Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

[justinspicher]

I finally got out and put some rounds through my lightweight rifle build. It didn’t go well. I had a 2” group of ten rounds at 50yds. I also noticed that my suppressor causes the barrel to move way more than it should, approximately 1.5-2”, enough to see it in my scope after a shot.

Needless to say, I was not happy or very impressed. I ended up pulling the rifle apart, sold the barrel and the optic.

I had a 16” pencil barrel from Faxon, with a Silencerco Omega attached. I was shooting Freedom Munitions 77gr OTM.

I have never shot a lightweight barrel before and I probably wont after this.

 

[glock233]

I finally got out and put some rounds through my lightweight rifle build. It didn’t go well. I had a 2” group of ten rounds at 50yds. I also noticed that my suppressor causes the barrel to move way more than it should, approximately 1.5-2”, enough to see it in my scope after a shot.

Needless to say, I was not happy or very impressed. I ended up pulling the rifle apart, sold the barrel and the optic.

I had a 16” pencil barrel from Faxon, with a Silencerco Omega attached. I was shooting Freedom Munitions 77gr OTM.

I have never shot a lightweight barrel before and I probably wont after this.

There’s some weakness in your system. It’s probably not inherently the barrel. Your suppressor is too heavy. And tighten the barrel nut and scope rings.

Try without the suppressor. I bet you’ll get less than 2 MOA.

 

[JBradley500]

Yeah my Faxon barrel is crazy accurate.

 

[KyleR1985]

I finally got out and put some rounds through my lightweight rifle build. It didn’t go well. I had a 2” group of ten rounds at 50yds. I also noticed that my suppressor causes the barrel to move way more than it should, approximately 1.5-2”, enough to see it in my scope after a shot.

Needless to say, I was not happy or very impressed. I ended up pulling the rifle apart, sold the barrel and the optic.

I had a 16” pencil barrel from Faxon, with a Silencerco Omega attached. I was shooting Freedom Munitions 77gr OTM.

I have never shot a lightweight barrel before and I probably wont after this.

A suppressor would decrease muzzle rise because of the weight out at the end of the barrel.

None of my .223’s from ULUL to 9lb bolt gun moved like that. Nor shot bigger than 2” at 100 yards.

You must have something else going on.

 

[RepeatPete]

View attachment 1022289
View attachment 1022290

Name 3.

What scope mount is this?

 

[Thegman]

I finally got out and put some rounds through my lightweight rifle build. It didn’t go well. I had a 2” group of ten rounds at 50yds. I also noticed that my suppressor causes the barrel to move way more than it should, approximately 1.5-2”, enough to see it in my scope after a shot.

Needless to say, I was not happy or very impressed. I ended up pulling the rifle apart, sold the barrel and the optic.

I had a 16” pencil barrel from Faxon, with a Silencerco Omega attached. I was shooting Freedom Munitions 77gr OTM.

I have never shot a lightweight barrel before and I probably wont after this.

Yeah, sounds like something pretty screwy going on there for a barrel to flex 1.5" - 2". Assuming there's as much down as up, that would be 3" - 4" of movement. Neither 1.5" and especially not as much as 4" is barrel flex from "barrel whip".

 

[jakeismydog2]

How accurate has that been for you?

Well... I dont know. The bolt would stick halfway open most every time I would try to open it (this was just cycling it unloaded at home). So I reached out to BCA and they had me send it back for them to fix.

I did not expect it to cycle like a Tikka... But I did expect to be able to cycle it.

I will let you know when it comes back. I am still waiting on BCA to get their lightweight barrel back in stock.

 

[packgoatguy]

I finally got out and put some rounds through my lightweight rifle build. It didn’t go well. I had a 2” group of ten rounds at 50yds. I also noticed that my suppressor causes the barrel to move way more than it should, approximately 1.5-2”, enough to see it in my scope after a shot.

Needless to say, I was not happy or very impressed. I ended up pulling the rifle apart, sold the barrel and the optic.

I had a 16” pencil barrel from Faxon, with a Silencerco Omega attached. I was shooting Freedom Munitions 77gr OTM.

I have never shot a lightweight barrel before and I probably wont after this.

How much play was there between the barrel extension and the upper before putting on the barrel nut? How did you cap the gas journal hole on the faxon barrel? How tight did you get the barrel nut? What kind of optic/mounts were you using?

 

[Thegman]

How much play was there between the barrel extension and the upper before putting on the barrel nut? How did you cap the gas journal hole on the faxon barrel? How tight did you get the barrel nut? What kind of optic/mounts were you using?

I can't even think of anything involved with assembly allowing, literally, inches of flex over the length of a barrel.

Just out of curiosity, I took a Faxon pencil profile barrel (which aren't the thinnest of pencil profiles) and tried to flex it in a few different ways. Couldn't get remotely close to anything like this. Getting it to bend this much would require putting it in a vice and permanently deforming the barrel. I'm not sure if I could even bend it that much. If this much flex actually did occur, it wasn't "barrel flex".

 

[doverpack12]

I’m narrowing in on a 95 TMK load in my 6 ARC ULUL (but SWFA 3-9 on it). Almost 2670 fps with Leverevolution. Doesn’t drive tacks but the load isn’t the limit, I am.

Those 95’s are fussy. Tried multiple powders. H4895 was slow and bad, varget, A2520, AR Comp (6.5 Grendel go to), maybe one more.

 

[KyleR1985]

I’m narrowing in on a 95 TMK load in my 6 ARC ULUL (but SWFA 3-9 on it). Almost 2670 fps with Leverevolution. Doesn’t drive tacks but the load isn’t the limit, I am.

Those 95’s are fussy. Tried multiple powders. H4895 was slow and bad, varget, A2520, AR Comp (6.5 Grendel go to), maybe one more.

What barrel?

95’s have shot small in 6x45, 6ARC, and 6dasher for me with mostly quick work up.

I landed on 29gr lever I think for the 6 arc loaded at 2.3” - I may have gone to 30, I’ll have to go back and look. Faxon barrel 16”

 

[justinspicher]

I didn’t build this upper, it was assembled by someone other than me, which is unusual unless it’s a Gucci rifle.

It was in a semi auto set up, as in a traditional AR15.

I didn’t shoot it without the suppressor. I was so mad I almost threw the upper in the river.

 

[doverpack12]

It’s a bear creek Arsenal 6 ARC that has been very accurate with factory 108 ELDM. I’ve shot a long range shooting class with it and shot right with full custom rifles.

I’m at 29.8 gr Lever and plan to load a bunch there.

 

[Thegman]

I didn’t build this upper, it was assembled by someone other than me, which is unusual unless it’s a Gucci rifle.

It was in a semi auto set up, as in a traditional AR15.

I didn’t shoot it without the suppressor. I was so mad I almost threw the upper in the river.

On third thought, if you were seeing that much flex at the end of the barrel, it was most likely your handguard flexing, or being loose, which can certainly make it look like the barrel itself is flexing. I imagine your barrel was fine.

I've made flexible handguards that allow too much flex in the system and don't shoot as well as a stiffer handguard. Check out that part first.

 

[justinspicher]

There is nothing to check, it’s been disassembled and the barrel, gas system and optic have been sold.

 

[packgoatguy]

It’s a bear creek Arsenal 6 ARC that has been very accurate with factory 108 ELDM. I’ve shot a long range shooting class with it and shot right with full custom rifles.

I’m at 29.8 gr Lever and plan to load a bunch there.

What velocity do you get with the factory 108eld? And if memory serves, you are using the BCA side charger not the bolt action upper... how is the extraction with the 6ARC?

 

[Stocky]

On third thought, if you were seeing that much flex at the end of the barrel, it was most likely your handguard flexing, or being loose, which can certainly make it look like the barrel itself is flexing. I imagine your barrel was fine.

I've made flexible handguards that allow too much flex in the system and don't shoot as well as a stiffer handguard. Check out that part first.

Hes got to be trolling. Theres no way anyone would think its remotely possible to flex a barrel inchs without permanently bending it inchs.

 

[Bearded Gnome]

Perhaps due to looking through the optic it appears to move a bit, but not inches. I hope it isn't trolling. Not that! Be Well Brothers, The Bearded One.

 

[justinspicher]

I’m not trolling, just an observation from a set up I had.

When I finished shooting I got home and put the rifle on a block and could flex the barrel more than it should move. I double checked it against my other rifles and they didnt do that.

 

[doverpack12]

What velocity do you get with the factory 108eld? And if memory serves, you are using the BCA side charger not the bolt action upper... how is the extraction with the 6ARC?

Various lots of Factory 108 were between 2480 and 2440. Correct BCA side charge upper not their newer bolt version.
Extraction is fairly easy until the brass starts to show pressure signs.