Thread: Sbr ar-15

I'm wanting to bulid an ar-15 sbr my question is wats befits/reliability of having a
14.5 vs 11.5 vs 10.5 vs 7.5 inch barrel set ups?
Which is better/more relieable?
And if any one has one and don't mind showing pics that's would be cool

Shorter poses more finicky gas problems but once it's tuned your good. Longer barrels are more accurate. If you are looking for home defense or shooting less than 200 yards I wouldn't worry about it. If you are going to spend the money on getting a stamp then why not go for the shortest barrel that will accommodate the accessories you plan to put on it?

10.5-12.5 is a nice happy place. 14.5 imho is kind of a waste to spend $200 on, but again my opinion there.

7.5 can be very finicky and most supressor manufacturers won't warranty on barrels this short.

Various Pics (sorry pics are from a school project so may seem kinda random lol)

Looks good I'm taking that's 7.5?

Well those are a 9mm and a 22lr soo not exactly best comparison. I can't seem to find old pics of my 10.5" upper, and working on my next.

Pm sent to you as well on some LMT goodness.

I have a 10.5" and it works fine. I carry heavier bullets for it. 62gr-75gr.

Originally Posted by OR_VARMINT_HUNTER

I'm wanting to bulid an ar-15 sbr my question is wats befits/reliability of having a
14.5 vs 11.5 vs 10.5 vs 7.5 inch barrel set ups?
Which is better/more relieable?
And if any one has one and don't mind showing pics that's would be cool

I have a 10.5" LWRC upper that eats any ammo I feed it...even reloads & weak stuff. It is LOUD tho. My shooting/camping buddies hate it. I had a comp on it, but it was even too much for me to handle much more than a mag or 2. Headaches galore, so I went back to standard A2 flashider which is alot quiter. But it is so much fun to hike with & not get caught up on branches & stuff. Any shorter, and you really lose alot of velocity of the round, which is needed for proper terminal effects, if it matters to you (hunting/Self Defense?). Do you plan to suppress it eventually? If so, maybe look at something with a piston system or a switchblock, like on Noveskes. Some say stick w/ 11.5" on SBR's for reliability reasons, but mine has been 100% so far (1500ish rounds).
Check out M4carbine.net or AR15.com & look at the SBR threads there....lots of pics & ideas to drain your wallet asap.

In oregon, will I only need to fill out ATF Form 1 to make my AR15 into an SBR or will I also need to get an FFL or C&R?

Form 1

generally whats the turn around time for a Form 1 approval? And just to be clear I couldnt buy say an LMT 10.5" upper before I got approved even if it wasn't installed cause then it would be "Intent"... correct??

3-6 months, just depends. You can buy anything you like, you just cannot assemble it together. Put a pistol buffer tube on the back and shoot it until your stamp comes back.

Originally Posted by Moonshiner

generally whats the turn around time for a Form 1 approval? And just to be clear I couldnt buy say an LMT 10.5" upper before I got approved even if it wasn't installed cause then it would be "Intent"... correct??

Currently anywhere from 3 to 6 months should be expected. Personally I wouldn't posses the short upper unless I had a registered SBR or MG lower, or a pistol lower.

My last two stamps took 4.5 months each and I would wait to buy the upper also.

Originally Posted by korntera

I would wait to buy the upper also.

Absolutely agree with korntera. Not worth a felony.

11.5" seems to be better than 10.5" on the forums I have read for suppressor use. That extra inch helps stabilize the bullet after passing the gas block.

i'd only wait to buy the upper if you're going to do a lot of talking about it on the internets. otherwise, you'll be good.

Forgot to mention this option, buy it and keep it at a friends house who doesn't own a lower.

well its really not a huge deal for me to wait for my stamp, just curious since I read about it on an HK forum. But thanks for the response, off topic a little but is registering a SBS cheaper or an AOW?? Thanks

To make will cost same. Aows cheaper to transfer however.

Originally Posted by FarmerTed1971

3-6 months, just depends. You can buy anything you like, you just cannot assemble it together. Put a pistol buffer tube on the back and shoot it until your stamp comes back.

WOW!!! Worst advice ever!!!!


A rifle is a rifle and a pistol is a pistol, they are mutually exclusive. You cannot legally turn a rifle into a pistol, by installing a "pistol buffer tube". Once a rifle, always a rifle.

If you put a short barrel (<16") on a rifle, it is a Short Barreled Rifle. Same goes if you put a shoulder stock on a pistol, it also becomes a Short Barreled Rifle.




There are actually no laws saying that you cannot own a <16" barreled upper and an AR at the same time... Some people however, feel that it could be construed as "Constructive Intent".


Our latest Form1's averaged only 60 days to approval and return. Form 4's are a completely different story. 135+ days and counting.

+1 on everything pb_m3 said.

The first NFA form I ever submitted was a Form1 (2-ys ago). I got lucky with ~ 7 weeks. Several Form4 have followed it and never coming anywhere close to the Form1 turnaround time.