20 inch Uppers

Why Go Long? The Practical Benefits of a 20 Inch AR Upper

The AR-15 is a modular platform, meaning there are a variety of options for building out your personal firearm. Some shooters draw the line at specialized, 10th-scale setups or even 9-inch upper receivers. But in the last several years, a lot more folks have sought out 20 inch AR uppers because of their benefits. This applies across all shooting disciplines. Regardless of whether you’re a precision rifle shooter, hunting, or tactical-minded – the choice of a 20 inch AR15 upper makes sense. Why? Let’s explore the reasons.

Improved Stability and Recoil Control

Perhaps the most important advantage of having a 20 inch upper is the stability it offers. The extra inch in length increases the weight of the rifle, which in turn helps absorb all the recoil and muzzle flip created when we’re shooting. This adds up to better control of the firearm, greater speed in making follow-up shots, and ultimately far greater precision.

Precision shooting is another compelling reason for the AR 15 20 inch upper, the reason is stability: less lateral movement under recoil means that a shooter can maintain an easier sight picture and hence perform more accurately.

In tactical circumstances where a quick follow-up shot is vital, like during rapid-fire stringing or in a situation in which maintaining accuracy while under pressure is critical, the 20 inch ar15 upper gives shooters a better chance of landing the shot without constant readjustment.

Optimal Gas System Functionality

The 20 inch AR upper is matched to rifle-length gas systems, which typically cycle much more smoothly than their shorter carbine or mid-length counterparts.

First, the longer, rifle-length gas system serves up the pressurized gas from the burning powder more gradually than a carbine-length system, leading to freer-running, less abraded components and a longer rifle life, not to mention more consistent and reliable operation. Add to that the cycle-time attenuating effects of the ar 20 inch upper’s extra couple of inches of length, and the felt recoil is much less. This improves handling and control.

Further, the rifle-length gas system is known as an extremely reliable system in all sorts of nasty conditions. For AR 15 hunters, tactical operators, and competition shooters, the true action of the 20 inch AR 15 complete upper makes the difference in the critical moment.

Versatility Across Applications

Not only does this 20 inch AR upper work with traditional pistol magazines, but it can also accept traditional rifle magazines if you change out the bolt. This versatility allows you to use your upper across a multitude of shooting applications. For long-range shooting, pelting steel, or hunting, a longer barrel will provide better ballistic performance – a flatter trajectory, more velocity over longer distances, less chance for bullets to tumble or yaw upon impact because they’re spinning faster, better energy retention, more penetration (and firearms tend to penetrate quite well as is) and so on. A 20-inch upper can lay down the stopping power to stop a larger-bodied game, yet this same upper is versatile enough to shoot out to short distances when necessary.

For the bench shooting crowd, there are the 20 inch AR15 uppers that offer much better accuracy and stability than a typical AR15 lower for the shooters who want to maximize the performance of their rifle in a known distance environment be it testing hand loads or shooting in precision rifle competitions.

Even for battlefield application that demands more movement and ‘controllability,’ the 20-inch upper provides a good mixture of reachability and controllability. It won’t fit as easily in a closet as a shorter barrelled set-up, especially in shorter-length firearms like ARs, but the extra controllability and accuracy the longer barrel provides, along with the inherent power that accompanies it, makes it a fine choice for almost any kind of tactical endeavor. 

Overall, the 20 inch AR upper is just cleaner, smoother to shoot, and more accurate than the others. While the AR 15 is most often fitted with a shorter barrel, it does not restrict you to this application. Once you put a 20 inch barrel on your AR-15, you will learn just how handy it truly is. With its increased stability over a shorter pistol-length barrel and smoother cycling of a rifle-length gas system, the ar15 20 inch upper delivers better accuracy and control than the pistols while still having the light, maneuverable aiming and shooting capability of the carbine. 

Upgrading or buying a new AR-15? Then the 20 inch AR15 complete upper is a must-have that delivers improved accuracy and versatility across multiple disciplines of shooting.