Advice on LIGHTEST POSSIBLE AR Build

[jaybet]

I am going to start looking into an AR build for Maggie. She's gained some weight lately and is almost 100 pounds soaking wet, so a rifle for her is "weight sensitive".
I'd like to build the lightest possible 5.56 which she'd use for target shooting, plinking etc. I won't get heavy use so while reliability is always important, WEIGHT is the #1 consideration. I'm going to do a build but each assembly is going to have weight as a major consideration.

Do any of you have suggestions on how to do this?

[jaybet]

Just realized this should probably be in the '"America's Rifle" thread. Moving there.

[les snyder]

jaybet... I've worked a bit with ladies and ARs... most of the time it is more a balance problem than actual weight problem...nose heavy rifles and especially shotguns are the problem.... I recently suffered a shoulder injury, and for a period of rehab time had problem holding up my primary game rifle for  extended period of offhand shooting... my solution was to re barrel my back up Colt 16" carbine with a .600" carbine pencil barrel...  for me the difference was noticeable, and while sighting in the ACOG, it shot a couple of 1" five shot 100y groups, though most were closer to 1 1/2"...

[jaybet]

Good idea...the barrel is  always a lot of the weight.

[Rastus]

I have purchased several Mag Tactical lowers. http://magtacticalsystems.com/  And you can get them in pink for the XYL too!

Their uppers (4.8 ounces) and lowers (5.88 ounces) are 35% lighter than aluminum because they are a magnesium alloy.  That saves 3-1/2 ounces.  I had to shave off some of a Geissele trigger because it rubbed the lower a bit and the pin holes are strengthened, but it works great.

I ran it at a 2 day carbine class in Texas run by Larry Vickers and it ran fine.  However....I don't have the Mag Tactical upper on mine since they were unavailable and mine's a DMR with a heavier 18" barrel anyway.  Keep in mind it has magnesium in it's makeup...you probably don't want to grind on them and the finish is not standard which is also because of the magnesium I suppose.

Now that they are taking orders for uppers again...I'm putting one on order for a standard M4 16" barrel design.


Now...if an adjustable stock is not necessary then you may be interested in GWACKS Cav-15 plastic lower.  http://www.gwacsarmory.com/index.php

They claim almost a pound less than the standard non-adjustable stocks....I don't know how to compare that, overall, to the adjustable stocks right now because I don't know the weight of the pistol grip and collapsible stocks mounted on a receiver.  However....they do make the claim that their receivers are won't break under heavy impact like aluminum and you don't have to worry about corrosion. 

They have several different colors...maybe not pink though...however they can be Cerakote'ed or Duracoated.  I have not run one...I've held them and like them.  I do know a couple of the people that run them and they like them who are very experienced in AR's from overseas battle and from their gun/training businesses back home.

Choices, choices, choices......

[Sponsor]

[jaybet]

Hey, Rastus I was glad to see you "weigh-in" (pardon the pun) on the superlight AR- I know you know some stuff. Those are some good ideas except for the pink part of course. If anything is pink on that gun as soon as it's finished she'll use it on ME. She likes the traditional colors and metal hues. I kinda like that about her.

There's no rush so I'm going to start looking into some of this stuff.

[tombogan03884]

Jay, just tell her the pink is "San Francisco tactical" .
(that looks wrong, but my spell check says it's right )