Lightweight AR options

[Jeffforpresident]

Hey guys, first off I’ll be completely honest, I know nothing about AR’s but I am trying to learn.
I have a Savage MSR with mlok and it’s nice but the thing is freaking heavy or is it? It comes in at 7.3 lbs stock. I’ve been thinking about taking off the red dot and putting a variable scope or suppressor on it but I don’t want a 15 lb AR. Would an AR pistol be better suppressed?
Also looking for suggestions of lightweight, good quality ARs for under 1200.
If I’m just old and fat, please let know so I can just keep the savage, thanks for any help guys.

 

[jwamplerusa]

That is really not that heavy.

Light weight costs $.

https://www.brownells.com/guns/rifl...p-15-what-would-stoner-do-2022-configuration/

Or

KE Arms - Black KP-15 Complete SLT/Ambi Polymer Receiver #1-61-01-003

#1-61-01-003 - Black KP-15 Complete SLT/Ambi Polymer Receiver

kearms.americommerce.com

Plus

KE Arms - WWSD Complete Upper #1-50-03-369

#1-50-03-369 - WWSD Complete Upper

kearms.americommerce.com

My WWSD2020 is 6lbs 15oz, with AFG, Holosun HS512 & 3X magnifier, and sling. The balance however makes it feel lighter.

 

[DadSmith]

Hey guys, first off I’ll be completely honest, I know nothing about AR’s but I am trying to learn.
I have a Savage MSR with mlok and it’s nice but the thing is freaking heavy or is it? It comes in at 7.3 lbs stock. I’ve been thinking about taking off the red dot and putting a variable scope or suppressor on it but I don’t want a 15 lb AR. Would an AR pistol be better suppressed?
Also looking for suggestions of lightweight, good quality ARs for under 1200.
If I’m just old and fat, please let know so I can just keep the savage, thanks for any help guys.

You can do a few things to your rifle to trim some weight.

Buy a pencil barrel that will shave off some weight if your current barrel is a heavy barrel. A 16" pencil barrel weight is around 1.2lb compared to around 2lb for heavy barrels.
Buy a carbon fiber rail. You can get them lighter than 8oz.

$1200 will not get you a lightweight rifle but you can change out a few parts to achieve a lighter rifle.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

I know nothing about AR’s but I am trying to learn.

take your savage to a range and actually put some rounds through it then let us know how you feel about it

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

Those savages are decent ARs. If you're not going to be slinging your rifle around all day then weight shouldn't be a factor. Sure it may be fun to shave weight off a rifle but if you're just getting yourself acclimated to the platform then you might discover you like a little weight. There's something to be said for a nice solid low recoiling ar15

 

[jwamplerusa]

Those savages are decent ARs. If you're not going to be slinging your rifle around all day then weight shouldn't be a factor. Sure it may be fun to shave weight off a rifle but if you're just getting yourself acclimated to the platform then you might discover you like a little weight. There's something to be said for a nice solid low recoiling ar15

^^^ This! There is a NOTICEABLE difference in felt recoil force and impulse between the WWSD2020 and my LWRCI. The LW is more pleasant to shoot from a recoil perspective with faster follow up shots from recoil recovery.

The WWSD2020 however, is just a marvel of balance, and compared to the LW' feels very light. different tools for different jobs.

 

[Elcardo]

Hey guys, first off I’ll be completely honest, I know nothing about AR’s but I am trying to learn.



I have a Savage MSR with mlok and it’s nice but the thing is freaking heavy or is it? It comes in at 7.3 lbs stock. I’ve been thinking about taking off the red dot and putting a variable scope or suppressor on it but I don’t want a 15 lb AR. Would an AR pistol be better suppressed?



Also looking for suggestions of lightweight, good quality ARs for under 1200.



If I’m just old and fat, please let know so I can just keep the savage, thanks for any help guys.

 

[Hatchet601]

Barrel will be one of the biggest contributors in actual weight and “felt” weight. I have 2 almost identical 16” builds, One has pencil barrel, the other a standard M4 profile. Night and day felt difference. Same thing in my 2 Grendel’s - 1 has a thick Saturn barrel, the other is a standard upper PSA….again huge difference.

Before you spend a bunch of money on a lot of little things- Go after the barrel.

 

[pwoller]

Suppressors on the end of longer barreled ars feel heavier to me. Same weights on a shorter barrel seem to balance better.

 

[Squid556]

You might find some good ideas and perspective in this thread I started.

Lightweight AR Builders Club

Some time ago I wanted to build a handy lightweight AR carbine. I didn’t have the money for high end titanium stuff but I did make some sensible choices with furniture and a barrel. Ended up with a 14.5 inch carbine without optics at 5 lbs. As time has gone on I’ve not been able to shake the...

www.indianagunowners.com

 

[Dog1]

The lightest one I have...simple and fun.

 

[88E30M50]

View attachment 264343

The lightest one I have...simple and fun.

I have a Troy XM177E2 replica and absolutely agree that this format is a hoot to shoot

 

[DDadams]

You might find some good ideas and perspective in this thread I started.

Lightweight AR Builders Club

Some time ago I wanted to build a handy lightweight AR carbine. I didn’t have the money for high end titanium stuff but I did make some sensible choices with furniture and a barrel. Ended up with a 14.5 inch carbine without optics at 5 lbs. As time has gone on I’ve not been able to shake the...

www.indianagunowners.com

This thread is where I'd start if I were you.

@Squid556 made an extremely economically effective very lightweight rifle. His build cost 1/3 what my V Seven costs and weighs half a pound more. Granted, I could have saved 9.5 more ounces going with a pencil barrel but I didn't want to use one.

Like others said - the barrel will make the absolute biggest difference. I'd get a Faxon pencil and go pistol build after this brace BS blows over. But barrel - then handguard after will make the most difference. You could have a 12lbs AR with solid lead attached to the stock and receiver but if you had a pencil barrel and light weight handguard it would feel light still.

 

[Squid556]

This thread is where I'd start if I were you.

@Squid556 made an extremely economically effective very lightweight rifle. His build cost 1/3 what my V Seven costs and weighs half a pound more. Granted, I could have saved 9.5 more ounces going with a pencil barrel but I didn't want to use one.

Like others said - the barrel will make the absolute biggest difference. I'd get a Faxon pencil and go pistol build after this brace BS blows over. But barrel - then handguard after will make the most difference. You could have a 12lbs AR with solid lead attached to the stock and receiver but if you had a pencil barrel and light weight handguard it would feel light still.

Thanks for the shout out, made my day. If I had the coin to drop on VSeven I would have in a heart beat. Their stuff really gets my gears turning.

OP, their website is sure worth looking into. They specialize in weight reduction. If nothing else its a useful research tool.

V Seven Weapon Systems

The Cure for the Common AR Ultra-light titanium and aluminum components for the AR-15/AR-10 and SCAR platforms Match grade barrels 5.56 and 300 AAC BLKOUT.

www.vsevenweaponsystems.com

The other company to research is 2A Armament. Also specializing in lightweight albeit a lesser price point than VSeven.

2A Armament Products - 2A Warehouse

2awarehouse.com

 

[DDadams]

Also SmokeComposites.com and BrigandArms.com

IMO if you were to catch the bug and go all the way, a mix of all of these aforementioned 4 companies along with Faxons pencil barrel is the way to go for absolute maximum weight savings.

You can get all the way down to 3lbs 8 ounces if you part with enough coins. Coupled with an Energetic Armament ARX and a AEMs that would get a 4lbs 5 ounce rifle.

I really want to do it but I've got too many fun things and not enough serious builds so it'll be a year or so before I go that route. But I will get it done soon(ish).

Roam makes lightweight AR10 parts and are releasing a AR15 set sometime this year which will be the new king of lightweight receiver sets.

My build was never to be the lightest, I just wanted to go as light as I could without sacrificing strength where I felt I wanted it

 

[JAL]

For weight comparison:

• US military M4 Carbine (iron sights): 7.75 pounds with sling and loaded 30 round magazine
• US military M16A1 (iron sights): 7.9 pounds with sling and loaded 30 round magazine
• US Military M16A2 (iron sights): 8.8 pounds with sling and loaded 30 round magazine

The M16A1/A2/A3/A4 have 20" barrels, rifle buffers and rifle stocks. The significant weight addition to the A2 is its heavier barrel. Its slightly longer stock didn't add much. M4 also has a heavier barrel, albeit 14.5" long with carbine buffer and lighter stock. The M16A3 is the same as the A2 with A1 fire control group. M16A4 with carry handle is about the same weight as the A2.

Biggest weight reduction possible is in pencil barrel, low profile gas block, and lightest handguard, using iron sights, such as those made by Troy industries. As soon as you add red dot LED or holo optics, weight goes up. Unless you're building an SBR, that's a 16" barrel. In 5.56mm, going shorter than a 10.5" barrel greatly reduces its terminal ballistics performance. Pin and welding a muzzle device to a shorter barrel to make it 16" won't get you much, if any, weight reduction. To reiterate . . . barrel is the main weight drivers followed by handguard . . . and omit a carry handle on the upper. You can do a custom build with more weight reduction, such as a carbon fiber wrapped barrel and lightweight bolt carrier, but you're going to spend some $$$$$ doing it. Having used rifles with fixed bayonets, the biggest "felt weight" in handling one is stuff added on to the barrel, especially at or near the end of the barrel.