I want to get my wife a lightweight AR

[callahan318]

I have my HBAR 20" bushy, but my wife cannot use it, as it is too heavy.

I want to build/buy as light of an AR for her as possible. Where would I start? I do not care if I have to build, in fact if that saves me money, then all the better.

I am thinking 7 pounds with loaded 30 round mag, but less is better. She has a shoulder problem and needs it to be as light as possible.

-Callahan318

[thedonn007]

Check out Del-ton.com, you can build a lightweight AR-15 for $465,notincluding the cost of the lower. you can get a lower for around $110 at most gun shows

[RMTactical]

This was the build I did for my wife. It weighs 7.1lbs w/ a 30 round mag, also, it doesn't have the carry handle anymore, just the fixed sight (dremels are great).

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y18/mwirig79/Superlight-RMT.jpg

My wife has no problems shooting this rifle just fine. She can be very accurate with it. She's 5'3", 105lbs.

You could probably be a little lighter with a different buttstock, but the superlight barrel is a great place to start.

Also, if you cut down the barrel to be 14.5" or 14.7" w/ a permanently fixed flash hider, that would cut a few ounces...

A Cav Arms lower is supposed to be 1 full pound lighter than your standard AR lower.

[ccoker]

I built up a pretty light one
bushmaster lightweight upper w/16" barrel, flattop
RRA lower

here's something I saw

http://www.glocktalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=704603

[Skintop911]

Originally posted by callahan318
I have my HBAR 20" bushy, but my wife cannot use it, as it is too heavy.I want to build/buy as light of an AR for her as possible. Where would I start? I do not care if I have to build, in fact if that saves me money, then all the better.I am thinking 7 pounds with loaded 30 round mag, but less is better. She has a shoulder problem and needs it to be as light as possible.

I know a number of lady shooters and IBOs have great success with their Colt AR6520s, and/or GAUs.

[engineer151515]

Originally posted by thedonn007
Check out Del-ton.com, you can build a lightweight AR-15 for $465,notincluding the cost of the lower. you can get a lower for around $110 at most gun shows

+1.

Recently purchased a Spikes stripped lower for just that purpose.


http://spikestactical.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=41_23&products_id=52

[JKG]

I think a regular M4 style weighs a little over 6 pounds (w/o mag). Someone may know for sure.

I think its the best compromise and M4's seem easy to find or build.

[halfmoonclip]

The 6520 is reputedly the Israeli Defense Force's weapon of choice, and they are wonderfully light.
Moon

[TylerDurden]

You can find Cav Arms lowers pretty cheap online, build it up with super light barrel and carbon handguards and you'll be set.

[USMC03Grunt]

I'm planning on slowly building one for my son for future use. OK, so he's only 20 months old but he'll grow into it. :supergrin: What I'm working towards is a Bushmaster 16" light barrel, A2 flash suppressor, CAR-15 handguards, M-4 flat-top upper, Trijicon Reflex sight, GG&G MAD BUIS, and either a 4-position CAR or M-4 stock. So far I'm just missing the lower, barrel and BUIS but I figure I got some time yet to make this all happen for him.

[DDEL]

I built this with a Kiss/lightweight approach. I didn't build it as light or as simple as it could have been, just good componets and no BS parts.

DD upper
DD full float M4 handguard (No weight on the light profile barrel)
CMMG 1/7 14.5 .625 lightweight barrel with permanent SDI extended A2 flashhider (To achieve a legal 16")
Denny's Superduty bolt group (MP tested, all chrome silicon springs )
H2 buffer (A little less felt recoil)
Mega lower
Magpul CTR stock
Magpul grip
CNC machine removable A1 carry handle rear sight

6.4 pounds with an empty mag

Under $1000.00, not dirt cheap, but all quality parts.

http://devdel.smugmug.com/photos/151227286-L.jpg

[aaronrkelly]

Grab a Cav Arms poly lower - my price from Brownells is $100.

Your not going to need a buttstock or pistol grip because its all one unit.

Add $60 for a good LPK and then grab a 16" lightweight upper setup, dont see how it could get any better.

I actually wish I had done that instead of my 20" build.

http://www.cavalryarms.com/main.jpg

[John Bennett]

Originally posted by thedonn007
Check out Del-ton.com, you can build a lightweight AR-15 for $465,notincluding the cost of the lower. you can get a lower for around $110 at most gun shows

+1

I built one of these for an older lady who lives alone in a rural area.

http://www.del-ton.com/Rifle_Kit_p/rkt103.htm

That light-weight barrel is Sweet! It is much, much handier than my 16" HBAR. I intend to build one for my daughter this fall. I will never building another HBAR.

[Blitzer]

Carbon fiber AR from Bushmaster?

[Boone&Crockett]

Virtually all AR's are lightweight. If your wife can't hold a typical AR with a short barrel, there is something wrong. Unless she's like 4 years old with absolutely no muscle tone.

[Washington,D.C.]

The thin A1 profile 16 inch barrel with newer 1 in 9 or 1 in 7 twist rifling. The standard carbine handguards(small diameter w/single heat shield), not the M-4 handguards with double heat shields. This will knock off quite a bit of weight from an A2 carbine's weight. The fixed handle upper is lighter weight than a dettachable handle with the handle attached.

[1811guy2]

Colt 6520. 5.8 lbs. unloaded. Has a 1:7 bbl. to boot so it can handle a wide range of ammo. My eight year old son can even handle it without a problem.

[RojasTKD]

Originally posted by aaronrkelly
Grab a Cav Arms poly lower - my price from Brownells is $100.

Your not going to need a buttstock or pistol grip because its all one unit.

Add $60 for a good LPK and then grab a 16" lightweight upper setup, dont see how it could get any better.

I actually wish I had done that instead of my 20" build.

http://www.cavalryarms.com/main.jpg

That's an interesting idea....

You might consider a Carbon 15 (Bushmaster ownes them now) one of these models it wieghs in at about 5.3 lbs with a loaded mag. Of course then you are likely to feel the recoil a little more.

http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/Carbon15/

[dickfer]

Go for the CavArms over the Carbon 15.

Have not heard good things about the Carbon 15 when put to something other than bench rest shooting.

[RMTactical]

Originally posted by dickfer
Go for the CavArms over the Carbon 15.

Have not heard good things about the Carbon 15 when put to something other than bench rest shooting.

Agreed.

[Skintop911]

Originally posted by dickfer
Have not heard good things about the Carbon 15 when put to something other than bench rest shooting.

Have not seen them, either.

[justcor]

Originally posted by John Bennett
http://www.del-ton.com/Rifle_Kit_p/rkt103.htm

+1

Also look at the ACE Ultra Lite Buttstock. It is 9 oz lighter than A2 buttstock. If you order the Delton rifle kit you can swap the A2 stock for the ACE for 42.00 well worth it IMO.