The Lightweight AR

[rudy99]

The upper is a BCM LW 16" Mid. You don't see the IWC light mount up front. The Fury isn't in the mount now and it would add about 5+ oz, so the whole package is about 7lb, 14oz. Full weight of the sling isn't on it, so that might add another oz or two.

EDIT: Sorry for the large photo, I couldn't edit the size.

[Surf]

Would you be able to quantify the accuracy difference when the guns are heated up?

My standard gov't profile BCM 14.5" can pull 1.5-1.8 MOA in slow fire 40 shot groups (1 round downrange per breathing cycle), so....I'm just curious how significant the difference is that you've found. I'm surprised there's any, really, given that all the extra weight of a standard profile barrel is in all the wrong place (according to convention).

Just to be clear, I am gauging the following off of a red dot and not a magnified optic. I have found a range of around .5 to .75 MOA loss when I heat up the barrels and shoot a group. If I fire a box of ammo (20 rounds) at a 1 second or so pace and then shoot a group at 50y or 100y, I see a consistent difference hot vs cold. This is very much noticed when I quickly transition to various sized steel targets from 235y, 265y, 310y, 400y and 450y on a hot heavy or LW barrel. Steel targets sizes range from 4" to 18". The steel is not scientific but if you track performance over periods of time with cold or hot, with different barreled uppers, a pattern can be clearly seen. A rifle or moreso when a barreled upper does not instill confidence in the shooter (myself) I will not stick with that set up. Granted many shooters may not heat up barrels quickly say at close range then immediately transition to a longer distance targets. I do it quite often and if I were to shoot 3 gun with longer distances I would definitely take that into consideration.

I will note that at close ranges 50 yards and in, say off hand, most shooters will probably not notice a difference as it really is small. However even with a drill like the Mod Navy Qual, I can personally see variances in my performance with the LW barrel but I have been known to be picky. Bottom line, for myself, I like a lighter set up these days and haven't completely given up on a LW or pencil type barrel but if I am not confident with some type of gear or set up, then I will go with something else.