CAR stock with a 20" barrel?

[shortgrass]

I'm not a AR guy by any stretch. Can the std CAR stock, spring and buffer be used with a 20" barrel? Or, is there a need for a 'heavy' buffer?

 

[Ckgworks]

I have run a 20" like that and it worked fine. If it cycles hard you can always use an adjustable gas block.
Edit to add: you can also buy "heavy CAR buffers if you need......mine runs fine with the standard, but if you gas port is oversized, you may need it.

 

[cohunt]

Gas length does not need to equal stock length.

You can run rifle, mid, carbine, pistol, or specialty gas length just make sure you buy the correct gas tube.

The stock/buffer tube length is totally separate but one again needs to be paired with the correct/same buffer and spring

So a carbine length tube, spring, and buffer

Or rifle tube, spring, and buffer

Carbine buffers have quite a few weights - std, h2, and h3, there are also specialty weight carbine buffers (ultralight/1oz and h4 also)

There are also heavier weight springs too

My suggestion is use a carbine tube, spring, and std weight carbine buffer with what ever length gas system your 20" barrel has (normal for a 20" barrel is rifle length gas)

If it's over gassed then buy an adjustable gas block and cut down the gas a bit

 

[shortgrass]

Thanks for the insights.....

 

[cohunt]

It can get a little confusing-- especially if you start getting into the specialty weight buffers, springs and proprietary length gas systems

 

[Daves762]

I have to wear lots of clothes half the year due to temperatures. I find that fixed length stocks don't work for me. I run carbine buffer tube, spring, buffer on rifle length gas systems, and it works fine. For mid length and carbine length systems I use the H2 heavy buffer with standard spring weight. I no longer have fixed length stocks on any AR platform.
AR15 dot com is where all the AR nerds hang out and preach their infinite wisdom. If you have a question about AR stuff, you will have no shortage of "expertise" asking it there. When it comes to ammo testing check out MOLON's posts. That guy posts some wisdom, with pictures to prove it.

 

[shortgrass]

I am not building 1 (or 2). I have very little interest in AR rifles or handguns. Had a client ask me about using a 20" barrel w/rifle length gas on a CAR stock. It just peaked my interest, is all...

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

I have at least three 20" with carbine stocks no worries

 

[Scrounger]

Ran a 204 20" with a carbine stock. Actually had to pull weights out of the buffer to get it to cycle, but it did work.