Wife is small and not very strong but I would like for her to be comfortable with her own carbine.

I've seen ultra lightweight barrels that are 16" long but I have not seen anything shorter, say 14.5" with pinned FH/MB.  Who would I look to for this type of setup?

I'm also looking at YHM Specter XL lightweight handguards and ACE Ultra lightweight stock.  Will probably get something like YHM flip up BUIS set.

What type of red dot optic would you recommend?  Lightweight is most important, 3x would be nice.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I would go with a light weight mid-length for milder recoil and an A1 stock.  The weight in the back of the rifle would probably provide her with a better balance.  The lightest sight that I would use would be an OKO red dot and skip the iron sights, unless this is some kind of home defense rifle.  

CMMG makes a 14.5" lightweight midlength. you'd get the added bonus of a softer recoil impulse for her, which she'd probably appreciate

And consider a brake instead of a FH.  The reduced weight will increase the felt recoil.

Most women I've taken shooting think 5.56 has heavy recoil.  I should start with my 50 Beowulf to provide a better reference for recoil.

Quoted: CMMG makes a 14.5" lightweight midlength. you'd get the added bonus of a softer recoil impulse for her, which she'd probably appreciate

While I LOVE my 14.5" middy, it will be quite abit heavier than a comparable carbine.

Quoted: Quoted: CMMG makes a 14.5" lightweight midlength. you'd get the added bonus of a softer recoil impulse for her, which she'd probably appreciate While I LOVE my 14.5" middy, it will be quite abit heavier than a comparable carbine.

why? the extra 2" of handguard and gas tube?

My wife's carbine is a 6520LE upper on a CMMG lower. Light as a feather, and simple to operate.

The one on the left:

CMMG lightweight mid-length 14.7" barrel with "F" front sight and a surefire MB556K muzzle brake, Cav Arms polymer lower, flat top upper with an OKO red dot sight.  Add a flip-up rear BUIS, Cobb flatwire CS buffer spring with about 3 coils cut off, DPMS 5.4 oz heavy buffer, and you're good to go.  Light as a feather and it barely moves at all when fired.  Add a surefire G2LED and a magpul 30 round Pmag in OD green and that's my truck gun right there.

Quoted: I would go with a light weight mid-length for milder recoil and an A1 stock.

I hope she's at least 6-2"

Colt 6520 with a lightweight stock.

Oddly my wife prefers the 6920 while I have taken to the 6520.  I thought she would prefer the lightweight 6520, but there you have it.

Fresh baked cookies anyone?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: CMMG makes a 14.5" lightweight midlength. you'd get the added bonus of a softer recoil impulse for her, which she'd probably appreciate While I LOVE my 14.5" middy, it will be quite abit heavier than a comparable carbine. why? the extra 2" of handguard and gas tube?

+1 -- that can't be more than an ounce or two.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: CMMG makes a 14.5" lightweight midlength. you'd get the added bonus of a softer recoil impulse for her, which she'd probably appreciate While I LOVE my 14.5" middy, it will be quite abit heavier than a comparable carbine. why? the extra 2" of handguard and gas tube? +1 -- that can't be more than an ounce or two.

My 14.5" A2 govt profile middy weighs 9 oz more than my 16" A2 w/M4 bbl-same stock, grip, etc.

Quoted: My 14.5" A2 govt profile middy weighs 9 oz more than my 16" A2 w/M4 bbl-same stock, grip, etc.

there has to be something else accounting for that.

Quoted: Quoted: My 14.5" A2 govt profile middy weighs 9 oz more than my 16" A2 w/M4 bbl-same stock, grip, etc. there has to be something else accounting for that.

Both have A2 uppers, Hogue grips, heat shielded handgaurds, Phantom 5C2s, standard front sight posts, and milspec M4 stocks.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: My 14.5" A2 govt profile middy weighs 9 oz more than my 16" A2 w/M4 bbl-same stock, grip, etc. there has to be something else accounting for that. Both have A2 uppers, Hogue grips, heat shielded handgaurds, Phantom 5C2s, standard front sight posts, and milspec M4 stocks.

Explain to us how 2" of gas tube and handgaurd weighs 9oz.

There must be something else going on with that. Barrel contours?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: My 14.5" A2 govt profile middy weighs 9 oz more than my 16" A2 w/M4 bbl-same stock, grip, etc. there has to be something else accounting for that. Both have A2 uppers, Hogue grips, heat shielded handgaurds, Phantom 5C2s, standard front sight posts, and milspec M4 stocks. Explain to us how 2" of gas tube and handgaurd weighs 9oz. There must be something else going on with that. Barrel contours?

has to be a barrel contour or metal density. aside from the location of the gas port and the 2" extra gas tube and handguard, there should be absolutely no weight difference.

Yeah, that sounds weird.  Why would it be that much.  The little cut out on the m4 barrel at the end????  Seems like too much to me too.

I have one of these. The darned thing only ways 4.3 lbs:

Bushmaster Carbon 15 Type 97S Carbine

If she is small, you can also change out the stock for a youth/women's model. If you order the stock at the same time as the rifle, you will get a price adjustment for deleting the full size stock.

This is pretty accurate rifle. Bushmaster sent me a proof target, two different shooters using 55 gr Wolf at 100 yds. Both targets had five rounds each inside a 1" circle. You can do better with 69 gr SMK hand loads.

I use a Bushnell Holoscope, equivalent to the ruggedized EOTech 511 but the civilian model. It's lighter and cheaper than EOTech but has similar electronics.

This model is apparently popular with the ladies.

Quoted: And consider a brake instead of a FH.  The reduced weight will increase the felt recoil.

I'd strongly recommend against a brake because the women I know dislike the loud noise more than a few extra oz.

Quoted: Quoted: CMMG makes a 14.5" lightweight midlength. you'd get the added bonus of a softer recoil impulse for her, which she'd probably appreciate While I LOVE my 14.5" middy, it will be quite a bit heavier than a comparable carbine.

No it isn't. There is nothing intrinsic to the middy that would cause it to weigh substantially more than a similar barreled carbine.  The 2" longer hand guards and gas tube weigh only grams more than the carbine's.  If yours weighs more its because of either a heavier barrel profile or all the extra stuff you put on it.

Oh where to start?

CMMG has the upper you want.  Get a pinned Phantom... its the lightest.

Midlength handguards are generally 2 oz heavier than carbine rails.  The FSB moving forward is noticable.  

Women dislike FRONT heavy rifles more than heavy rifles.  Every female I ever had hold an AUG loved the thing and its not light.  Dont get the lightweight stock, a standard M4 stock is fine and just helps balance.  Balance is good.  Save the money for a good optic.

The optic should be an Aimpoint T1 (1x and under 4 oz).  If its going to be magnified most chicks hate shooting NTCH so get a Trijicon TA33 (3X and under 7 oz).  If those are too spendy get a built in mount and BUIS with a Larue Iron Dot.  Anything else will weigh the rifle down considerably.

If you are REALLY concerned with weight cut off the baynette lug and the front sling swivel and its ears on the FSB... there is more weight there than you realise and its in a bad place being so far forward.

You save very little weight going from an M16 carrier to an "enhanced AR15" carrier.  If you wanted to get extreme get a C profile Colt carrier but its not worth it IMO as you lose very little weight.

A DD 7.0 rail is over 2oz lighter than a YHM lightweight and it is a FAR better rail.  I would get an easy to find enhanced AR15 carrier by whoever and a regualr M4 stock and spend the extra toward a standard DD 7.0 rail... its the lightest all aluminum railed handguard you can get.  Loved mine and its not all out of spec on the rails like YHM.

If recoil is a concern get any of the following.  DONT get a muzzle brake if you want your significant other to enjoy shooting the rifle.

9mm buffer, Enidine buffer, MGI buffer
Wolff enhanced power recoil spring, Tubb recoil spring, MGI 2X recoil spring.

And thats my .02

I just started ordering the parts for mine, looking at a cavarms lower, flat top slick side upper upper with a 14.5 CMMG carbine barrel, micro gas block, and a C-more sight.  this should come in pretty light.  I would consider this rifle a range toy only, a little bit too much polymer for me to really trust.

only decision i cannot make is what FH,  i kind of like the FSC556 but I wouldnt mind a Bennie Cooley brake either I jsut wish i had an idea how big and heavy it is

-Mike

Huge +1 on the Cavalry Arms lower.

Right L.O.P. (A1) sized buttstock, and less overall weight.

They just released some cool "alternative" colors too (Pink, Blue, Yellow,)

Mate it with a pencil 16" or 14.5 / 14.7 with perm installed FH / Brake and you are good to go!

That is about a right and light as you can for a ladies set up.

I know because I did that for my daughters first AR and she loves it!

BIGGER_HAMMER]

Women dont like A1 length stocks... a closed M4 stock is a better length.  I am 6'2" and I have to chicken wing anything past the second notch.  Shorter stocks get the rifle closer to the body and reduce the all important nose heavy feel.