What is the shortest barrel allowed on an AR 15?

This length of barrel is known for its overall effectiveness. It should be kept in mind that legally, the shortest barrel you can get for an AR is 16″. You might be able to get away with a 14.5″ barrel if you pin a muzzle device on it to make the barrel 16″.
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What is the shortest legal barrel for an AR-15?

An AR-15 pistol has a barrel shorter than 16 inches — this is the minimum legal length for a rifle barrel. The National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA) defines any rifle with a shoulder stock and barrel less than 16 inches in length and 26 inches in overall length to be a “short-barreled rifle” (SBR).
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What is the minimum length for an AR rifle?

Unfortunately, that is not the end of the discussion. According to the NFA of 1934, barrel length dictates what firearm is considered a rifle, pistol, or “Any Other Weapon.” To satisfy the legal definition of a rifle, a 16-inch barrel is required. When paired with a stock, all-in-all, your rifle should be 26 inches.
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What length barrel is considered an AR pistol?

An AR pistol is considered any barrel shorter than 16 inches with an overall length of the gun not to exceed 26 inches. You cannot attach a vertical foregrip to an AR pistol. You can use an angled foregrip or a micro handstop.
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What is the shortest AR-15 pistol?

COMPACT PDW MODEL

The SAINT Edge PDW is built on a billet lower and features an M-Lok® free float forend. With a 1:7 twist 5.5″ barrel and all new Maxim Defense™ SCW™ brace, the complete 5.56mm package measures just 18.75 inches, making it our shortest SAINT Pistol ever.
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When Is An AR-15 Barrel Too Short?



How far can a 10.5 AR pistol shoot?

For a standard 16” barrel shooting 223/5.56, the 50-yard zero is the flattest shooting and you just need to remember that last 200 yards you start to aim higher… and 300 yards, as long as you can see your target, won't be impossible to hit with a red dot. For a 10.5 inch barrel, the 50 or 36-yard zero will be ideal.
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Is a 10.5 inch barrel a pistol?

Pistol barrel sizes are usually 7 inches or 10.5 inches, which gives the shooter a vast amount of flexibility in close-quarters shooting, making this a great home defense firearm. It also saves on storage and transportation due to its small size. Keep in mind, this is how federal law applies to AR pistols.
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Can an AR pistol be over 26 inches?

The ATF has consistently held that an overall length of 26 inches is the breaking point for concealability. In other words, if the AR pistol has an overall length of less than 26 inches, it falls into a category of firearms that could be considered to be regulated by the NFA depending on their other characteristics.
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What is the best barrel length for an AR-15?

Performance Characteristics. 20″ AR-15 barrels provide the most consistent performance across the widest variety of loadings. There are plenty of modern specialized loads “optimized” for use in a 16″ barrel, or shorter, but the 20″ length will still do things better for any given loading.
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Should I get an AR pistol or SBR?

The primary difference between the two is how they're configurated and how they're legally regulated. The AR-15 pistol must be designed to fire with one hand, while the SBR should be designed to fire from the shoulder using a traditional buttstock.
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Can you cut an AR-15 barrel?

This is a SERVICE for us to cut and thread YOUR AR barrel to any length between 7.5″ and 15.5″. Our AR barrel cut and thread service includes cutting, threading, re-crowning and polishing of the crown. We ONLY offer 1/2″-28 thread. You may also specify no cut length if you are just wanting to have your barrel threaded.
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What length barrel is considered a SBR?

A short-barreled rifle (SBR) is defined by the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA) as a shoulder-fired, rifled firearm, made from a rifle, with a barrel length of less than 16 inches or overall length of less than 26 inches, or a handgun fitted with a buttstock and a barrel shorter than 16 inches in length.
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What makes an AR An SBR?

An SBR is a rifle with a barrel less than 16 inches or a rifle with a barrel of 16 inches or longer but an overall length of fewer than 26 inches. Pistols, on the other hand, are firearms designed to be gripped by one hand.
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Is a 14 inch barrel legal?

First, if you attach a stock while the weapon has a 14 inch barrel, it becomes an unregistered short barreled shotgun. Doing this without the proper NFA paperwork is a Federal felony, and carries with it heavy fines and a lengthy prison sentence.
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Is a 16 inch barrel a carbine?

Colt finally landed on a 14.5” barrel for the shortened M4 carbine for military use, but for civilians, federal regulations require all non-NFA rifles to have a barrel at least 16" in length, and as a result almost all civilians carbine ARs feature 16" barrels, not 14.5” barrels, and that inch and a half can be kind of ...
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How long is an AR-15 with a 10.5 inch barrel?

The AR-556 has a barrel length of just 10.5 inches and an overall length of 25.3 to 27.9 inches. It is 7.2 inches high. Equipped with a standard buttstock, the “pistol” would be an NFA firearm. Instead, it is equipped with a SBA3 Pistol Stabilizing Brace.
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What is a good barrel length for 556?

The best barrel length for a 5.56 caliber rifle is in the 18-20 inch (45.72-50.8 cm) range. While a longer barrel offers increased bullet velocity, this benefit is offset by the greater weight of longer barrels, which reduces handling in close-quarters environments, like inside buildings.
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What barrel length does the military use?

The M16 uses a 20-inch barrel and gas system, but the M4 designs were crunched down to fit a 14.5-inch barrel.
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Is the ATF going to ban pistol braces?

2021 Update: Braces vs ATF

In June 2021, the ATF struck again. This time, the agency aimed to redefine rifles, excluding AR pistols and braces from the definition. Instead, it would move braced-AR pistols into short-barreled rifle territory. All this over a little accessory.
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Can you put a red dot on a AR pistol?

The Aimpoint PRO is the only combat-proven red dot that is used by law enforcements and Navy SEALs. It's also one of the best AR-15 optics. And for a good reason: it's super durable (pretty much bomb-proof), has clear glass, wide field of view, and three years of battery life.
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What is the best distance to sight in an AR-15?

At 25 yards, a 50-yard zero is also pretty close to your actual point of aim. At this distance, it's common to be hitting about an inch or inch and a half low… Now, you can use a slight hold over if the target is particularly small, but most of the time practically sized targets at 25 yards are really large…
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How far out is an AR pistol accurate?

Barnes published data states the projectile will reliably expand in soft tissue down to around 1,400 feet per second. The round rips out of a 9-inch barrel at about 2,350 feet per second, and given the expansion threshold, nets you reliable terminal performance in-excess of 300 yards.
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Can civilians own SBR?

In the absence of local laws prohibiting ownership, American civilians may own an SBR provided it is registered with the ATF, and a $200 tax is paid prior to taking possession of or creating the firearm.
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What is the shortest rifle barrel allowed?

An SBR is legally defined as a rifle with a barrel shorter than 16 inches, or an overall length of less than 26 inches. Pursuing that route requires registering the rifle as a Title II weapon (often referred to as an NFA weapon) under the National Firearms Act (NFA) and paying an excise tax.
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Does a suppressor count for barrel length?

In summary, the length of a permanently attached muzzle device is added to both the barrel length and the OAL of a firearm for purposes of evaluating whether said firearm falls under the purview of the NFA.
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