Why Are ARs So Heavy?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I bought one of these.
Cavalry arms lowers for Cav-Aid 2008. It's polymer and incredibly light. I just got the flashing trimmed and will be duracoating it. I plan on getting a specially lightened barrel made for it and to use the lightest components I can find for it. I think I can get it under 4 pounds unloaded and still have a rifle that's acceptably accurate at 200 yrds and under.
 
ML1.jpg


About 12lbs.

ML5.jpg


Just a touch over 8lbs.

To me balance is much more important than weight - a heavier rifle that balances well handles a lot better than a light, nose-heavy rifle. Without the suppressor, that rifle is almost perfectly balanced. Add the suppressor though and shooting on the move becomes a lot more challenging (as you might imagine from hanging 20oz of weight at the very end of your barrel).

Physically, you'll feel either one after a three-day, eight hours+ per day class; but generally it isn't the weight. I can hold a 25lb. dumbbell using the same grip I use for pistols and keep it extended for awhile. The rifle feels much heavier because of the balance though.

Another possible issue is that I don't think many people understand the benefit of proper position. If you aren't using a proper position the rifle is going to get heavy quick because you are either not using skeletal support to its best benefit or you are using smaller, weaker, less oxygenated muscles to hold up that same weight.
 
CBS220 said:
Because there are all those M203s floating around out there, of course.
Click to expand...

A '203 is only around $1500 (plus transfer tax). Plenty of folks have one. I'm waiting on mine to make it to my transfer dealer. Admittedly I never thought about an M4 profiled barrel until now.
 
A '203 is only around $1500 (plus transfer tax). Plenty of folks have one. I'm waiting on mine to make it to my transfer dealer. Admittedly I never thought about an M4 profiled barrel until now.
Click to expand...

In relation to the number of ARs out there, it is a definite stretch to imply that they are not quite rare.

Also, I got a new upper today for a varmint type AR. Looks nice. Before I put the scope on, and without a magazine, it tops 12 lbs :D
 
my Heavy Varmint weight custom 98 mauser tips scales at 13 lbs. I have gone on 2 mile journeys through rolling hills of N.Florida and S.Georgia. With a pack. Just stay in shape and carry a heavy piece. when you get ahold of a 7lb AR then you feel like superman. That is until you get soft and think that is heavy
 
Why are ARs so heavy?

Lack of PT. That's why.

Isn't that supposed to be PE
Click to expand...

PT = Physical Training

PE = Physical Education

You can have all the PE in the world, but if you don't have any PT it won't do a bit of good.;)

Edit: I'm thinking in civilian terms here, no idea about the military uses.
 
yea, +1. Im sure your FAL aint no slouch mabye 8-9 lbs. any Standard or HBAR is a toy compared to that thing.
 
I purposely got mine with the heavier barrel. Mine's a 16" Middy--I wanted the lesser pressures of the Mid-length gas tube, and the handiness of the 16", but I wanted the heavier barrel for aid in the accuracy department (because yes, I plan to take it hunting--eventually with some kinda optic, but for now with irons).

Later on in life, if/when I get more expendable income, I'll have a dedicated "hunting" upper, and a dedicated "everything else/CQ/SHTF" upper; until then, I prefer to think of my rifle as a nice "compromise" of purposes. But dang, one of my buddy's standard profile barrelled-CAR types was significantly lighter when messing with it.

And, for kicks, here's a picture!
img14942ws5.jpg

Compared to its weight beforehand, the bayonet doesn't seem to weigh anything :p
 
My Varminter .223 (Half Quad, A2 stock, 3-9 Monarch, 18" bull barrel) gets a little heavy lugging it around chasing hogs, so my next project is a 6.5 Grendel with the goal of keeping it light and handy.

Any feedback on my parts choices is welcome.

16" AA barrel (1.86lbs), YHM lightweight quad rail, ACE Skeleton stock (10.9oz)...

My last unknown is a good hunting optic. The 1x types are nice and light, but I want something useful out to ~250 yards. I could hit with 1x, but I want to place the shot, not just hit the animal. Any suggestions? A 3.5 ACOG would be great, but a little pricey. I might just go with the gold standard 3-9x.
 
I'll say if no one else has...

DIFFERENT TOOLS FOR DIFFERENT JOBS

You like light short rifles... fine. Others want or need something different.

Live it, Learn it, Love it or not.
 
PT = Physical Training

PE = Physical Education

You can have all the PE in the world, but if you don't have any PT it won't do a bit of good.

Edit: I'm thinking in civilian terms here, no idea about the military uses
Click to expand...

OR:
PT = Physical Therapy
PE = Physical Exercise.

It's all relative anyway. If you buy a heavy gun then be prepared to carry it. Pretty simple really.
 
5.56mm AR's are pretty light compared to other military 5.56mm rifles due to the lack of a gas piston. Of course it all depends on the configuration; for example, a 16" lightweight barrel carbine weighs ~5.7 lbs. empty. I do agree that a full HBAR is too heavy though...
 
Excellent replies all.

Just so we're clear, I'm not belittling anybody's choice of armament here. I mean, I get enough grief for my love of .44 Magnum carbines! "Why have a rifle and compromise it with a pistol caliber?" No need to pick on everybody else.

Nor am I out of shape. Sure, I'm not in fighting-form, but I've spent enough days wandering the backwoods with a 12ga shotgun, or a scoped-bolt rifle. And neither of those is as bad as carrying around a backpack full of camping gear! :p

The point was, the old SP-1 and A1 style rifles were lightweight. For full-auto usage, I can certainly see the added weight of an HBAR. But where does it benefit the semi-auto, non-target use? I think the "cheaper to make one contour" is the answer. And if a manufacturer is cranking out thousands of barrels, why can't they amortize the additional cost of going to a gov't contour under the handguards? I do see it's an option on many rifles though.

Shoot safe all.
 
They do't need to be, for most purposes. The A1 had everything almost exactly right, IMO. Ditch the triangular handguards and upgrade the material the buttstock is made from (but keep the shorter A1 LOP...that's JMHO but I'm 6-5 with a 36" sleeve...). Oh, yeah, change the tube to 1/7 or 1/9. Other than that, make mine an A1.
 
I have a full size AR with a HBAR and wish it wasn't that way. It is a little front heavy. Manageable, but not where I'd like it to be.
 
My point was not that I can't or won't, carry a 9 or 10# rifle, just that when I do, it may as well be a .40+ caliber, because that's what they weigh and I get more power for the same carry load. I see no point in dragging a 10# .22 all over creation when I can tote a 9# .416 (which, by the way, shoots 1 MOA). I'd carry a ~6# .223, which makes sense. Note that I'm not talking about "stationary" uses like target shooting.
 
I have a full size AR with a HBAR and wish it wasn't that way. It is a little front heavy. Manageable, but not where I'd like it to be.
Click to expand...

When I swapped out my 20" HBAR for a govt profile barrel it was the best thing I ever did. It's only 1lb difference, but the gun balanced so well after that, and the accuracy is not really much different. I wished I had done it sooner.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

K
  • Locked
How much does you AR weigh?
2
Replies
31
Views
2K
rskent
rskent
DMK
  • Locked
Will lightening my AR barrel ruin its accuracy?
Replies
15
Views
2K
DMK
DMK
C
  • Locked
Upper for an AR-15
Replies
24
Views
1K
horsemen61
H
S
  • Locked
AR-15 HBAR's
Replies
13
Views
3K
mshootnit
M
F
  • Locked
AR Upper
Replies
11
Views
1K
C-grunt
C-grunt
Back
Top