Anyone with a brn-180 upper?

[Boboclown]

Is the barrel swappable with another barrel or is it proprietary?

I want one for a pistol build but the 10.5" is a tad too short for what I want.

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[Ura-Ki]

Are you referring to the Brownells version of the AR-180? I believe they were specifically redesigned to use the modern AR-15 barrels, and barrel extensions, which makes them much more comparable to today's carbines!

 

[Boboclown]

It does not use ar15 barrels. Sort of. It is torqued into a trunnion instead of a barrel extension.

 

[Boboclown]

Which means I'll need a blank and a gunsmith who can turn it and drill the gas port. Since the brn-180s only has a 10.5" barrel not a 12.5".

 

[Member 34319]

A lot of work for the length addition.

What about getting the 16" and cutting it back?

 

[Boboclown]

They don't sell the gas block and piston set up separately.

 

[Member 34319]

Ya, found this picture. Didn't think they would run such a long piston on the 16". Thought perhaps start with the 16" and cut back vs trying to add length via an entirely new barrel.

 

[Boboclown]

I would have thought that a 12.5" barrel would have been better than using the 10.5" for the 180s, due to it being a more reliable length and better for ballistics. But I guess they thought the extra 2" would have been too long.

 

[Member 34319]

Looking at this picture, might still be easier to Smith a 16" barrel than start with a blank.

Move the gas block back. Cut barrel. Use 10.5" piston rod.

 

[Boboclown]

If they would sell the rod separate, as well as the adjustable gas block.

 

[Member 34319]

In time, they may sell spare parts. Piston rods break on occasion. So it would be weird if they never sell spares.

Weird, I didn't notice they have an adjustable block on the 10.5 but not the 16.

 

[Boboclown]

They probably intended to have a suppressor on the 10.5".

 

[Member 34319]

They probably intended to have a suppressor on the 10.5".

That makes sense. But why not on both. Folks suppress long guns too... weird.

 

[Boboclown]

If they went with what the markets want we wouldn't be here with a question about trying to replace a barrel with a longer one.

 

[Member 34319]

If they went with what the markets want we wouldn't be here with a question about trying to replace a barrel with a longer one.

To be fair, 10.5" is very popular. Almost all pistol lengths are either 7.5" or 10.5". With 11.5, 12.5 and 14.5 being the odd men out. Even 11.5 is more popular than 12.5.

 

[Boboclown]

To be fair, 10.5" is very popular. Almost all pistol lengths are either 7.5" or 10.5". With 11.5, 12.5 and 14.5 being the odd men out. Even 11.5 is more popular than 12.5.

12.5 should be more popular to be honest. Its close to 16" performance while being shorter. With 10.5 you give quite a bit in comparison.