AR weight savings question.

[Thompsoncustom]

Just had a quick question someone on here can probably answer. What would be the weight difference between a 16in military profile barrel with a steel barrel nut vs the weight of a 16in pencil profile barrel with a aluminum barrel nut.

 

[badkarmamib]

TTRL

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

Going out on a limb here but I'd venture to say 6oz or so...I honestly have no basis to give you that guess. Other than I've held each of those items at separate times and that's the best my mind can come up with.

 

[adcoch1]

The pencil barrel is about 7oz lighter but feels like more since the government profile puts a lot of metal in front of the gas block. Not sure about the barrel nut, but PROBABLY an ounce...

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[Thompsoncustom]

Ya that's what I dislike about the government profile just to much weight in the wrong spots. If I can save half a pound it seems like it would be worth it.

 

[adcoch1]

I chuck them up in the lathe and make pencil profile barrels out of them. It really balances out the rifle, and i don't plan on mounting an m203 so i don't need the barrel step.

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[Thompsoncustom]

Lol i was just thinking that since i have a lathe it doesnt look like it would be that hard. You have any pics of ones you have turned down? How much can it be turned down around the gas port.

 

[adcoch1]

At the gas port i leave it .750, but if i am building a free floating rifle i match that portion of barrel to the length of the gas block. Some ar pistols such as the carbon 15 were .625 at the gas port. In a .224 bore going down to .5" in front of the gas block would be reasonable. Attaching one of the few pics i have of one of my turned barrels.

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[lysanderxiii]

Lol i was just thinking that since i have a lathe it doesnt look like it would be that hard. You have any pics of ones you have turned down? How much can it be turned down around the gas port.

The minimum I would turn it down to is .57 +/- .01"

How much you can shorten the gas block journal depends on the gas block to be used.

 

[adcoch1]

The minimum I would turn it down to is .57 +/- .01"

How much you can shorten the gas block journal depends on the gas block to be used.

Good points here. Btw in my pic the barrel is at .62" from gas bloc journal to the step up at the muzzle. I was attempting to save the caliber and twist stamping and the thread protector just cleaned it up better than a flash hider. Turning barrels is easy, just stop a few thousanths shy of the finished diameter you're shooting for and use a sanding/polishing media to finish it out. Sandpaper is your friend if you want it to look decent.

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