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Posted: 8/6/2011 7:18:04 PM EDT
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I'm looking into purchasing a BCM 16in lightweight carbine upper. And i was wondering how much of a weight difference is it compared to the regular upper? And being lightweight will that make the barrel heat up faster?
Any info would be much appreciated. |
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The lighter barrel will heat up faster, thus losing some accuracy. What will you be doing with this gun; bench shooting, plinking, home D, 3 gun, etc? If plinking and home D, i would not worry about it. The lighter weight will be nice. If you are shooting competition, i would think you would need a Gov profile at least, probably a medium profile.
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Lots of weights to compare here: http://www.03designgroup.com/technotes/ar15-upper-receiver-weight-comparisons
Of course it will heat up faster, but will cool down faster as well. Not sure which is more accurate. Depends on your requirements, but I generally prefer lighter weight for all around day of plinking or carbine course type stuff. It's accurate enough for me. |
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Quoted:
The lighter barrel will heat up faster, thus losing some accuracy. What will you be doing with this gun; bench shooting, plinking, home D, 3 gun, etc? If plinking and home D, i would not worry about it. The lighter weight will be nice. If you are shooting competition, i would think you would need a Gov profile at least, probably a medium profile. Just Home D and some plinking its my first build so im just building it to have some fun with. But im sure as anything it wont be my last build ! 
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Quoted:
Lots of weights to compare here: http://www.03designgroup.com/technotes/ar15-upper-receiver-weight-comparisons Of course it will heat up faster, but will cool down faster as well. Not sure which is more accurate. Depends on your requirements, but I generally prefer lighter weight for all around day of plinking or carbine course type stuff. It's accurate enough for me. Thanks for the info. It helped a lot now that i know how much weight difference im dealing with now.
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Quoted:
The lighter barrel will heat up faster, thus losing some accuracy. What will you be doing with this gun; bench shooting, plinking, home D, 3 gun, etc? If plinking and home D, i would not worry about it. The lighter weight will be nice. If you are shooting competition, i would think you would need a Gov profile at least, probably a medium profile. And also if i do get either a carbine lightweight or a middy lightweight. how much of a difference will it be? Will i notice it considerably? |
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The middy will have a slightly less recoil impulse. It is also easier on the parts than a carbine length. The longer gas system slows the unlock time of the bolt down just a bit by having a longer dwell time. It will also increase the sight radius. A longer sight radius is always a good thing. It will also allow you to grip the rifle closer to the muzzle giving you more control over the rifle. I'm sure someone will be along that can explain the dwell time and bolt unlock of the middy gas system a little better.
ETA: If it matters to you, a bayonet can correctly be attached to a 16" middy. |
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LW is the way to go. You notice it more on a carbine than a middy because the front sight is further out on the middy. The carbine with a LW feels like a .22LR (good thing in my opinion). Makes the rifle balance "right".
As far as accuracy, it heats up faster, but cools down faster also. I've not realized much effects of heating on practical accuracy within practical ranges. The Cold, and even warm subsequent shots were always VERY accurate out of my old LW rifle. I have not yet shot my new LW SBR Carbine, but expect similar results. Keep in mind that a government profile barrel is still LW under the hand guards, and should show the same effects that a true LW would. It isn't a target gun. I had a nice 20" stainless steel match gun for that type of accuracy, and honestly it got boring. Nobody ever complains they got a LW barrel. Keep that in mind 
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My first carbine was a lightweight SP2 way back in 1985, then I replaced it with another lightweight sporter carbine with fixed stock in '91 up until about '01 when I sold it.
I even used mine for home defense during the '92 LA riots when I was living there at that time, and about a week before the riots I was practicing mag dumps with it at a private range which I was a member. No problems with mag dumps, it won't have a tight group but it would be an acceptable combat accuracy of around 12"+ center mass hits from around 50 to 100 yd. Currently I have two carbines with M4 government profile barrel which under the handguards the profile are the same as a lightweight, after I finish my current precision build I plan to build a lightweight midlength with a lightweight rail system (which are getting more popular now) because I miss my old lightweight carbine. |
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