Ultimate featherlite AR build - looking for suggestions

[nikatkimber]

An ill-tuned lighter bolt (ie, way undersprung) could give the impression of more recoil than a properly tuned heavier mass BCG. So if his (peanuts) rifle was "tuned" for a heavier bolt; the spring, buffer and gas system; then a lighter bolt may well HAVE felt like more recoil.

 

[peanut]

It slows down the recoil going to the buffer before it gets to that point.
Basically prevents your buffer from bounce back, IN MY CASE.
Remember, we r talking about lightweight guns, not 3 gun rigs.

 

[Chambers]

18" and 20" '3 gun rigs' can and should be light. The gun I posted a picture of has a lightened barrel, lightened internals, a super light ACE stock and a carbon fiber handguard. Aside from the barrel those are just about the lightest components you can buy. It gets the additional velocity of a 20" barrel in a package that weighs less than most 16" guns and has a rifle length gas system which further reduces the recoil impulse.

If light is your ONLY criteria (that seems to be your argument?), get a 7.5" SBR. Enjoy posting pictures of it on AR15.com, never winning a match, your lighter wallet and permanent hearing loss! And yes, I have one. Here's my sh#$s and grins SBR. I never shoot it because it's totally ridiculous.

 

[peanut]

We r talking about the OP's requirements. 16" lightweight rifle, no SBR, that would be cheating.

U guys are stuck on 3 gun! LOL!

 

[jtischauser]

My JP CTR-02 rifle weighs 7.4 lbs without the scope and 9.0 with. How much lighter us the rifle you are talking about? I'm not trying to argue in trying to understand where you are coming from.

 

[Chambers]

We r talking about the OP's requirements. 16" lightweight rifle, no SBR, that would be cheating.

U guys are stuck on 3 gun! LOL!

Nope, just stuck on rifles that do everything well like super fast splits on close targets and accurate hits out to 500 yards!!

I guess I just don't see the need for anything else these days?

 

[shooterdave]

Thanks for those who responded to the thread. Especially the ones who actually read the post and stuck to the caveats of the question. For those who are 3 gun guys... I'm not building a 3 gun AR. If I was, I would have asked about what the best 3 gun setup was! I'm glad you guys are passionate about the subject, though. Back on topic, I'm still tying to figure out which way to go. I will probably build a poly lower with standard A3, sportical style, upper. I imagine it is going to be a 16" retro barrel and poly hand guards. Maybe MOE? I'll match grip, hand guard, and stock. As for which bcg... Don't know yet. I'll keep the updates coming as I get stuff. Also, if you have ideas, lemme know. Thx

 

[jtischauser]

Here is a shot of my S&W M&P15R. I just put the ACE ultra light stock on it before the game. It weighs 6.4 lbs without the Millet DMS-1 in the LaRue SPR-E mount. With the optic and munt it goes 7.6 lbs. I really don't know how to get any lighter other than a carbon or polymer upper/lower. I guess I could drill some holes in the tube, lighten the optic mount a little, lose the oversize charging handle and mag well. That might shave a half pound.

 

[jtischauser]

An ill-tuned lighter bolt (ie, way undersprung) could give the impression of more recoil than a properly tuned heavier mass BCG. So if his (peanuts) rifle was "tuned" for a heavier bolt; the spring, buffer and gas system; then a lighter bolt may well HAVE felt like more recoil.

This makes sense to me after I read it a couple times. I'm buyin what your sellin.

 

[Scott Hearn]

Here is a shot of my S&W M&P15R. I just put the ACE ultra light stock on it before the game. It weighs 6.4 lbs without the Millet DMS-1 in the LaRue SPR-E mount. With the optic and munt it goes 7.6 lbs. I really don't know how to get any lighter other than a carbon or polymer upper/lower. I guess I could drill some holes in the tube, lighten the optic mount a little, lose the oversize charging handle and mag well. That might shave a half pound.

Jesse, you could ditch close to 4oz just by changing your scope to a TR24. Those Millets are heavy.

 

[jtischauser]

Too much $ for my cheap ammo gun. It shoots 5.45x39.

 

[peanut]

Thanks for those who responded to the thread. Especially the ones who actually read the post and stuck to the caveats of the question. For those who are 3 gun guys... I'm not building a 3 gun AR. If I was, I would have asked about what the best 3 gun setup was! I'm glad you guys are passionate about the subject, though. Back on topic, I'm still tying to figure out which way to go. I will probably build a poly lower with standard A3, sportical style, upper. I imagine it is going to be a 16" retro barrel and poly hand guards. Maybe MOE? I'll match grip, hand guard, and stock. As for which bcg... Don't know yet. I'll keep the updates coming as I get stuff. Also, if you have ideas, lemme know. Thx

 

[peanut]

Thanks for those who responded to the thread. Especially the ones who actually read the post and stuck to the caveats of the question. For those who are 3 gun guys... I'm not building a 3 gun AR. If I was, I would have asked about what the best 3 gun setup was! I'm glad you guys are passionate about the subject, though. Back on topic, I'm still tying to figure out which way to go. I will probably build a poly lower with standard A3, sportical style, upper. I imagine it is going to be a 16" retro barrel and poly hand guards. Maybe MOE? I'll match grip, hand guard, and stock. As for which bcg... Don't know yet. I'll keep the updates coming as I get stuff. Also, if you have ideas, lemme know. Thx

You can get a 9mm upper aNd have the gas tube hole drilled, that saves a couple ounces. That has the slick side, no fwd assist or deflector. That with a Pencil barrel is very light.
Mine weighs right at 5lbs w/out mag/ammo.

 

[jtischauser]

You might consider a good compensator to tame recoil. That lightweight gun of mine hits hard and jumps a lot without one.

 

[jtischauser]

You can get a 9mm upper aNd have the gas tube hole drilled, that saves a couple ounces. That has the slick side, no fwd assist or deflector. That with a Pencil barrel is very light.
Mine weighs right at 5lbs w/out mag/ammo.

What makes the 9mm upper so light compared to a .233 off the same configuration?

 

[peanut]

They have no deflector or fwd assist in a flat top configuration.

 

[shooterdave]

They have no deflector or fwd assist in a flat top configuration.

That's in essence a " Sportical ". DPMS has the same in 556/223. That's probably what I'm going to use.

 

[Mitch Rapp]

That's in essence a " Sportical ". DPMS has the same in 556/223. That's probably what I'm going to use.

What is your plan for this AR?

I Like the MOE handgaurds, and if you are trying to save weight, depending on the plan for the AR, just go with no comp or flash hider. You could also save some weight on the sights, but to make a reccomendation I would need to know the plan for the gun.

 

[shooterdave]

This isn't being built for a real purpose, per se. I have several hundred acres and do like to tromp around both on foot and on my four wheeler or gator. It will be nice to have an all-purpose, light gun to lug around. I get tired of carrying my Black Rain build that is 10 plus pounds or my Stag/ YHM M4 that isn't much lighter. I Bought an A1 Colt parts kit and have built it, too. It is way lighter than the others, as is, but there is still quite a bit of weight that could be reduced. I will probably put a lightweight red dot on it, such as a holosight or sigdot. I have even thought about an A2 upper and standard sight post, but am not sure I like the sight radius of an open sight on a 16" platform. The MOE stuff is pretty light and I already have a hand guard and grip in it, so it would be silly to go buy another set. Hell, I saw today where Gander Mtn. Is selling the Bushy I5 carbon pkg with a red dot sight on it for $649. That's pretty cheap for a very similar pkg. I'm not sure I want to sink big bucks in a 4th AR just to say it has all the newest, latest parts when I can pretty much achieve my intended goal a lot cheaper. That, plus I have an AR SBR lower in the works. I'm sure I'll drop a bit of change on that before it's all said and done. Fortunately? I have a couple of months wait time left before I have to break that news to the wife... I'm sure she'll be thrilled i spent several extra hundred bucks just so I could have a gun that is a few inches shorter... I'm still trying to convince her that the "can" was needed.