re: Official AR-15 thread

quote:

---

The issue is, the only complete upper assembly that PSA currently has in this length is about $150 more than the 16" kit I posted above

---

quote:

---

Are shorter barrels typically more expensive? Or could it be more expensive due to the labor required for pinning the flash hider?

---

The difference in cost is more to do with barrel materials and manufacturing processes. The higher cost one is cold hammer forged and chrome lined as opposed to the lower cost one which is button rifled with a melonite finish. Melonite finish is cheaper than chrome lining, but some argue that it's superior. For what it's worth, the U.S. uses button rifled barrels with chrome lining, and the Swiss use cold hammer forged barrels with a type of melonite finish on their issued rifles. For your purpose, you will not notice any real difference between the two, so don't let it affect your decision too much.