Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 26

Thread: leave it, rebuild it, or start over?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Charlotte
    Posts
    1,268
    Feedback Score
    43 (100%)

    leave it, rebuild it, or start over?

    So for a while I had two rifles. One a very basic BCM and the other a very heavy, overly accessorized Noveske lo pro. This was its first "completed state" after adding the DD RISII.


    I ended up selling the BCM and stripping down the Novekse to its current state dropping almost 3 pounds.


    What I want out of my rifle is it to be simple, light, and reliable (obviously). I do like having a free floated rail for the sake of hand placement and light mounting. I still feel like its current configuration still has to many components for me. Now that its my primary and only rifle I don't care what it looks like, only function form for the sake of performance.

    So to simplify this for myself should I start rebuilding it with maybe slick rails and a more basic lower? Or possibly get a KAC lower in order to maintain the right hand bolt lock that I've become fond of with the magpul BAD lever?
    Maybe a should sell it and just start over with BCM, DD, or colt and take any left over $ if any and put it towards ammo or training as a bonus? Another option I was looking into was just getting a KAC SR15 mod 1. It has the slick rails and abi lower, but again other specifics of that rifle over complicate the rifle I want to have.

    This rifle currently weighs in at around 9 pounds minus the T1 and sling. Id like to cut that down a bit.

    So what I'm asking is, whats the most economical, and effective way to achieve the rifle that I want?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    LV NV
    Posts
    703
    Feedback Score
    0

    Start fresh

    Go for the clean canvas. Weight appears to be the primary thing you are attempting to change out, so go with a LW build, barrel length as short as possible (SBR's rock.) I totally agree with the need for a free float, and would strongly recommend the MI gen 2's as fitting your potential application. Maybe the reason you hang so much off your rifle is a feeling that it must do all things... might want to rethink that just a little, become self sufficient, allow the shooter in you to do those things.

    I suspect you already know what you want in the feel of the project rifle, so trigger, sights and buttstock are on you!

    Good luck.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Charlotte
    Posts
    1,268
    Feedback Score
    43 (100%)
    I think part of why I hung so much on it in the beginning was for the sake of it to do everything to the fullest ability. After running an all day class with that and my light weight rifle I instantly realized how stupid that was.
    All I really want it to do is cover my ass if I ever need it to. As in home invasion, or home defense in a natural disaster or something like that. I want to be able to beat it around and not worry about this or that breaking.

    As for SBR, I don't know if I want to go down that road yet. I move a lot and I'm unfamiliar with how that would affect the rifle in a legal sense. Maybe I should go with an MRP for the ruggedness and modularity. But weight is a concern, as are the rails.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    New Orleans, LA
    Posts
    597
    Feedback Score
    7 (100%)
    By the time you replace all the parts to reduce the weight, you may as well have started over.

    If SBR is out of the question, start with forged receivers, a 14.5" lighter profile barrel and a modular free float tube (Centurion CMR, Troy VTAC, Midwest Gen II, etc) versus quad rail. That alone would drop a couple pounds off of what you currently have. From there, only install what you determine is needed based on use and experience.

    I find myself now building rifles not really focused on "how light can I make it", but instead "how much unneccesary weight can I drop". If there's a lighter part that accomplishes the same task without sacrificing reliability, I'll go that route. But weight is no longer my sole driving factor. I happen to perform best with Sopmod stocks and Eotechs, both some of the heaviest of their breed. However by lightening up the rest of the rifle I don't have to make sacrifices on those and can still have a very light and manuveurable weapon.
    Director of Business Development - Unity Tactical, LLC - Design and Validation for the tactical community.
    www.unitytactical.com / www.facebook.com/unitytacticalllc

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    colorado, usa
    Posts
    201
    Feedback Score
    0
    that thing is one version of perfect - i say leave it.

    you could probably save a few more ounces by...
    ...taking off the batt storage tubes and removing the butt pad.
    ...cut down the rail panels to just the area where your hand actually touches the forearm. or just remove them all together and use gloves.
    ...cut down excess webbing on your sling.
    ...remove the pistol grip storage compartment.

    however, you "should" have a backup rifle, so if you've got the itch, get a LW carbine gas upper as suggested below.

    Quote Originally Posted by SpeedRacer View Post
    ...start with forged receivers, a 14.5" lighter profile barrel and a modular free float tube (Centurion CMR, Troy VTAC, Midwest Gen II, etc) versus quad rail. That alone would drop a couple pounds off of what you currently have.
    (i'll add that i just ordered one of the fortis rev HG's mainly due to it's light weight and std usgi bbl nut).

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Ft Polk
    Posts
    182
    Feedback Score
    3 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Jsop View Post
    Or possibly get a KAC lower in order to maintain the right hand bolt lock that I've become fond of with the magpul BAD lever?
    FYI, the right side bolt release on a KAC lower is just that. A release - you can not lock the bolt open with it. The SR-15 Mod 1 is a great rifle is you are looking for a light, well handling AR.
    Last edited by LtNovakUSA; 07-07-13 at 15:12.
    ________________________________

    What anti gun people need to understand about gun control: It's like peeing in your pants on a cold night in Ranger School. It feels pretty good at first, but it is certainly not a solution to anything.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Orion Arm of the Milky Way
    Posts
    426
    Feedback Score
    0
    I wouldn't start over. It's not the rifle that does everything to the fullest ability, but the user. This is a rifle you are familiar with and know inside and out. Just strip it down to the basics-maybe keeping the microdot. Lose everything else. Great looking tool, I mean rifle, btw.
    Last edited by tog; 07-07-13 at 15:39. Reason: Dude!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    8,420
    Feedback Score
    3 (100%)
    Parts, such as the upper & lower receiver, receiver extension, BCG, buffer, spring and lower parts are what they are and weights are not going to vary much. That leaves you with three places where you can save weight on your AR-

    1) Barrel. Cutting it short will lighten it a little, but profile is where you'll see real weight savings. A short fat barrel will weigh more than a long thin one. Simply whacking an inch or two off a fat barrel is a waste

    2) Furniture. Some handguards and buttstocks can be unnecessarily heavy. Find furniture that's light and suits your needs

    3) Crapola. You've already addressed this one, but it bears repeating- Don't install or store anything on the rifle that's not needed to meet the mission at hand. Keep spares in a pouch, don't load the rifle with an AFG, foregrip and bipod, don't install lasers, compasses or other crapola you have no use for. Keep the accessories that you do install as light as practical

    It will do little good removing BAD levers or changing out the lower or upper until weight is excised from the barrel, furniture and crapola
    INSIDE PLAN OF BOX
    1. ROAD-RUNNER LIFTS GLASS OF WATER- PULLING UP MATCH
    2. MATCH SCRATCHES ON MATCH-BOX
    3. MATCH LIGHTS FUSE TO TNT
    4. BOOM!
    5. HA-HA!!

    -WILE E. COYOTE, AUTHOR OF "EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW IN LIFE, I LEARNED FROM GOLDBERG & MURPHY"

    http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n289/SgtSongDog/AR%20Carbine/DSC_0114.jpg
    I am American

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Charlotte
    Posts
    1,268
    Feedback Score
    43 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by LtNovakUSA View Post
    FYI, the right side bolt release on a KAC lower is just that. A release - you can not lock the bolt open with it. The SR-15 Mod 1 is a great rifle is you are looking for a light, well handling AR.
    I was under the impression there was the ability to lock the bolt from the right hand side. With out it the KAC lower looses a lot of what made it worth the price tag to me.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    CO/HI
    Posts
    434
    Feedback Score
    63 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Jsop View Post
    I was under the impression there was the ability to lock the bolt from the right hand side. With out it the KAC lower looses a lot of what made it worth the price tag to me.
    If you want bolt lock your only options are the AXTS A-DAC-F or AXTS AX556 I believe.

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •