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Thread: AR15 Trend -> Lightweight?

  1. #11
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    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.

  2. #12
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    My thoughts on the issue can be summed up in two words:

    Thank God.

    I love .625" barrels.

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by tracker722 View Post
    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.
    Last edited by decodeddiesel; 02-18-10 at 23:01.

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by C4IGrant View Post
    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.
    Last edited by rob_s; 02-18-10 at 22:13.

  5. #15
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    ******
    Last edited by tracker722; 06-20-11 at 01:18.

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by tracker722 View Post
    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.

  7. #17
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    My super lightweight gun is one of my favorites (5 lb. 1 oz. without magazine).


  8. #18
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    I like lightweight, but I am willing to trade weight for capability if I must.

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by The_Katar View Post
    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.
    The advice above is worth exactly what you paid for it.

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by The_Katar View Post
    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).

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