Am I missing something ?

[thejeanmachine16]

So I've been looking to buy an AR and I want one in a 20" barrel flat top . I want the 20' because it provides extra velocity for the 5.56 round. Plus it could be more accurate.

Every time I go to a gun store all they have is the M4gery's in the 16in barrels.
I guess I'll have to order an upper offline but I don't know if I'm patient enough to wait the 3+ months for RRA to deliver.

Is their something I missing? Is the 16in is better because that's all the have. Or is the 16" just the "in thing" now.

[mongo]

You got it right. The M4 is the "in thing". A good 20" flat top with a quallity scope is all you need. The steped cut in a M4 barrel is for the mounting of a M203 launcher. You gonna need one of these? All of the extra attachements that everyone clamps on to a shorrty AR and turns it into a 12 pound anchor does not have to carry it all day. An AR-15 was ment to be acurate/light weight rifle that can get the other guy before he can get close enough to get you.

[24/7dude]

16" would be a better all around rifle.

20" would be better for long distance accuracy

Don't be fooled though, the 16" barrels are plenty accurate out to 200 yards or so. (for me anyway, some can shoot them even further.)

[Nate7667]

The only reason it is a 16" barrel is because our gov thinks its worth $200 to go any shorter. So thats why the 16" is what it is for being the "in thing." People want the cool weapon that the Spec Op/SEALs/SWAT/who ever use and we see in films. the M4 has a 14.5" barrel.
Do i have SBR'd AR's, yes. Is it a stupid tax, yes. But they are neat, so screw it. LOL
Everyone should have a 10-12.5" upper, jsut because.

You need to decide what you want to do with the weapon.
Home protection, range toy, long range toy, varmint rifle.....ect
One or more those options can be achived with either 16" or 20" but not all.

[DougX]

The 223 was suppose to be a light,fast bullet to achieve stopping power and range.The shorter the barrel the less velocity,the less effective.

[nfafan]

Good choice, love my 20" AR. Pretty much relegated the 16" CAR to a host for an M261 .22 kit - tons of fun! Gotta look hard or have a 20" AR ordered as all the rack space in stores tends to be for the M4rgerys. (Edit - couldn't even find anything on the Umarex fake "Colt" in 20".

[wellcraft]

there are shops selling AR's with 20" barrels you just have to shop around in order to find one. if you're prepared to drive a bit i know of three gun shops that i saw 20" barreled AR's for sale. check with tanners in jamison, pa, classic pistol in south hampton and surplus city in feasterville, pa. there are plenty of manufacturers that make AR's with 20" barrels but you may have to have your ffl order one for you.

[tonyfac]

Might i suggest http://www.midwayusa.com/
i bought a DPMS 20" complete upper and had it in a week. cost a little more but i didn't want to wait either.
they have quite a few uppers in stock.

[PAOhio]

I would try a gun show. Seriously, I see more 'gently used' 20inch uppers going for cheap becasue everybody is buying up M4gerys.

The last Ohio show I was at had a really nice cherry condition DPMS 20 inch upper for under $400. If I wasn't already tapped out I would have been all over that.

The market is opening up, so I wouldn't be surprised if the 3 month wait would actually be more like a 3 hour gun show trip.

[LittleRedToyota]

Is their something I missing? Is the 16in is better because that's all the have. Or is the 16" just the "in thing" now.

to a large extent, it is just the in thing right now.

however, there are some advantages to a shorter barrel. personally i would have one with an 11" or maybe 14.5" barrel if you didn't have to jump through so many hoops to own one. 16" is the shortest you can get without jumping through those hoops, so they are popular.

the advantages come in if you are using them for home defense or the like. they are much easier to weild in enclosed spaces, imho. also, some people find shorter barrels to be better for IPSC type shooting.