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Posted: 12/30/2007 5:20:00 PM EDT
[#1]
I think it could be lighter if you had a $200 tax stamp on it.
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Posted: 12/30/2007 5:58:35 PM EDT
[#2]
You can try, but you won't be able to get it below 5 lbs. My lightest is right at 5 lbs. 14 oz. with an empty mag. With the pinned mod its right at 16 inches. The barrel itself is about 12.5, so the moderator doesn't add much more than what a 14.5 with vortex would be. Good luck.
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Posted: 12/30/2007 6:09:37 PM EDT
[#3]
Start with a Bushy carbon rifle and take a dremel to it, Im sure you could get it below 5 lbs.
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Posted: 12/30/2007 7:28:29 PM EDT
[#4]
A few hints:
You DID state "lightest possible"! Aluminum bolt carrier Aluminum gas block Barrel turned to .550 (Randall @ ar15barrels offered this dia.) Shorten barrel to 14.5" and fixed Phantom (lighter than Vortex) Carbon fiber upper & lower receiver Pre M-4 Colt collapsing stock with lightweight buffer Drill through the centerline on the takedown and pivot pins Drill through the right side center of the safety Use a JP Enterprises lightweight hammer Drill a hole in the middle of the serrated part of the bolt lock Plastic trigger guard Doctor red dot sight There are a few other modifications but they are a little harder to describe. This will get you to darn near FOUR POUNDS PursuitSS |
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Posted: 12/30/2007 7:38:02 PM EDT
[#5]
A Cav arms complete lower will save you roughly a pound over a conventional lower with a CAR stock.
Slick sided upper with no FA. The LaRue Irondot combines an optic and BUIS, yet only weighs a couple of ounces. |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 7:07:04 AM EDT
[#6]
Na, no tax stamp for me on this, just a very light truck gun. the 'stamped' guns stay in the safe....... Happy |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 7:21:53 AM EDT
[#7]
Non heat shield handguards
skeletonized bolt carrier like from Young Mfg standard weight carbine buffer non forward assist upper....perhaps a flat top & run one of those mini Aimpoint or Docter red dot scopes, shaved gas block without front sight, no bayonet lug maybe a 11.5" lightweight barrel with a swiss cheesed 5.5" FS A retro Nodak slabside lower will shave a bit of weight |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 7:24:13 AM EDT
[#8]
Wow PursuitSS, sounds like you have done that before.....Very good points! |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 7:33:54 AM EDT
[#9]
Here's one I put together a while ago. Wish I still had it.
 Bushmaster CF upper Cav Arms lower 16" light weight barrel shaved gas block DPMS CF FF tube I never got it on a scale, but I'd bet it was real close to 5lbs. A JP Low Mass carrier would take off a good bit of weight too. |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 7:45:07 AM EDT
[#10]
The car on the bottom comes in at 6 lbs even. If you got rid of the rear sight and went to an aluminum gas block with a fastfire or doctor sight you would be getting down there in weight.
Standard Bushmaster pencil barrel and rest is standard stuff. 
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Posted: 12/31/2007 7:52:57 AM EDT
[#11]
+1 for the cav arms lower w/ integral stock.
One of these with a pencil weight barrel and you'll be well under 6 pounds. - AG |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 9:19:04 AM EDT
[#12]
This KISS carbine weighs in at 6lb 1oz with an empty 20 round mag inserted. It would be a few ounces lighter with a standard GI flash hider install in place of the BM slipover.
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Posted: 12/31/2007 10:29:23 AM EDT
[#13]
My lightweight comes out to 6 lbs 5 oz, probably due to the aluminum stock, 14" barrel (a little over 3" under the mod) and heavy BCG. Having said that, it's the best handling one I have, and my favorite. I've got a form 1 in now, so we'll see what happens.
 
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Posted: 12/31/2007 10:41:18 AM EDT
[#14]
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Posted: 12/31/2007 11:45:51 AM EDT
[#15]
Friendly competition between myself and a friend as to how light an AR-15 was possible. It has got to the point of being ridiculous when you are looking to shave another 1/2 oz. One of the items he did was turn down the diameter of a standard A1 birdcage flash suppressor. He even milled away part of the Colt buttstock (the plastic part). PursuitSS |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 11:49:13 AM EDT
[#16]
Needs pickshures.
 ~Augee |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 1:48:09 PM EDT
[#17]
I'll see if I can take a few pictures in the next day or so. One thing I'd do differently is now I'd go with the JP Enterprises JPBC-3 Stainless Low Mass Carrier. I purchased one for a new build, it's not as light as aluminum, BUT, it will take a hell of a lot more abuse. The aluminum carriers tend to go to crap after around 1000 rounds.  PursuitSS |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 3:20:04 PM EDT
[#18]
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Posted: 12/31/2007 3:50:38 PM EDT
[#19]
cmmg 14.5 lightweight barrel
vortex carbon fiber ff tube/ AL barrel nut cut down fsb car stock reg lower/BCG mini RD I don't know what it weighs but its not much over 5 lbs |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 4:02:56 PM EDT
[#20]
Amazing! I was thinking after you find the sweet spot for you sights on the flattop, you could remove all the other mount slots? cut down the gas block to nothing.... |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 4:49:54 PM EDT
[#21]
WARNING !!!!!!!!! Once you start down this path it is a disease that can't be cured! PursuitSS talking to himself........."I know I can get another oz. off,........ I know I can.......I know 3.5 lbs is reachable............I know it is." PursuitSS |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 5:04:35 PM EDT
[#22]
So your crack pipe is actually a drill and a file then... Ive been looking at my a2 upper here and thinking where can I drill without loosing strength, im thinking of swiss cheese'ing the deflector and door. |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 5:34:30 PM EDT
[#23]
I wouldn't work on the door, either leave it alone or remove it. For an upper receiver look at the Rock River Arms 9mm flattop. You will have to mill the area for a gas tube, clearance for the bolt carrier key, and the bolt cam pin but it will be a heck of a lot lighter than a forward assist receiver with the brass deflector.
Actually in most cases it's been a Bridgeport Mill or in some cases a Dremel Tool. On "Project Lightweight 2" I'm excluding the carbon fiber upper and lower receivers and aluminum bolt carriers. I want a AR-15 that you wouldn't be afraid to take into an IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life & Health) situation. That means A LOT of time on the mill, My goal on this project is sub-5 lbs. If I can bust the 5 lb. barrier without resorting to items I consider borderline on reliability I'll be happy. Barrel turned to .550 (Randall @ ar15barrels offered this dia.)  Aluminum gas block Shorten barrel to 14.5" and fixed Phantom (lighter than Vortex) Upper & lower receiver milled on the outside to thin them (Think FN-FAL Type II) NO HOLES Pre M-4 Colt collapsing stock with lightweight buffer Drill through the centerline on the takedown and pivot pins Drill through the right side center of the safety Use a JP Enterprises lightweight hammer JP Enterprises Stainless Lightweight bolt carrier Drill a hole in the middle of the serrated part of the bolt lock Epoxy on the pistol grip (eliminates the weight of the screw) (AGAIN, after a point it becomes crazy) Plastic trigger guard Doctor red dot sight I may have to go the SBR route to get below 5 lbs. but that is the goal. PursuitSS |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 6:40:05 PM EDT
[#24]
I'd start with a Nodak Spud slabside lower and Les Baer flat top, no forward assist upper and Ace ultralight stock.
ETA- If you're going with iron sights an early m-16 A-1 upper with the carry handle cut off would be a good start. |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 6:54:46 PM EDT
[#25]
The only problem with the Les Baer flattop is that it still has the brass deflector.  Take a Rock River Arms 9mm flattop upper, do the necessary machining to convert it to 5.56, install a standard dust cover assembly and you're good to go!  PursuitSS |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 7:12:36 PM EDT
[#26]
How about porting the barrel? maybe 10 holes down the top? |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 8:52:50 PM EDT
[#27]
I had to weigh my 653 repo after reading this. As you can see below my LW is 6.01 pounds.
  It's not totally accurate but it's legal and it's my KISS rifle. I don't know where I'd start to get it below a 5 pounds but you guy's might have figured out what my newest build is going to be! My wife loves it when I get these ideas in my head. Have a good one. |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 10:27:19 PM EDT
[#28]
 just under 6lb |
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Posted: 12/31/2007 10:49:06 PM EDT
[#29]
I have built a sub 5lb rifle before, actually wanna do another. right now, one of my lighter weight rifles is a Cav MKII receiver with a A1 upper and a 20" LW (old colt SP1 barrel if I remember correct). it comes in at 5 lbs 12 oz and it is a 20" rifle!!!!
my next carbine light weight I will use a Cav MKII receiver. either a Colt or bushmaster superlight barrel with the .625 gasblock diameter. JT makes a 4 rail clamp on aluminum gasblock that I lighten up on the mini mill, dont need all those rails for this build. gotta decide on a free float tube or rail system that is light/durable.....maybe a Carbon fiber FF tube or I know the predator P4SX rail system is pretty light. Top it off with a OKO red Dot. this should get me under the 5 lb mark |
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Posted: 1/1/2008 5:30:34 AM EDT
[#30]
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Posted: 1/1/2008 5:37:46 AM EDT
[#31]
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Posted: 1/1/2008 6:07:46 AM EDT
[#32]
8 lbs, 4 oz...fully-loaded. For me..that's light.  This was too light, and I rarely shot it (I parted it out, and the receiver sits in the corner, collecting dust) |
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Posted: 1/2/2008 4:57:31 PM EDT
[#33]
i think a kiss rifle with carbon fiber upper and lower and a pencil barrell would be pretty light too. Perhaps 5lbs is a good target weight for a kiss rifle. time to get out the scale.....and weight the individual parts!
Sean Happy_gopher |
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Posted: 1/2/2008 5:35:38 PM EDT
[#34]
Simple Ultralight
Vltor MUR-1S (or Les Baer flat-top) YHM Lightweight NM carrier HiperForm ultra light carbine handguard CMMG ultralight 14.5 with phantom (For a bit more money, you can get a Lija in the same profile from a good smith) PRI front sight KAC 300m rear Fiberlight CAR stock with SP-1 buffer and spring Standard lower, bolt, LPK 4.68 pounds -=getting insane=- Using a CAV lower will get you down around - 3.9 Carbon Fiber upper with an aluminum buffer+over power spring + CAV - 3.8 Stainless 14.5 barrel lathed down to .600 + above + ditch irons - 3.7 Getting under that starts taking serious work |
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Posted: 1/2/2008 5:46:59 PM EDT
[#35]
Cav Arms Lower
Les Baer Ultralight upper 16" Pencil bbl Carbon Fiber Free Float hardguard Cut down gas port / front sight It was light as a dream and shot great! BIGGER_HAMMER 
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Posted: 1/2/2008 5:56:10 PM EDT
[#36]
Hey, what about those barrels made from mostly carbon fiber? They are super thin stainless steel barrels with carbon fiber wrapped around them. I forgot who makes them and what they're called. Does ayone know?
ETA: home.alltel.net/mdegerness/prod01.htm |
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Posted: 1/2/2008 6:07:19 PM EDT
[#37]
ok ok, anything under 5lbs should be measure in oz's, not lbs! Sean |
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Posted: 1/2/2008 8:50:26 PM EDT
[#38]
You Sir are Crazy (in a good way) What does the Recoil of 5.56 feel like in a sub 5lb AR? I was going to add to this thread by saying, there is a AR pistol in the "pistol forum pictures", were they skelotonized the grip and lower reciever... but I don't want to bring that kind of insanity to this thread. |
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Posted: 1/2/2008 9:03:41 PM EDT
[#39]
Cav Arms MK II lower, C7A1 upper with 20" Govt profile cut back to 16.5". Standard rifle HG's. I need a scale, but it's light and really handy. Probably my favorite KISS rifle.
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Posted: 1/3/2008 4:19:27 AM EDT
[#40]
There was a thread on here about 3 years ago called "flyweight AR" and the guy used carbon fiber upper/lower, ultra lightweight turned down barrel, etc, etc. I think the final weight was just over 4 lbs.
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Posted: 2/1/2008 10:41:41 AM EDT
[#41]
archive.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=188972 |
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Posted: 2/1/2008 11:44:26 AM EDT
[#42]
Im shocked no one suggested the Ace Ultralite stock - looks BA in my opinion.
http://riflestocks.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=75_77&products_id=192 |
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Posted: 2/1/2008 7:23:18 PM EDT
[#43]
I would sure like them to be super thin stainless with carbon fiber wrapping, but the website claims they are practically normal lightweight stainless barrels underneath, and specifically states that would be safe to fire even without the carbon fiber wrapping. If weight is the goal, I would love to see a true super thin barrel with most of the strength from the carbon fiber. There may be too much liability risk for a company to actually offer this though. |
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Posted: 2/1/2008 7:48:09 PM EDT
[#44]
You could live without the front handguard. And use a lower with a skeletonized magwell.
Replace the stock with a lightweight foam pad just secured to the end of the buffer tube. Skeletonize the buffer tube, too. Lose the FSB and put on a lightweight gas block and use a very lightweight laser as your sighting device. I'll bet you could get near 4 pounds if you were creative. CJ |
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Posted: 2/3/2008 1:06:35 PM EDT
[#45]
are these ff tubes 1 piece(no seperate bbl nut)? are they strong enough to mount a small rail section for a light and a side swivel for a sling? |
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Posted: 2/3/2008 6:28:41 PM EDT
[#46]
http://www.impactguns.com/store/OLY-OA-98.html another option for a light lower
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Posted: 2/3/2008 7:39:50 PM EDT
[#47]
Yes, it's a one piece tube. I had to drill a small hole to access the set screw for the chopped gas block. I think it plenty strong enough to mount a light or sling to. |
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Posted: 2/3/2008 7:48:44 PM EDT
[#48]
1. That just LOOKS wrong. 2. It's made by Olympic Arms! (crap) PursuitSS |
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Posted: 2/3/2008 7:58:17 PM EDT
[#49]
lol i said option... didnt say good one but it does show where you could take some weight off. im not familar with the cav lowers i saw someone shortened on in their industry thread... could the butstock area be trimmed away to lighten it up? |
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Posted: 2/3/2008 8:40:32 PM EDT
[#50]
I saw a post where someone from Calvary Arms stated that you couldn't cut off the buttstock and thread the receiver ring for a standard collapsing stock. (That blew what I considered one of my better untried ideas) I don't think you could "hog out" enough material to make a significant weight difference. PursuitSS |
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