AR15 Trend -> Lightweight?

[matai]

Hey it seems to me that there has been a recent trend to get rid of all the crap on the AR's and get them lightweight and practical. I've had my S&W M&P15OR for about a year now and have made a bunch of changes:

- DD Lite Rail 9.0
- Magpul CTR Stock
- Magpul MOE Grip
- Magpul MBUS Sights
- PWS 556 Comp
- Trijicon ACOG TA33R-8

I plan on sending in my barrel to ADCO to have it re-contoured to a pencil barrel and cut down to 14.5" then having the comp permanently attached. I may have left a few marks on it getting the original gas block off which is another reason for doing this.

So do you guys notice this trend too? I feel like my rifle is pretty lightweight, do you guys have any ideas to get it even lighter while maintaining reliability and usability?

Feel free to post pics or specs of your lightweight rigs, I'd love to get some ideas from the experts.

Thanks

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Handguards grew rails and people started putting all kinds of crap on them to be ninja, when they didn't really need the stuff. So you add rail covers. Now people are coming out with slicked up forends with out rails. We'll end up with A2 round handguards again before this is all over.

[matai]

Do you guys think Magpul will ever come out with a nifty polymer free float quad rail? if anybody can do it, they can.

[Robb Jensen]

Hey it seems to me that there has been a recent trend to get rid of all the crap on the AR's and get them lightweight and practical. I've had my S&W M&P15OR for about a year now and have made a bunch of changes:

- DD Lite Rail 9.0
- Magpul CTR Stock
- Magpul MOE Grip
- Magpul MBUS Sights
- PWS 556 Comp
- Trijicon ACOG TA33R-8

I plan on sending in my barrel to ADCO to have it re-contoured to a pencil barrel and cut down to 14.5" then having the comp permanently attached. I may have left a few marks on it getting the original gas block off which is another reason for doing this.

So do you guys notice this trend too? I feel like my rifle is pretty lightweight, do you guys have any ideas to get it even lighter while maintaining reliability and usability?

Feel free to post pics or specs of your lightweight rigs, I'd love to get some ideas from the experts.

Thanks

Yes it's a cycle really. But lightweight is always good.

The only thing I'll be adding to my new training gun is a VLTOR light mount with ADM lever and a Surefire G2.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/gotm4/BravoCoUSA%20and%20BCM%20album/leftside.jpg

[C4IGrant]

Yes, the trend has come back into fashion. I think the reason why it left was the "sexyness" of the M4 profiled barrel. People are now bored with that look and have moved onto something else.

When I first started out, I ran a SS HB barrel, LT 9.0 rail, PRI flip up sight, Magpul UBR (old style), SF M962SU07, TD VG and a US Optics SN-4. Man did that thing weigh a ton!

As I have progressed in my training, I have down sized considerably (as technology has changed). I now run a 10.5 SBR with a Troy TRX rail, Aimpoint Micro with DD Micro mount, DD fixed Sights, SF X300 and either a CTR or the LMT SOPMOD.


C4


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/Tim_Orrock/Vickers%20Hackathorn%20M4C%20Class%202010/TD1/g-01-0016.jpg

[arizonaranchman]

I hate heavy/cumbersome rifles. It's all KISS for me and always has been. My new 16" BCM midlength will have an Aimpoint T1 on it (4 ounces!) when the budget allows (irons for now) and a Troy battlesight on the rear and that's it. Standard CavArms C8 handguards tops it off. With collapsible stock and a simple 2-point sling it's light and compact.

[SpeedRacer]

I don't think "lightweight" is a trend. The M16/AR was designed as a lightweight rifle. It was M4 barrels and slapping octo-rails with 20lbs of crap on them that is the trend. A trend that seems to be dying off for the moment and luckily the market is starting to put out some nice lightweight goodies again! :cool:

[Outlander Systems]

The more use you get out of your system, the more you will come to appreciate lightweight/small items.

I desperately would like to add a Redi-Mod to my weapon, but I'm not sure I want to take on the weight...

[tracker722]

******

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Yeah, the pendulum is always swinging one way or another. Don't panic heavy barrel guys, your stuff will be back in fashion one day.

[Dienekes]

I have a compact ACOG on the handle and a flashlight on the front. The barrel is M4 contoured and I wish it were a lightweight. Sometimes less is more.

[.45fmjoe]

My thoughts on the issue can be summed up in two words:

Thank God.

I love .625" barrels.

[decodeddiesel]

Clearing a building with a Buck Rogers carbine is a PITA. Make mine basic with only the stuff that is practical and leave the whizz bang stuff for the arm chair commandos.

OK, so tell me what this "whizz bang stuff" exactly is?

Furthermore you do realize that the "whizz bang stuff" on a "Buck rogers carbine" is an absolute necessity on a modern battlefield, right? Thing like IR lasers, powerful white and IR flashlights, M68 red dot sights, rail systems, combat slings, suppressors all have an indispensable place on a real world, no shit use carbine.

Now, now that I am a joe civilian, do I need all of that on my home defense AR? Nope. I run an LMT 10.5 with a TLR-3 light, Aimpoint T1 in a LaRue mount, basic KAC rail system, and LMT sopmod. This is what I would consider a "basic" carbine which fully allows you to exploit the inherent advantages of a carbine. Similarly the pistol I keep in my night stand is an M&P45 stoked with 14 rounds of 230gr Ranger-T ammo, with a CTC laser grip, and Procyon weapon light. It is very "whizz bang" but when utilized properly it gives me a distinct advantage.

People please let us not not use the lightweight AR fad as an excuse to slide down the slippery "KISS" slope to A1 style rifles with irons and no white lights.

[rob_s]

Yes, the trend has come back into fashion. I think the reason why it left was the "sexyness" of the M4 profiled barrel. People are now bored with that look and have moved onto something else.


I'm not quite sure that's all their is to it.

This is the golden age of commercial training, and everyone and their mother is getting out there and taking classes from everyone and their brother. Regardless of how worthless some of that training may be, it still requires spending the better part of your day standing around with a gun. A given the proliferation of fatbodies and generally out of shape people, ounces start to become pounds. So even a guy taking a totally bogus class will start to appreciate a lighter weight gun and gear.

Then you have the "me toos" that see the trend of even to bogusly-trained and feel like mimicking that.

Personally I've been on the light-is-right kick since my very first carbine turned out to be full of whiz-bang and weighed a ton. LMT 14.5" M4 upper with 12.0 Larue Rail, Magpul M93 stock, etc. I wish I could find a pic of that beast.

[tracker722]

******

[decodeddiesel]

What I mean by the "whizz bang stuff" are all the lasers and fake PEQs and things like that you see showing up at the range by the people who shoot a mag or two then pack it up.

For instance; I saw a guy at the range with what at one time resembled an M4. It had the largest railed forearm I ever saw. Attached to it was not one, but two lasers, one red, one green. On the bottom of the forearm was a huge white light that was the size of a two cell Maglight. The optics was a Chinese "tactical variety".

Is this necessary? This guy was not military, and I know he was not LEO. Just an armchair commando who reads too many gun magazines and probably subscribes to TOS.

In my world, LE, yes, a good white light is necessary as is the means to mount it, (read rail system). Comfortable furniture, yes. But outside of combat, who needs a PEQ with IR capability?

RDS, yes on a home-defense or LE carbine, but of quality manufacture not questionable heritage. You can have the things that give you the edge without the burden.

What I was referring to was all the tacticool stuff as mentioned above, not knocking tools of the trade real world.

Now that you clarified, I agree fully.

[sonrider657]

My super lightweight gun is one of my favorites (5 lb. 1 oz. without magazine).

http://www.christiancarnivore.com/magpul.jpg

[Jay Cunningham]

I like lightweight, but I am willing to trade weight for capability if I must.

[Chameleox]

I like lightweight, but I am willing to trade weight for capability if I must.

Exactly; there's a "limit" where one trades reliability or efficiency for weight reduction.

We finally got approval for personally owned patrol carbines, and the department is letting us buy Colts out of payroll deduction. I'm keeping mine fairly simple and lightweight. It falls into the category of having to be lightweight to the point that I won't mind having it slung on my shoulders all day, yet accessorized appropriately for my given assignments.

[rob_s]

I like lightweight, but I am willing to trade weight for capability if I must.

I agree.

the good news is that we don't have to make near the compromises that we used to. A1-profile barrels instead of HBAR, T-l instead of M2, Troy Extreme instead of Larue (or god forbid the AMRS SIR), the Surefire min-Scout instead of the M961... Making all those changes will save you at least a pound, if not two, and are equal in functionality in every way.

I would not, at this juncture, go with an A1 upper, etc. simply for the sake of saving weight (although I do think there are sometimes other justifications for going that route).

[HeavyDuty]

People please let us not not use the lightweight AR fad as an excuse to slide down the slippery "KISS" slope to A1 style rifles with irons and no white lights.


Everything has its place...

[Jay Cunningham]

I agree.

the good news is that we don't have to make near the compromises that we used to. A1-profile barrels instead of HBAR, T-l instead of M2, Troy Extreme instead of Larue (or god forbid the AMRS SIR), the Surefire min-Scout instead of the M961... Making all those changes will save you at least a pound, if not two, and are equal in functionality in every way.

I would not, at this juncture, go with an A1 upper, etc. simply for the sake of saving weight (although I do think there are sometimes other justifications for going that route).

Agree that we have some outstanding choices these days. In some cases we are certainly paying for it, though. Back to the old question: "How much is your life worth?"

[Jay Cunningham]

People please let us not not use the lightweight AR fad as an excuse to slide down the slippery "KISS" slope to A1 style rifles with irons and no white lights.


Strongly agree. Careful...

[armakraut]

The slim troy rails are sort of like the AR15 equivalent of an ultimak, not a bad way to save weight and reduce bulk.

Lighter barrels with a constant contour are better way to do things also.

Be nice if they started putting .308 AR uppers/lowers/barrels on a severe diet.

[Luckystiff]

I have posted pictures of this rifle before but I am going to again here to point out that we do have outstanding options that allow for all the goodies in the world to be employed without weighing the gun down.

This rifle sports all the goodness in the world yet is very light. I want to change out the stock for a CTR and the light for the new mini-scout. Other than that it is wonderful. With the GG&G QD mount I can throw on a 3X magnifier or the PVS-14 when needed but the bulk stays off the gun until needed.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/z2.jpg
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/z11.jpg

[CobraBG]

I don't have near the experience of many on this forum and I can't really comment on trends. To me light weight is a goal so long as the weapon's purpose is not compromised. Quite often less is more.

I've had a few different AR's over the years. Their use has always been home defense and having fun at the range. My Colt 6920 is lightweight now primarily because I can't afford some of the options I want. So far I've added a Magpul MOE grip and their enhanced trigger guard, a BFG Vickers padded sling, a BCM Mod 4 charging handle and I removed the carry handle and mounted a Troy folding BUIS.

This rig is nice and simple, I like shooting it and it handles well. I plan to add a RDS and a light. I do like the factory hand guards and don't plan on adding a rail. I'm going to mount a light on the front sight post, probably a Surefire G2 which I have... and that's it. Seems simple to me and I want to keep it as light as possible. :)

[peabody]

Handguards grew rails and people started putting all kinds of crap on them to be ninja, when they didn't really need the stuff. So you add rail covers. Now people are coming out with slicked up forends with out rails. We'll end up with A2 round handguards again before this is all over.


ither that or the triangular one's.... :)


i hopes so... i did . :)

[peabody]

My thoughts on the issue can be summed up in two words:

Thank God.

I love .625" barrels.








+1 :D:D:D

[variablebinary]

The AR15 has always been light, even with a light and optic when compared to other designs.

The problem was HBAR's, early bulky rail designs, VFG's and useless lasers that populated the market a few years ago.

It's not a trend, it's the return to sanity.

[kiki]

i dont know what the trends are these days but, my ar's are all light weight in my book....kiss system....all i have extra is a gg&g sling adapter on buffer tube and a mi picatinny rail in front handguard for light or grip.......im done....

[4thPointOfContact]

One of the truths of combat is ...
Every time combat gets closer, you want something lighter and more maneuverable; carbines and smg's begin to displace rifles.

Combat moves back to being hilltop to hilltop and maneuverability isn't as important as the ability to reach out and touch someone; longer (heavier) barrels, magnified optics.

[C-grunt]

What do you guys think of my carbine?

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm229/killerchase2000/2010-09-15_074105.jpg

Im still waiting on my DD light holder with a Streamlight PolyTac LED. Also have a YHM can at the dealer waiting on the stamp.

I thought it was a nice light carbine until I handled my buddies new DD middy with a Lite rail yesterday.....:(

[scottryan]

Two years ago I dropped all VFGs except a stubby tangodown grip on one gun.

All my other more current builds have none or a CSM handstop.

Just buy doing this saves alot of bulk that causes fatigue.

I also don't like how Vltor quit including the non storage compartment pannels with their stocks.

[Moose-Knuckle]

I have only personally owned one AR-15, a Colt 6530 that an uncle gave me as a gift. I never jumped on the M4 profile band wagon and for a semi-automatic carbine an HBAR is just obsured.

(old pic)
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/AKS-74/Colt1-1-2.jpg

I am looking at buying my second AR after all these years, either a DDM4V3 LW or V5 LW or even the BCM LW Middy. There are some great options out there for factor guns these days.