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Posted: 3/16/2010 12:11:19 PM EDT
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I just ordered my first "pencil" barrel. I have a build that has been kind of a work in progress, trying to get it as light as I can. I used an upper/lower set from Bushmaster. I got the trigger kit from Bil Springfield, Ace Buffer tube, Magpul MOE grip, handguards and a CTR stock. It's pretty light at just over 7lbs with the optic, but I wanted to go lighter so I got the pencil barrel. It should be getting here at about the same time as my Osprey piston kit, so I'll install everything at once.
Is anyone else running a similar setup? Did you have any heat issues? Is recoil appreciably increased? Any problems with the front being so light in terms of shootability? Thanks. |
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I would replace the CTR with an Ace ultra light stock and get rid of the piston conversion because it add more weight. I would go for light weight compact optic or BUIS but not both to save weight. If you go the optic route then you should replace the front sight gas block with a low profile to save additional weight. |
| madecov, that's exactly what I'm going for. All of the esssentials, but minimal flair. I want to keep the optic and I'm gonna go with Magpul BUIS, so the weight should be negligible. As for the piston system, it's staying. It only adds a few ounces and I think it will be well worth it. The only other thing that I am rethinking is the red dot that I am using. I got rid of my H1 and replaced it with an M3. The M3 is heavy by comparison. I may try to dump this brand new M3 and get my hands on a T1. My new pencil barrel shipped today, so I should have it in a couple to a few days. I'll post a pic when I get it together. |
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This comes in a 5.25 lbs. My intention was to go as light and simple as possible. The only weight sacrifices I made were 1) in the M4 stock over a CAR (not sure how much weight difference), 2) M4 handguard, but it is single heat shielded, so weight may be almost identical to a CAR, and 3) H buffer instead of carbine buffer, 0.8 oz difference I think.
Recoil is a bit snappier than with my tricked out M4 and midlength, but nothing bad at all. It is an awesome host for the .22 conversion. 
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| I'm going with the piston system because I think it's going to help with the reliability. I shoot a lot of cheap ammo and it gets dirty and starts to malfunction before I'm ready to quit shooting. I don't think that there is much of a weight penalty. Maybe a few ounces. |
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Quoted: I'm going with the piston system because I think it's going to help with the reliability. I shoot a lot of cheap ammo and it gets dirty and starts to malfunction before I'm ready to quit shooting. I don't think that there is much of a weight penalty. Maybe a few ounces.  Try lubing your rifle once in a while. Piston add more then a few ounce. Don't fall for the marketing hype of piston. |
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Quoted:
I'm going with the piston system because I think it's going to help with the reliability. I shoot a lot of cheap ammo and it gets dirty and starts to malfunction before I'm ready to quit shooting. I don't think that there is much of a weight penalty. Maybe a few ounces. The reliability of a quality, in-spec DI AR15 is excellent. Don't buy the bullshit. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm going with the piston system because I think it's going to help with the reliability. I shoot a lot of cheap ammo and it gets dirty and starts to malfunction before I'm ready to quit shooting. I don't think that there is much of a weight penalty. Maybe a few ounces. The reliability of a quality, in-spec DI AR15 is excellent. Don't buy the bullshit. +1 Shit can the piston. There's nothing KISS about it, if you know how to properly maintain a DI weapon. Replacing a pinned stainless tube with extra moving parts, particularly as a retrofit, is NOT going to improve reliability. I have more than once run over 500 rounds of Wolf in a range hour or two without doing anything at all other than change mags, and then maybe a shot of oil into the carrier for the rest of the next rounds I might run, and then maybe no shot of extra oil. Use good oil (such as Mil-Comm MC2500), use liberally on the BCG prior to shooting. I can all but guarantee you the piston retrofit will cause more problems than it alleviates vs. this approach. Research Pat Rogers' article for SWAT about keeping your DI AR properly lubed and running like fast dammit. Other than that, you will love the pencil barrel KISS. I have one very similar to Hero's above, and it's one of my favorites for casual plinking if not an extreme volume of fire. |
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I can't believe all these metal uppers I'm seeing with integrated carry handles, let alone forward-assists. You want to save ounces, there's a good starting point! Bushy still makes the flat-top carbon-15 uppers, yes?
Also, if you're brutal about no-compromise weight loss, and money's no object: http://www.jprifles.com/1.4.7_bc.php My guess is that with the right setup on a Cav Arms lower, you could push four pounds. |
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Quoted:
My guess is that with the right setup on a Cav Arms lower, you could push four pounds. Nah. For the folks sticking with reliable parts the wall seems to be right around five pounds. I have a slickside flattop on a Cav lower with a 14.5" pencil barrel, carbon fiber FF tube, skeletonized BC and MBUS sights that comes in right at 5.0 pounds. |
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OK, I don't know if any of you guys saw my other thread about the piston system, but within 10 minutes of installing, I regretted it. It's not the weight either. I don't notice a difference in the handling at all. It's that damned op-rod. It has to go through the barrel nut, the handguard, the delta ring, the spring and the circle clamp that holds the delta ring together. I discovered that if any of the above shifts, it impedes the op-rod. I'm talking picking up the rifle and putting your weak hand on the forward portion of the mag well with your index finger against the delta ring. If you spin the delta ring enough, it will jam up the op-rod.
Off to the EE I go. I just need to figure out how to get this bushing out of my upper. BTW, what's with the Try lubing your rifle once in a while crack?
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