Building the ultimate light-weight AR

[mkellett]

Okay guys, here's a challenge... What would YOU spec as the ultimate light-weight AR-15 (either in .223 or 9mm) rifle/carbine.

There are so many "junk barge" AR's on the other message boards, only the "thinking man's" gun guys on the Uzi board could come up with a really good solution.

I figure any rifle/carbine that is really intended to be "humped" around in real-life use, should be as light as possible, while retaining full reliability and accuracy.

So, instead of trying to figure out how much crap you can pile onto a poor, defenseless rifle carcass, let's see who can figure out how to get the most bang for the fewest ounces.

I've inititated this because I am about to build a 9mm AR and I love all the cool gadgets, but I don't want something that resembles a boat anchor.

I know there are now carbon-fibre parts for AR's (Bushmaster), but I have no knowledge of their real-world durability. I owned one of the early Carbon-15 AR style pistols, and it was a piece of junk (never functioned properly in its life).

I'm thinking more in line with the lightest possible variation on barrels, handguards, optics, mags, etc. I just thought this would be a fun excercise for those into the AR's.

 

[az_gun_nut]

What's wrong with a bone stock Flattop AR with an Aimpoint or EOTech sight on it and that's it? My Bushy M4 is a 14.5 inch M4 profile with the 2 inch flash hider. Colt M4 doulbe heat shield hand guards, flattop upper with an Aimpoint M2 sight mounted on an ARMS quick release mount that sits on top of an ARMS Swan Sleeve rail with a flip up BUIS. I have a SUREFIRE G2 Nitrolon light mounted under the barrel just in case. That's it, pretty simple, fairly light weight and just the necessities.

 

[Z06]

This is a good 9mm setup. Can be done with a 10.5" SBR upper, 16" upper, or as shown: M16/9mm. The A1 removeable carry handle cleans up the little rifle too.

 

[az_gun_nut]

What brand of anti-walk pins are those you have on that 9mm? I've seen them before someplace.

Thanks,

 

[mkellett]

I got the screw-head anti-walk pins from Brownell's. I think the set was $30. They come with the wrench and even a little pointy tip thing to help punch them through to replace the existing pins without anything moving around on you, very slick!

I looked up the part number for you... It's 923-000-036 AR-15 .154 Non-Rotating locking pins retail $32.00.

 

[az_gun_nut]

Sweet, thanks.

 

[M60joe]

Here's a light 9mm M16. SBR a AR and you will have a light one.

 

[Vegas SMG]

Get rid of the 100 round Beta C drum and this 7 1/2" .223 is light, fun, and runs well.

 

[ELVIS]

The NEW Carbon-15 M4 from Bushmaster with a Trijicon Tri-Power scope. That is about as light as a Non SBR AR can get with decent dot scope. You could always use a 20rnd mag, remove flash hider and use only a flip up rear site.

 

[mkellett]

Cool guns, guys. I've read things off and on about the unreliable function of the shorty AR's, mainly when chopped down below 11.5". Is this "tuneable" to fix, and is this even a consideration in a 9mm where there is no gas system?

I've ordered the VM Hytek mag block from Brownell's, which uses the unmodified Uzi mags. But I really like the looks of the Colt system, where the mag block is permanently pinned into the receiver, with no protruding parts. Can you retrofit an RRA receiver with such a block, or does a piece like that even exists?

 

[az_gun_nut]

You can buy the factory Colt mag blocks and pin them in yourself if that's what you really want to do. I did that some years back with an Olympic lower. Downside is that if you decide to sell the lower without the mag blocks you have a lower with holes in it that will lower its value. The ASA style mag block drops in from the top and will not fall out and has a cleaner look to it too.

Brownell's p/n

100-000-456 9mm Block $149.90

 

[mkellett]

Thanks AZ, I try the internal mag adapter once I get some modded mags... It seems to me that most of you guys favor the good 'ol traditional A2 handguards over the whiz-bang $$$ rail system type stuff... Less is more!

 

[Mike Duke]

Dude I can't even read your post..............
That fuckin Avatar is great.
just can't read with it there.
Everytime I see it, I just wait for her to do something else.
She never does..........Thats ok with me.........just cant read with her there.

 

[mkellett]

I'm pretty sure that the footage used to make this avatar was shot on the street in Las Vegas... Keep an eye out for her, and if you find her, let me know. Better yet, look for her picture in the cabbie handouts...

 

[Mike Duke]

NNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIICCCCCCEEEEE.

 

[az_gun_nut]

Dude I can't even read your post..............
That fuckin Avatar is great.
just can't read with it there.
Everytime I see it, I just wait for her to do something else.
She never does..........Thats ok with me.........just cant read with her there.

I'm right with you on that one Mike Duke. I saved his avitar to my hard drive and then set it as my desktop wallpaper and set it as tiled. Talk about an eye full!!!