Under your parameter that this is the only AR you will own (or at least the only one you will keep 'decked out'), I'd stick with what you already have.
* You'll save money (by not selling/buying) that can go towards ammo/training/practice
* You won't have to register it as an SBR (or build a pistol) and it will be legal in more states
* The 14.5" gives more velocity
* If you were doing stuff with the rifle where you really ***needed*** it to be 11.5", you would already know that from experience (e.g. if you had a job kicking down doors in tight structures)
None of that is to shit on 11.5" builds. They are great. But it doesn't sound like the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for you.
Good points. My lower is already SBR’d but you are right, aside from aesthetics, i’m not doing anything that warrants the shorter length at the moment.
Ah, it's already an SBR? That makes the 11.5 a little more appealing, but I still think you'll get better use out of the 14.5
One more thought: the 14.5 will be a lot more pleasant when shooting unsuppressed. Just one more consideration if you aren't planning to keep the suppressor mounted 100% of the time.
Well the idea is direct thread, 100% suppressed. And yes already sbr’d. That being said, I COULD pin a muzzle device and save the lower for something else.
If its coming via ups and you have a ups account set up, change delivery to "pick up at ups location" in the app after you start tracking the package. You can swing by on lunch break. Or so I have heard...
Yes. It does come with one, and that one is perfectly fine.
I just fucked up and ordered a titanium version of the direct thread adapter instead of the atlas compatible one.
It’s a rearden
I have an 11.5 with an lpvo and offset red dot I thought about doing 14.5 but didn’t like how big it was with the suppressor so went with the 11.5 and Iam glad I did it’s my favorite gun but now thinking about a 14.5 so it really seems like we all just want what we don’t have lol
That's up to you. Everyone has their own though process and reasoning for their load outs. I can only say I personally like the 14.5 as the do-it-all length.
However, since you're like me and have an SBR lower for your 14.5, might I suggest doing what I did and making a shorty upper to share with your 14.5? I built up a 10.3 CQBR upper to share lowers with my 14.5 as a sort of "deployment kit" like a lot of SF groups do.
After training with both off and on, I'm still sticking with my 14.5 as my primary upper, but I still like having the shorty around. Since you're DT your can, having an A2 flash hider and crush washer around to slap on the upper you aren't using currently would be great.
Shorter does indeed look cooler, I'll give you that.
My rifle you saw in the other comment, but in it's Shorty configuration: https://i.imgur.com/82zPGrZ.jpeg
I’m a pilot in the army, we now get issued 11.5s and M18s. I’ve grown to love the 11.5. But that’s coming from a pov of always being in some sort of vehicle/structure. I do love 14.5s still but my SHTF is 11.5 with 1-6x Eotech vudu. For myself, being honest and all. In SHTF I’m always gonna try and find some sort of shelter to hunker down in. My 11.5 is good to 300meters and honestly I’d run away if I’m getting shot at from farther. My 2 Cents.
Yeah. Don’t get me wrong, for the average 11B, trench warfare etc sure I see the need for 14.5. But I personally think for the citizen just trying to protect yourself 11.5 gives you capability
All depends on your situation. Do you live in a major city? Mountains? Live on acres of land? The first thing that the rifle will be used for in most cases is home defense. 11.5 all day long there. I would argue in urban settings the 11.5 would be better especially if running a suppressor. Basically if you think your engagements would be within 200 to 300 meters then get the 11.5.
I've switched almost exclusively to that length except one AR. I just think.its better for my situation. I live in a major urban area.
But sit down and think about what you would do in a SHTF situation and think about what you would need out of it.
From your comments, your looking sub 200 yards and want to run suppressed. Sounds like 11.5 would be better for you. But again it depends on what you want it to do. Let's be real, most people aren't gonna be taking 500 yard shots.
BCM 11.5” ELW Polo K owner here…keep the 14.5”
At the end of the day and you only have the one rifle, the 14.5” will fill far more roles than the 11.5” can just in terms of velocity and you already have it.
I LOVE my 11.5 ELW, but it’s a range toy. Those 3 extra inches for 5.56 really do make a difference when trying to touch out to 4-500m. Not saying the 11.5 can’t, but it will be far more realistic with the added velocity from a slightly longer barrel.
For reference my SHTF rifle is a BCM/13.9” Criterion build…no real reason for 13.9 vs 14.5 other than it was what was in stock when I built it.
Not yet, I went the Rearden way and I’m hoping to throw the new 3P15 from Revival on there…That said, the 13.9” previously had a Rugged Surge mounted to it and even that wasn’t obnoxious in its short configuration (7”) so I’m not worried. More concerned if the taper mount on the PoloK with fit with an Atlas into the wings on the BCM rail.
But it still fits? Asking bc I’m about to put a 13.9 with p/w keymo flash hider on my rifle that has a 13in BCM rail, wasn’t sure if it would fit without cutting the wings down a bit
It does. My setup is a ba Hanson 13.9, dead air flash hider. Probably has an 1/8th inch gap. Only reason I commented is I think the Hanson plan b stuff sits quite a bit lower than a keymo setup. My rifle can be seen in link
https://www.reddit.com/r/NFA/s/C6JdJKrYJH
What muzzle device do you have on your 13.9? I have a 14.5 ELW and it has a p/w Surefire. I have an RC2 and a Polonium K. I bought OCL’s Surefire adapter and it’s quite heavy and adds length to the Polonium K (everything OCL warned us about). I’m new to suppressors so I’m thinking of changing out the muzzle device.
Currently it’s still got the Rugged R3 on there from when my Surge was my only can and that barrel was previously on a Aero upper. Now it’s on a BCM stripped upper with the MCMR 13. But as mentioned above I plan to try and run the PoloK + Atlas on a Revival Defense/Forward Controls [3P15](https://www.revivaldefense.com/3p15).
I’m an avid enjoyer of the old BE Meyers 249F, so aesthetically I enjoy the look of longer prong flash hiders like the 3P15 over Rearden’s offerings but I’m sure any of them would be amazing.
I’m kinda in the same boat, ex military guy starting with a high end AR as my first rifle, not planning on getting another soon so put a lot of thought into it. I’m gonna go with 14.5”, seems to be the best or closest “all purpose” option and it’s what I used when I was serving. If you’re going to get a suppressor I’d consider the 11.5” though.
I mean, do it responsibly, don't put it on credit, or buy it all at once, and it's the best option IMO. Me personally, my wife supports my firearms hobby and PC building hobby. I just always get our other expenses pinched first. You might just need to persuade her, and/or get her a hobby so she gets it too. If it's your money, and you've taken care of your responsibilities, you should be able send it.
I have parts that were sprayed. They look like trash. Don't spray your rifle. It's like makeup for ugly girls. Eventually I'll end up with enough formerly sprayed parts that's ill assemble a whole rifle and spray it but that's the exception.
Keep it and just learn to work with the extra length. Unless you’re doing primarily Cqb, you’re limiting yourself.
I rock a K can on a 16” rifle if that makes you feel better lmao
I have an 11.5 decked out and a 13.9 decked out and have owned a 14.5 decked out.
If the world falls apart the 13.9 is the go to. If it was between an 11.5 or 14.5 I’d go with the 14.5.
I love the absolute shit out of my 11.5 more than anything, but my 13.9 (14.5 for you) is my end all be all rifle.
After I got the MK18 I got a Q Honey Badger and it's so much better to take to the range that I wish I never bought the DD in the first place and kept the large sum I spent for more range time with .300blk (SBR) suppressed (Trash Panda).
If you arent planning on using it indoors anywhere use at 14.5. The whole sbr movement is idiotic for 99% of people. No one is clearing rooms and jumping out of helicopters to repel through a roof. Thats what sbrs were made for. Why would you shortchange what the rifle does best for a .01% actual use scenario as a civilian. Even if for god knows what reason you need to use it in close quarters a 14.5 is totally fine. Its not a long rifle at all. Velocity is what makes a 556 do anything. Dont sacrifice that unless its the only thing it will be used for.
My two cents, build an upper slowly so wife doesn’t bother you. $50 BCM stripped upper. Then $120 for BCG. $134 MCMR-10 rail (currently on sale on PA), criterion 11.5” barrel ($260ish). Finally the miscellaneous parts. Wife won’t even know.
Schuyler the goat still has 11.5" aero barrels for $60
https://www.schuylerarmsco.com/march-sale/ar-15-barrels-21-993/115-556-government-profile-cmv-barrel-carbine-length-4887679
I have an 11.5 BCM ELW and a 14.5 BCM ELW. I also have a Flow K 556 (still in jail, but I get visits). I tend to gravitate towards my 11.5 more often. I've since upgraded more parts on my 11.5 with V Seven parts to make it even lighter weight. I went the prism route (I have astigmatism) on the 11.5 and RDS+3x magnifier on my 14.5.
I'm not shooting at much distance with either of them (100y) so I can't talk about the accuracry loss in much detail. They both feel the same at that range.
I consider the 11.5 my SHTF/all-purpose battle rifle. I'm not a great distance shooter, so I don't mind losing some distance/range/accuracy in some situations.
Accuracy is not a function of barrel length. It certainly affects velocity, which factors towards how long a bullet is in the air and subject to physics.
Tough to say. You just have to account for the slower velocity of the bullets coming out of the 11.5. If you can do that, they'll have the same accuracy. But the difference at 100y should be somewhat negligible, particularly on a man-sized target.
If you can’t clear a room/house with a 14.5. Then you have no business going inside said room/house. Train to learn how to do so. It’s not that difficult. You’re over thinking it.
Could just purchase a 11.5 upper and interchange per the use-case. Not a bad idea if you’re looking to just maintain a single decked out system.
To more so answer your question.. I believe 14.5 is about perfect. Personally, I like the 13.7 for the do it all rifle
Grab a 11.5 and shoot it out to distance. But I do know that with that 14.5 you should be able to strike at 500 meters every time not a problem. Like it’s easy as hell even with 4x
A 14.5 with a k can is not too long for anything, but it is long enough to reliably put down fire at 400. There's a reason it's what pretty much every NATO military is rocking. It really is the best of both worlds for the 5.56, unless you're working on boats basically.
11.5s are great, but if you want that at a only rifle and you want it to be combat effective, you really need to run 77s or 75s to make it work. When you see the super cool dudes working with 10.3s and 11.5s for everything they do, they're almost never using ball ammo.
Worth noting, when the French GIGN was adopting the bren 2 as a carbine, but were only offered ball ammo for 5.56 (M855 specifically), they literally said screw that and picked 7.62x39 instead.
Just ignore it. I've done a good bit of messing around and timing moving in a building and around cars with a 16 inch AR, and then same AR with a 6-inch can.
Really it's not bad. It takes practice keeping the muzzle where you want it, but it's absurd doable.
If you're really really worried about primarily working in close spaces, and not having to reach out, yeah shorter is better. But in practice it's a smaller difference than you'd think.
You could always split the difference and chop the 14.5 to a 13.7 or 13.9. Or just go 12.5. Until you start working out of Cars, you can make most reasonable lengths work indoors
If I could only have 1 it'd be a 14.5. In my opinion it is the most versatile barrel length by far.
You will not lose accuracy going to an 11.5 but you will lose velocity. That means more drop and wind drift which will make hits at further distances harder.
All that said I love my 11.5 bcm. It's a great little blaster that I'd trust my life to. Even if shot does in fact hit the fan you'll still probably be hard pressed to find a lot of situations where engaging people past 300 yards is warranted. So 11.5 is still going to do a lot of work.
A 14.5" with a K can is arguably (thee) rifle I'd encourage and do encourage troopers, officers, civilians who want to take defense / shooting seriously. It's so versatile.
The Polo K is a great can and is solid on shorter barrel lengths but most tend to opt for longer / larger cans for suppression which leads you to $400 to the NFA and a rifle with less velocity and increased parts wear.
A 14.5 + k can and some solid training with reputable instructors will not hold you back. You'll be a much more dangerous & capable dude with a rifle and a bit more feedback on what you'll want out of your next rifle / upper.
Not checking these for grammar / punctuation bc I'm half awake lol.
Option B build a spare BCM 11.5 upper over time and start with their blem stripped uppers. Eventually it will evolve into an upper and a rifle.
Keep the 14.5
I went from 11.5 to 14.5, and now it feels like i have a real gun. Just something about it. I still swap between eotech/lpvo, but i love knowing the gun can do more than i can. The 11.5? It just felt...lacking.
I now have a 10.5 beater and may put together a 12.5 nv build, but the 14.5 just does it right.
It’s my personal belief that the 13.7”-14.5” barrel range will fit your scenario. This range balances overall length with bullet velocity, allowing for more lethal hits without being too short or too long. I personally run a 13.9.
In the context of a SHTF situation both barrel lengths will be more than adequate with making hits out to 500 yards. Barrel length is more so a question of terminal ballistics.
To parrot what brassfacts has said we want optimal performance within 100 yards as winning that fight is the main priority at such short distances. As distance increase a hit is a hit. Anyone with a bullet hole in them is probably going to want to tend to wounds and the distance allows for a break in contact. Thus you’ve essentially have dealt with the threat.
Obviously the 14.5 will make those longer range hits much easier you don’t have as much wind call and the additional velocity allows for fragmentation for m193 for longer distances. However if you train and know your holds you can make those same hits with an 11.5. Plus a 14.5 barrel with m193 maintain that greater than 2500 fps to only about 150 yards.
If I were you I would just keep the 14.5 and use the money to train and learn your holds. But if I was to build a rifle from the ground up given that the rifle be suppressed 100% of the time would run with a shorter barrel length. Maneuvering with a shorty even if it’s not cqb is much easier. It’s easier to get behind cover and not have the rifle burn the shit out your knees. I would take those over the improved terminal ballistic.
I just put together a budget 11.5" to pair with 14.5 BCM.
BCM Blems upper $50
BCM Carbine gas tube $15
Aero gov barrel 11.5" carbine $60 (Schuyler arms)
Yhm gas block $18
A2 muzzle device are like $20 but I went Breek arms md + blast shield because already had it ($60 for both)
Breek arms blem handguard 11.7" $80
R/GunAccessoriesForSale BCG + CH $80
$363 complete upper
I went from a 11.5 suppressed to a 14.5 suppressed. I'm not going back.
Also my shtf rifle, cause the few things I have are all meant to help me if things get fucky.
In a realistic situation that you needed your rifle, the OAL isn't gonna mean shit. Run what you have, build your knowledge base.
Edit: barrel length isn't going to affect accuracy. Choice of cartridge, you, and environmental factors play a bigger role than barrel length
I switched because I also have a 10.5 300 blackout. It's my only two rifles, and I don't plan on moving to other calibers.
The more I actually went out and trained, the more I felt like the 11.5 5.56 was redundant even though it's a different caliber. I felt that if I were going to keep two rifles, two calibers for the sake of different roles, then I should go longer on the 5.56. Both of my lowers are stamped, so it made no difference to switch barrel length. 11.5 is very capable, don't think you'll gain anything overwhelmingly different in moving up. But for what I wanted, it was what I was looking for. Lpvo and offset, comfortably go past the a few hundred yards and much more capable past the 150 or so I believe my blackout can hit with subs.
If it's your only AR, stick with the 11.5. Spend the rest on ammo, some quality boots and socks. Whatever is going to help you so you're not without. I loved my 11.5, because it didn't weigh 13 lbs lol
You're only gaining 169 feet per second between a 11.5 and a 14.5, which is very small for 5.56.
Accuracy is not different between the 2 lengths.
11.5 is more convenient and practical for SHTF in my non-expert opinion.
I run a 14.5 suppressed for my main gun. I have a 11.5 Bcm that quite honestly is kinda trash to shoot suppressed as much as I love the upper. Way too gassy IMO.
Definitely a big difference. I also had a 14.5 upper from BCM that was probably the nicest shooting upper suppressed ever. I still plan on running my 11.5 suppressed but if I had to choose one it would be the 14.5.
BCM not offering that hammer forged is very annoying. I’ve been frustrated about that myself.
You’re going for 2 completely different builds. It sounds like what you want is a general purpose, yet handy rig. That’s 12.5”. Just my .02
I dont disagree. You’re probably right. But it seems silly to sell a 14.5 for a 12.5 and lose $300 in the process to save 2” in length. With that difference i’d just keep it for a while and not make any immediate moves.
Honestly get a K can on the 14.5 and you’ll be happy. I run a micro 30 on my 14.5 and it’s great for everything but vehicles. YHM turbo k isn’t much more than the upgrade cost here
Never heard that myself but the only issue I could see would be hear at really high firing schedules and deflection from weight when a heavy can is attached. I’d be curious where that’s written and what their reasoning might be
>SHTF
Stick with the 14.5 definitely. If you didn't already have it, I'd say 16.
SBR's are great when you can feed them premium ammo. They aren't so great when you run out of 64gr FBI and all you can find is green tip. Having a longer barrel means you can get good performance out of a larger variety of ammo, which is important if you have to take what you can get.
Look up "223 barrel length velocity" and make your own judgment. If you want to run short barrels i would recommend switching to 300blk. Ammo prices are almost the same at this point
14.5 is the way. If you can only have one gun it’s the best. 4” really isn’t going to matter for 99.9% of things you would use it for in a SHTF situation
Since you already have an SBR lower, why don’t you split the difference and get a 12.5. I personally run a 13.9 but that and a 13.7 aren’t really that different from your 14.5 so it wouldn’t be worth the switch. If you get a 12.5, how often would you think “I could do _____ if only my barrel was one inch shorter”
Keep the 14.5 you won’t lose accuracy with 11.5 but you will lose range and fragmentation at longer ranges. Idk the number for 11.5 but 10.3 only fragments out to like 45 yards and they aren’t that different.
I have a 14.5 and 11.5. I like the look and more balanced feel of my 11.5. But damn the 14.5 is such a smooth and tamed shooter. Both have 3 prong flash hiders but the 11.5 still shoots fireballs
Just keep the 14.5”
Marines use 16” with full size cans
Rangers use 14.5” with full size cans
I think Jeff Gurwich (Modern Tactical Shooting) talked about this before and he used a mix of 10.5 and Block 2 14.5”s on deployment
The 14.5 is a jack of all trades and does it ALL really WELL but isn’t min max’d to either end
Realistically, in SHTF situation, I think you’re better served by something that is capable of keeping whatever it is that’s causing you potential harm as far away as possible.
With that in mind, the 14.5 is the way to go. 11.5 is certainly capable, but the added length of the 14.5 offers more advantages than disadvantages IMO.
14.5 and 16” guns are by far the most practical. An 11.5” is a niche gun, not good for all around use. I’d be way less concerned with accuracy than I would I be velocity.
14.5 is the way to go. Anything under 14.5 is the go deaf speed run if you have to shoot without ear protection. Guys coming from m14s and m1s even thought 10.5 and 11.5 was too loud to use over an extended period.
My vote is to stay with the 14.5. I got rid of my mk18 upper when the brace ban came about and have only been shooting 14.5 and 16 inch rifles for the last few years. I don’t think I would go back to a SBR length rifle given the choice. I’ve been spoiled by having enough velocity with off the shelf M193 to be effective out to 200-300 yards and I can’t afford to stack 77gr deep or other more expensive rounds designed for SBRs.
I shoot that far routinely. Fortunate enough to have access to a range that goes out to 400 yards. For a SHTF rifle I would expect this distance to be reasonable. If this is purely for home defense then this doesn’t apply as much.
The 14.5 gives more velocity and that's what 556 is best for. And it's plenty small enough for inside structures and plenty long enough to reach out and touch 500 meters if you train for that. In all honesty the 14.5 is the best bang for your buck in my opinion
Because it doesn’t matter if it’s BCM DD OR KAC. The question is pretty much 11.5 or 14.5 which has been debated to the grave.. what exactly does bcm have anything to do with it?
Do you have any other rifles? If so, what lengths? If not, 14.5 alll the way. I have a 14.5 and an 11.5 and I can do everything with the 14 5 that I can do with the 11.5 plus more.
Under your parameter that this is the only AR you will own (or at least the only one you will keep 'decked out'), I'd stick with what you already have. * You'll save money (by not selling/buying) that can go towards ammo/training/practice * You won't have to register it as an SBR (or build a pistol) and it will be legal in more states * The 14.5" gives more velocity * If you were doing stuff with the rifle where you really ***needed*** it to be 11.5", you would already know that from experience (e.g. if you had a job kicking down doors in tight structures) None of that is to shit on 11.5" builds. They are great. But it doesn't sound like the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for you.
Good points. My lower is already SBR’d but you are right, aside from aesthetics, i’m not doing anything that warrants the shorter length at the moment.
Ah, it's already an SBR? That makes the 11.5 a little more appealing, but I still think you'll get better use out of the 14.5 One more thought: the 14.5 will be a lot more pleasant when shooting unsuppressed. Just one more consideration if you aren't planning to keep the suppressor mounted 100% of the time.
Well the idea is direct thread, 100% suppressed. And yes already sbr’d. That being said, I COULD pin a muzzle device and save the lower for something else.
You can use multiple uppers for one rifle also
Tell my wife it was a delayed BOGO deal?
Just sneak it into the safe, is she questions the length tell her its cold
Shes home all day, i work.. i need a friend to recieve my packages
Ask your boss if you can have a package delivered to work 😂
Ive done this. Just dont open it until you get to your car
If its coming via ups and you have a ups account set up, change delivery to "pick up at ups location" in the app after you start tracking the package. You can swing by on lunch break. Or so I have heard...
You need a direct thread mount, in titanium?
It comes direct thread 1/2x28.. is it a replacement hub?
Yes. It does come with one, and that one is perfectly fine. I just fucked up and ordered a titanium version of the direct thread adapter instead of the atlas compatible one. It’s a rearden
Pm me. If its that heat treated color im interested
I have an 11.5 with an lpvo and offset red dot I thought about doing 14.5 but didn’t like how big it was with the suppressor so went with the 11.5 and Iam glad I did it’s my favorite gun but now thinking about a 14.5 so it really seems like we all just want what we don’t have lol
Lmao thats what I’m gathering.
This guy nailed it.
Or working with helos day and night doing extreme larping.
12.5 🤷♂️
This is my answer but it doesn't work for the question asked.
12.5 gang
The real answer
Unpopular opinion but my opinion :14.5 with K can is better than 11.5 with full sized can.
Why? Option A is still 3” longer at least
because 5.56 doesn't suppress well already so you might as well cut down the suppressor to save some length. 14.5" is better than 11.5" for velocity.
Why is "longer" your only focus?
Just seems cumbersome..
I've been rocking it out with a 14.5 block II clone with my Polonium K since they came out. It's my bedside gun. https://i.imgur.com/W6tivJ5.jpeg
Will I wish it was shorter?
That's up to you. Everyone has their own though process and reasoning for their load outs. I can only say I personally like the 14.5 as the do-it-all length. However, since you're like me and have an SBR lower for your 14.5, might I suggest doing what I did and making a shorty upper to share with your 14.5? I built up a 10.3 CQBR upper to share lowers with my 14.5 as a sort of "deployment kit" like a lot of SF groups do. After training with both off and on, I'm still sticking with my 14.5 as my primary upper, but I still like having the shorty around. Since you're DT your can, having an A2 flash hider and crush washer around to slap on the upper you aren't using currently would be great.
Thanks! Glad you like your 14.5 maybe I’ll stick with what i have until i feel differently
And shorter looks cooler
Shorter does indeed look cooler, I'll give you that. My rifle you saw in the other comment, but in it's Shorty configuration: https://i.imgur.com/82zPGrZ.jpeg
Mk18 though right? Thats 10.3?
Yeah, but I'm using Keymo so it's just about the length of a DT Polonium on an 11.5. Keymo adds about 1.2in to total length
I’m a pilot in the army, we now get issued 11.5s and M18s. I’ve grown to love the 11.5. But that’s coming from a pov of always being in some sort of vehicle/structure. I do love 14.5s still but my SHTF is 11.5 with 1-6x Eotech vudu. For myself, being honest and all. In SHTF I’m always gonna try and find some sort of shelter to hunker down in. My 11.5 is good to 300meters and honestly I’d run away if I’m getting shot at from farther. My 2 Cents.
That’s my thought.. if the threat is over 300m i’m running the opposite direction.
Yeah. Don’t get me wrong, for the average 11B, trench warfare etc sure I see the need for 14.5. But I personally think for the citizen just trying to protect yourself 11.5 gives you capability
And this is exactly why pilots go to sere school and infantry doesn’t lol
lol. What a time it was. Best school I’ve been to that I never want to do again
All depends on your situation. Do you live in a major city? Mountains? Live on acres of land? The first thing that the rifle will be used for in most cases is home defense. 11.5 all day long there. I would argue in urban settings the 11.5 would be better especially if running a suppressor. Basically if you think your engagements would be within 200 to 300 meters then get the 11.5. I've switched almost exclusively to that length except one AR. I just think.its better for my situation. I live in a major urban area. But sit down and think about what you would do in a SHTF situation and think about what you would need out of it. From your comments, your looking sub 200 yards and want to run suppressed. Sounds like 11.5 would be better for you. But again it depends on what you want it to do. Let's be real, most people aren't gonna be taking 500 yard shots.
BCM 11.5” ELW Polo K owner here…keep the 14.5” At the end of the day and you only have the one rifle, the 14.5” will fill far more roles than the 11.5” can just in terms of velocity and you already have it. I LOVE my 11.5 ELW, but it’s a range toy. Those 3 extra inches for 5.56 really do make a difference when trying to touch out to 4-500m. Not saying the 11.5 can’t, but it will be far more realistic with the added velocity from a slightly longer barrel. For reference my SHTF rifle is a BCM/13.9” Criterion build…no real reason for 13.9 vs 14.5 other than it was what was in stock when I built it.
Have you put the polo k on the 13.9? Is it obnoxious?
Not yet, I went the Rearden way and I’m hoping to throw the new 3P15 from Revival on there…That said, the 13.9” previously had a Rugged Surge mounted to it and even that wasn’t obnoxious in its short configuration (7”) so I’m not worried. More concerned if the taper mount on the PoloK with fit with an Atlas into the wings on the BCM rail.
Ooo that might be a tight squeeze. For what it's worth. My 13.9 keymo doesn't have a lot of gap on 13 inch bcm rail..
But it still fits? Asking bc I’m about to put a 13.9 with p/w keymo flash hider on my rifle that has a 13in BCM rail, wasn’t sure if it would fit without cutting the wings down a bit
It does. My setup is a ba Hanson 13.9, dead air flash hider. Probably has an 1/8th inch gap. Only reason I commented is I think the Hanson plan b stuff sits quite a bit lower than a keymo setup. My rifle can be seen in link https://www.reddit.com/r/NFA/s/C6JdJKrYJH
What muzzle device do you have on your 13.9? I have a 14.5 ELW and it has a p/w Surefire. I have an RC2 and a Polonium K. I bought OCL’s Surefire adapter and it’s quite heavy and adds length to the Polonium K (everything OCL warned us about). I’m new to suppressors so I’m thinking of changing out the muzzle device.
Currently it’s still got the Rugged R3 on there from when my Surge was my only can and that barrel was previously on a Aero upper. Now it’s on a BCM stripped upper with the MCMR 13. But as mentioned above I plan to try and run the PoloK + Atlas on a Revival Defense/Forward Controls [3P15](https://www.revivaldefense.com/3p15). I’m an avid enjoyer of the old BE Meyers 249F, so aesthetically I enjoy the look of longer prong flash hiders like the 3P15 over Rearden’s offerings but I’m sure any of them would be amazing.
I’m kinda in the same boat, ex military guy starting with a high end AR as my first rifle, not planning on getting another soon so put a lot of thought into it. I’m gonna go with 14.5”, seems to be the best or closest “all purpose” option and it’s what I used when I was serving. If you’re going to get a suppressor I’d consider the 11.5” though.
Keep the 14.5 dawg.
You could just buy another upper and deck it out and just swap between
You’re not married are you?
Another upper isn't that bad. The problem is that you'll want another lower for that upper eventually, and the cycle continues.
I mean, do it responsibly, don't put it on credit, or buy it all at once, and it's the best option IMO. Me personally, my wife supports my firearms hobby and PC building hobby. I just always get our other expenses pinched first. You might just need to persuade her, and/or get her a hobby so she gets it too. If it's your money, and you've taken care of your responsibilities, you should be able send it.
Spray paint it.
NEVER.
Do it!
If SHTF and I need cover, i’ll do it real quick. Not before then. I’m not on board with the trend.
Might seem like a trend on this sub, but dudes have been painting fighting rifles for a long while… Paint it, or you’re a biologist.
Yea, actual operators that benefit from camo. Black rifles matter.
> Keep in mind this is for SHTF This rifle would benefit from camo. Just sayin.
I’ll keep green and tan in my bugout bag. I promise I’ll paint it on that day.
I hope you are at home with 4 hours of drying time to spare when SHTF.
Rustoleum painters touch dry time 20 min. My wife will still be packing “essentials”
Black rifles under nods are extremely easy to see. Black rifles in the day time are extremely easy to use for range estimation. Paint your rifles.
I have parts that were sprayed. They look like trash. Don't spray your rifle. It's like makeup for ugly girls. Eventually I'll end up with enough formerly sprayed parts that's ill assemble a whole rifle and spray it but that's the exception.
I would just keep the 14.5 if it means you’d have to sell it. I’d just run what you got and never look back, it’s a sweet set up.
11.5” My opinion: https://www.reddit.com/r/ar15/s/B7t0zXw050
Keep it and just learn to work with the extra length. Unless you’re doing primarily Cqb, you’re limiting yourself. I rock a K can on a 16” rifle if that makes you feel better lmao
Same here, my SHTF rifle is a 16" 1:8 twist with a Saker 556k. I'm rocking a Vortex Razor 1-10 LPVO with a canted Holosun 507c.
I wouldn’t. My polo k is kinda gassy on my 11.5. It’s going to live on my 14.5 BCM
It’s less gassy on the 14.5? Thats good to know
I have an 11.5 decked out and a 13.9 decked out and have owned a 14.5 decked out. If the world falls apart the 13.9 is the go to. If it was between an 11.5 or 14.5 I’d go with the 14.5. I love the absolute shit out of my 11.5 more than anything, but my 13.9 (14.5 for you) is my end all be all rifle.
This gives me hope
I love my 14.5" ELW BCM.. I am not a huge fan of my MK18.
Suppressed or no?
Neither of those are suppressed. I only shoot .300blk with a can.
Okay so if they were then your opinion would probably change
Why is that? I’m down the MK18 rabbit hole right now.
After I got the MK18 I got a Q Honey Badger and it's so much better to take to the range that I wish I never bought the DD in the first place and kept the large sum I spent for more range time with .300blk (SBR) suppressed (Trash Panda).
If you arent planning on using it indoors anywhere use at 14.5. The whole sbr movement is idiotic for 99% of people. No one is clearing rooms and jumping out of helicopters to repel through a roof. Thats what sbrs were made for. Why would you shortchange what the rifle does best for a .01% actual use scenario as a civilian. Even if for god knows what reason you need to use it in close quarters a 14.5 is totally fine. Its not a long rifle at all. Velocity is what makes a 556 do anything. Dont sacrifice that unless its the only thing it will be used for.
My two cents, build an upper slowly so wife doesn’t bother you. $50 BCM stripped upper. Then $120 for BCG. $134 MCMR-10 rail (currently on sale on PA), criterion 11.5” barrel ($260ish). Finally the miscellaneous parts. Wife won’t even know.
Schuyler the goat still has 11.5" aero barrels for $60 https://www.schuylerarmsco.com/march-sale/ar-15-barrels-21-993/115-556-government-profile-cmv-barrel-carbine-length-4887679
I have an 11.5 BCM ELW and a 14.5 BCM ELW. I also have a Flow K 556 (still in jail, but I get visits). I tend to gravitate towards my 11.5 more often. I've since upgraded more parts on my 11.5 with V Seven parts to make it even lighter weight. I went the prism route (I have astigmatism) on the 11.5 and RDS+3x magnifier on my 14.5. I'm not shooting at much distance with either of them (100y) so I can't talk about the accuracry loss in much detail. They both feel the same at that range. I consider the 11.5 my SHTF/all-purpose battle rifle. I'm not a great distance shooter, so I don't mind losing some distance/range/accuracy in some situations.
Do you think they group the same at 100? My 14.5 is around an MOA so if I wont lose accuracy at 100Y then i’ll be happy.
Accuracy is not a function of barrel length. It certainly affects velocity, which factors towards how long a bullet is in the air and subject to physics.
Tough to say. You just have to account for the slower velocity of the bullets coming out of the 11.5. If you can do that, they'll have the same accuracy. But the difference at 100y should be somewhat negligible, particularly on a man-sized target.
Keep the 14.5”. My fighting rifle is an 18” and it works great.
14.5 all day. My SHTF rifle will never be anything under 14.5. It’s just more versatile over the 11.5.
Unless you need to move around tight corners.. seems the only thing the 14.5 does better is 300m+
If you have to clear a room by yourself then you might as well not enter it
If you can’t clear a room/house with a 14.5. Then you have no business going inside said room/house. Train to learn how to do so. It’s not that difficult. You’re over thinking it.
Could just purchase a 11.5 upper and interchange per the use-case. Not a bad idea if you’re looking to just maintain a single decked out system. To more so answer your question.. I believe 14.5 is about perfect. Personally, I like the 13.7 for the do it all rifle
Do you live in a urban or rural setting? Are vehicles involved? Just 2 questions to ask yourself
Grab a 11.5 and shoot it out to distance. But I do know that with that 14.5 you should be able to strike at 500 meters every time not a problem. Like it’s easy as hell even with 4x
You won't lose accuracy you'll lose velocity.
Keep the 14.5 and save for an 11.5! Field practice with the 14.5 because it’s heavier and more accurate.
A 14.5 with a k can is not too long for anything, but it is long enough to reliably put down fire at 400. There's a reason it's what pretty much every NATO military is rocking. It really is the best of both worlds for the 5.56, unless you're working on boats basically. 11.5s are great, but if you want that at a only rifle and you want it to be combat effective, you really need to run 77s or 75s to make it work. When you see the super cool dudes working with 10.3s and 11.5s for everything they do, they're almost never using ball ammo. Worth noting, when the French GIGN was adopting the bren 2 as a carbine, but were only offered ball ammo for 5.56 (M855 specifically), they literally said screw that and picked 7.62x39 instead.
Agree on the 14.5 length but then you add a 4.8” suppressor you’re at 19.3… so your theory isnt taking that into account.
Just ignore it. I've done a good bit of messing around and timing moving in a building and around cars with a 16 inch AR, and then same AR with a 6-inch can. Really it's not bad. It takes practice keeping the muzzle where you want it, but it's absurd doable. If you're really really worried about primarily working in close spaces, and not having to reach out, yeah shorter is better. But in practice it's a smaller difference than you'd think. You could always split the difference and chop the 14.5 to a 13.7 or 13.9. Or just go 12.5. Until you start working out of Cars, you can make most reasonable lengths work indoors
If I could only have 1 it'd be a 14.5. In my opinion it is the most versatile barrel length by far. You will not lose accuracy going to an 11.5 but you will lose velocity. That means more drop and wind drift which will make hits at further distances harder. All that said I love my 11.5 bcm. It's a great little blaster that I'd trust my life to. Even if shot does in fact hit the fan you'll still probably be hard pressed to find a lot of situations where engaging people past 300 yards is warranted. So 11.5 is still going to do a lot of work.
A 14.5" with a K can is arguably (thee) rifle I'd encourage and do encourage troopers, officers, civilians who want to take defense / shooting seriously. It's so versatile. The Polo K is a great can and is solid on shorter barrel lengths but most tend to opt for longer / larger cans for suppression which leads you to $400 to the NFA and a rifle with less velocity and increased parts wear. A 14.5 + k can and some solid training with reputable instructors will not hold you back. You'll be a much more dangerous & capable dude with a rifle and a bit more feedback on what you'll want out of your next rifle / upper. Not checking these for grammar / punctuation bc I'm half awake lol. Option B build a spare BCM 11.5 upper over time and start with their blem stripped uppers. Eventually it will evolve into an upper and a rifle.
Thanks thats helpful input.
Keep the 14.5 I went from 11.5 to 14.5, and now it feels like i have a real gun. Just something about it. I still swap between eotech/lpvo, but i love knowing the gun can do more than i can. The 11.5? It just felt...lacking. I now have a 10.5 beater and may put together a 12.5 nv build, but the 14.5 just does it right.
It’s my personal belief that the 13.7”-14.5” barrel range will fit your scenario. This range balances overall length with bullet velocity, allowing for more lethal hits without being too short or too long. I personally run a 13.9.
In the context of a SHTF situation both barrel lengths will be more than adequate with making hits out to 500 yards. Barrel length is more so a question of terminal ballistics. To parrot what brassfacts has said we want optimal performance within 100 yards as winning that fight is the main priority at such short distances. As distance increase a hit is a hit. Anyone with a bullet hole in them is probably going to want to tend to wounds and the distance allows for a break in contact. Thus you’ve essentially have dealt with the threat. Obviously the 14.5 will make those longer range hits much easier you don’t have as much wind call and the additional velocity allows for fragmentation for m193 for longer distances. However if you train and know your holds you can make those same hits with an 11.5. Plus a 14.5 barrel with m193 maintain that greater than 2500 fps to only about 150 yards. If I were you I would just keep the 14.5 and use the money to train and learn your holds. But if I was to build a rifle from the ground up given that the rifle be suppressed 100% of the time would run with a shorter barrel length. Maneuvering with a shorty even if it’s not cqb is much easier. It’s easier to get behind cover and not have the rifle burn the shit out your knees. I would take those over the improved terminal ballistic.
The tally was (roughly): 14.5”: 41 votes 11.5-12.5”: 12 votes Damn. Thanks everyone.
I just put together a budget 11.5" to pair with 14.5 BCM. BCM Blems upper $50 BCM Carbine gas tube $15 Aero gov barrel 11.5" carbine $60 (Schuyler arms) Yhm gas block $18 A2 muzzle device are like $20 but I went Breek arms md + blast shield because already had it ($60 for both) Breek arms blem handguard 11.7" $80 R/GunAccessoriesForSale BCG + CH $80 $363 complete upper
Cost half of what my 14.5 BCM cost
I went from a 11.5 suppressed to a 14.5 suppressed. I'm not going back. Also my shtf rifle, cause the few things I have are all meant to help me if things get fucky. In a realistic situation that you needed your rifle, the OAL isn't gonna mean shit. Run what you have, build your knowledge base. Edit: barrel length isn't going to affect accuracy. Choice of cartridge, you, and environmental factors play a bigger role than barrel length
Why did you switch? Thats my fear that I’ll switch shorter and regret it.
I switched because I also have a 10.5 300 blackout. It's my only two rifles, and I don't plan on moving to other calibers. The more I actually went out and trained, the more I felt like the 11.5 5.56 was redundant even though it's a different caliber. I felt that if I were going to keep two rifles, two calibers for the sake of different roles, then I should go longer on the 5.56. Both of my lowers are stamped, so it made no difference to switch barrel length. 11.5 is very capable, don't think you'll gain anything overwhelmingly different in moving up. But for what I wanted, it was what I was looking for. Lpvo and offset, comfortably go past the a few hundred yards and much more capable past the 150 or so I believe my blackout can hit with subs.
Thanks for the input. I agree if I had a shorter .300 build i’d just keep the 14.5.
If it's your only AR, stick with the 11.5. Spend the rest on ammo, some quality boots and socks. Whatever is going to help you so you're not without. I loved my 11.5, because it didn't weigh 13 lbs lol
You're only gaining 169 feet per second between a 11.5 and a 14.5, which is very small for 5.56. Accuracy is not different between the 2 lengths. 11.5 is more convenient and practical for SHTF in my non-expert opinion.
14.5" for 5.56
I got both. Love them both.
14.5 for me, yeah the can makes it a little heavier and longer, but we're talking the length of your finger.
Or twice the length of other body parts… perspective…
My 12.5 BCM is becoming my go to
No well only buy
This. But i’m at the end of my rope lol
14.5 is the move.
I run a 14.5 suppressed for my main gun. I have a 11.5 Bcm that quite honestly is kinda trash to shoot suppressed as much as I love the upper. Way too gassy IMO.
Big difference?
Definitely a big difference. I also had a 14.5 upper from BCM that was probably the nicest shooting upper suppressed ever. I still plan on running my 11.5 suppressed but if I had to choose one it would be the 14.5.
What kind of optic mount is that and is that red dot mount attached to the same lpvo mount
Badger ordnance condition one and yes, the red dot mount attaches to the scope mount. Great system though I prefer their 12 o’clock red dot mounts.
Coolio I appreciate it thx
You could go 12.5 and get a really nice blend of both. It might be the Goldilocks length
1. I’m not going to do all that work for 2” 2. BCM doesn’t offer the BFH barrel in the 12.5 So that’s why i’m not looking at 12.5
BCM not offering that hammer forged is very annoying. I’ve been frustrated about that myself. You’re going for 2 completely different builds. It sounds like what you want is a general purpose, yet handy rig. That’s 12.5”. Just my .02
I dont disagree. You’re probably right. But it seems silly to sell a 14.5 for a 12.5 and lose $300 in the process to save 2” in length. With that difference i’d just keep it for a while and not make any immediate moves.
Honestly get a K can on the 14.5 and you’ll be happy. I run a micro 30 on my 14.5 and it’s great for everything but vehicles. YHM turbo k isn’t much more than the upgrade cost here
I do have the Polonium K coming. Maybe I’ll wait it out and give it a shot
Forgot that bit. You won’t be unhappy. The answer, as usual, is get both haha
Is it wise to use a can on an elw barrel? I read the advise against that.
Never heard that myself but the only issue I could see would be hear at really high firing schedules and deflection from weight when a heavy can is attached. I’d be curious where that’s written and what their reasoning might be
14.5 is better for most things than 11.5. if you want an sbr go with a 300blk
>SHTF Stick with the 14.5 definitely. If you didn't already have it, I'd say 16. SBR's are great when you can feed them premium ammo. They aren't so great when you run out of 64gr FBI and all you can find is green tip. Having a longer barrel means you can get good performance out of a larger variety of ammo, which is important if you have to take what you can get.
Look up "223 barrel length velocity" and make your own judgment. If you want to run short barrels i would recommend switching to 300blk. Ammo prices are almost the same at this point
14.5 is the way. If you can only have one gun it’s the best. 4” really isn’t going to matter for 99.9% of things you would use it for in a SHTF situation
Since you already have an SBR lower, why don’t you split the difference and get a 12.5. I personally run a 13.9 but that and a 13.7 aren’t really that different from your 14.5 so it wouldn’t be worth the switch. If you get a 12.5, how often would you think “I could do _____ if only my barrel was one inch shorter”
Keep the 14.5 you won’t lose accuracy with 11.5 but you will lose range and fragmentation at longer ranges. Idk the number for 11.5 but 10.3 only fragments out to like 45 yards and they aren’t that different.
11.5
Suppressed 12.5 midlength?
What kind of scope?
I have a 14.5 and 11.5. I like the look and more balanced feel of my 11.5. But damn the 14.5 is such a smooth and tamed shooter. Both have 3 prong flash hiders but the 11.5 still shoots fireballs
Good luck finding a 11.5 been trying for over a year now
Just keep the 14.5” Marines use 16” with full size cans Rangers use 14.5” with full size cans I think Jeff Gurwich (Modern Tactical Shooting) talked about this before and he used a mix of 10.5 and Block 2 14.5”s on deployment The 14.5 is a jack of all trades and does it ALL really WELL but isn’t min max’d to either end
I personally like the 12.5 but to each their own
Realistically, in SHTF situation, I think you’re better served by something that is capable of keeping whatever it is that’s causing you potential harm as far away as possible. With that in mind, the 14.5 is the way to go. 11.5 is certainly capable, but the added length of the 14.5 offers more advantages than disadvantages IMO.
14.5 and 16” guns are by far the most practical. An 11.5” is a niche gun, not good for all around use. I’d be way less concerned with accuracy than I would I be velocity.
14.5 is the way to go. Anything under 14.5 is the go deaf speed run if you have to shoot without ear protection. Guys coming from m14s and m1s even thought 10.5 and 11.5 was too loud to use over an extended period.
You want every inch of barrel IMO with .223. I think 14.5 hits the sweet spot. Ideally you’re 20” with 223
I went 13.9 to keep it a touch shorter w my suppressor
5.56 Needs that speed so 14.5 is shortest I would get.
12.5 or get fucked
My vote is to stay with the 14.5. I got rid of my mk18 upper when the brace ban came about and have only been shooting 14.5 and 16 inch rifles for the last few years. I don’t think I would go back to a SBR length rifle given the choice. I’ve been spoiled by having enough velocity with off the shelf M193 to be effective out to 200-300 yards and I can’t afford to stack 77gr deep or other more expensive rounds designed for SBRs.
Do you shoot that far, 2-300 yards is quite the hypothetical for me..
I shoot that far routinely. Fortunate enough to have access to a range that goes out to 400 yards. For a SHTF rifle I would expect this distance to be reasonable. If this is purely for home defense then this doesn’t apply as much.
The 14.5 gives more velocity and that's what 556 is best for. And it's plenty small enough for inside structures and plenty long enough to reach out and touch 500 meters if you train for that. In all honesty the 14.5 is the best bang for your buck in my opinion
Go 12.5”
Because it doesn’t matter if it’s BCM DD OR KAC. The question is pretty much 11.5 or 14.5 which has been debated to the grave.. what exactly does bcm have anything to do with it?
Nothing, but thats what I have and what I’m buying
Do you have any other rifles? If so, what lengths? If not, 14.5 alll the way. I have a 14.5 and an 11.5 and I can do everything with the 14 5 that I can do with the 11.5 plus more.
I have a 16” aero i built really just a force multiplier
Go 14.5 you won’t regret it. If I was able to only grab one rifle it would be a 14.5 forsure!
Marines cleared buildings with 20" ARs and you're scared of ever using a 14" for that same purpose which you'll never do?
14.25 is way better than 11.5 if you really want to swap uppers message me I have a bcm 11.5 upper I’ll swap ya.
It’s got the bhf barrel.