Minimum Weight AR-15

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  • drm-hp

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Jan 23, 2019
    298
    43
    Brownsburg
    Objective is 100-yard maximum effective range, as light as reasonably achievable.
    Carbine – 16” barrel lightest profile
    Chambering – 300 Blackout, or...
    Skeletonized aluminum handguard
    Skeletonized magwell?
    Halo sight
    Have you done such a thing? What was final weight?
     

    Bigtanker

    Cuddles
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Aug 21, 2012
    21,688
    151
    Osceola
    Matt on Demolition Ranch has one with a skeletonized upper and lower. He said it's really light. I'll see if I can find it.
     

    masterdekoy

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    56   0   0
    Feb 12, 2013
    854
    28
    Columbus
    You can do a reasonably light weight AR by being selective with parts. Forged upper and lower, lightweight profile barrel, lightweight rail, carbine buffer, lightweight stock can get you around 6lbs pretty easily.
     

    roscott

    Master
    Rating - 97.5%
    39   1   0
    Mar 1, 2009
    1,652
    83
    6lbs is about the lightest you can go without getting into cycling adjustment issues. They can certainly be overcome, but lightweight BCG/buffer can get a little tricky.

    Carbon fiber handguard helps a ton. Check out brigand arms. I would forego the skeletonized magwell though, unless it’s just a range toy. Even a regular magwell allows quite a bit of debris into the action, I can’t imagine crawling around with big holes in the lower.

    And why the cap on 100yards max effective range? Even a lightweight gun can be effective at 2-300 yards!

    Post pictures when you’re done!
     

    Notropis

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 22, 2018
    98
    8
    NWI
    I went 300 blk pistol. Sig brace, Faxon, barrel, light BCG, adjustable gas block, omni hybrid lower. I was just over 5 pounds for a super cheap build. Could save more weight with a blade, and spending more money on just about every part, but this was a budget build. I had no problems with cycling....just adjust the gas block and shoot. I probably can't shoot subs and 110 grain from this gas setting but I didn't expect that from this build.
     

    Dean C.

    Master
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    2   0   0
    Aug 25, 2013
    4,429
    113
    Westfield
    [video=youtube_share;_y77fVM40mI]https://youtu.be/_y77fVM40mI[/video]

    Lots of really good information in this video IMHO I really like the work In - Range does. Really just swap the barrel for a 300blk and I personally would put an Aimpoint on the rifle and call it a day.
     

    drm-hp

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Jan 23, 2019
    298
    43
    Brownsburg
    The thought is (I hope it will never be needed) as a weapon to protect family from intruders. Reliability is paramount! I have almost all other needs fulfilled.
    I am a believer in the adage "use a pistol to fight your way to a rifle ".
    Why not start with a rifle!
     

    63PGP

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 28, 2018
    358
    79
    Boone
    Mine weighs 7.5 pounds using the stand on the scale with and without the rifle method. Spec's are F1 lower & Upper, Faxson 18" barrel, Iron City BCG, Fortis muzzle break and handguard, Phase 5 grip, Tactical Dynamics stock, Razor AMG UH-1 and 3x magnifier. I'm sure the UH-1 and magnifier are about a pound of that weight.
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,877
    113
    Lafayette
    The thought is (I hope it will never be needed) as a weapon to protect family from intruders. Reliability is paramount! I have almost all other needs fulfilled.
    I am a believer in the adage "use a pistol to fight your way to a rifle ".
    Why not start with a rifle!

    In the situation you've described above, you will never think about the weight, not even for a split second.
    Unless you pile so much crap on top of it that you can't pick it up, then you shouldn't worry about even a 8 or 9lb rifle.

    Adrenaline is a hell of a drug.
     

    Kirk Freeman

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Mar 9, 2008
    47,968
    113
    Lafayette, Indiana
    The thought is (I hope it will never be needed) as a weapon to protect family from intruders. Reliability is paramount! I have almost all other needs fulfilled.
    I am a believer in the adage "use a pistol to fight your way to a rifle ".
    Why not start with a rifle!

    It's all about the environment. Guns are merely hand tools or golf clubs. One is not right for all jobs.

    Why not? Because you live in an apartment and you will do prison time for harming your neighbors.

    Ken Campbell, former Boone County Sheriff, now COO of Gunsite, tells a story of a Marine snapping in with his M14 at the Antelope and launching a 7.62 through a dozen hotel rooms and having to open each door to look for a body.

    Years and years ago, I had a .30RS from an SKS canoe out a 5 year's head from someone who had a bad day at work and emptied an SKS in the house because he was "all stressed out".
     

    Kirk Freeman

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Mar 9, 2008
    47,968
    113
    Lafayette, Indiana
    Objective is 100-yard maximum effective range, as light as reasonably achievable.
    Carbine – 16” barrel lightest profile
    Chambering – 300 Blackout, or...
    Skeletonized aluminum handguard
    Skeletonized magwell?
    Halo sight
    Have you done such a thing? What was final weight?

    Yes, Katana from Red Jacket. Just over 6 lbs. I like them on the light side.

    Remember, with every platform, there are pros and cons.
     

    Usmccookie

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Jan 28, 2017
    5,838
    113
    nwi
    Mine weighs 7.5 pounds using the stand on the scale with and without the rifle method. Spec's are F1 lower & Upper, Faxson 18" barrel, Iron City BCG, Fortis muzzle break and handguard, Phase 5 grip, Tactical Dynamics stock, Razor AMG UH-1 and 3x magnifier. I'm sure the UH-1 and magnifier are about a pound of that weight.

    I built a very similar build, except I went with a BA Hanson 16" barrel, and the f1 michalek handgaurd. The uh1 and 3x mag definitely make a considerable difference. I leave the 3x off mostly. I'm thinking of changing over to a trijicon mro patrol.
     

    dieselmudder

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    May 30, 2014
    120
    18
    United States
    9mm, 10.5 inch barrel pistol? Less weight in ammo, shorter barrel, easier to maneuver inside, handles like a rifle, effective to 100 yards. I built one about a year ago, have never weighed it though.

    Sent from my SM-J727V using Tapatalk
     

    Hohn

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Jul 5, 2012
    4,444
    63
    USA
    You can very quickly leave the realm of sanity when it comes to pursuing light weight. IMO, there's little practical benefit (and tons of reasons not) to going extreme in weight reduction.

    Basic forged uppers and lowers will work just fine. Pencil barrel and short handguard and you're in business.

    Watch out with carbon handguards. Some of them aren't epoxied very well in their layups and will leave nasty carbon splinters in bare hands. NOT cool. By the time you go with a truly combat-worthy carbon guard like PRI, you might as well have gone with aluminum for the same weight and less $$.

    NO reason you cannot get a nice fighting carbine well under 7# with optic in a 16" gun without resorting to exotic, untested components.
     
    Last edited:

    indysims

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    17   0   1
    Aug 31, 2011
    717
    28
    If you're going 300blk and your purpose is home defense, why not go with a 8.5" to 10.5" barrel? That would cut weight both with barrel and handgaurd and make for a more maneuverable weapon. The new braces (SBA3) make very nice AR platform pistols. Get an upper without a forward assist to further aid in weight reduction.
     

    AdamP123

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Nov 9, 2017
    61
    8
    West-Central
    You can do a reasonably light weight AR by being selective with parts. Forged upper and lower, lightweight profile barrel, lightweight rail, carbine buffer, lightweight stock can get you around 6lbs pretty easily.

    Definitely possible, but at some point, the user reaches a point of diminishing returns. There is only so light that I would go with any rifle. Heck, pencil barrels don't hold groups very after after 15-20 rounds Can they be accurate? Sure. Do they heat up and spread groups faster than a heavy-profile barrel? Absolutely.
     

    Hohn

    Master
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    1   0   0
    Jul 5, 2012
    4,444
    63
    USA
    Definitely possible, but at some point, the user reaches a point of diminishing returns. There is only so light that I would go with any rifle. Heck, pencil barrels don't hold groups very after after 15-20 rounds Can they be accurate? Sure. Do they heat up and spread groups faster than a heavy-profile barrel? Absolutely.

    Yes, and a light HD carbine will not be mag dumping. And even hot, it should still be minute-of-bad-people inside 50y easy.

    Lightweight pays off 100% of the time. A more heat tolerant barrel benefits you some of the time--maybe.

    A certain cost for a neglible potential benefit is usually not the tradeoff to make.
     

    worddoer

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    42   0   1
    Jul 25, 2011
    1,664
    99
    Wells County
    [video=youtube_share;_y77fVM40mI]https://youtu.be/_y77fVM40mI[/video]

    Lots of really good information in this video IMHO I really like the work In - Range does. Really just swap the barrel for a 300blk and I personally would put an Aimpoint on the rifle and call it a day.

    Yep...that is how I would do it!
     
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