is there such thing as a lightweight bolt carrier?

JP Enterprises. Its aluminum.

The JP LW carrier is most likely the lowest weight carrier out there, but if you just want to back the weight off a little, you could always look into the Colt semi-circle carrier.

Don't you mean Smith Enterprises?  I've had 4 of the aluminum bolt carriers, and they were all marked with an "SE" inside an octagon.  I still have one left and if I can figure out where I put it I'll post a picture.

I sold a few to a guy on an entry team who was trying to get his M16 to cycle on some Hornady 40 gr. bullets or something like that.  He was playing with port sizes and recoil springs, and figured a low mass bolt carrier would do the trick.  I never heard from him about how his little experiment worked, so I guess it didn't. [:D]

I gave my last one to our pal Whit so he could try it with his subsonic rounds, but I guess he never used it and sent it back in the same pristene condition.  I've decided I'm going to keep this one, because every time the topic comes up I always get accused of making up a story.  Most people don't believe there's such a thing as an aluminum bolt carrier.  It's always nice to have one ready to drop in their hand.

No, he meant [b]JP[/b].  Smith may mfg them for JP - I'm not sure what the connection is, but my Brownells catalog lists the carrier as a[b]JP[/b] Enterprise unit.  Perhaps JP and Smith are connected?  Or Smith is subcontracted, or the older ones were Smith's, but whatever the case, it's JP Enterprises who sells them currently.

Now [b]that's[/b] interesting!  The units I was talking about were made decades ago by Smith Enterprises and are long since discontinued.  But a look through the Brownells catalog shows the new ones AK_Mike is talking about.  From the picture they look identical to my old SE aluminum bolt carriers, except for the fact that the SE units had forward assist notches on the side.  I had no idea anyone was making them again.

Pretty sure JP makes all their stuff in-house. There is no FA or DC provisions. The JP LMOS carrier is designed to be used in conjuction with other mods. It is pretty much a competition item.

This is off thread, but now I really want to know if there is any JP / SE connection...  Why would SE discontinue it?  Did JP buy the design?  Strange...

The two I've seen (used them for low recoiling loads like Simunition and Airmunition) were marked SE in their shield.

The lightweight JP carrier is strictly for competition use in tandem with JP's speed hammer and light springs in 20" barrel set up.  I've shot this JP set up and it is quick with no perceived forward movement due to carrier momentum. JP advises against running this set up in a duty/self defense weapon.

Sachse:

I also run a JP low mass carrier with a JARD trigger system set up to break at 16 oz. and a JP Bennie Cooley comp and adjustable gas tube.  NO (and I mean NO as in ZERO) recol.  Can lay double tap 1" hits at 25 yards with <.15 splits ALL DAY LONG.  DO NOT use for a self-defense gun, though.  

I also saw you are in TX.  If near Richardson, K2 Sports on Central Expressway keeps them in stock.  Here's their website:
[url]http://www.k2-sports.com/[/url]