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Is there a good lightweight AR 15?

O

Oklahoma Hank

Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2023
Messages
24
I see listings occasionally but I have never seen a listing I trust.

I am not opposed to trying to build one but I have never built an AR.
 
Multiple good options.

BCM makes lightweight barrelled rifles with lightweight rails.

Colt 6720

I believe Daniel Defense makes lightweight barreled rifles. They have some newer lighter weight rails
 
Oklahoma Hank said:
I see listings occasionally but I have never seen a listing I trust.

I am not opposed to trying to build one but I have never built an AR.
Click to expand...

 How lightweight?

I threw a 16" pencil barrel under a carbon fiber handguard and with a primary arms micro 3x prism, it's lighter than the average carbine, but not terribly so.

My buddy built an SBR with carbon fiber lower, handguard, reciever extension etc etc etc and that's pretty light, but very expensive
 
Oklahoma Hank said:
I don’t have specs or a definition. I phrased it in a way to to get a wide variety of options.
Click to expand...
Every major player offers their own version of a lightweight rifle, or barrel. That's a general answer to your general question.
If you have a better idea of what you want, or how heavy you want it to be, you'll get better answers.
 
horsemen61 said:
Oklahoma Hank said:
lightweight AR 15?
Click to expand...
What is Your Definition of Lightweight AR and What Are You trying to Accomplish with it?
Click to expand...
Compared to 20" M16 I was issued in the Army and 20" Bushmaster HBAR (Heavy Barrel) and after a few miles of hiking, especially uphill, any 16" AR15 feels "light weight" in comparison. ;)

Essentially these are your barrel length and weight options:

Oklahoma Hank said:
good lightweight AR 15?
Click to expand...
To me, definition of "good" translates to accuracy (See my last signature line, "Holes on target speak volumes").

BUT "relative" group size on target depends on several things:
  • How small of a target are you trying to hit and at what distance? Soda cans/2 liter bottles/human sized targets at 50/100/200 yards?
  • What bullet weight are you shooting (55/62/69/75 gr)?
  • Are you shooting factory or reloaded ammunition?
  • Are you shooting .223 or 5.56 NATO ammunition? (M193/M855 are less accurate than commercial .223 ammunition)
  • Barrel free-floated?
  • 5.56 or .223 Wylde chamber (.223 Wylde tends to produce greater accuracy than 5.56 chamber)
16" pencil barrel may be lighter weight but once barrel heats up after shooting several magazines, could experience "wet noodle" effect and increase group size to where consistently hitting soda cans at 100 yards may not be guaranteed.

Because I wanted to shoot a lot (More than several magazines on hot sunny days out in the desert) of 55 gr FMJ at 50-100 yards, I initially chose 20" HBAR with 1:9 twist rate barrel more compatible with 55 gr bullet weight - https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-ar-15-rifle-twist-rate/

Then I wanted barrel that could maintain accuracy with heavier bullets (69-75 gr) so I went with 18" .223 Wylde 1:7 heavy barrel with rifle length gas tube (For milder recoil) free floated handguard. Although heavy barrel, shorter 18" felt "lighter" in comparison to my 20" HBAR. With factory Remington/Black Hills 55 gr FMJ, I got around 1" groups at 100 yards and acceptable accuracy with M193.

Then I wanted compromise between 55 gr and 69-75 gr weight bullets so I built 16"/18"/20" .223 Wylde 1:8 heavy barrel and fluted barrel with mid/rifle length gas tube all with free-floated handguard.

So if I wanted accuracy compromise of 55/62/69/75 gr bullets with lighter weight, I would go with 16"/18" .223 Wylde 1:8 fluted heavy barrel and free-floated handguard with lightest stock that will allow me to plink at 50-200 yards and not worry about how many rounds I have fired before group size got larger.

BTW weight difference between 16" lightweight/M4 and fluted heavy barrel is about 3/4 or 1/2 lb and you have to decide between weight vs accuracy based on what size target you will be engaging at what distance. For me, I like shooting soda cans at 100 yards with cheap 22LR and hitting shotgun hulls with reloaded .223 is even more fun.
 
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InTheSwamp said:
Oklahoma Hank said:
I am not opposed to trying to build one
Click to expand...
That's how it works. I see you building your own lightweight AR...:cool:
Click to expand...
And DO NOT put ARs in the gun safe as they tend to multiply like rabbits ... :oops:

When a box was delivered wife asked, "What do you need 10 enhanced Magpul lower kits and 10 muzzle brakes for?" < Quickly hiding 6 AR build kits, ambi charging handles and 20x/24x/40x scopes > ... "You know, spare parts ..." 🥹😆 ... "Honey, look at the time ... I need to take you out for dinner" :rofl:

Oklahoma Hank said:
I have never built an AR.
Click to expand...
Let's see, you will need some tools just to assemble one AR:
  • Mag/assembly blocks
  • Action rod
  • Torque/AR/barrel nut wrenches
  • Anti-seize compound
  • Roll pin set
  • Roll pin hammer
  • Go/No go gauges
If you buy complete upper, it will reduce cost quite a bit as you will drop action rod, barrel nut wrench, torque wrench, headspace gauges and anti-seize compound. That's what I would recommend as building lower is much easier and can be done just with roll pin set/hammer/castle nut wrench and center punch to stake castle nut along with spare "Oops" parts kit. (Don't ask me why 🤣 ... Darn, where did that half toothpick sized spring fly off to?)
 
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Are you looking for something that is actually light? Like under 7lbs light or are you looking for something that carries and points light?

Most of an ARs weight that you feel is forward of the magwell and the farther forward the weight is, the heavier it feels. Getting the weight closer to your body makes an 8lb rifle carry and point like a lighter rifle. To this end, I assembled my last 2 ARs using Criterion Core barrels. That and weight conscious choices of muzzle devices and handguards made a big difference.
 
TonyAngel said:
Are you looking for something that is actually light? Like under 7lbs light or are you looking for something that carries and points light?

Getting the weight closer to your body makes an 8lb rifle carry and point like a lighter rifle.
Click to expand...
Good point.

My 20" fluted barrel AR weighs almost 7 lbs. Even though it weighs 8.5 lbs with Burris 6.5-20x50 scope and Monstrum mount, it is well balanced and feels much lighter (Don't worry about the "evil" features, Bushmaster lower is RAW :)).

20AR.jpg
 
I am going to show my age in this post but oh well. 😁

1980s era Colt CAR-15 semi-auto is like 5.5 lbs. unloaded: 16 inch pencil barrel, no forward assist, aluminum collapsing buttstock.

1970s era M16A1 with pencil barrel unloaded is 6.5 lbs. Much preferred carrying it over the later M16A2 though the A2 is better for KD target shooting.
 
Something you could look for is a fluted barrel. It makes the barrel stronger, cools faster & is lighter.
I built an AR with this fluted barrel on a MAG tactical lower & it the lightest AR I own.

1700455513560.png
 
The barrel is probably the easiest place to save weight.

No need to overcomplicate things here! Check out the Del-Ton Scout or Sport 2:
1700464608518.jpeg
1700464726252.png

Each has the lightweight barrel profile. Pick your flavor of carbine or mid-length gas system. Specs on their site say 5.8 lbs. unloaded.

Palmetto has some light uppers available now too.
 
I built one in 6.5Grendel. Didn't have any particular goal in mind, just to make it measurably lighter than the previous one. Nothing particularly special about parts selection. Standard upper/lower from B Kings with a shorter free float tube. Main difference is the 16" light profile Faxon barrel and the B5 buttstock, as opposed to a heavier 18" barrel, longer tube and Magpul UBR buttstock. The result 'was' right at 7lbs with a Vortex 5x prism. Slightly more with the ACOG. It carries and handles real nice.

IMG_2993b.jpg
 
LiveLife said:
Compared to 20" M16 I was issued in the Army and 20" Bushmaster HBAR (Heavy Barrel) and after a few miles of hiking, especially uphill, any 16" AR15 feels "light weight" in comparison. ;)

Essentially these are your barrel length and weight options:


To me, definition of "good" translates to accuracy (See my last signature line, "Holes on target speak volumes").

BUT "relative" group size on target depends on several things:
  • How small of a target are you trying to hit and at what distance? Soda cans/2 liter bottles/human sized targets at 50/100/200 yards?
  • What bullet weight are you shooting (55/62/69/75 gr)?
  • Are you shooting factory or reloaded ammunition?
  • Are you shooting .223 or 5.56 NATO ammunition? (M193/M855 are less accurate than commercial .223 ammunition)
  • Barrel free-floated?
  • 5.56 or .223 Wylde chamber (.223 Wylde tends to produce greater accuracy than 5.56 chamber)
16" pencil barrel may be lighter weight but once barrel heats up after shooting several magazines, could experience "wet noodle" effect and increase group size to where consistently hitting soda cans at 100 yards may not be guaranteed.

Because I wanted to shoot a lot (More than several magazines on hot sunny days out in the desert) of 55 gr FMJ at 50-100 yards, I initially chose 20" HBAR with 1:9 twist rate barrel more compatible with 55 gr bullet weight - https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-ar-15-rifle-twist-rate/

Then I wanted barrel that could maintain accuracy with heavier bullets (69-75 gr) so I went with 18" .223 Wylde 1:7 heavy barrel with rifle length gas tube (For milder recoil) free floated handguard. Although heavy barrel, shorter 18" felt "lighter" in comparison to my 20" HBAR. With factory Remington/Black Hills 55 gr FMJ, I got around 1" groups at 100 yards and acceptable accuracy with M193.

Then I wanted compromise between 55 gr and 69-75 gr weight bullets so I built 16"/18"/20" .223 Wylde 1:8 heavy barrel and fluted barrel with mid/rifle length gas tube all with free-floated handguard.

So if I wanted accuracy compromise of 55/62/69/75 gr bullets with lighter weight, I would go with 16"/18" .223 Wylde 1:8 fluted heavy barrel and free-floated handguard with lightest stock that will allow me to plink at 50-200 yards and not worry about how many rounds I have fired before group size got larger.

BTW weight difference between 16" lightweight/M4 and fluted heavy barrel is about 3/4 or 1/2 lb and you have to decide between weight vs accuracy based on what size target you will be engaging at what distance. For me, I like shooting soda cans at 100 yards with cheap 22LR and hitting shotgun hulls with reloaded .223 is even more fun.
Click to expand...
Thats how it starts. And down the hole you go.
 
NuclearMeltdown said:
The barrel is probably the easiest place to save weight.

No need to overcomplicate things here! Check out the Del-Ton Scout or Sport 2:
View attachment 1180627
View attachment 1180628

Each has the lightweight barrel profile. Pick your flavor of carbine or mid-length gas system. Specs on their site say 5.8 lbs. unloaded.

Palmetto has some light uppers available now too.
Click to expand...

This is what I bought. It's pretty much the standard-options M4 clone, but it's 1/2 pound or so lighter than the pack.

You can go lighter, but you can't go lighter for $500 ready-to-shoot.
 
In 1979 I bought a Colt CAR-15 for $400 new, I used it as a ranch truck gun , then a Jeep gun and left it in a locked box on a jeep for years late 80s till the early nineties. When AR s started to look interesting to me again in middle of 90s I pulled it out and it still shot M193 55 grain ball in 3" at 100 yards with the factory iron sights and weighed 5.5 pound ! I also had a Colt Hbar flatop/with carry handle Delta and a Govt. Model with a Swan first gen Aimpoint and registered them all with CA in the 1999 Roos ruse . I have since up graded the upper of the car lower , and the other ARs. But wonder of wonders the old Colt CAR15 was the only AR15 that gave me zero problems until around 2003 when I figured them out to be a most excellent system .
 
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