like, u are sacrificing all of the terminal ballistics of a rifle with a rifle cartridge and even a 16” barrel
if u want ultra cool compactness why wouldnt u just get a glock and put an arm brace and foregrip on it and make it be 22” long
when you need your rifle to double as a flamethrower and deafen everyone around you, i guess. personally, i think SBR ARs are much better looking and the ease of maneuverability is a nice perk, but the boomstick element is a real drawback
Pretty sure the point is to look like a HARD DICK BIG DADDY OPER8R from one's favorite shitty airport novel or television show. Bonus points for putting a muzzle break on an 8" AR!! A great way to justify dumping money into tactical cosplay gear!! You'll need it to keep from smelling burnt OPER8R beard all day at the range!!
But : gonna give a hard disagree on your point about ballistics on 16-inchers, tho. There's a reason 16" ARs are prerty much the default now, which is that it's quite a nice balance point in a number of regards : ergonomics, manuverability, weight, and getting the most out of the 5.56 round.
If you need to reliably hit something 800 yards away on the first shot with the full force of the round, you probably just need to not be using a 5.56 gun. 16" is referred to as Carbine Length, and it performs very well in that regard.