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Thread: Lightweight AR15 options

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    Question Lightweight AR15 options

    I am looking to buy an AR for my wife for her birthday (shhhh!). I want to get the lightest weight rifle possible for her. What options are out there for minimizing the wieght of the rifle and what is the lowest weight that I can practically and affordably achieve?

    (This will be a plinking rifle so I am not concerned about mil-spec performance.)

  2. #2
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    Just don't buy the carbon 15 junk.

    Other than that you could do the cav-15 polymer lower. That plus a pencil barreled upper would be pretty light.
    "What would a $2,000 Geissele Super Duty do that a $500 PSA door buster on Black Friday couldn't do?" - Stopsign32v

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    An out of the box 6520 or something similar should do the trick.

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    what do you have against the carbon 15 junk?

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    The Bushmaster superlight barrel assembly makes a HUGE difference in overall rifle weight. My dad has a varmint AR that has to be over 20 lbs, so I built him an Colt 653 Clone with a Bushmaster Superlight Barrel that's amazingly light.

    http://www.bushmaster.com/catalog_xm...A3F%2016SL.asp
    Last edited by Soulrack223; 09-13-07 at 17:03. Reason: Add Link

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    Remember that as weight decreases, felt recoil and recovery time between shots increases.

    With that said, the Colt 6520 is the best compromise of weight vs. quality available.

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    under 5 lbs?

    Rob S, Good point regarding recoil. I may buy a .22LR kit so that my wife can chew up ammo cheaply and without recoil.

    I've seen specs from several manufacturers that say specific models weigh between 5 and 6 lbs. Is it possible/practical to have an AR weigh less than 5 lbs?

    Also, in reference to Bushmaster's Carbon 15, anyone have any experience with these? Does anyone other than Bushmaster make polymer receivers?

    Thanks!
    Jesus said, "I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!" - Luke 12:49

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    A Bushmaster or Double Star 16" A1 barrel mated to an A1 upper and utilizing a carbon fibre free float forend coupled to a CAV15 lightweight lower should give you a rifle weighing about 5 1/2 pounds.

    The CAV15 lower has the A1 stock length and you use a carbine buffer and spring.

    This combo should be short enough and light enough that your wife can shoot without problems.

    Using a .22 lr dedicated upper will actually weigh more than the centerfire set up.HTH

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by sonrider657 View Post
    I am looking to buy an AR for my wife for her birthday (shhhh!). I want to get the lightest weight rifle possible for her. What options are out there for minimizing the wieght of the rifle and what is the lowest weight that I can practically and affordably achieve?

    (This will be a plinking rifle so I am not concerned about mil-spec performance.)
    I agree with the other poster. The Colt 6520 would be your best bet for lightweight. If she's going to run an optic I would swap the upper receiver for a Daniel Defense A4 upper (it's a flat top with M4 ramps) the 6520s barrel extension has M4 ramps. The receivers are about $156 if ordered directly from them. If you want it even lighter than that and don't mind getting a SBR look at the Colt 6933 which is a 11.5" Commando bbl'd factory SBR and is VERY light.

    I'd also highly recommend the Primary Weapons FSC556 comp/flash hider. I put one of my wifes 11.5" SBR. Sure it's louder but if she wears ear plugs and muffs the difference isn't very noticeable at all, felt recoil and muzzle lift are almost nill.


    Chief Armorer for Elite Shooting Sports in Manassas VA
    Chief Armorer for Corp Arms (FFL 07-08/SOT 02)

  10. #10
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    Lightweight is nice, IMHO you should also consider balance. If the rifle is balanced properly it will have better handling characteristics and seem lighter. Front end heavy weapons seem harder to hold up, steady, snap up into place, and take more energy to get moving, and are harder to slow down when trying to stop their movement.
    Last edited by STAFF; 09-16-07 at 07:59.
    CY6
    Greg Sullivan "Sully"
    SLR15 Rifles

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