Weight of AR-15

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I have a Colt 6920 which I have kept relatively simple. The only modifications are a hogue grip, vertical grip (and a small rail to hang it from), and removing the carry handle to make room for my aimpoint and a BUIS.

I can't get an exact measurement, but the rifle weighs about 8lbs (including a Pmag with 25rds). Maybe 8.5, but closer to 8 I believe. It's not for hunting or long range shooting. It's for plinking, SHTF, self defense, etc.

Is 8ish lbs too heavy for a general purpose AR-15? What does yours weigh?

ar.gif
 
Let's see... with TA11, T1, mounts, UBR, sling, sling points, flashlight, suppressor and a loaded magazine, my 16" AR comes in at about 12lbs. It is pretty bad when the guy with the scoped FAL goes "Wow, that's heavy" as you trade rifles. :) Drop the suppressor and it is a much more manageable 10lb or so.

For me, I find that balance is more important to me than weight. A well-balanced but heavy rifle is much easier to handle than a rifle that is light but nose-heavy - though that is my subjective view on the matter. I haven't actually tried to quantify how much difference it might make with a timer.

The longest I usually use the rifle is 3 days in a row of 8 hour classes. So for that, it isn't too heavy for me, though I will be a bit sore at the end of that. As long as the weight is serving some useful purpose for me, I am OK with it.
 
And people accuse AK's of being heavy. . .

I agree that balance is important. Granted, I'm an AK man, not an AR man, but the same principles still apply. A rifle should ideally balance on or just forward of the trigger guard, although rear-heavy is fine as well. You just don't want it front-heavy. If you can flip your rifle to your shoulder using just the pistol grip from a hanging downward position, you're probably fine.
 
8 lbs sounds fine to me. My "general purpose" AR is about 9.5 or so, but it's an M16A4gery complete with 20" barrel, KAC rail, and ACOG. However, the balance (as mentioned by the dread pirate Roberts) is what makes it quite manageable. :)
 
I was surprised at how fast I got fatigued shooting my pretty much stock AR (no extra equipment on it) and I am a pretty strong dude.

8lbs sounds okay, I believe mine is a little lighter (no front grip or aimpoint). But balance is more important anyway. Weight is only a concern for lugging it around long distances, and other respects like recoil management.

If you want to go lighter I suggest a Carbon-fiber or polymer lower, and a lightweight barrel like those on the original M-16's. I wouldn't trust the carbon fiber uppers yet.
 
not sure how much a 20rd aluminum gi mag weighs, but my 16" hbar a2 is listed @6.8 lbs.

i dont have any gadgets so i would estimate mine with 20rds to be ???? 7.8 maybe??

will weigh it tonight on postal scales.
 
I currently have one AR and am working on picking out an upper for my second. My 20" bone stock AR w/ government profile barrel and leupold 2x7x32 scope is just under 9lbs. I think it balances very well.

My next AR should come in under 6.5 lbs. I have a Cav Arms MKII lower and I will mate it to a either a BCM 14.5" lightweight middy (once they are back in stock) or BCM 16" lightweight middy if I don't exercise enough self control (since they are in stock) ;)
 
I run a fully stock AR, only additional weight being 2 mags coupled together every now and then and an H BAR. Regardless, guns are heavy things, therefore training your upper body strength is also an important part of firearms training.
 
I choose to not worry about wieght and just lift more, it compensates quite nicely. Since I moved up 100 more lbs on my bench my 9.5lbs rifle seems like a feather compared to 250lbs.
 
My weight is 6.6lbs in the following configuration:

BCM 16" Lightweight middy upper, MOE hand guards, standard FSB, DD A1.5 rear sight, MOE grip with extra bolt and firing pin in grip, CTR stock, 2 point sling, Larue off set lite mount with Surefire.

Dang I need Comp 4S
 
Well, it seems like my 8lbs isn't too bad. The rifle balances right around the front takedown pin which is a little further forward than ideal it seems, but it feels ok to me.
 
8lbs with a loaded magazine is pretty good. A basic M4 with no magazine is about 6 lbs so yours is only a pound more.
 
Not that this helps you too much, but my match grade AR weighs 15lbs. I filled the butt stock with lead and put some lead wire in the forestock. Course in across the course matches, I don't have to swing the rifle around at all.
 
Thats LIGHT!!!

:)

I think the main issue is the nose heavy affect on AR's The only stock I have found that moves the weight back is the MagPul UBR

But that adds more weight.
 
I own several and most of my carbines are at or below 7lbs. I like to keep them fairly simple.

I think this one weighs about 8lbs though.

IMG_6604.jpg
 
lbs.

I bumped my Colt up to about 12.5# for target shooting - not general purpose at that weight. Added lead sleeves under the handguard and a billet in the butt stock.
Pete
 
Don't know about my Colt's weight; but my Rock River LAR-15 Operator Elite
has an advestised weight of 8.0 lbs; straight out of the box~!
Click to expand...
RRA barrels tend to be on the heavy side. RRA got their start back before free-float forends were common, and hence heavier barrels were in vogue for accuracy reasons (remember when Colt 20" HBAR boat anchors were all the rage?), and RRA has stuck with thicker-profile Wilson barrels on most models. They tend to be a little nose-heavy as a result, but on the other hand you don't get as much POI shift with a sling and standard handguards as you might with a thinner profile barrel.
 
My ArmaLite midlength also has a Wilson HBAR that makes it a little nose heavy. In the configuration pictured below it weighs 7.75 lbs (with no magazine). I'm planning my next build with a Daniel Defense LW midlength upper which should drop 6-8 ounces, a lot of that off the muzzle end.

DSCN0759b.jpg
 
My ArmaLite midlength also has a Wilson HBAR that makes it a little nose heavy. In the configuration pictured below it weighs 7.75 lbs (with no magazine). I'm planning my next build with a Daniel Defense LW midlength upper which should drop 6-8 ounces, a lot of that off the muzzle end.
Click to expand...

You could probably shave half a pound off by changing out that optic mount.
What is that?
 
Rocky, where did you get that flashlight and mount?

And to respond to the post, my stock AR with A2 front sight and BUIS rear weighs in at 6.5 lbs unloaded.
 
Per Colt an unloaded 6920 weighs in at 5.95 pounds.

The M4 manual says a loaded rifle with a 30 rd magazine and sling (14.5inch version) weighs in at 7.67 pounds.

If you are close to 8-8.5 with an optic you are doing fine.
 
I have been considering a rail such as the OP's. On that bolts to the topside or bottomside of the handguard. I want a flashlight and possibly the angled grip by mqgpul. Do the little rails hold up well? Also, it looks like something would be easy to break when using a grip, whether it be part of the rail or handguard. One last concern, wouldn't plugging the holes with bolts cause an extra buildup of heat?

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