fly weight breakdown skeleton single shot pack rifle?

[Big Chudungus]

I want a super-minimalist skeleton breakdown folding frame super-packable single shot centerfire rifle kit that uses a common centerfire barrel such as AR.

It would be like a Little Badger but more so, probably with 3-piece (top, bottom, butt-plate) stamped metal frame that can fold flat against the barrel. Trigger guard and trigger probably also fold-able. Instead of a big long triangle package like the Little Badger, I want everything to fold/disassemble to lie flat against the barrel so it fits into a skinny fabric tube which would also be the wide part of sling when the rifle is assembled, even if assembly takes a couple minutes and a hex-wrench, etc.

The part you'd DROS would be the block the barrel screws into, and it would have simple single shot break action. Not sure how the break action and trigger would work, but it would be OK if it took an extra step to reload and cock if it made it lighter, stronger, reliable and better trigger.

I guess mount for scope would be optional.

Idea would be to have the absolute lightest, most pack-able rifle at low cost that also eats a wide variety of AR ammo with barrel swaps, and it would use one of those spare AR barrels you got laying around. I guess you'd have AR-15 and AR-10 barrel sized kits. To add much needed weight to mitigate recoil the stock frame could accept a standard USGI hip canteen, because you will always want to carry water and the base of the canteen is an OK shape to work with butt-stock.

I'm thinking a good quality kit would sell for about $100-150 including storage sheath/sling, rear clamp-on iron sight, clamp-on gas-port blocker, canteen clamp/straps and scope mounting plate, but not including barrel, front sight, canteen or scope. Maybe would include front sight/gas-port blocker unique part. Maybe provision to add two canteens (about 2.3lbs each full) to AR-10 kit stock frame. Maybe a minimalist front hand guard/heat shield, but not expected to be a high rate of fire or high volume gun, so maybe use your own bandana.

Why wouldn't this work and why wouldn't it sell?

[MongooseV8]

TC Contender?

[Imageview]

Aside from some possible technical challenges, it would be difficult to sell enough to get production costs to scale down. That's a really low price point, I'm assuming that's MSRP? Retailers and distributors need their cuts, so you'd have to be able to manufacture and market them at about $40 each.

[Big Chudungus]

TC Contender?

The rifle caliber single shot target pistol? Cool, but seems to be all about most extreme non-rifle pistol shooting for sake of maxing out your pistol accuracy/power.
Nah, I'm thinking of a very cheap, can't afford not to buy, spare, backup, truck, backpack, survival, bush-pilot, boater's gun that can fire a real rifle round out of a real rifle barrel using rifle shooting techniques and ergo-metrics.
Something your average shooter can shoot off-hand almost as accurately as a top tier real rifle.

[Big Chudungus]

Aside from some possible technical challenges, it would be difficult to sell enough to get production costs to scale down. That's a really low price point, I'm assuming that's MSRP? Retailers and distributors need their cuts, so you'd have to be able to manufacture and market them at about $40 each.

True, maybe $223 MSRP for AR-15 and $308 for the AR-10. But those would be really good kits with titanium frame stocks, water proof fabric storage tubes with zip-lock closures and minimalist tubular plastic front hand guards with storage for 3 rounds and water proof cap. Totally expedition rated.

CAD files can get sent anywhere and even oldest cheapest CAM machines could make the barrel-block and break action out of aluminum, and stamping/bending/cutting sheet metal is nearly free (except for the titanium material). Its REALLY cheap if farmed out to China or India but don't expect quick or reliable turn around, and don't bet your life it will be done right the first time.

I'm also kinda wondering what the legalities of importing "the gun" (part to be DROS) into USA is. Maybe have to do a 80% which in this case would be probably drilling one non-critical hole.

How do they figure what is "80%"??? Number of "operations", or number of holes or amount of material removed???

[MasterChief]

Unicorn rifle?

Just so I understand, please list a few of the available examples which come closest to meeting your strict requirements, even though they may miss your mark, so to speak. Best wishes. Dave

[RNE228]

TC Encore line. Not inexpensive though.

The rifle caliber single shot target pistol? Cool, but seems to be all about most extreme non-rifle pistol shooting for sake of maxing out your pistol accuracy/power.
Nah, I'm thinking of a very cheap, can't afford not to buy, spare, backup, truck, backpack, survival, bush-pilot, boater's gun that can fire a real rifle round out of a real rifle barrel using rifle shooting techniques and ergo-metrics.
Something your average shooter can shoot off-hand almost as accurately as a top tier real rifle.

[elSquid]

CVA makes inexpensive single shot pistols and rifles.

https://grabagun.com/bsearch/result/?q=Cva+scout

[Big Chudungus]

CVA makes inexpensive single shot pistols and rifles.

https://grabagun.com/bsearch/result/?q=Cva+scout

those are inexpensive enough but even the breakdowns are still a bulky awkward unit and weights over twice as much as I'm thinking at 5.9lbs. I'm thinking just over 2lbs total with lightweight 1lb 6oz 223 barrel not including filled canteen, in a package that is 17"long by 2"diameter when stowed in waterproof bag (not including scope)

[sbo80]

How do they figure what is "80%"??? Number of "operations", or number of holes or amount of material removed???

Neither. You submit a sample/design to the ATF and ask them "is this a gun?" If the answer is no, you can call it an "80%" and sell it without gun rules. That's really as simple as it is. The percent thing is made-up marketing.

[sbo80]

those are inexpensive enough but even the breakdowns are still a bulky awkward unit and weights over twice as much as I'm thinking at 5.9lbs. I'm thinking just over 2lbs total with lightweight 1lb 6oz 223 barrel not including filled canteen, in a package that is 17"long by 2"diameter when stowed in waterproof bag (not including scope)

you have a good idea - one problem in your plan is the barrel. Standard AR barrels have an AR receiver extension and expect an AR style bolt. Your design, as a single shot, really would need to use a different bolt design to keep the weight down. And that would mean a unique barrel/extension. Something back to like a rolling block or falling block design. That ruins your idea for cheap, easy to use cause I already have an extra, barrels. You could just make a new extension, but most home builders aren't up to pulling and replacing the barrel extensions. Let me know when you get this rifle to market, I'd be interested in one...

[sigstroker]

Neither. You submit a sample/design to the ATF and ask them "is this a gun?" If the answer is no, you can call it an "80%" and sell it without gun rules. That's really as simple as it is. The percent thing is made-up marketing.

And you can pretty much forget about getting any such letter in the near future.

[ar15barrels]

How do they figure what is "80%"??? Number of "operations", or number of holes or amount of material removed???

There is no actual formula.
It's determined by the technical branch examining a submitted sample.
Basically, if you can complete it at home with common hand tools, it's going to be determined to be a firearm.
In order to NOT be a firearm, the submitted sample needs to take a real machine shop to complete.

[ar15barrels]

I want a super-minimalist skeleton breakdown folding frame super-packable single shot centerfire rifle kit that uses a common centerfire barrel such as AR.

It would be like a Little Badger but more so, probably with 3-piece (top, bottom, butt-plate) stamped metal frame that can fold flat against the barrel. Trigger guard and trigger probably also fold-able. Instead of a big long triangle package like the Little Badger, I want everything to fold/disassemble to lie flat against the barrel so it fits into a skinny fabric tube which would also be the wide part of sling when the rifle is assembled, even if assembly takes a couple minutes and a hex-wrench, etc.

The part you'd DROS would be the block the barrel screws into, and it would have simple single shot break action. Not sure how the break action and trigger would work, but it would be OK if it took an extra step to reload and cock if it made it lighter, stronger, reliable and better trigger.

I guess mount for scope would be optional.

Idea would be to have the absolute lightest, most pack-able rifle at low cost that also eats a wide variety of AR ammo with barrel swaps, and it would use one of those spare AR barrels you got laying around. I guess you'd have AR-15 and AR-10 barrel sized kits. To add much needed weight to mitigate recoil the stock frame could accept a standard USGI hip canteen, because you will always want to carry water and the base of the canteen is an OK shape to work with butt-stock.

I'm thinking a good quality kit would sell for about $100-150 including storage sheath/sling, rear clamp-on iron sight, clamp-on gas-port blocker, canteen clamp/straps and scope mounting plate, but not including barrel, front sight, canteen or scope. Maybe would include front sight/gas-port blocker unique part. Maybe provision to add two canteens (about 2.3lbs each full) to AR-10 kit stock frame. Maybe a minimalist front hand guard/heat shield, but not expected to be a high rate of fire or high volume gun, so maybe use your own bandana.

Why wouldn't this work and why wouldn't it sell?

Your expectations are unrealistic.
Everyone wants something great for the cost of something crappy.

I will buy all the ounces of pure gold you can supply me for $100-150 per ounce.

If you want a little badger in a centerfire caliber, make a sub-caliber insert and install it in your little badger.

[MongooseV8]

The rifle caliber single shot target pistol? Cool, but seems to be all about most extreme non-rifle pistol shooting for sake of maxing out your pistol accuracy/power.
Nah, I'm thinking of a very cheap, can't afford not to buy, spare, backup, truck, backpack, survival, bush-pilot, boater's gun that can fire a real rifle round out of a real rifle barrel using rifle shooting techniques and ergo-metrics.
Something your average shooter can shoot off-hand almost as accurately as a top tier real rifle.

They make rifle versions too. You can find them in lots of rifle chambers like 223, 243, 308, 45/70 etc. They are very light, have great triggers and can be very accurate. Ive seen them for sale recently for around $300-$400. You wont find anything lighter or much cheaper, especially not with the chamber availability.

You didnt really state any specific goals such as weight, chamber, accuracy etc. But I have a 20" Encore in 243 that shoots about 5/8 moa (likely better but its difficult to hold a short super lightweight still). It weighs in at 6LBS on the nose with a Leupold 1.5-4x scope. The Contender would be about a pound lighter still.