AR Sponsor
Posted: 9/7/2007 10:34:39 AM EDT
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Ok, I have been noticing over the course of years that everyone wants their rifle to weigh nothing, well I can understand that, but it is not going to happen anytime soon. On the topic of weight I keep reading the same old statements by people complaining that the rifle they carry weighs nearly ten pounds. Geez am I just some old relic that can remember having to carry a weapon far heavier? I still do it, although I do have a model 760 that weighs 9.0lbs, and it is actually pretty light, my other rifles weigh around 14lbs.(non 5.56mm calibers) What do you think? is your rifle too heavy at ten pounds? IMHO it is not the weight, but the balance of it, and the way it gets carried. |
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Lighter rifles handle better. When you are talking about a light caliber like the 5.56 NATO you really don't NEED the weight to diminish the recoil. For close range CQB rifles, light is good. For medium range battle rifles that you are going to carry over hill and dale, lighter is better. For Long Range Precision rifles, a little weight is a good thing. For Benchrest rifles.......well it really dosent matter unless your doctor has a weight limit on what you can carry from the trunk to the shooting line. I have a 20" HBAR and a 20" Gov. The Government is a much better "feeling" rifle. |
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I think the issue is, the AR wasn't designed to weigh 10+ pounds. Especially the carbine. A carbine should not be a 10lb monstrosity with every thingamajig known to man clamped down on rails. The original AR had a pencil barrel and *gasp* no feedramps, ACOGS, rails, or lasers, and folks still qualified expert with it at 500 yds. It was also deadly. I think the further you stray from the original design, the heavier it gets, and the less some folks really like it. |
| I too think weight is relevant to the type of weapon. My rifle probably weighs close to 10lbs, I dont know but that including the flashlight and optics so I can see the need in as light a weight a rifle as you can get as I feel thatt those additions are important. I aint gonna bitch about carrying a 15lbs riffle but if you can get me a lighter one then I would be happy, know what I mean? I carried around an M240 long enough to know the value in maneuverability and endurance a lighter weapon has to offer. |
We were also using leaded fuel, airlines still fed you peanuts and planes were ridiculously slow. A laser was something we saw at the movies and optics were something you wear on your eyes not on your weapon. Technology and progress isn't something I scolf at and just refer to the "original design". If we were still doing that we'd all drive around in Model T's and living in caves. That said, I personally feel that the best setup with the current state of technology is a mid length light weight carbine with a FF rail system. For nothing else some FF rail with panels weights LESS than the ole HG assembly. A BUIS also happens to weight much less than the carry handle setup and adding a small optic isn't much more than the carry handle setup. A KAC or something similar along with an Irondot in a Larue mount still weights less than the typical carry handle. I am one of those guilty of tacking everything onto my carbine and having a monstrosity that feels like my Para FAL. That said, if some common sense were applied one can create a rifle with all of the best technology and advances we have today in a reasnoably light package. Of course for ultimate KISS i still prefer my retro A1 carbine replica, now that baby is LIGHT. |
+1 Are you complaining about weight during firing/handling or just weight to carry around all day? |
I'm not really complaining about the weight at all, but I do not think that the AR carries as well as a more balanced weapon. During firing it is a non issue, just when I carry it, which is why I am going with a lighter profile barrel on my next build. 
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16inch GP Rifle Rifle with optic, grip-pod, magazine, surefire: 10.25lbs Rifle with optic, grip-pod, magazine, surefire, suppressor: 11.5 lbs Rifle completely stripped down (minus optic, can, light, with just iron sights): 7.96lbs Overall Length: 33inches Overal Length with suppressor: 37.5inches I guess it depends on how I want to roll... |
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