Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Shockwave or AR pistol.

the hodge is 12.5 and $400 bucks, it should be good for that price. The LaRue stealth at 12 inches for a pistol is a lot less.

Yes to both, however FNH does make a Hodge type barrel in 11.5”. As well as a 10.5, 12.5, 14.5”- you just can’t generally get them which is why I said unobtainable.

If you’re willing to go to a 12” the Larue is stellar.


The 12” and 12.5” barrel is the sweet spot for 5.56. Velocity loss from a 14.5” is negligible, and velocity gain from 10.5” and 11.5” is usable. 5.56 is really a true 400m round with the ability to push to 600 or so without specialty ammo and the 12.5” gives you that. With good bullets a 12.5” reaches 400m with enough velocity to achieve projectile upset, and stays supersonic to around 800m.


11.5” when size matters.

12.5” for general use.

14.5” if someone doesn’t want to SBR/use a brace.




10.5” is to me is really more a specialty lengt when pure size/length with a suppressor is paramount. Still no issue at 400m, and while very reliable will have the least barrel life, and takes a bit more thought on the build to ensure reliability. I see very little use for a AR15 longer than 14.5”.

thanks I think I am going to get the larue barrel.

So, if you buy an AR pistol, you can add any length barrel you want, correct?

Yep. I would build (or buy) it first as sub-26" OAL to make sure it actually started out as a pistol, but then you can put any barrel length you want on it.

I don't know that building it over 26" from the beginning would preclude ever putting a shorter upper on it, but I prefer to err on the safe side.

My experience both running MK 18 type 10.3"/10.5" guns as a shooter, as well as working on them while being in charge of various embassy armories has given me a different perspective than has been posted in this thread.

My own AR pistol is a MK-18 style, and has proven to be as reliable as a full size weapon . I use it at work and it is exceptionally handy for maneuvering in and around vehicles.

Frankly I see no need to re-invent the wheel. The gas systems have been very thoroughly vetted in the established barrel lengths.

I would suggest that you stick with proven platforms.

Mackay,

What brand is the upper?

Is the PSA 10.5 inch OK?

To All,

As an old-time Lawman, MY personal preference at close range is a DB 12 gauge shotgun with 18" barrels & loaded with #4 Buck.
(Fwiw, my FIRST DB was a "cut-down" 10 gauge Parker, that was seized from an armed robber & "passed along" to me when I was the county's "stock detective" long ago.)


Neither an AR "pistol" NOR a Shockwave is much more concealable & the DB is INTIMIDATING from "the business end". = I carried one for over 2 decades & NEVER had to shoot anyone with it. Instead, after looking down those barrels EVERYONE decided to "clean up their act" & surrender peacefully.
(Virtually every criminal has some idea what a "sawed off shotgun" will do out to well beyond "normal self-defense range" & hardly anyone wants to EXPERIENCE receiving a load of buckshot..)

just my OPINION, tex

Dave,

I have a PSA. It's very reliable and was properly gassed out of the box. I haven't broke an inch with 5+ round groups, but got close with 53gr Nosler Varmageddons over TAC. Of course groups will mil-spec ammo are a good bit larger.

David,

Mine is built by me. Nothing special. Specs are your basic MK18 type, with an aftermarket comp that is now probably 20 years old It is a JP Enterprises I won off a prize table if I recall right. Very effective, and shoots extremely flat, though now there are a few brakes/comps that I think are as effective. Muzzle blast in low light is significant. . If I am planning on running a can frequently, I'd use a different brake, but that is probably not relevant for this conversation.

Here is a pic of a co-worker's bride shooting mine in the evening a few weeks ago down in the desert.




The funny part is that as the shooter, you don't even see it. You DON'T want to be standing right next to it though..

It is also HELL on vehicle mirrors.

As far as PSA goes, my experience is pretty limited.

Personally I run Colt and FN if I intend to use the gun where lives may be at stake.

That said, I have played with some PSA guns, and bought one upper for personal use and went through a few of them for friends, to make sure they were assembled right. Long story short, I did not find anything that caused any real concern. I still replace the bolts with ones from Colt.

Thanks!

I'm pretty happy with my 14.7 pinned/welded.



I like the concept of the AR pistol, but since I would really want the 11.5-12.5" barrel, I'd really only shorten it by 2-3 inches up front, and maybe a half inch on the back, and the brace seems like a downgrade from a real buttstock.

If I was doing something serious in close quarters, I'm sure it would be a no-brainer, but I'm not really doing that.

Since the AR pistols have been recommended so much here I'd like to ask if any particular cartridge for them is preferred over the 223/5.56.

For general use here are the Cliff Notes:

Keep the barrels at 10.5/10.3" and never below for reliability purposes (in .223/5.56).

Stay away from piston designs.

For specialty type situations the .300 Blackout would be preferred, such as

Large animal defense. (If I was concerned about large bears then a .300 B loaded with proper ammo)

.300 B for specific jobs like barrier penetration around vehicles.



For an all around short barreled gun, I would stick with the 5.56 and keep the barrel at MK18 length.

Thanks!

Here's a good short review and accuracy test of the PSA 10.5" AR in 5.56.

Nice video.

no one likes the shockwave over the ar pistol?

For me the Shockwave would be a little too snorty for much shooting with serious loads. Looks cool though. We used 14" 870s in the Embassy, they were plenty of recoil with a proper stock, shooting slugs and #4 Buckshot.



In other news, my resistance to an AR pistol is crumbling. I ordered an SBA3 brace today.....

Good for you!
I'd glad we are fulfilling our duties are firearms addicts enablers.