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

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by tog View Post
    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.
    It's not that I want gadgets on my rifle to make me better. I wanted parts that made it a better tool. I learned my lesson that it was foolish.
    It's stripped down version has been the current state for a while now.
    I don't see much on it that I could take off. The extras on it is what make the part functional for me. I'm thinking about loosing the rail at least. I need those covers for the grip with the rail, but they're bulky as hell.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by MistWolf View Post
    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

    I don't really think its an individual part that makes it heavy. Maybe multiple parts that are generally heavier than normal adding up to make it what it is.
    Looking at a KAC SR15 Mod1 weighing in at 6.6 pounds according to their website, and mine weighing it at 3 pounds more with the same configuration (flip up irons, and FF rail) there's gota be a some fat to trim off this thing. And by that it may come down to a few major components being swapped. Or maybe a different rifle.
    It's not to heavy, I just think it weighs in at more than it needs to for me at least. I will say that it's balanced excellently though.

  3. #13
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    I went through similar thoughts as you with a few of the rifles I have had in the past. I dont think you need to get a whole new rifle but that is up to you.

    If you want to really shed some weight I would ditch the RIS rail and go with a modular rail as mentioned above (I currently use a Troy VTAC and I am loving it)
    and maybe get a basic buttstock such as an M4 style or MOE.

    That will make a huge difference in my opinion and it will balance well, I know this because this is the exact setup I have currently. I would get you an exact weight of mine but we are moving and I packed my scale.

    Good luck.

    JR
    "Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"

    Semper Paratus AR-15 Armorer

  4. #14
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    wait... your down to 1 ar? build another!

  5. #15
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    I ran into the same problem with my first. But the main weight was from the 12" DD "LITE" rail and the Govt' profile barrel. I have a light, and an ACOG mounted to it, pulse irons.

    It does not have too much accessories but too much rail and barrel (thickness).

    So I went with 16" LW barrel, and 9" rail to keep the FSB and save weight.

    It FEELS much lighter. Though I am not sure the exact savings, maybe a pound or two.

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by JR TACTICAL View Post
    I went through similar thoughts as you with a few of the rifles I have had in the past. I dont think you need to get a whole new rifle but that is up to you.

    If you want to really shed some weight I would ditch the RIS rail and go with a modular rail as mentioned above (I currently use a Troy VTAC and I am loving it)
    and maybe get a basic buttstock such as an M4 style or MOE.

    That will make a huge difference in my opinion and it will balance well, I know this because this is the exact setup I have currently. I would get you an exact weight of mine but we are moving and I packed my scale.

    Good luck.

    JR

    I do love the cheak weld I get with the vltor and it doesn't seem to heavy. Really the rifle seems more front heavy than anything but balances with a mag in it.
    I've been thinking about the NSR if I go the route of keeping it. It seems that the NSR will only save about 4 ounces though.


    Quote Originally Posted by Sentaruu View Post
    wait... your down to 1 ar? build another!
    It's really a mater of easing tension with my wife. She doesn't understand why I'd need two. She cares more about me having two rifles that are "the same" than how much I spend on one. It's an argument we've had a few times about a few things. She finally understands a mountian bike and a road bike are very different.

  7. #17
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    Switch the handguard to the NSR, and put a X300 @ 12 o'clock. That should save you 10.3 ounces off of the front of your rifle by my calculations.

    ETA:The RIS II weighs 17.7 oz, the NSR 13.5 weighs 11 oz, correct? Weight savings of 6.7 oz?
    Last edited by P2000; 07-07-13 at 20:07.

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by P2000 View Post
    Switch the handguard to the NSR, and put a X300 @ 12 o'clock. That should save you 10.3 ounces off of the front of your rifle by my calculations.

    ETA:The RIS II weighs 17.7 oz, the NSR 13.5 weighs 11 oz, correct? Weight savings of 6.7 oz?
    Also without the hand guards of save a few oz. I have to do more research into the NSR. Is there a proprietary barrel nut/wrench for them?
    I know there's a lot off assesories that are available. I'd just need a QD socket and a light mounting system. Probably one of those Thorntail or dropwing. I don't recal which one was what.


    I can't seem to find the weight of a gen2 lower compared to a standard lower. Although I don't think it would be much difference.

  9. #19
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    I like your current setup, but if I was in the same position I'd go piece by piece.

    Because I'm lazy my first move would be a 10" RIS, then I'd see how I liked it.
    Then I'd go to a pistol light, like an x300 in front of your flip up sight.
    If you still don't like it, that's when I'd try to go to a 14.5" upper with lighter rail.
    You dig your grave with your fork.

  10. #20
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    Lightbulb

    Where the weight hangs makes it feel heavy too. I have an ARP LW 16" barrel, 13" VTAC rail with Troy folding frt/rr sights. A TLR1 at 12 oclock and I shed the ACS to a B5 Bravo stock. The weight is between my hands on a BCM Mod1 grip and the RVG. H-1 on a Seekins mount should be here this week. I have even been contiplating the NSR 13.5. My MD is a Phantom YMH. Trying not to hang weight on the end of the barrel. Leverage.

    Last edited by RWH24; 07-07-13 at 21:26. Reason: photo added

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