Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

[JBradley500]

Ok I'm actually done for real this time. BCA barrel removed and Shaw portless installed. Still a fat pig at 3.5 lbs.

Also got a dedicated case for the rifle that will easily fit in any vehicle and protect well.

 

[Thegman]

Ok I'm actually done for real this time.

Yeah, uh, no... That's what you think...until you decide a 6x45, or 300 HAM’R, or.... would be cool.

 

[JBradley500]

Thankfully you've had poor luck with straighter tapered cartridges or id be thinking of a 6 or 22 ARC. 223 with 77TMKs does what I need though.

Yeah, uh, no... That's what you think...until you decide a 6x45, or 300 HAM’R, or.... would be cool.

 

[schmidty3]

Ive been influenced. F you guys .

But Im dipping my toe in. And I didn't want to give up ma' lotsa bullets.

So im doing a "light dmr" gasser with a 20" criterion core (2#)

Projected weight is 6.5# with optic and huxwrx 762.

Trybe 15", kak low mass bolt, jp light buffer, rifle buffer, and superlative on the way.

Primary arms got me on their labor day bonus bucks. Got ~$160 back with the 5x prism and the 20" criterion core.

And I feel like I stole that bcm blem upper for $60 shipped.

It wasn't thermofit like I was expecting however.

We will see how it goes. If I decide to go UL, then ive got most of the Legos to make it happen.

I was wanting to do a 22 arc. But even most 16" 22 arc barrels i was finding were over 2#. So i said F'it. We will go 556. And at 20" it should zing a bullet pretty quick! And I'll be able to plink with my cheap pmc bronze and/or do 3 gun matches with it.

It'll be my backup gun for my arizona muley hunt behind my new 25 prc thats 9#. My goal for this one was a light gun thats effective to 500 yards. I zipped a coyote this weekend at 288 yards with my eotech w/3x on my 14.5" with aac tmks and it smashed him. I think that 5x is going to be fine.

Well she got fat. Ended at 6#13 oz. She's Hella long too! (14.5 semi collapsed for reference). Balance point is nice and forward and perfect for an arca mount.

5# 9 oz bare. The deal on the trybe handguard and bcm blem added some weight (versus no FA). And I think it was worth the ounce for the longer handgaurd.

Still pretty slim for a suppressed 20" setup. Feels good. Points good. Dropped the prism to the lowest position, feels perfect there with the bare rifle tube...and as im probably going to piggieback a red dot with the hero mod mount that'll be better.

I may be wrong. But this is probably about as light as you can get a 20" gasser while sticking with forged recievers.

...and ignore the lack of dust cover... that little c clip shot off into nowhere . I'll slap on a magpul.

 

[robtattoo]

Ok I'm actually done for real this time. BCA barrel removed and Shaw portless installed. Still a fat pig at 3.5 lbs.

Also got a dedicated case for the rifle that will easily fit in any vehicle and protect well.

View attachment 932633

Mkay.

That's just downright sexy. Very well done!

 

[packgoatguy]

I just got done setting up a ULUL with open sights. My niece and nephew have deer tags in a unit that allows center-fire rifles, but ONLY open/Peep sights. So hopefully this will do the job.

It was quite a chore finding a good sight option to mount on the rifle... I'm sure someone else has a more elegant solution. I like the Williams Globe Sight that is on my muzzleloader, so I ended up making adapters for the AR15 upper and barrel to be able to use that system. My eyes aren't the best, but I can do about 1.5-2moa with it, and can hit my 10 inch target at 300 yards.

Rifle weighs right at 3lbs without the muzzle brake.

 

[robtattoo]

It's...... different, certainly!

Did you consider the easy button of a longer handguard & stock AR irons?

 

[packgoatguy]

It's...... different, certainly!

Did you consider the easy button of a longer handguard & stock AR irons?

Considered and tried... but regular style irons just aren't as precise as this reticle style, and it's a lot more intuitive for the kids to line up in the peep quickly.

 

[StupidLightweight]

Yet another example of packgoatguy greatness. Well done, sir. If that don't work for the neice and nephew, nothing will.

 

[Boltgun]

Have you guys found an increase in accuracy due to eliminating the gas-cycling?

The more I have gotten into long range shooting, the less I like the AR system for long range work. I seem to get about 2moa from them, which just won’t cut the mustard for dangerous game prairie dog hunting!

 

[Carr5vols]

I just got done setting up a ULUL with open sights. My niece and nephew have deer tags in a unit that allows center-fire rifles, but ONLY open/Peep sights. So hopefully this will do the job.

It was quite a chore finding a good sight option to mount on the rifle... I'm sure someone else has a more elegant solution. I like the Williams Globe Sight that is on my muzzleloader, so I ended up making adapters for the AR15 upper and barrel to be able to use that system. My eyes aren't the best, but I can do about 1.5-2moa with it, and can hit my 10 inch target at 300 yards.

Rifle weighs right at 3lbs without the muzzle brake.

Would you have a final build sheet of all items to get to this weight minus the sights?

 

[Thegman]

Have you guys found an increase in accuracy due to eliminating the gas-cycling?

The more I have gotten into long range shooting, the less I like the AR system for long range work. I seem to get about 2moa from them, which just won’t cut the mustard for dangerous game prairie dog hunting!

They're definitely no worse, but I haven't found them to be too much more accurate than gassers that are shooting loads they like. I find ARs in general to be surprisingly accurate, precise...or whatever.

I think the biggest difference is just the AR system in general compared to shooting bolt rifles. I don't think bolt rifle shooting technique transfers 1:1 to AR shooting technique.

 

[packgoatguy]

Would you have a final build sheet of all items to get to this weight minus the sights?

I'd have to find it. But if you search earlier posts in this thread, I've got the lists of several builds I've put on here. I think the lightest 16 inch barrel rifle setup was 2lbs 4oz bare rifle.

Off the top of my head, the lightest build included:

Fostech magnesium upper
Shaw portless barrel 16 inch 223wylde
Solo300 bolt
Tennessee Arms Carbon-fiber lower
Nottingham ti bolt knob
Nfa poly lpk
Mdt carbon-fiber grip
Ti Grip Screw
Jag Composites barrel nut
DIY carbon tube handguard
DIY carbon tube stock
3D printed castle nut

This build with the open sights had a lot of the same, but was a Solo300 upper, and faxon pencil match 223wylde

This one is my favorite so far. It sits at 3lbs 6oz scoped, including magazine, quick detach stock, arca rail on the foregrip, and scope caps. It is still under 4lbs including a scythe-ti suppressor and 4 rounds of 77tmk ammo. It would be several ounces lighter if it was more bare bones... with lighter rings, carbon-fiber grip instead of the skeletonized Hogue, no arca rail, no scope caps, no muzzle thread adapter, a 3d printed gas key on the bolt, and without my quick detach stock feature.