Help me lose weight

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Posted: 8/26/2005 10:36:10 PM EDT

As an excercise/excuse to build another one, i'm trying to build a light weight 16" barrel AR. I plan on starting with a Cav arms lower which should be good for about a pound of reduction . I'm also looking at J&T distributing's fluted H-bar barrel.
What are some ideas from the forum to get as light an AR as possible?

Posted: 8/26/2005 10:44:18 PM EDT

[#1]

go with a superlight barrel and a1 upper

here are some links discussing them

http://ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=240205

picture thread

ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=243146

ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=12&t=242050

ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=18&t=240954

ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=240196

search is your friend!

Posted: 8/26/2005 10:52:48 PM EDT

[#2]

Bushmaster has a superlight 16" barrel that is very nice.

I built my wife's rifle using it.

Didn't care for the A1 upper so went A3 with a backup iron.

Got some thermold mags to help with weight also.

Posted: 8/26/2005 11:33:49 PM EDT

[#3]

model1 sales also offers a superlight barrel and if money is no issue you could look for a colt bbl.

Posted: 8/27/2005 2:43:30 AM EDT

[#4]

slim fast

Posted: 8/27/2005 6:32:02 AM EDT

[#5]

Thanks for the links eklickwhoa. My search came up dry. I put in light(space)weight and got nothing! D'uh.
Does anyone know the weight difference with the different upper recievers?

Slim fast, 12 oz. icecream and 1/2 cup of hot fudge. Blend til smooth. top with whip cream and sprinkles. y

ummmmmm...

Posted: 8/27/2005 6:58:35 AM EDT

[#6]

I've got one with a Stag lower, everything else is late '70s Colt Sporter 16". It's an A1, with the pencil barrel, and 2 position metal stock. I've never weighed it, but it feels pretty light to me. I'm sure I could lighten it up some with a plastic stock, but I'm comfortable with it the way it is. Hope this helps you out some.

Posted: 8/27/2005 7:44:38 AM EDT

[#7]

definately go with the lightweight barrel

16" with M4 profile and Cav Arms M4 type hand guards
4 pounds, 1oz

Lightweight Profile 16"
Semi Auto Bolt Carrier Group, and Cav Arms M4 Handguards
3lbs 12.5oz.

more weight info at this link

Posted: 8/27/2005 7:58:02 AM EDT

[#8]

Great stuff guys. I'm learning something new every half hour. Keep 'em coming!

Posted: 8/27/2005 10:39:30 AM EDT

[#9]

I'd get the Colt 6520 upper, IMHO, the best light weight barrel out there. Here's a source - Link. If you want a different receiver, like a flat top, simply switch it out. You can usually recover $150 of your cost by selling the receiver.

Posted: 8/27/2005 8:48:08 PM EDT

[#10]

I just ordered a 6520.

If you want the best lightweight barrel, 6520 is the way to go. It is .625, chrome lined, 556, and has the 1/7 twist. The 6520 barrel also comes with M4 feedramps. So it is the best of all worlds.

I believe this barrel is .625 the whole way, whereas the Bushmaster might be a fraction of an ounce ligher because it tapers to .570.

Unfortunately, the Colt is pricy. Can't have cheap, light, and all the features rolled into one.....

Posted: 8/28/2005 2:32:10 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
I'd get the Colt 6520 upper, IMHO, the best light weight barrel out there. Here's a source - Link. If you want a different receiver, like a flat top, simply switch it out. You can usually recover $150 of your cost by selling the receiver.

Thats what I have. It is a pleasure to lug around.

Posted: 8/29/2005 7:49:37 AM EDT

[#12]

The lightest upper receiver I found when I was shopping for components for my ultralight carbine build was the Les Baer Ultimate w/o forward assist - 6.9 oz. before you put the ejection port door on.

I wish I'd known about the Cold 6520 when I did my build. I'm a relative newbie and it was my first build, so I went with the Bushmaster Superlight barrel.

Posted: 8/29/2005 9:10:02 AM EDT

[#13]

I used a Model 1 lightweigt barrel on this build.

The upper is very light, using a standard receiver. The carbon fiber tube saved me a little bit of weight too.

IIRC, the Maryland AR Shooter site has a weight database of just about everything you could ever put on an AR.

Posted: 8/29/2005 6:14:59 PM EDT

[#14]

Great tips guys. Where do you get the carbon fiber parts?
What are some of your rifles weights?

Posted: 8/29/2005 7:22:36 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Great tips guys. Where do you get the carbon fiber parts?
What are some of your rifles weights?

The tube on my rifle is a Clarks Custom tube. The come in rifle length, and I've had this one a couple of 20" ARs. I finally decided it would be good on this build, and the kind folks at Clark offered to cut it for the cost of the return shipping. I think it looks good with the tube buttstock, and lord knows it's light. '

I don't know what this rifle weighs, since I don't have anyting accurate enough to weigh it. I'm figuring about 5 1/2 lbs, just as a guess.

Posted: 9/7/2005 12:52:55 PM EDT

[#16]

With my Cav lower I used a lightweight ("pencil") chrome lined 16" barrel from J&T, an A3 upper rx. With a DPMS stand alone rear sight it weighs just a hair over 5 lb.

Posted: 9/7/2005 1:42:18 PM EDT

[#17]

I used a Cav Arms Mk. II lower, Les Baer flat top w/o FA and Cav Arms Stand Alone Rear Sight, DPMS bolt carrier assembly w/o FA serrations and Colt bolt, Bushmaster Superlight Barrel w/Vortex and Clark Custom CF free float tube cut to carbine length weighs in at 5 lb. 4 oz. exactly on my digital scale.

I could have gotten closer to 5 lb. by losing the iron sights and using an A1 flash suppressor instead of the Vortex. My rifle weighs 5 lb. 6.3 oz. with my 2.3 oz. OKO 4W. I wanted the Vortex and iron sights "just in case."

Posted: 9/7/2005 8:42:10 PM EDT

[#18]

As already mentioned, go with a lightweight barrel, this is the biggest influence on total weight of the rifle.

Excel sheet of weights from MD-AR15.com is the most complete reference of parts weights that I know of.

If you are stuck with a heavy barrel now, there are several shops that can machine it down and re-finish to a lightweight profile.

My shop services are found here: www.ar15barrels.com/services.shtml

Randall Rausch
www.ar15barrels.com

Posted: 9/9/2005 10:50:54 AM EDT

[#19]

you can get one of those ABS carbon fiber barrels. Mine should be coming soon.

Posted: 9/11/2005 9:29:52 AM EDT

[#20]

Thanks again guys. This build is slowly coming together in my head and even slower in my budget. I'll be sure to post pics and a final weight when this rifle becomes a reality. ~ 5 lbs. sounds great. Getting lighter than that starts to get expensive!

Posted: 9/11/2005 9:33:07 AM EDT

[#21]

search the EE for twl's carbon fiber wrapped barrels.

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