Thoughts on the Colt AR6720 Lightweight LE Carbine

[rob_s]

I think because so many people like to use their carbine for other things. Or, for that matter, they simply want their carbine to perform as a "proper" carbine should because of principle.

Personally, I also like target shooting with mine. I think if all you plan to do with the gun is shoot someone across the room, then all the complaints about the accuracy of 196-series mini-14s and su-16b carbines is moot. So, I sorta agree with you.

This is grossly exaggerating the issue as relates to the 6720 or other .650" OD barrels.

if people get pleasure out of shooting for groups at a bench or prone on paper then the LW barrel is probably not ideal for them, but I bet that most of those same people are the primary accuracy issue, not the barrel (or ammo, stock, trigger, etc.). Personally, the first time I shot in a dynamic environment (a carbine match), I was done with bench shooting forever.

[rob_s]

Is the free floating rail an asset on a LW carbine?

IMO and IME, yes and perhaps even more so. Not from a traditional, benchrest, bolt-action "bedding" free-float perspective but from a perspective of shooting in dynamic environments the LW barrel is theoretically more succeptible to movement when braced than a thicker barrel. Therefore the carbine-centric benefit of the free-float holds true for LW barrels because the goal is to isolate the barrel from outside influence when braced. I participate in several events where the 9-hole drill is used extensively and resting a non-free-float barrel on the wall can affect POI even at 50 yards.

[Chuck Haggard]

I recall shooting for groups back in the days of using an M16a1 as an "automatic rifle", as one would a BAR. The only gear or mod for that job was a clip on "clothes pin" type bipod. From prone vs prone crappy bipod the POI would shift upwards 7" or more. I note that using the sling as one would in a high power match would also radically shift POI vs POA. Free float handguards on a light barrel are a very good idea IMHO.

[TGS]

Excellent observations on the free-float handguards. I never realized the POI shift could be that dramatic.

I don't know if you guys remember, but a while back I started a thread about ultra-light carbines, and discussed a .55" barrel. Now that the market is starting to cool down I'm starting to buy piece-by-piece, and I'm glad I've seen this dramatic POI shift mentioned before I invested in the barrel/handguard setup.

[GJM]

My first AR, was a skinny barrel Colt, and the POI shift, when shot slung, was quite large. It took me a while to figure out, and between that, and trying to shoot groups with the large aperture, I had a heck of a time and wasn't impressed with the AR. When the AUG came around, it seemed like cheating by comparison. AR's sure have come a long way since then.

Wasn't the HBAR at least in part to get away from the sling sensitivity of the skinny barrel AR's?

[DocGKR]

The 6720 type AR15's are my favorite Colt carbines. They definitely benefit from a FF rail--I typically add a long rail of 12" or so length. And yes, back when we had M16A1's, it was quite easy to induce shifts of 6-8" at 100 yds simply by resting the barrel on an object, running a bipod, or using a tight sling.

[Sadmin]

I own/use this model as well, and although I never attempted to self-induce a POI shift before it was railed, I error on the side of caution.
That; plus being lanky the 7" handguards dont cut it...even with stock at full extension. The "snappabilitaa" is most noticeable on something like
the vtac triple threat where I make vertical moves rather than horizontal, dont know why, im sure its just me. Great gun though, and it shattered my notion
that carbines are harsh cyclers, its as every bit as smooth as my mid after I put a h3 in there.

[rudy99]

Aw man, you people are making me regret going with the MOE handguard instead of a Centurion rail on my LW BCM middy. If it weren't for the additional cost of the Impact Weapons light mount and QD, I wouldn't feel so "invested" in this option. I figured I wasn't going to use this rifle for any "precision" type of role, so the added cost of a FF handguard would have been wasted. All these threads questioning peoples "need" for a FF handguard with the undertone that they just wanted it because it looked cool pushed me towards the MOE thinking that was the wiser option (that and I consider my rifle to be my secondary). Oh well. I'm sure I'll be fine in the end.

[Jay Cunningham]

Lol,

How about *actually* evaluating the performance of the rifle and *then* determining if the FF thing is important to you?

That's what I'm going to do, anyway.

[LSP972]

I've had mine for about a year now, after the wife decided she wanted one of her own and declared that my trusty old 6520 was EXACTLY what she needed... I couldn't find a NIB 6520 for less than a king's ransom, and Bud's was offering the 6720 for slightly less than a grand, so...

I replaced that five-pound rear BUIS with a MagPul unit, the communist A2 pistol grip with a proper A1 example, and the oval handguards with by-God genuine small round ones. Bolted on an H1 and a TLR-1, a sling, and its good to go.

With the exception of those making a match gun for 600 yard work, I have never understood the fascination with these porker, stepped heavy barrels. I'm fresh out of both launcher and grenades, so why lug around the extra weight??? The pencil barrel makes all kinds of sense for a general-purpose carbine; to me, anyway.

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