lowers out of stock?

[ltsimp]

They do make 16 inch barreled M4's. I own a Colt that says on the Lower M4 Carbine.

[raymond]

isn't the biggest issue that overall it needs to have 16" length?

That is the law. The barrel must be 16 inches in length. To have a shorter barrel, one must go the Class 3 route and pay a tax and have it registered as a short barreled rifle. This also brings into question ammunition choice. The military uses the M855 round which uses a 62 grain bullet. Tests have shown that while the 62 grain bullet performs well in a 20 inch barrel, it's range and energy drop off precipitously in shorter barrels. The tests results between a 20 inch barrel and a 14 inch M4 barrel are startling. Tests have also shown greater wound channels generated by 55 grain bullets which tend to yaw after striking an object. This is due to higher velocity when striking an object. For those reasons I use the former M193 55 grain round in all my rifles.

One way of getting around the 16 inch limit is to build a "pistol" and install a "wrist brace" on the buffer tube.

http://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/ ... 65542.aspx

[raymond]

http://www.thebangswitch.com/atf-rules- ... houldered/

[Surveyor]

I was reading a little bit more about the AR-15 and educate myself. Seems like our little jeeps this a platform going on since forever....was much lighter and it had the carrying handle the G3 did not....

Has carry handle but using it was one of the quickest ways to get a DI in your face. Had a CETME once. Liked it but banged up the brass pretty bad with that roller system.