Ultralight 223 or 9mm Carbine

[TGS]

I've collected all the data I could on the .55 barrel profile, but nothing without free floating. I can't find anyone who's gone to that extent in weight, to not do such a basic accuracy upgrade.

I don't think this is going to great extents to save weight. The cost of having a barrel turned, chopped, and refinished, including shipping, is less than an NSR handguard It's less money than most things people do to AR15s, like lights and light switches, a fraction of the cost of optics, less than many muzzle devices, even less than some stocks.

Though you'd need to pull out some really convincing data to get me to believe that same weight. The comparisons I've seen all put the plastic handguards over the NSR in weight.

The carbine length MOE is listed at 6.8oz, but I'm not sure if that's including the weight of stock delta rings vs an MI SS Gen2 or NSR with barrel nut. In any case, even if it doesn't, the weight difference is extremely miniscule...like fractions of an ounce. An ounce at most.

You're not saving meaningful weight by going to an NSR over MOE handguards, and especially single heat shield CAR handguard.

There are much cheaper options in the CF tube guards. CF tube, used H1 on a DD mount, and who needs irons. Just change the batteries once every few years.

This is true. Clark CF handguards and no backup sights was the idea I had off the top of my head, but I wanted to research other options as well. I don't think I can drill into CF handguards to put a small rail for light, either, whereas we can mount lights on a MOE or regular handguard.

More realistically, does it matter? I thought this rifle was meant for home defense, 1 to 5 MOA over ten yards doesn't mean so much.

I apologize for my thirst for knowledge. How dare I.

[Haraise]

I apologize for my thirst for knowledge. How dare I.

Seriously? Ok, nevermind.

[seabiscuit]

What about the Lone Wolf 9mm carbine? Looks like 6.6 lbs. I think Caleb posted about it on GunNuts a while ago. Takes Glock mags.

[Tamara]

What about the Lone Wolf 9mm carbine? Looks like 6.6 lbs. I think Caleb posted about it on GunNuts a while ago. Takes Glock mags.

I see no reason why those should even be as reliable as a dedicated Colt M635 SMG, which is damning with faint praise indeed.

(The 635 we had at the shop ran fine for a long time and I liked it, but it had a lot fewer miles on it than either of our MP5s, which were heading towards being shot-out bench queens. Those here who have seen 9mm ARs issued on a department/unit level do not speak well of them. I don't see why some frankenversion cobbled up to use Glock mags should work any better.)

[JMS]

Clark CF handguards and no backup sights was the idea I had off the top of my head...

I thought the Lancer ones answered most of the mail, but wow, what a difference in weight on the Clarks...not to mention pricing.

Have you given thought to testing the "Custom" part of "Clark's Custom Guns?" One-hole ballistic helmets can be bored for three-hole NVG mounts, for example, but it's a specific process to bore the holes (mostly the right bits, though there's a method, too), and another to make sure that each hole is sealed to keep it from delaminating from the edges outward, not gonna wick water, etc. Best done by a maker...

Point being, the juice might be worth the squeeze if Clark's capable of putting a rail section on OR simply putting a hole/slot or two where an IWC or similar light mount can be directly attached to the tube. If it were to end up in the same cost realm as a Lancer/PRI/similar tube, you'd still get the weight savings compared to any of those, retain the FF aspect on that thin barrel for the SAME cost, or close. Worth asking the question of them, at the least.

[joshs]

I think AP Custom will add minor custom work to their carbon fiber handguards if you call and ask. The AP Custom tube also attaches without any gluing involved and is already slotted for installing a light and/or a sling mount.

[LittleLebowski]

Do you need a FF handguard, TGS? I'm not sure if you're on a quest to save money or weight but I have a carbine and middy sitting around doing not a thing.

[TGS]

Do you need a FF handguard, TGS? I'm not sure if you're on a quest to save money or weight but I have a carbine and middy sitting around doing not a thing.

As for needing a FF handguard, that's what led me to ask questions about a non-FF handguard and if they possibly impinge on a super lightweight barrel (.55") and cause accuracy problems when it heats up. This carbine wouldn't need to be a tackdriver, but if non-FF handguards led to significant decrease in accuracy when paired with the .55" barrel compared to FF, then I imagine it'd be worth it to drop the extra $70 for a Clark CF.

So, I'm not yet decided on if the carbine needs FF handguards or not. After all, MOE grips are super cheap, only 2oz heavier than a Clarke CF, and allow for mounting of accessories. They're kind of hard to beat for the price, but I imagine regular CAR grips would work as well.

Also, are your spare AR15s slick slide? Not that it saves a whole lot of weight, but I figure since a slick receiver isn't more expensive than a standard one, it would make sense to buy a slick side. So for the upper I'm thinking either an M&P Sport receiver or an RRA 9mm drilled for a gas tube.

Josh and JMS, thanks for the input on the handguards. I'm looking into what you suggested.

ETA: As for the whole budget thing, it's a target. I'm just setting that target because on my last AR15 I didn't.....and before I knew it, I had a setup running close to $3k. I tend to do that with nice things when I don't set a budget.

[LittleLebowski]

I have a spare YHM lightweight carbine and an MI middy (handguards). Not slick sides.