Lightest Possilbe AR

[JohnZ]

Hey guys, I am looking to do a fun project gun. My goal is to create an AR rifle that is as light as possible. This will not be a 1 moa gun, an Im not trying to either.

Here are my thoughts right now.

Rock River Arms 10.5 inch A4 pistol upper WITH a 5.5inch flash hider welded on, and a NFA complete lower.

What do you guys think?

[JohnZ]

Here a link to the upper I am talking about.

http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=233

[tomd1584]

A 5.5" flash hider will not reach 16" with a 10.5" upper. You must account for the 1/2" thread overlap.

This is like the worst of both worlds, IMO. Short barrel ballistics, and still having to meet 16" requirements.

Just get a lightweight mid length 16" barrel, shaved gas block, carbon fiber handguard and no muzzle device.

[ptoguy2002]

I'm going to ignore your bit about "NFA" complete lower.....maybe you aren't in CA.
As far as light as possible, without going the plastic lower route, I'd say an early flat / slab side style NDS receiver (save some ounces on the lower), slab side upper (save the weight of the forward assist), and pencil barrel.
I don't think you will save any weight by going 10.5 inch plus long flash hider.

[Dutch Schultz]

I'm going to ignore your bit about "NFA" complete lower.....maybe you aren't in CA.
As far as light as possible, without going the plastic lower route...

Pretty sure he's talking about a New Frontier Armory lower, which is plastic. LW-15's I think.

[bobomb]

the old carbon 15 was the lightest ive ever felt

[JohnZ]

Pretty sure he's talking about a New Frontier Armory lower, which is plastic. LW-15's I think.

Correct, I am talking about the New Frontier Armory Lower. All Plastic. I am definitley going to go plastic, much lighter. As far as length is concerned, I am sure a gunsmith could add an extra half inch in order to be legal.

I want to go with a long flash hider instead of a longer barrrel because that flash hider will weigh less than the equivalent amount of barrel length.

[C.W.M.V.]

So is the goal to have light weight to the point of making the rifle perform worse than necessary?

[KIDRR]

This sounds like a horrible idea. Just get a lightweight 14.5" with flash hider welded on and standard car handguards.

[Merc1138]

Correct, I am talking about the New Frontier Armory Lower. All Plastic. I am definitley going to go plastic, much lighter. As far as length is concerned, I am sure a gunsmith could add an extra half inch in order to be legal.

I want to go with a long flash hider instead of a longer barrrel because that flash hider will weigh less than the equivalent amount of barrel length.

It's only around 3-4 ounces lighter, unless you retain the plastic FCG that's around 2-3 ounces if I remember correctly. But then again I wouldn't want a plastic FCG... so I swapped mine out for steel.

I'm also not sure how you figure a gun smith is going to add an extra half inch to the barrel length without some combination of thread adapters(that would probably end up weighing more than that particular length of barrel would). It would make more sense to start with a longer barrel and have that cut down to length to work with the 5.5" flash hider. I also think you're over-estimating the weight savings between 5.5" of pencil profile barrel vs. 5.5" of flash hider. It's not like the FH is the same diameter as the barrel but with slots cut in it.

If you were really serious about the weight savings, a CF handguard, slick-side upper receiver(I don't think the DPMS is any lighter as the walls are thicker, maybe sun devil or CMMG?), barrel cut down reprofiled and threaded, an old CAR style stock or ACE stock, and a couple of other things would make a significant weight difference compared to just going the plastic lower route.

[pistolero805]

I built a lightweight upper using an AP Custom carbon fiber handguard and a Wilson Combat 6.8 lightweight tactical barrel. It is very light and a great shooter.

[The Virus]

Ain't Neva Bin Dun Befo

http://www.redjacketfirearms.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=42&category_id=8&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6

[ExtremeX]

This is like the worst of both worlds, IMO. Short barrel ballistics, and still having to meet 16" requirements.

This sounds like a horrible idea. Just get a lightweight 14.5" with flash hider welded on and standard car handguards.

^^ This

[ElvenSoul]

I think you would have more fun with a 7" AR Pistol than trying to make a Pistol into a Carbine.

[bonesurf]

I am just waiting for my AP customs carbon fiber handguard to come back (asked to have some more slots milled in). I went with a LW15, a stock upper, but plugged the forward assist and I might pull out the dust cover assembly as well (yes it isn't much but point is to make light right?) DD 14.5" mid light weight barrel. I pinned a comp on and that may have been a mistake, I may have that cut off and go back to a standard birdcage that's long enough because the damn comp seems heavier than the rest of the gun. Iron sights vs a PA microdot (they actually weight about the same). I haven't weighed yet but I'm guessing it's well under 6 lbs. Some oz can be shaved off with some of the lighter weight Bolt carriers, but I'm getting conflicting info on reliability issues once you do that.