Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

[goalie]

@goalie I ordered one of those covers from your link after my bikini went MIA, thank you. Hopefully it fits over my anti-reflection device.

I barely felt the rifle in my little backpack over the weekend. No bears or kitties located though.
View attachment 804501

I like the fit. It's not loose, but I can pull it off easily. I took the center strands out of some 550 cord to tether it to my mount, and it didn't get in my way hanging there when I was shouldering the rifle.

 

[C Bow]

local golf club repairs can hook you up on epoxy as they glue carbon fiber shafts in metal club heads

 

[robtattoo]

Throw my name in as a definite 'Yes' for a Shaw 6x45. Ported or not.

 

[goalie]

If I add a 6x45, I think I'm gonna take the slight weight hit and do a folding stock.

Does that Kidon stock just thread into the lower like a buffer tube?

 

[StupidLightweight]

Does that Kidon stock just thread into the lower like a buffer tube?

Yes it does.

 

[goalie]

Yes it does.

Thanks, that puts is on my radar as a good one to try. Threading the detent hole is super easy, I did it on another build that is a "regular" AR just so it won't go flying if I switch out the buffer tube etc....

I also felt a little dirty buying 45/70 brass last nigh when I saw it in stock at Midway. It's kinda funny that my deer rifle go-to's are a 45/70 and a .223.

 

[Welldone]

Anybody seen the new offering from Blackcollar Arms ? It’s called MBA ( Modern Bolt Action) It’s a AR-10 based gun with a straight pull action. It’s gonna be next year before it’s actually available and the final weight is somewhat of a secret. Looks like a possibility for some lightweight builds. It takes AR-10 barrels without gas port.

I’ve also been wondering about a 22 ARC. From what I’ve read here, extraction seems to be tuff. If that issue could be solved, could a Shaw 223 Wylde be reamed out to 22 ARC?

 

[KyleR1985]

This looks like a 4oz stock combo.


Pricey as heck.


What are the custom homemade carbon fiber stocks coming in at?

 

[goalie]

I may be "wrong" in the context of this thread, but I am not willing, at this point, to start paying that kind of money for something that my $60 total cost stock/buffer tube setup does at the same weight. I spent the difference on bullets to load and practice with.

 

[KyleR1985]

I may be "wrong" in the context of this thread, but I am not willing, at this point, to start paying that kind of money for something that my $60 total cost stock/buffer tube setup does at the same weight. I spent the difference on bullets to load and practice with.

Agree!

That’s why I was asking how it compared.

The ULUL kitty needs to compile a spreadsheet so I don’t blaspheme! Earn his 5.00 donations!

 

[packgoatguy]

View attachment 804807View attachment 804808

This looks like a 4oz stock combo.


Pricey as heck.


What are the custom homemade carbon fiber stocks coming in at?

The farrowtech and rifle-length buffertube combo seem to be the go-to for simple and low cost. 4.9oz on my scale. There are examples earlier in the thread of using a diy carbon fiber tube instead of the aluminum buffertube, that can get the combo down to a bit over 3oz. You can drill a bunch of holes in the aluminum tube to get the farrowtech/buffertube combo down under 4oz. You can ditch the castle nut, and glue on the farrowtech, or find a ti bolt to shave a few grams. I'd guess that if you can get your finished stock under 3.5oz, you are doing better than most. Under 3oz is true ULUL.

 

[BREAKCONTACT]

View attachment 804807View attachment 804808

This looks like a 4oz stock combo.


Pricey as heck.


What are the custom homemade carbon fiber stocks coming in at?

My carbon fiber imitation of the farrow tech after shaping and with a shortened 1/4-28 bolt is 32 grams. I'm printing a revised edition currently and will post those files if that's a smother layup.

 

[goalie]

The farrowtech and rifle-length buffertube combo seem to be the go-to for simple and low cost. 4.9oz on my scale. There are examples earlier in the thread of using a diy carbon fiber tube instead of the aluminum buffertube, that can get the combo down to a bit over 3oz. You can drill a bunch of holes in the aluminum tube to get the farrowtech/buffertube combo down under 4oz. You can ditch the castle nut, and glue on the farrowtech, or find a ti bolt to shave a few grams. I'd guess that if you can get your finished stock under 3.5oz, you are doing better than most. Under 3oz is true ULUL.

I just used loctite instead of a castle nut with my buffer/Farrow combo. Been fine so far.

 

[Hardly_Hangin]

Finished my lightweight gasser build last night, quite a handy piece of plunder. Could definitely shave some weight off if i decide to go lighter (bcg, handguard, buffer tube, stock and optic could reduce weight significantly, but this is mybstarting place). Being my first ar built it was pretty satisfying going from a box of parts to a gun.

However, my 16.5" faxon barrel is grouping horrendously at 50 yards. How much time are you guys allowing between shots to cool with these thin barrels? I sampled a medly of ammo from 55gr fmj to 77gr aac tmk and none of it grouped worth a flip. The barrel was super hot the whole time, i could see mirage through the handguard. I shot roughly 100 rounds in about an hour.

is there anything i could have screwed up during assembly that would affect accuracy? How many rounds to "break in"? Or do i just need to take a chill pill ad slow down?

 

[David Walter]

I’m in this camp. My gun all up is plenty light, and I’m not spending $$$ to save 1/2 lb.

I may be "wrong" in the context of this thread, but I am not willing, at this point, to start paying that kind of money for something that my $60 total cost stock/buffer tube setup does at the same weight. I spent the difference on bullets to load and practice with.

 

[Luke S]

I have a Faxon 6.5 Grendal that groups well BUT it's a bit finicky to shoot well. Probably because it's an AR pistol, the brace is a compromise, I'm not a regular AR shooter, etc. So it could always be you.

Another idea is that a professional gunsmith put the Faxon barrel on. I've shot a couple ARs assembled by amateurs that didn't group well. I wonder if the barrels on those aren't torqued enough and are shifting slightly.

 

[Hardly_Hangin]

I have a Faxon 6.5 Grendal that groups well BUT it's a bit finicky to shoot well. Probably because it's an AR pistol, the brace is a compromise, I'm not a regular AR shooter, etc. So it could always be you.

Another idea is that a professional gunsmith put the Faxon barrel on. I've shot a couple ARs assembled by amateurs that didn't group well. I wonder if the barrels on those aren't torqued enough and are shifting slightly.

I am certainly in the amateur camp of both shooting and assembling ARs.

 

[StupidLightweight]

In my experience with maybe 40 builds, sub par accuracy is the exception with ARs. Most shoot surprisingly well. The biggest variable I’ve found is a loose barrel extension in the upper receiver. If you have a hotdog-in-the-hallway fit, even great barrels won’t shoot well. Either try a new upper receiver or bed the barrel with epoxy into the upper. They’re $50, so it’s not a biggie.

 

[Trackselk]

Finished my lightweight gasser build last night, quite a handy piece of plunder. Could definitely shave some weight off if i decide to go lighter (bcg, handguard, buffer tube, stock and optic could reduce weight significantly, but this is mybstarting place). Being my first ar built it was pretty satisfying going from a box of parts to a gun.

However, my 16.5" faxon barrel is grouping horrendously at 50 yards. How much time are you guys allowing between shots to cool with these thin barrels? I sampled a medly of ammo from 55gr fmj to 77gr aac tmk and none of it grouped worth a flip. The barrel was super hot the whole time, i could see mirage through the handguard. I shot roughly 100 rounds in about an hour.

is there anything i could have screwed up during assembly that would affect accuracy? How many rounds to "break in"? Or do i just need to take a chill pill ad slow down?
View attachment 805014

If the nut is torqued to 45-60 ft/lbs for steel nuts IIRC, then I'd shoot a cold bore group. 5 mins between shots should be plenty this time of year. I rest it upright with bolt open so chimney affect cools it faster. Then, if it's still bad and say you're only at 45 ft/lbs, go to 50, then 55, then 60. Just an easy first step. But, make sure you're holding a light rifle without any uneven pressure any where. I only touch the rifle with my trigger hand, and I use a camping pad between the rifle and my shoulder so I'm not even thinking about the recoil. A good trigger will help a ton also. There are some good videos or articles out there on shooting light rifles. I accidentally found that I prefer only one hand on the rifle, and it's helped me get one ragged hole groups with 3 rifles in a row, and I'm far from a pro or competition shooter.

Report back with cold bore groups. Thin profile barrels definitely open up when even a little hot.

 

[180ls1]

My carbon fiber imitation of the farrow tech after shaping and with a shortened 1/4-28 bolt is 32 grams. I'm printing a revised edition currently and will post those files if that's a smother layup.

What OD CF tube did you use?

I may try a glue in like @goalie + Farrow tech.