Carbines for New Shooters

Most new ITTS students start by taking a handgun class. Eventually, many of them decide to purchase their own handgun, beginning the “Which one should I get?” process. If they ask for our recommendation, we typically suggest a Glock 19 for several reasons—ease of use, low maintenance, and reliability. You can take a G19 out of the box, buy a holster and a few magazines, and be ready for almost every handgun class ITTS offers. Most students eventually add a weapon-mounted light and possibly a red dot sight, but these personalizations mainly involve gear selection. The light attaches to the front of the frame, and the dot goes on the back of the slide. There’s minimal “fitting” required.

On the other hand, finding a ready-to-go, “out of the box” carbine setup is challenging, especially in California. We usually recommend an AR (Armalite Rifle) platform because, like the Glock, it has a vast ecosystem of parts and accessories. However, carbines often require more customizations due to their size and multiple contact points with the body—both hands, shoulder, cheek, and a sling. These elements make customization essential for optimizing fit and comfort.

Since both people and carbines come in various shapes and sizes, setting up your carbine can be challenging without some insight and testing. That’s a huge part of what the ITTS Carbine 1 class is about: testing your setup while learning the fundamentals. There isn’t a “turn-key” option for carbines, so most students start with their best guess (or knowledge from YouTube University) of what might work, and that’s OK. You’ll likely want to adjust your setup after taking the class or even during it! Here’s a recommended baseline carbine setup that will work well for class and can be customized to suit your preferences.

Recommended Carbine Setup

1. Rifle Specs:
   • Standard mil-spec lower receiver
   • 16” barrel chambered in 5.56mm
   • M-Lok handguard
   • Monolithic Picatinny rail
   • Mid-length direct impingement gas system
2. Optic:
   • Simple red dot sight
   • Optional magnifier with quick-release mount
3. Sling:
   • 2-point adjustable sling
   • Quick Disconnect (QD) attachments
4. Weapon Light:
   • Dual-fuel capable
   • 1000+ lumens
   • Tail cap switch
   • Optional pressure pad
5. California Compliance (at the time of writing):
   • “Featureless” configuration
   • Simple fin grip or Juggernaut Tactical featureless grip
   • Ambidextrous 90-degree safety (ambidextrous safety is ideal)
   • Fixed/pinned stock
   • Compensator/brake muzzle device

Between my personal experience with different setups and observations with new students, this configuration minimizes friction in the learning process. Learning to manipulate and operate your carbine safely and effectively is much easier when your gear isn’t working against you. These specs and features keep the process as straightforward as possible. Let’s explore these choices further.

Breakdown of Recommended Components

Lower Receiver:
The lower receiver is the “firearm” foundation—it houses the trigger, safety, magazine, and buffer tube (which becomes the stock). Its standardized design allows easy customization of parts like the trigger and safety selector. Over the years, some manufacturers have added unique tweaks to set their lowers apart, though many are purely aesthetic. A standard “mil-spec” lower from a reputable manufacturer is perfectly adequate and supports easy technical assistance if needed.

Barrel:
The barrel is crucial for a carbine. While there are numerous options in terms of profiles, lengths, twist rates, and materials, new shooters should focus on two key factors: chambering and length. A 5.56 chamber allows using both 5.56 and .223 cartridges, the most common ammunition for AR-15 platforms. We recommend a 16-inch barrel, as it allows for a removable muzzle device and meets the ATF’s legal requirement for avoiding “short-barreled rifle” classification.

Handguard:
The handguard surrounds the barrel and provides a grip without affecting barrel direction. This is also where accessories like weapon lights and grips can be attached. M-Lok is the most modern mounting system, standard on most new rifles.

Monolithic Picatinny Rail:
A monolithic Picatinny rail provides a continuous rail running along the upper receiver and handguard. This allows for easier accessory mounting, especially for backup sights and light switches. Avoid rifles with gaps in the rail if possible.

Gas System:
Most AR platform rifles use a direct impingement (DI) gas system, where gas from a fired round cycles the bolt. Some rifles use a gas piston system, which runs cleaner but includes additional parts and is typically more expensive. The DI system is standard and has interchangeable parts, so if you have an issue, you could swap parts with someone in class to continue training.

Optic:
For accuracy, you need to see precisely where your rifle is pointed. A simple red dot optic is versatile and easy to use, especially for beginners. Red dots eliminate concerns about eye relief, parallax, eye box, or reticle options, and some have long-lasting batteries. While magnification is nice, it’s not essential for training; most basic carbine exercises are within 50 yards, where magnification can be a hindrance. A flip-up or flip-to-side magnifier on a quick-release mount adds versatility without extra weight when not needed.

Sling:
A two-point adjustable sling with quick-disconnect (QD) mounts offers excellent retention and flexibility over single-point slings. I recommend attaching the sling to the outside back of the stock and the inside rear of the handguard for most right-handed shooters.

Weapon Light:
While it’s feasible to use a handheld light with a handgun, a rifle requires a mounted light. Modern rifle lights, such as those from Streamlight, provide ample output and include convenient pressure pads. Placement is key; for right-handed shooters, the upper left front of the handguard is a good starting point.

IMPORTANT: California Compliance

If you’re a California resident, your carbine must comply with the Assault Weapons Ban. If your carbine wasn’t previously registered, you have two options: featureless or mag-lock build. We strongly recommend the featureless configuration, as it doesn’t alter the rifle’s operation, just the grip. A mag-lock system complicates operation and can create issues in malfunctions and magazine changes.

Final Thoughts for New Shooters

Starting with a basic AR platform rifle in the configuration outlined above gives new shooters a solid foundation. These specifications are designed to minimize friction in learning carbine handling, allowing students to focus on essential skills rather than struggling with equipment. Over time, as you become more comfortable, you’ll likely identify areas for customization, but this setup is suitable for most training environments.

If you’re new to carbines, this may seem like a lot to take in—and it is! But remember, starting with something simple and reliable gives you the best foundation. You can always adjust and tweak your setup as you gain experience. The important part is just to get started.

— Alex DelVecchio, ITTS RSO

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are those of the author and do not constitute a formal endorsement by ITTS, Inc. of any products, services, or organizations mentioned. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research before making any decisions.