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Author Topic: My light weight AR build  (Read 3278 times)

Offline jonm

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My light weight AR build
« on: February 17, 2014, 10:19:10 AM »
I had been working on this for a while and I finally done, for now. I wanted to make a really light weight rifle but wanted to keep it functional for 3 gun. I got the weight down to 5lb 4oz(with sights, no mag) and it shoots really nice.  Here is what she looks like




There were also plenty of places to save weight if your end goal is just weight. A frame front sight, ARMS #71 rear sight, standard A2 grip, poly lower, standard charging handle, thread protector, shorter forearm, or even SBR the whole thing. Without a tax stamp, you can easily get into the 4lb range

My parts list is
Daniel Defense lightweight barrel mid length gas
BTE adjustable gas block
Carbon Arms muzzle brake
AP Customs forearm
Whatever cheap forged upper/lower I could get
JP low mass BCG
Umbrella Corp grip
Hiperfire trigger
BCM charging handle
ACE rifle length ultralight stock
TACCOM ultralight buffer
Troy fixed sights

Offline landon410

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Re: My light weight AR build
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2014, 10:25:47 AM »
looks nice., i really like those ultra light stocks

Offline bkoenig

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Re: My light weight AR build
« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2014, 10:47:07 AM »
How's the recoil?  I know 5.56 doesn't have much to speak of, but I'm wondering if it jumps around at all and pulls you off target for followup shots. 

Offline jonm

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Re: My light weight AR build
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2014, 10:55:33 AM »
It was terrible with the thread protector. Double taps were a struggle. With the muzzle brake, MUCH better.

Offline shooter

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Re: My light weight AR build
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2014, 11:50:07 AM »
remember. If you SBR it, you cannot take it out of Nebraska without asking permission. you have to get a waver to let you take it to another state, and careful crossing states that don't allow them,
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Offline landon410

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Re: My light weight AR build
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2014, 12:26:20 PM »
"shorter forearm, or even SBR the whole thing. Without a tax stamp, you can easily get into the 4lb range"

wait, can you legally make a SBR without a tax stamp?

Offline Mudinyeri

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Re: My light weight AR build
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2014, 12:49:03 PM »
How do you like that Ace stock?  I've been looking at those.

Offline thirtydaZe

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Re: My light weight AR build
« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2014, 01:13:27 PM »
see, it's things like this i don't really need to see.  less than no experience with something like a build, all i can sit here and do is think about how i could go about getting myself involved.....

Offline bkoenig

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Re: My light weight AR build
« Reply #8 on: February 17, 2014, 01:32:22 PM »
"shorter forearm, or even SBR the whole thing. Without a tax stamp, you can easily get into the 4lb range"

wait, can you legally make a SBR without a tax stamp?


No, I think he's just saying you can build a really light AR without needing a short barrel.

Now, a super light AR built like this one, with a 10.5" or 11.5" barrel, would be REALLY neat.  I didn't make any particular effort to keep my 11.5" light, and it's light enough that it feels almost like a toy.  I think it's more of a change in the way it balances than the actual weight.

Offline landon410

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Re: My light weight AR build
« Reply #9 on: February 17, 2014, 01:57:59 PM »
ha, reading is hard, you're right.

Offline jonm

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Re: My light weight AR build
« Reply #10 on: February 17, 2014, 02:27:42 PM »
How do you like that Ace stock?  I've been looking at those.
I really like it. It's simple, and effective. I am a fan of rifle length LOP. I also have an ACE skeleton on my primary 3gun build. It's also awesome.


No, I think he's just saying you can build a really light AR without needing a short barrel.

Now, a super light AR built like this one, with a 10.5" or 11.5" barrel, would be REALLY neat.  I didn't make any particular effort to keep my 11.5" light, and it's light enough that it feels almost like a toy.  I think it's more of a change in the way it balances than the actual weight.
Yes, thats what I was saying.
I agree about the balance. My 12.5" gun feels almost 2x as heavy but only weighs a pound more. The balance point on the above build is the front of the mag well so the weight is very evenly distributed.

Offline CitizenClark

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Re: My light weight AR build
« Reply #11 on: February 17, 2014, 04:43:23 PM »
remember. If you SBR it, you cannot take it out of Nebraska without asking permission.

Narrow point: you can take it out of Nebraska all you want _if_ you temporarily reconfigure it so that it is no longer an NFA item. Just make sure you do not bring the parts along to swap it back over to the SBR configuration.

Quote
you have to get a waver to let you take it to another state, and careful crossing states that don't allow them,

You have to get ATF approval of an ATF Form 20: http://www.atf.gov/files/forms/download/atf-f-5320-20.pdf

Also, you can put down a date range of up to one year in duration, so that if you have a regular interstate destination you can get one form approved for multiple trips during that year.