How much weight can you drop w/o losing capability?

[Sry0fcr]

I've been thinking about this for a few days, but then someone posted in the Technical section asking about a $60 Ti A2 flashhider. I'm not a complete weigh weenie, but oz add up quickly. Just as a thought exercise looking at my wife's gun, it could easily lose half a pound or more with a new optic/mount combo and a more minimalist sling and lose almost no capability. It doesn't seem like you have to start throwing $$$ after Ti doo-dads if carefully choose a handguard, gas block, light, optic, mount, BUIS, ect.

How much extra are you carrying around on your setup? Where can you trim some fat w/o losing capability?

[Dr. Bullseye]

Its gotta function first. Then consider weight and tacticool factors. So function, weight, looks. If you have to have THAT red dot then it is not something that can be sacrificed, for instance. But I think everyone has felt their rifle get too heavy and questioned what they were doing.

I would like to start here.

https://www.midwestindustriesinc.com...-p/mi-mtbo.htm

We all know the difference between tactical and non-tactical bottle openers. A tactical bottle opener is obviously needed if you are shooting and drinking beer. It may even be more important in combat but I'll let others answer that critical question.

[crusader377]

I think people go a little crazy on cutting weight. IMO it is very easy to build a fully functional and affordable carbine in roughly the 5.5-6lb range if you use a lightweight barrel. Add .5 lbs or less for a quality lightweight optic and mount, Aimpoint T or H series or Trijicon MRO, 1lb for loaded 30rd magazine, .25lbs for a weapon light. Given these weights you can have a full capability carbine in the 7.25-7.75 lb range loaded, ready to go.

Honestly if those weights are too much, you probably need to invest more in your own personal physical conditioning.

[justin_247]

This is something I've been pondering for some time, especially since IR lasers/illuminators and LPVOs add a lot of weight to the weapon. At a minimum, I don't think you can compromise on the following:

(1) Mil-spec BCG
(2) Mil-spec receiver extension and buffer weights
(3) Mil-spec upper receiver group (you're going to lose some rigidity with lightened ones, I fear, especially since there's so much stress on the forward part of the upper receiver where the barrel and handguard are attached)
(4) Good gas system components (avoid aluminum gas blocks)
(5) A rigid, lightweight rail (something like the KAC URX 4), especially if you're using aiming devices on it

I think you can probably cut some weight off the lower receiver, although you need to be careful that you're not cutting weight away from the area where the receiver extension screws in, as this is a weak point in the system. Maybe something like 2A Armament's Palouse-Lite lower receiver would be a good compromise here.

The barrel is where it gets contentious. You can obviously cut a lot of weight by going short (10.5" or 11.5", or about 18.5 to 20.5 oz.) or going with a pencil-weight barrel (such as a 16" Colt 6720 or Sionics LW barrel, which is about 22 oz.). Or you can do something in-between, like a 12.5" Centurion Arms CHF barrel (about 21.5 oz.), without much of a compromise.

[markm]

If low weight and capability/speed are desired.... NOTHING can touch the BCM 14.5 middy with ELW barrel and pinned Gunfighter muzzle device.

That gun can shoot faster and smoother than any AR I've ever shot. It easily beats even my BCM SOCOM 14.5 when I try to get 30ish yard double and triple tap type volleys of fire.

[Sry0fcr]

I think people go a little crazy on cutting weight. IMO it is very easy to build a fully functional and affordable carbine in roughly the 5.5-6lb range if you use a lightweight barrel. Add .5 lbs or less for a quality lightweight optic and mount, Aimpoint T or H series or Trijicon MRO, 1lb for loaded 30rd magazine, .25lbs for a weapon light. Given these weights you can have a full capability carbine in the 7.25-7.75 lb range loaded, ready to go.

Honestly if those weights are too much, you probably need to invest more in your own personal physical conditioning.

I understand where you're coming from, I don't think most would consider 7ish lbs "too much". I just don't think anything needs to be heaver than they need to be to get the job done. It's a game of oz. If I can save a few where there's little/no compromise, I might be able to add capability/weight somewhere else... or I can just enjoy weight savings in my puny girl arms.

I can probabably save 1.5+oz using a different stock, 3oz using a 14.5"PW vs 16", 2oz going Arisaka Mini vs Surefire Mini probably .5 by dumping my stubby VFG and going to a handstop, .8oz by ditching the padded Vickers sling and going non padded, probably more if I cut the ends instead or rolling/taping it up. That's over 1/2 a pound with near zero loss of capability and compromising nothing.

[Hammer_Man]

I think a good barrel that is chrome lined 4150 CMV (or FN CHF) paired with a milspec bcg (Colt, BCM, DD, etc.) will serve you well. You can trim weight by using a quality plastic carbine hand guard (like a Magpul MOE), and keeping the rifle free of accessories you don't need.

[Uni-Vibe]

Titanium A2 flash hider?

If y'all think some gunners obsess over weight, check out the cycling forums. A few riders will pay $4 each for titanium water bottle cage bolts, when the steel ones cost pennies. And the $18 stainless steel bottle cage becomes $60 in titanium. And you need two of them.

[1168]

See also: backpacking.

And motorcycle racing. Mofos drill rings of holes in Ti freaking washers.

[1986s4]

And motorcycle racing. Mofos drill rings of holes in Ti freaking washers.

OK, you got me on that one.. Wow !