Author Topic: Advice on Building the LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR  (Read 19811 times)

jaybet

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Advice on Building the LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR
« on: January 15, 2014, 11:22:53 AM »
I am going to start looking into an AR build for Maggie. She's gained some weight lately and is almost 100 pounds soaking wet, so a rifle for her is "weight sensitive".
I'd like to build the lightest possible 5.56 which she'd use for target shooting, plinking etc. I won't get heavy use so while reliability is always important, WEIGHT is the #1 consideration. I'm going to do a build but each assembly is going to have weight as a major consideration.

Do any of you have suggestions on how to do this?
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TAB

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Re: Advice on Building the LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2014, 12:09:25 PM »
a few things come to mind.  1 is balance, it does not matter how light it is, if it balances like shit it will suck.  2  i would not cut weight by going to a super thin barrel.  yes you want something thin, but once it gets hot it will shoot all over the place.  I would just shop around AL parts and see which is the lightest and go from there.  often AL is lighter then plastic( but not always)
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DanPatWork

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Re: Advice on Building the LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2014, 12:51:19 PM »
build or buy a standard rifle in carbine or mid. I prefer the mid gas myself. Midwest industries makes a super ligt drop in quad rail if you want somehing like that. Then buy a .22 upper for the practice plinking and reserve the 5.56 for the shtf scenario. I love shooting my ar rifles regardless of caliber but for the smaller framed people in the family the .22 is great, and I have a good quantity in supply. My preference was to avoid the conversion adapters due to the filth of the .22.

I went with the chiappa upper but there are better. I may go to a dedicated tac-sol one of these days.  Black dog mags work great, avoid the chiappa mags.
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tombogan03884

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Re: Advice on Building the LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2014, 01:43:56 PM »
Look into the Carbon Fiber versions.
But remember, lower weapon weight equals higher recoil from the same round than what you would feel from a standard weight AR.

Big Frank

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Re: Advice on Building the LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2014, 02:35:23 PM »
Is 5-1/2 pounds light enough? http://www.bushmaster.com/firearms/carbon_15.asp I don't think you can build one lighter.
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Re: Advice on Building the LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR
« Reply #5 on: Today at 06:58:26 AM »

m25operator

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Re: Advice on Building the LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2014, 12:43:08 AM »
Hey JB, in building an ar15, the heaviest components are the barrel,  upper and lower receivers, bolt carrier, buffer, butt stock configuration, steel front sight base. The things that are available in a lighter version are the barrel, and there is a consideral difference in lengths chosen, 16 vs 18 vs 20 inch, all other dimensions being equal. For my very light but reliable, yet accurate rifle, I would use the following.
1. Lothar Walther 16 in. very light stainless barrel, 199.00 factory direct.
2. A3 upper, standard lower, I like DPMS, but there are many quality units available.
3. An alloy gas manifold, low profile,  if a front sight is not important, I like JP.
4. A CAR15 butt stock,  standard milspec, there are better, but it's adequate and light.
5. DPMS quad rail, carbine length full float tube, good quality and very reasonable cost.
6. Enodine or Brownell hydraulic buffer, less recoil and spring noise.

There are titanium bolt carriers, high dollar, lighter receivers, alloy high dollar, polymer, not proven enough yet. Standard flash hiders are light, but muzzle brakes aren't.

Hope this helps.

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Rastus

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Re: Advice on Building the LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2014, 05:51:08 AM »
Hey Benny, good to see you back!

I posted this on the Jay's first thread on Tac Rifle...so I copied and moved it here.  Feeling guilty, I'm the one who suggested a thread for Building America's Rifle.....

I have purchased several Mag Tactical lowers. http://magtacticalsystems.com/  And you can get them in pink for the XYL too!

Their uppers (4.8 ounces) and lowers (5.88 ounces) are 35% lighter than aluminum because they are a magnesium alloy.  That saves 3-1/2 ounces.  I had to shave off some of a Geissele trigger because it rubbed the lower a bit and the pin holes are strengthened, but it works great.

I ran it at a 2 day carbine class in Texas run by Larry Vickers and it ran fine.  However....I don't have the Mag Tactical upper on mine since they were unavailable and mine's a DMR with a heavier 18" barrel anyway.  Keep in mind it has magnesium in it's makeup...you probably don't want to grind on them and the finish is not standard which is also because of the magnesium I suppose.

Now that they are taking orders for uppers again...I'm putting one on order for a standard M4 16" barrel design.


Now...if an adjustable stock is not necessary then you may be interested in GWACKS Cav-15 plastic lower.  http://www.gwacsarmory.com/index.php

They claim almost a pound less than the standard non-adjustable stocks....I don't know how to compare that, overall, to the adjustable stocks right now because I don't know the weight of the pistol grip and collapsible stocks mounted on a receiver.  However....they do make the claim that their receivers are won't break under heavy impact like aluminum and you don't have to worry about corrosion. 

They have several different colors...maybe not pink though...however they can be Cerakote'ed or Duracoated.  I have not run one...I've held them and like them.  I do know a couple of the people that run them and they like them who are very experienced in AR's from overseas battle and from their gun/training businesses back home.

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jaybet

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Re: Advice on Building the LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2014, 09:14:08 AM »
I posted a reply here that didn't take...maybe it's still floating around with some of those voice messages I never got...at NSA hq or something.
Anyway, All good stuff and I thought those other one piece lowers Rastus suggested might work out with the CAV 15 config.

Benny, it's good to see you out and about in the gun advice world again buddy.
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blackwolfe

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Re: Advice on Building the LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2014, 10:25:05 AM »
Jay,
Not sure if you are building completely from scratch or using a complete barreled upper.  Spikes, Rock River, PSA and I'm sure others make lightweight uppers in Midlength configurations.  I prefer midlength over carbine length gas systems.  Aim Surplus, PSA, and JoeBob Outfitters frequently have them available at decent prices and sometimes run specials on them.  Are you looking for a rail fore end, free float, or a more traditional style plastic for end?

Benny, glad to see you again.
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jaybet

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Re: Advice on Building the LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2014, 11:36:57 AM »
I'm not sure WHAT I'm looking for yet...I've seen a lot of complete uppers and lowers, but this started out as a project for me, so I'm probably not going to cave in for "populated" chunks. As far as configuration, I already have a tall front sight gas block setup and I'm thinkiing this should be a low profile rig to simplify adding an optic. It won't have a lot of equipment hanging off of it, so simple furniture will be best.
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