advantage to the 11" barrel set up. It also seems that the 16" barrel would provide higher velocity and greater bullet stability in flight, both of which are desireable.

So, please educate me on the benefits of the 11" barrel + 5.5" flash hider set up. What am I missing?

Thanks!

[dwestfall]

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[USMC03Grunt]

Yup, just to have something that looks like the old XM-177E2 of Vietnam fame. Manuverability-wise, as you have stated, there is no advantage over a longer 16" barrel. Performance-wise, again as you have already stated, the shorter barrel reduces velocity and bullet performance. The 5.56 relies on higher velocity to reduce the problem of a .22 hole in one side and a .22 hole out the other side. The 11.5" barrel here doesn't pass muster IMHO. No, if you're only going to use it as a range toy or plinking gun and just want to have that MACV/SOG look, that's one thing but if you might ever need to use it for real, it's a pretty piss-poor choice.

[dwestfall]

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[Panzerfaust]

Not necessarily heavier, although that is a distinct possibility.

The 10.5" barrel has two uses, from what I understand, in Iraq and elsewhere.

1. CQB rifle, which can be easily maneuvered inside a vehicle, or in a building, where range is not critical.
2. As a primary assault arm which has a silencer on it. (That would make sense, after all, now wouldn't it?)

[USMCsilver]

It has a good look, and I, personally, do like the look. However, the same look can be established by using a 5.5" reverse carbine FH like I did on my M4:

http://webpages.charter.net/usmcsilver/images/green_on_green.jpg

[USMC03Grunt]

Originally posted by dwestfall
From what little I know about ballistics that sounds right. And yet the 10.5" guns seem to be popular for contractors in Iraq for use in/out of vehicles -- ie replacing the MP5 in functionality? I "assume" these guys are running heavier bullets to compensate for the reduced lethality of a 10.5" barrel?

Yeah but you're talking about a 10.5 inch barrel and the far shorter A2 flash suppressor insead of the 5.5" flash suppressor mounted onto he 11.5" barrel. With what would be in the civilian world a class III SBR, that's one thing and yes they are a lot more manuverable. However, if you don't want to deal with the red tape or live in a state where rifles with barrel length less than 16" is not allowed, the 11.5" barrel and a 5.5" flash suppressor is going to be no more manuverable than the regular 16" barrels.

[jonathon]

Originally posted by dwestfall
From what little I know about ballistics that sounds right. And yet the 10.5" guns seem to be popular for contractors in Iraq for use in/out of vehicles -- ie replacing the MP5 in functionality? I "assume" these guys are running heavier bullets to compensate for the reduced lethality of a 10.5" barrel?

10.5" puts the Blackhills 75gr OTM load just above 2400 FPS, and the bullet fragments reliably 2300FPS and above.

[Blitzer]

The original 5.5" flash hiders were muzzle sound suppressors as well. They did not reduce the sonic crack but did reduce the nasty muzzle blast.

[Blitzer]

Originally posted by jmb79
Bushmaster (and perhaps other manufacturer's) offers 11" barrels with 5.5" flash hiders permanently affixed. I cannot figure out why someone would choose this configuration over a a 16" barrel with a normal (eg. A2) flash hider.

It seems as though both would give you the same total protrusion length so there is no manuverability advantage to the 11" barrel set up. It also seems that the 16" barrel would provide higher velocity and greater bullet stability in flight, both of which are desireable.

So, please educate me on the benefits of the 11" barrel + 5.5" flash hider set up. What am I missing?

Thanks!

It is Kuhl.

[spober]

and just what state,(states)are sbr legal ?

[CaptToyota]

OH - yes
PA - yes
WV - yes
VA - yes
IN - yes
KY - yes
TN - yes
GA - yes
FL - yes
TX - yes
AZ - yes

IL - no
MI - no
NY - no


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/capttoyota/AR11.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/capttoyota/AR7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/capttoyota/9mmAR.jpg

[RMTactical]

I think it's a total waste if you have to have a 5.5" flash hider permenantly attached. I wouldn't do it.

[Panzerfaust]

Me either....

[GeorgiaGlockMan]

Originally posted by USMCsilver
It has a good look, and I, personally, do like the look. However, the same look can be established by using a 5.5" reverse carbine FH like I did on my M4:

http://webpages.charter.net/usmcsilver/images/green_on_green.jpg

I like the rail - who's the mfg?

[Panzerfaust]

Actually, I'd like to know more about that flash suppressor. Who manufactures that?

Will it mount up a bayonet?

[USMCsilver]

Originally posted by GeorgiaGlockMan
I like the rail - who's the mfg?

The rail itself is a Knights. Up top, mounted to that, is an A.R.M.S. S-EXT-MOD Swan Sleeve with integrated #40 rear sight. I don't believe they are available to the "general public".

[USMCsilver]

Originally posted by Panzerfaust
Will it mount up a bayonet?

You're kiddin', right? ~rf

[mrmedina]

I bought the Bushy with the 5.5 supressor. Because when I was in the military in the early '80s. The GAU was issued to me.
Which had the same configuration, sooooooo I was used to that style.

[USMC03Grunt]

Believe it or not, some of those old GAU's (XM-177E2) are still in service. This summer I had to inspect and guage the wing's weapons and one unit had several with the original long flash suppressor/sound moderator in their mobility boxes. Then again, last spring a couple of us had to go to DRMO and strip apart some OLD upper recievers. We found a couple of them with he original 1:14 twist barrels, first issue 3-prong flash suppressor and green handguards!;P

[Panzerfaust]

You're kiddin', right?

Ummm, no. Not so sure what is so funny about this. It isn't like I know what the OD is of that thing. Hell, I've never seen one before now, and I don't know a thing about it, but that would give me some idea of how big around the thing is. And I still don't know who makes it.

[sp3worker]

Originally posted by Panzerfaust
Actually, I'd like to know more about that flash suppressor. Who manufactures that?

Will it mount up a bayonet?

I bought one from Bushmaster a couple years ago. As far as I'm concerned it was a waste of money, they are goofy looking. The O.D. is way too large, I think that it was about 1 1/8" - 1 1/4" dia., the bayo will not fit. And I don't think that they do a very good job of suppressing the muzzle flash either.

[DeadMansLife]

If your not registering it as an SBR there is really no point. Why loose all that velocity and still have, in effect, a 16" barrel?

[JWP]

10.5 9mm and 11.5 223 uppers are a hoot on an m16 for the flash - not ballistics

my semi ars are 16 min with most at 20 and a 29" spacegun lol

[ibontop]

mine mounts up a bayo snug as a bug in a rug.

One thing that my regular 16 inch barrel in M4 config will not do, without an ugly extension on the bayo handle.

Do I plan on spear hunting boar with it? no. But for all the fighting for the return of our right to have a bayo lug, I want it to at least be able to attach bayo to.

Mine is not a Bushy reverse, so I do not know about that. It is the standard " commando" suppressor.

[spober]

place a 5.5 inch FS over a 16 inch barrel.but have the FS cover the last 5.5 inches of barrel insted of being the baRREL.that way you have the look but still have 16 or rifled barrel????

[USMC03Grunt]

Originally posted by spober
place a 5.5 inch FS over a 16 inch barrel.but have the FS cover the last 5.5 inches of barrel insted of being the baRREL.that way you have the look but still have 16 or rifled barrel????

And the extra weight. I had a slip over flash suppressor for my old CAR-15 but got rid of it for a standard A1 flash suppressor when I found that it was just humping extra unnecessary weight.