Rifle Weight

[1168]

I'm in a quandary between what's useful and what's "handy". My "go to" carbine has only a Meprolight M21 for optic, and an old school Surefire G2 in a VLTOR mount and Midwest Industries front sight mount for a light. The rest of the rifle is a bone stock Colt 6920.

Here's the kicker: I much prefer the BCM with carry handle sight. NO optic. NO light. And I replaced the handguards with the skinny type. I also opt to use 20-round mags. The carbine is so light and maneuverable that I'm rethinking all the doodads on the other carbine. I may try mounting a lightweight WML and seeing how things look at the range with the large peep sight aperture instead of an optic.

For the Colt...

Optic: maybe go with a TA44 ACOG instead of the Meprolight?

Light: maybe use a lighter weight Streamlight or Inforce WML?

I also thought of going with a pencil barrel upper and leaving the doodads as they are to see if that helps.

It's not that the Colt is overweight, but after an hour or two at the range you DO notice a difference in weight. Imagine trudging across the desert, which would you carry?

I also keep hearing in my head, "If the rifle's too heavy, you're too out of shape." So there is that.

I think you are pretty much on point. The things we bolt onto our rifles to help us hit our tagets all vary in weight; optics, flashlights, mags, lasers. It is up to the user to decide what the balance is between weight and capability is. A LPVO weighs more than a mini red dot or irons. A WML weighs less than a larger Surefire. A KX3 weighs more than a A2. We sometimes give up durability for weightloss, sometimes dollars, sometimes capability. If it doesn’t help you hit your target or help you not receive fire from your target, it is worthless.

[Dr. Bullseye]

I agree. A nose heavy gun is annoying even if it's a pound or two lighter than a balanced gun.

Nose heavy is really annoying.

[R.O.U.S.]

When I first got into AR15's early this year I went with an HBAR that I regretted getting for many reasons. After getting more familiar with what is available I really started to like lighter weight rifles like the Colt 6720 which is approximately 6 pounds.

After shooting a suppressed rifle a couple of times, I don't think I would mind going heavier if it meant I could shoot suppressed.

[Jellybean]

It all really depends on what you need the gun to do....
I mean, if you need an IR laser and a 203, well... you're stuck with heavy weight forward on the gun.
It just is what it is, furthered by the fact that all material weighs something, and that occasionally some extra weight is worth it for a part that does something unique or better than another part.

Put what you need and nothing else on it, try and get it to balance nicely (balance is half the battle dealing with weight) and roll on.

[1168]

....
I mean, if you need an IR laser and a 203, well... you're stuck with heavy weight forward on the gun.

Thanks for reminding me how much I hated the 203.

[Jellybean]

Thanks for reminding me how much I hated the 203.

The inspiration for the comment was a picture from one of those "weapons of X-unit" articles- was an M4 with 203, SF light, Dbal, and Acog (possibly with RMR as well, can't remember).... and a factory adjustable plastic stock.
The only thing I could think of looking at that monstrosity was "pain".

[Doc Safari]

I removed the flashlight, VLTOR mount, and MI rail from my carbine's front sight base a few hours ago. I'm amazed at the immediate difference in weight--especially in terms of the rifle no longer being "nose heavy". Since my Glock has a Surefire X300 on it now, I didn't feel the need for a flashlight on the carbine since the light won't reach out much further for the rifle than for the pistol.

I think I'm going "light free" on the carbine unless I can find a lightweight alternative to what was there.

[grizzman]

What light was it?

[MWAG19919]

Just weighed my bedside rifle. It's a 16" BCM ELW with the 15" magnesium KMR, polymer MBUS, Aimpoint T2 in a LEAP mount, Surefire G2X in a DD mount, Vickers 2 to 1 sling, BCM KAG, and a 30 round Lancer mag. The scale in the bathroom is a bit inconsistent, but it looks to be 8.1 lbs.

[1168]

The inspiration for the comment was a picture from one of those "weapons of X-unit" articles- was an M4 with 203, SF light, Dbal, and Acog (possibly with RMR as well, can't remember).... and a factory adjustable plastic stock.
The only thing I could think of looking at that monstrosity was "pain".

All it needs now is an Elcan “can o’ elk”.