Building a lighter AR didn't work out so well...

[NeverEnoughFDE]

You did fine building a light AR, it's the accessories that are killing you. But if you want to lose more weight on the gun itself don't fight the suggestions that are being given to you:

• Pencil barrel, or at a minimum Faxon gunner profile
• Adjustable gas block
• lightweight BCG
• lightweight buffer
• handguard long enough to just cover the gas block

Beyond that, rather than replacing the stock to shave a few ounces I'd remove weight at the other end to help with balance, starting with the rail covers and hand stop. An ultralight build is also a minimalist build.

Again, the barrel is already pinned & welded. Not going through the hassle & expense of replacing it. LW BCG is not good for a SHTF rifle based on everything I have read. It will be run with a can full time so the H2 buffer is needed. ALso, pencil barrels are not the best for a can. Especially a heavy can like mine

The HG on it is GTG.

I have a lighter BCG (Not LW BCG) & ADM mount for the micro prism on the way to help some. I may ditch the piggy back mount & red dot too. I might switch to the MFT stock as well, but worried about being unbalanced if I do that.

It is what it is I suppose. Not end of the world and I'm not going to dismantle the whole thing so maybe build something lighter in the future & waste of ton of $ lol

 

[bassjam]

Again, the barrel is already pinned & welded. Not going through the hassle & expense of replacing it. LW BCG is not good for a SHTF rifle based on everything I have read. It will be run with a can full time so the H2 buffer is needed. ALso, pencil barrels are not the best for a can. Especially a heavy can like mine

The HG on it is GTG.

I have a lighter BCG (Not LW BCG) & ADM mount for the micro prism on the way to help some. I may ditch the piggy back mount & red dot too. I might switch to the MFT stock as well, but worried about being unbalanced if I do that.

It is what it is I suppose. Not end of the world and I'm not going to dismantle the whole thing so maybe build something lighter in the future & waste of ton of $ lol

You hadn't mentioned this was P&W, that would have cleared things up earlier. What I do on my builds and you might want to try, is I keep a spreadsheet. I list the price of every component, it's advertised weight, and then I weight it on a postage scale when I get it so there's already a sum of what the rifle should weight before I put it all together.

 

[NeverEnoughFDE]

You hadn't mentioned this was P&W, that would have cleared things up earlier. What I do on my builds and you might want to try, is I keep a spreadsheet. I list the price of every component, it's advertised weight, and then I weight it on a postage scale when I get it so there's already a sum of what the rifle should weight before I put it all together.

I do have a speadsheet of everything & costs on all my stuff, but never included weight. Just recently did I want to build something lighter than what I already had

 

[mavracer]

It is what it is I suppose. Not end of the world and I'm not going to dismantle the whole thing so maybe build something lighter in the future & waste of ton of $ lol

Always good to have a goal in mind, but like you said WRT weight there's compromises I'm not willing to make.

 

[LocoGringo]

Gotta be more ways to cut weight off this thing without making it unreliable

Here, in post #4 you ask for suggestions (at least that is the way I interpret it), but you don't want to change anything. You state a reason for every part you've included. Ok, then the weight is going to stay the same.

If you're not willing to change anything, start over.

 

[gotboostvr]

Always good to have a goal in mind, but like you said WRT weight there's compromises I'm not willing to make.

On my light beater carbine, I chose a light weight barrel, handguard and optic package, but just about standard everything else.

It's a handy package, and light enough (without the can, at least) I don't see the need to take any more drastic measures.

The handguard is probably a compromise, but moreso because I think the barrel nut/ handguard interface is a little wonky, than it being carbon fiber.

I've got a real nice Smoke Composites handguard sitting in my parts box, but I just recently got it, and am planning on doing something else with it.

 

[mavracer]

I've got a real nice Smoke Composites handguard sitting in my parts box, but I just recently got it, and am planning on doing something else with it.

Before I spend $300 on a handguard to lose 3 or 4 oz, I'd just skip breakfast my fat butt could sure afford to miss a meal easier lol.

 

[gotboostvr]

Before I spend $300 on a handguard to lose 3 or 4 oz, I'd just skip breakfast my fat butt could sure afford to miss a meal easier lol.

Oh, me too. I got that handguard for free as a gift. That handguard costs more new, than I spent on my most expensive complete barreled upper lol.

 

[Zerodefect]

Pencil barrel
16" carbine
A2 flash
KISS gas block and guards
GI stock
KISS carry handle, no optic.

I suggest leaving your rifle the way you like it.

And start a KISS build with a pencil barrel. No Rail, no optic.

My Colt 6920 is my light KISS carbine. With a heavy m4 barrel. I'm not keen on light weight barrels, race carriers, or race buffers. Not when my KISS carbine is one of my most likely picks, for serious work.

 

[Zerodefect]

Bcm makes a kiss upper with an M4 barrel, and another with a thinner looking m4-ish barrel:

BCM® Standard 16" M4 Carbine Complete Upper Receiver Group

BCM M4 Carbine 16" Upper Receiver Group. The 5.56 Upper is designed for shooting professionals & responsible civilians for the demands of duty.

bravocompanyusa.com

 

[Skylerbone]

A pair here built by my daughter and me, both .223 Wylde, forged uppers/lowers (Anderson and SOLGW), 16” BA pencil profile, 10.5” pencil. One is standard lo pro, the other an adjustable (JP), aluminum minimalist stock vs SBC brace, both wear 15” aluminum handguards from Phase 5, A2 hider on the rifle, 3” Magnum KVP Linear Comp on the pistol.

We each intended to keep weight reasonable but neither of us sacrificed on the bling we wanted and despite the differences they both came in rather svelte no matter the configuration, with excellent balance.

As you can see with my daughter’s rifle, one small change can improve (reduce) weight where you might have expected an increase (with scope and mount). I understand the tendency to resist LW barrel profiles because that old chart told us what was worthy for “serious” or “hard” use. To that I can only say if you’re burning up a pencil profile in any situation, then you’re burning up more ammo than you ought to be and that stuff is heavy to pack as well.

With Vortex RDS


With Leupold Mark AR 1.5-4x and Aero Precision 1” mount.


With Magpul MBUS



KVP 3” Linear Comp

 

[CraigC]

A pair here built by my daughter and me, both .223 Wylde, forged uppers/lowers (Anderson and SOLGW), 16” BA pencil profile, 10.5” pencil. One is standard lo pro, the other an adjustable (JP), aluminum minimalist stock vs SBC brace, both wear 15” aluminum handguards from Phase 5, A2 hider on the rifle, 3” Magnum KVP Linear Comp on the pistol.

We each intended to keep weight reasonable but neither of us sacrificed on the bling we wanted and despite the differences they both came in rather svelte no matter the configuration, with excellent balance.

As you can see with my daughter’s rifle, one small change can improve (reduce) weight where you might have expected an increase (with scope and mount). I understand the tendency to resist LW barrel profiles because that old chart told us what was worthy for “serious” or “hard” use. To that I can only say if you’re burning up a pencil profile in any situation, then you’re burning up more ammo than you ought to be and that stuff is heavy to pack as well.

With Vortex RDS
View attachment 1199943

With Leupold Mark AR 1.5-4x and Aero Precision 1” mount.
View attachment 1199944

With Magpul MBUS

View attachment 1199945

KVP 3” Linear Comp
View attachment 1199952

Agreed. I can't imagine any legitimate reason for the average shooter to shy away from a thinner barrel profile, especially if they're deliberately trying to reduce weight.