Lightweight CavArms build

[Littlelebowski]

What upper would you use? Got a buddy planning this and I directed him towards the middy lightweight BCM upper.

[rob_s]

Seems like by starting with the Cavarms it's already a build of compromises. One then has to decide whether to continue the pattern or deviate from it.

I would go with a DD pencil 14.5" barrel with carbine-length gas and some kind of permanent attached muzzle brake to deal with the increased climb of the lighter package.

[Littlelebowski]

He's already bought the lower.

[infidelprodigy]

Not to thread hijack, but what problems have you seen with the Cavarms lowers Rob? Granted my sample size as only been about half a dozen, but I haven't seen any problems with just the lowers. I own one that I used as a test bed for uppers I built, and it has probably seen over 5K rounds with no issues. For under $200 with a LPK installed, it wasn't that bad of a buy, though I still view them as a nifty novelty and still have plenty of LMT & DD lowers.

Just curious......

[rob_s]

I don't see any major functional issues, I just think it's a compromise solution being locked into a stock, stock length, and grip.

[Neo Mara]

Seems like by starting with the Cavarms it's already a build of compromises. One then has to decide whether to continue the pattern or deviate from it.

I would go with a DD pencil 14.5" barrel with carbine-length gas and some kind of permanent attached muzzle brake to deal with the increased climb of the lighter package.

rob_s do you dislike the 14.5 middys for some reason? I bought a 14.5 carbine gas for my lightweight because I wanted to be sure I could cycle the cheap stuff but everyone seems to think the 14.5 mids are unobjectivly better.

[rob_s]

I have two 14.5" BCM middies in the safe right now and one of them is my favorite gun in the safe at the moment. But, a 14.5" carbine gas will be lighter, and the associated handguard can be shorter and therefore lighter.

[ForTehNguyen]

Cav Arm lowers are on sale at DSG arms for $89, nice price. Building the lower just takes more effort especially if you want mags to drop free.

I have a BCM 16" lightweight middy on mine. Can go lighter if you go a 16" carbine, or an upper in 14.5"

[notorious_ar15]

Wow, that is cheap!

I put a CMMG 16" lightweight middy upper on mine. Balances very nice. In fact, a friend's wife has the same setup.

If the length of pull works for you as it does for me, then it's great - I don't find myself needing to collapse the stock for any reason (even though I use a discreet break-down case for transport). Personally, I find the cheek weld to be better when using a scope compared to the M4 style stocks.

For a range gun I think it works fine.

[sonrider657]

To make my gun as light as practical, I used a stripped Carbon-15 Upper on my Cav Arms gun. The whole gun weighs only 5 lb. 1 oz. (without magazine) and so far it has been flawless.