Ried...that you speak plainly, knowledgeby and without 'shaming' or dissing others or other products puts you heads above the rest. Quiet Presentation of knowledge not ego moves you to the front. Best.

When I was fighting in Desert Shield Storm (Navy Seabee) all we had was iron sights and there was no problem reaching out 350 400 yards.

I saw once that Marcus Latrell said in house you can make a long barrel rifle work but in the field you can’t make a short barrel rifle work.

For so very long I've seen videos that try to tell people that they need the latest and greatest mod on their AR rifle. It is so refreshing to see someone that is actually saying...NO..YOU DON'T NEED THAT !! All of our ARs and AKs are outfitted to be used and not displayed as "Gadget Magnets" ! Great Video, Thanks for sharing !!

Your simple and true presentations on a variety of topics goes a long way with a lot of us. Keep it Rollin Reid!!!

Ive been issued both an M4 and M16 and I can say, with absolute certainty, that I would rather have a 16 during rifle qual and a M4 all other times.

Agree completely Reid !! 20" upper & A2 stock..... from an "OLD SCHOOL GRUNT" !! Semper Fidelis

I recommend a magpul fullsize stock - the carry compartment is the bee's knees

Reid you are certainly old school. In many ways old school is the best. I have learned much from you over the years and I hope you know how much appreciated you are to me and the subscribers who glean from your old school knowledge. God bless.

Thank you for putting out another great video Reid! Your channel is now consistently my favorite channel for gun information, you have such a great presentation skill, you don't make people feel dumb and you don't yell or get boisterous like some of the other channels on KZfaq, you cater to all levels and I just wanted to say thanks, if I ever get the chance to make it out to Tennessee valor Ridge is the place I will be going to get my training while in the great state of Tennessee

I like the A2 stock with the 20 in Barrell as well. It just feels right when I shoulder the rifle. Great videos, I'm glad I subscribed to your channel.

Refreshing!!! An AR with no junk! I have a Colt A2 and I'm perfectly happy with the solid stock and 20 in match barrel. I did however, swap out the standard handguards for a DPMS free floater. To avoid using the front sling swivel, I installed a front hinge pin that accepts a swivel sling. No tension on the barrel. I soil, however get an A3 or M4 upper receiver for more sighting options. But, as a civilian, I'm still not totally sold on the whole flashlight on the gun thing.

Thanks Reid, great info. I love the look of the rig, as well as the practicality.

Old school, iron sights, standard sling and solid stock. Man after my own heart. Good no BS approach. I think I'll take one of your classes.

I can’t believe I just happen to have mine set up like an expert! I started with an M&P carbine, changed to a Del-ton 20” upper, solid stock, and cotton sling. The “Government” barrel doesn’t feel any heavier than the 16” carbine. My new upper is a flat top, so I attached a carry handle/rear sight, and I also have the A2 hand guards, although I may change to the A1, like I remember from Air Force BMT! I still have the carbine upper, which has a red dot co-witnessed with the iron sights, and a flashlight. It’s set up more as a home defense version, while I like the 20” outside. Thanks for the great videos!

You hit the nail on the head Reid (as usual). I'm a 91f (small arms repairman) for the U.S. Army, and in my 7 years doing this job I can say with confidence the collapsible stock buffer tube on the m4 is the most common point of failure for rifles under serious use conditions. For this reason all of my ar's have a1/a2 stocks on them with the exception of one that I keep in "m4" configuration for training purposes.

Very nice setup. I too grew up on the A2 platform, and I love the look and feel of the clamshell handguards.

I humped with an A2 for years and it never broke my heart. I see the stuff all the cool kids are rocking now and have to wonder, will a Ferrari tote groceries any better than my old Chevy? Keep up the good work Brother and Charlie Mike.

Yap I too love the solid stocks and 20inch barrel ! I was trained on the A2 and carried it while in the Marines in and out of combat.

The lessons that we learn our written on the tombstones of others. Wow that's so true. Thanks

One of the best AR discussions I've ever heard. Thanks man! Just subbed!

I completely agree with your logic on ARs. I have plans to build/buy an AR of a very similar configuration. My furniture selection may differ though. A couple friends and I are now talking about how we can make it out to train with you guys.

Ran two classes with my 20" A2 just like that one but with irons. Man was i impressed. After those two classes i regret selling that rifle. Shot like a dream.

First 4 years in the Navy I got an M16 A3. Carried it every day. I love the 20" barrel for almost everything. Yeah, sure it's long for indoor work, but honestly not as bad as it's made out to be. I won't go any shorter than 16" in 5.56. The 20" barrel is what most of the 5.56 rounds were designed around anyway. Great video.

I built my current one on a Bushmaster lower. Used an early Colt non assist A1 upper mated to a medium contour Ballistic Advantage mid length 16" barrel with a Yankee Hill flip up front sight. Have an Ace buttstock and a Magpul hg. Got a Trijicon forward mount reflex sight that cowitnesses. Nickel Boron BCG to ease cleaning. Will be replacing the too light pull weight modular trigger with a Foxtrot Mike two stage match set up. Got a Wilderness sling on it. Very accurate and reliable rifle.

I agree with your comment regarding the use of a simple (A2) hand guard, especially when you really only need a white light as an extra accessory.

I have an A2 my dad bought in 1970, the gun I learned to shoot on. Still running great.two other Colts with Aimpoints a light and bipod mount! They get the job done..

Great advice. I'm just getting started with slowly buying components to put my first AR together and it can definitely get a little overwhelming with the vast amount of options there are. Many lowers are sold out all over the internet so I've been a little hesitant to pick up something from one of the lesser-known manufacturers but I think I'll just grab a $100 forged lower, a DD or Bravo upper and then grab the nicest barrel I can afford. It's probably gonna take me 2-3 months to get the high quality parts but I know it will be worth it.

Got my first ar in 1992, 20" Colt h-bar. Has always ran great.

Hey Reid I'm from Maine and have been following you ever since your first history lesson video from Yeagers youtube and instantly knew I wanted to train under your guidance and mindset. Just wanted to let ya know that when I save up some money as get the gear I need, I will be down to start off with Pistolcraft and work my way through the courses. I'm happy your doing your own thing now and the property looks gorgeous from what I've seen. Good luck man, and can't wait to come to the Ridge. I really appreciate all you do and have already chosen you a long time ago to teach my girlfriend and myself how to defend ourselves. Thanks a bunch.

I like the philosophy behind that rifle. Spartan, functional, deadly, cost-effective.

Agree with your logic on everything except the rails. I never understood the hype with different rails until I got the CMMG Mutant with the keymod rail and realized how light and ergonomic it was.

great video, I just bought my first ar-15,I was wondering what a really need, good info

I've been looking into a very similar setup . Thank you so much for sharing !

Love your comments. My rifle is a basic Colt carbine and am seriously considering an 18” BCM upper! Havent had any issues after a lot of rounds with what Ive got but do love the BCM stuff.

I re-watch this video from time-to-time. I recall that in the early-mid 90's we were just fine with the A2--and I'm still just fine with a 20" barrel. There were still a lot of A1s in inventory (with A2 furniture) and the weight difference was noticeable! There was also something cool about using a rifle that was probably in service when my dad was still in the Marines (our rifles were ancient). If anything, this video has inspired me to build an A4-style rifle. Thanks!

Once again great video and sweet looking set up, please do a video on your Springfield Armory M1A Socom 16.

Great minds think alike! Right now I am in the process of doing a similar build, I like BCM and I like the twenty inch barrel and fixed stock. I am going with a palmetto state armory lower because they are mil spec and are inexpensive.

Best instructor out there hands down. Keep it up Reid!

Your positive affect is pretty contagious.

i like it, i run a similar setup 16"dissipator (midlength gas) and magpul fixed carbine stock, iron sights and saving up for an aimpoint pro. i do have a midwest ind quad rail on there as well

Everything you said makes total sense . It's got me re thinking about how I should build my next rifle

i'm with you on a solid stock. back in 83 i was in basic training, charlie company 2/3. i was knocking down the 400m m60 targets, with my m16a1, the day of night fire at fort dix. not bragging. just hopping to find those i was in training with back in the day. well i'm bragging a little bit, because that whole day, not once did a m60 400m target fall that i didn't shoot at. i was tripping over the time of travel, till it made it's target and fell.

Thank you Mr. Reid Henrichs , I liked your advice on keeping the bare minimum , I just got the S&W MP-15 to protect me and my family .. Nice Video Sir. Thanks again

excellent video sir you are a wealth of info, i acquired my first ar's after watching your videos, thanks for the great info regarding the ar platform!!!

I've got a 20" A2 AR rifle. It is a Bushmaster XM15. I did change out the stock for a skeleton and I changed the handguard out for a magpul. I bought it post ban circa 2004 so It did not come with the bayonet lug on the gas block and it is not threaded for a flash hider. I have a bolt on muzzle break. Its a good overall rifle. The factory 10rnd magazine was junk. You could not load more then 8rnds in it or a Failure to feed was a garantee. I was able to sometime in 2005 get a 20rnd for it and of course now I have standard capacity magazines. Anyway great video.

Love my 20" - terminal stopper- yep.

I have t-rex arms, so I use A1 length and I find that even it is really a little too long. I put up with it for the reasons stated here. It's a simpler, sturdier system. Fewer things to go wrong. Also, the rifle length gas system combined with the A1 stock makes for a rifle that has zero recoil and, again as mentioned, it lasts longer. You can just tell when shooting the carbines that they are battering themselves a little. When you shoot one with rifle length gas, you can tell that it's operating the way it was intended and originally designed.

Nice. I like the a2 stocks also. My old school colt has the cleaning kit compartment which I just I love for just in casies.

I always knew you knew your stuff and now I know you're a genius. :-) My AR is 20 inch, a2 buttstock, knights armament flash hider that takes ALL the climb out of it. Standard handguards. Std GI trigger....for now. Same sling as yours. Basic, reliable and accurate as I'll ever be. I run hand loads 100% and never had a bobble.

I've always liked the 20 inch barrels on an AR. My next build will have that. I am slowly coming to the same conclusion on a solid butt stock. For any situation I will encounter, realistically, a solid one does everything I need, plus it's much easier to utilize the mortar method that you mentioned. I am glad the trend is coming full circle to not having a bunch of crap on your rifle that you don't need. Reliability is the key. Having exactly the tools that I need with extreme reliability is my objective. Thanks for the video.

It's amazing how well old school stuff still works.

Awesome. I have the BCM 20" as well. RGUNs lower with A2. I switched because I'm 6'5". To often my support hand wants to forward of the gas block on karbine length handguards.

I like the simplicity. I totally agree. I have an Mforgery that I run with old school handguards. I don't see the point of buying a new rifle so that I can have a free-float rail on a new tacticool rifle. A lot of people say that it will affect accuracy---which I think is true to a certain extent, but MOA of a torso, not so much. Further, I have a sling and a light, just like your setup. I wish a had an A2 buttstock, but I don't feel like replacing that unless I break it at some point. The point is, is get out there and train and shoot on a regular basis. I try to get out as often as possible. I go through a lot of rounds every year.

Solid stocks are also a plus in Antigun states like NJ.

I like it. It's stupid simple! Looking forward to do a class with you guys soon!

Thanks Reid for the video. I love how you mentioned that if you take your life seriously, you should have some sort of back-up aiming hardware which I totally agree with. There is a new guy out there who has made some videos- I think he is former army and he is saying back-up sights are completely unnecessary if you have a good optic. I directly challenged him saying that back-up sights offer no detriment in their installation on the rifle and to not have them is foolish.

Probably the best teacher out there; definitely the best approach and attitude...those lucky enough to train under Reid are very very fortunate to not have their passion distracted or diminished by a bunch of ego centered insults and false machismo...Reid is straight up just about all of you actually learning, improving, surviving to be the next generation of free Americans.

Slick, simple, and lower cost. With some added benefits. Well done.

love it.. basic functional, no fluff.. great advice on the rifle/mid length gas system, before I bought mine I test drove a few high quality AR's (spikes, DD, BCM) all ran great but the jump with the carbine was very noticeable, when you change from one to the other to the other in quick secession.

Regarding rifle vs. carbine. I was in the military. They demonstrated to us the difference in power between carbine length (16” barrel) and rifle length (20” barrel) on a 2 gallon jug at 300 yards. The former made a small hole in the jug and the water slowly seeped out. The latter blew the jug completely up. In addition, we trained clearing buildings with 20” rifles, with no problems what so ever cutting corners. Basically, the reason for choosing a 16” carbine is if you already carry a lot of weight and do not have a direct combat role. For example, a radio operator with a heavy radio on his back. I would always prefer the 20” to the 16” AR.

Good stuff Reid. Wish you were in the Northwest (Seattle area). I’d be taking your AR 15 class.

Big fan of the 20" and the A2 stock too...as a compromise to the benefit of the A2's cheek-weld, I've opted for the B5 on all my carbines.

Thanks for another straight down the pipe video, very helpful!

I agree with most of whats said in Reid's videos. The free float hand guard/rail is better option imo. Only idea where we differ. I really like the videos! Keep up the great work! Cav, Hooah! Scouts Out! 2-13 Cav "Dark Riders"

Thanks brother I'm storing all the information so I can have a good home defense rifle on hand. I use a g26 and a stream light pro tac2 now, I'd like to have a nice ar with light and a pressure switch for my thumb. Thanks again man!

Thanks Reid for the vid. The great thing 'bout the AR is that the shooter can set it up for the job at hand. Plinkers, CQB, long range, hunters, all benefit from its versatility. Thanks again.

I bought that light mount for the streamlight and it's great, thems good folks at IWC

Props to Reid!My build is literally the same rifle with an A4acog instead of the m68 like yours.-A2 stock, -a2 hand guard, and flat top.I call that setup the m16a3 clone. (Not to spark debate, that's just my terminology)That rifle of yours is a real beauty!!! i remember putting my buddies to shame on the range with their tacticool rifles when I had just open sites. Shooting a dinner plate steel about 400 meters away almost every shot.I also have the KAC marine flip sites, love that site. I'm glad I got the same set up as you, great vid!

Very very good video Reid. I appreciate you not telling people they need to spend 1,500 to get a good weapon that will do the job. Your honesty and humblest is what makes me keep watching your videos. I hope to make it to Valor Ridge one day.

Excellent video Reid. All I rock is an optic and backups, I know lights are ideal but for home defense I like my pistol just easier to maneuver. Plus I hate when my rifle is nose heavy even by a few more ounces.

Great video Sir! I like your practical approach!

I dont post much but you helped me a lot. Greased my bcg and 5w30 on everything but the bore. I have magpul handguards love the slimmer one. After seeing the in range tv wwsd series i think the a1 stock will go on my fixed handle carbine with a1 sights of course..

Great video. Very straight forward. Thanks for sharing.

love it Reid. I opted for a 16 for various reasons but someday I want to do an m16 forgery lol. I love the fact that you used a 440 dollar upper. people think you have to spend 1000 bucks on an upper for it to be of good quality but that's just crap. if you stick with the standard handguard and front sight post you can get the same quality without the cost. my PSA premium m4gery was like 750 bucks and it has an fn barrel and all milspec parts. I even was able to throw a magpul handguard and stock in there. yea its not tacticool but I'm glad someone with your experience is vouching for the high quality no frills ARs. looking forward to taking one of your classes someday but I gotta gain some more experience first.

We have extremely similar setups. I don't have an optic on mine, running a Windham build, just irons with some fluorescent paint and some extended/ambi knobs. I always wondered why 20 inch ARs aren't more popular, Marines use them for a very good reason, 5.56 needs the longer barrel. Plus, if you put a bayonet on it it's pretty much a short spear, which my old Kung Fu sifu used to call a "medieval weapon of mass destruction", and you can beat the shit out of someone with a solid buttstock in a tight space.

Great video Reid! It would be great if you could please do a video on doing CQB with a rifle length barrel.

thanks Mr Reid simple and right to the point great video

As a Vietnam veteran I love your set up and the 20 inch barrel . I just run the iron sights no problem.

my go to rifle is a basic A2 20", no changes necessary. I did recently build a 14.5 with an Aimpoint PRO, and BCM KMR rail, but that is my fun gun, my HD rifle is still an A2.

nice to see a fellow A2 stock proponent out there

I run a very similar setup, A1 stock, Aimpoint PRO, A2 handguards and light mount, 18" bbl , arms 41b folding front sight and USGI sling

Preach it Reid! I shoot a BCM 20in with Aimpoint H1, rear buis, weaponlight, Magpul foregrip, Vickers sling, and $23 Magpul handguards. Works great. Less money spent on gun = more money spent on ammo and training.

As a old school jarhead myself, I have been preaching simplicity to the masses for years. I used the M16A2 and it worked well. The flat top with pic rails gives us a way to mount a optic easily and that improves your hit probability. You only need a white light in most applications, the need for 40 inches of rail space makes no sense. I like the 20 inch barrel fir the same reason as you but I purchased a 16 inch disapator upper with a mid length gas system. I have the same sight radius without the length. I also have a fixed A1 buttstock. Semper Fi.

Thanks and Blessings Reid!!!

Just want to say that I like to see videos like this. No BS, just the facts, and perfect for the beginner. I am not a beginner, but I see a lot of total crap being peddled to the new guy, and am tired of having to counteract that. Good on you Mr. Henrichs.

I can’t wait to save up enough to go train with Reid!

Reid, I've been following for a long time and the knowledge and philosophy is awesome!!!! Do you ever run a 20" upper on a carbine lower with a collapsing stock? I've been running one (of course nowhere near the round count you run) for a few years and wondering you thoughts and views on that type of setup. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

simple and effective. Thanks for sharing

That's interesting! I'm running a 20" AR with standard F marked front sight & A2 handguards. LoL. DSC upper on an Anderson lower. I went with a fixed Daniels Defense type rear sight in conjunction with my dot sight. I opted for a true co-witness instead of 1/3. I have an adjustable/collapsible stock. But I'm looking to change it over to the Magpul MOE Fixed Carbine Stock.

best video I've seen regarding setup of an ar15. nice!

I might have to get one now. Great video, great logic thanks for sharing

Was very help. First AR that I bought and have os the only one I got. It's an 80s Colt A2 carry handle and everything lol. Been trying to figure out if i should get a flat top upper and throw it on there

I can see keeping things simple and reliable for self defense. For me though, a big part of the ar15 platform is how much customization there is. And honestly it's mostly just for weekend plinking. It was a lot of fun modifying my rifle too.

You can also drill into the plastic hand guard and add a piece of rail to it.

Great video ! Thanks for sharing.

I like it. Not much that could go wrong with his rifle. Simple. Keep it high quality and simple.

that is quite a bit of knowledge you dropped. Thank you.

I like full length rifles too. They shoot so nice. I am a thin woman & a full length rifle does get a little heavy so I built a carbine with a 16" pencil barrel, the Vltor A5 buffer system and a mid-length gas system. That keeps it light & closer to the original design. It has the proper dwell time, uses a rifle spring, and has a 5oz buffer.. I think we have kind of pushed it a bit to far with the "standard carbine" we got them reasonably reliable but the shorter gas systems & shorter buffer systems make them run rougher, hotter & dirtier. I built my carbine to be kind of right in between a full rifle & the "standard" carbine with a short buffer tube & carbine gas system. Mine is only 1 inch longer overall & shoots much better than a standard, off the shelf carbine. I can't say it feels as good as a full length rifle but it's real close. I really like that Vltor A5 buffer system. I urge anyone building a carbine to check it out. That longer buffer system using a rifle spring really gets rid of the issues many carbines have.

Mine is similar, Magpul Fixed Carbine stock, 16' with Mid-length gas system, Troy fixed battle sight, white light and a plain sling. No optics. I believe in the KISS principle and this system works for me