[Quentin]

I agree with JD that the rilfe length barrel has advantages over a carbine but you did well choosing a 16" midlength, it's a great compromise. And going with Daniel Defense at that price also was a great move on your part.

There are a lot of choices making it tough to decide how to go. I also ordered from smartgunner and was torn between the 14.5 and 16" middies plus HBAR, government profile and lightweight profile. I put a lot of thought in it and finally went with the 16" LW barrel. It's a few ounces lighter than the gov't profile which offsets the extra 1.5" (actually about 1.2" when you consider the longer flash hider on the 14.5) over the shorter barrel. And when you consider the screw on flash hider vs. pinned, I can't see going with 14.5.

It would be interesting to compare my LW vs. your gov't profile - otherwise they're the same. I went LW to save a few ounces but there're many more of your style in 16" out there. (The LW necks down to .625" under the rail and stays that way while yours thickens back to .75 after the gas block.) The LW would handle better but yours may be more accurate and stay down on target. Hard to say really, and maybe 3-4" oz out on the muzzle feels like more, who knows and we gambled opposite ways.

Anyway I ordered my DD on 12/9 and hope to get it in a week or two, they're really backordered as you know. Good luck with yours!

[Slowsrt4]

Thanks for the input. Hopefully she will be complete in a couple months. The coyotes are getting out of hand :-)

[mjkeat]

The DD bolts are great.

If you add code DDBCG to your order they are $124.

Just ordered another for a 300 BlackOut build. Cross your fingers that it catches on and ammo isnt sky high and readily available.

[Slowsrt4]

Well I have just notices that there are different weight buffer plugs I guess you would call them. Different weights would affect the timing a bit? Any suggestions on what I should go with it does it really make that big of a difference. Ill be going with the DD bcg .

[mjkeat]

Id go w/ the heaviest buffer that will let your weapon cycle correctly. I use a H2 in my piston and Spike ST-T2 Heavy buffer in the others.

[Quentin]

I agree with mjkeat, go the heaviest buffer that you can. And that depends on the power of the ammo you will use the most, plus the BCG weight and spring strength and gas port size - and no doubt other factors. In my ArmaLite midlength I can reliably fire low power Wolf using an H buffer. Some people recommend staying with the carbine weight buffer in a middy but from my experience the H is fine and maybe even an H2.

I'm going to try an H2 with my DD upper but if it doesn't play well with Wolf I'll mate the H2 with the lighter AR-15 style carrier in my ArmaLite and the H with the DD BCG. That should make the combined weight of the BCG and buffer about the same - and both uppers are midlength.

ETA:

If I were gambling I'd say go with the H in your middy. If you're wrong at least you'll know whether you should go up or down in weight. Buffers aren't expensive so if you need another it's not too painful to replace.

[Slowsrt4]

How can you tell if you need to go heavier or lighter?

[Quentin]

How can you tell if you need to go heavier or lighter?

Really it takes trial and error to determine with a particular rifle. All we can do is talk in generalities and what works in our rifles. Odds are the H buffer would do fine in your AR but many midlengths have standard weight carbine buffers and do fine too.

In an otherwise properly functioning AR (no gas leaks, etc.) if your light powered ammo causes short stroking then you may need a lighter buffer. Like mjkeat said, it's best to go with the heaviest buffer that works reliably. This is critical in an auto/burst rifle to eliminate carrier bounce but not as important in our semiautos though.

[Slowsrt4]

Okay what exactly would this gun im build be called? It has the m4 feed ramps but it doesn't have the m4 style barrel.

[Slowsrt4]

Well everything is ordered except my stripped lower. There is a gun show this weekend that I might be able to find one there. Im still waiting on my upper from smartgunner...