Right now it seems like skeletonized AR 15 parts are all the rage, and among some shooters, are only growing in popularity.
But are they worth the hype? You may have noticed that our own military conspicuously does not use them.
There is a good reason for that (which will be explored here) but is the drawback bad enough to warrant eschewal of these parts altogether?
Are skeletonized parts really just all hype?
Not exactly. There is a use case. It’s just that they’re not without their drawbacks. It’s all about what you intend to use them for and why.
So let’s take a look at what you need to know about skeletonized AR 15 parts. There are three main things.
Skeletonized AR 15 Parts Will Lighten the Platform
This is arguably the most important thing you need to know about skeletonized AR 15 parts, as it is their main use case.
Forget the cool factor. Doubtless there are shooters that want skeletonized parts for this reason and this reason alone, but it is vain and cosmetic. “Cool” is not really a use case, even if it does influence your buying behavior.
Anyway, the main thing about skeletonized AR 15 parts is that they are much lighter than their solid aluminum (or in some cases, solid steel) counterparts. Even skeletonized polymer parts are much lighter than their solid alternatives.
And so, by skeletonizing key parts of the rifle, like the stock, grip, handguard, charging handle, and others, you can substantially lighten the platform.
This has its benefits, especially among shooters that are conscious about the weight of their gear. By lightening the rifle, you can carry it for longer with less fatigue.
Perhaps more importantly, you can then allocate those weight savings to other shooting essentials, attachments, other gear, or even more loaded mags - less weight in the rifle means you can carry more weight in ammo.
So there is a potential benefit to skeletonizing carbine platforms that are used for defensive purposes as they will be lighter in the hands, as well as in some cases for competition, as they will be lighter, easier to handle, and will allow the user to carry more weight in other gear and peripherals.
This is a decided advantage to shooters that intend to use the rifle in such a manner. But it also brings up another key attribute that offers both an advantage and a marked disadvantage.
They Will Offer Increased Surface Area
Skeletonization is to other AR 15 parts what fluting is to a barrel. No, a fluted barrel is not skeletonized, but the two things offer a similar advantage: they increase surface area.
In the case of a fluted barrel, the fluting removes mass (just like skeletonization does). It also increases surface area. This offers a marked benefit.
Namely, the increased surface area substantially improves the heat dissipation properties of the barrel. In a barrel, this can be a serious advantage as hot barrels tend to produce inconsistent groups and throw a wrench in accuracy.
For skeletonized AR 15 parts, the advantage is not as serious, since a hot stock or grip or charging handle isn’t as severe of a detractor as a hot barrel, but it should still be considered.
For instance, say you decide to invest in a skeletonized AR 15 handguard. That, like a fluted barrel, can help the barrel shed heat, preserving accuracy at greater ranges.
Enabling greater heat dissipation is, overall, an advantage, whether we’re restricting the scope of the assessment to the barrel or not.
But herein lies the disadvantage that is directly attributable to the same feature - although it affects only skeletonized parts and not fluted barrels.
Skeletonized Parts WIll Also Allow Greater Ingress for Dust and Other Debris
The extra surface area produced by skeletonized AR 15 parts is the reason that the military does not use them, and is a good reason to avoid them altogether if you hunt with an AR 15 rifle, or if for any reason you are concerned with reliability.
Basically, skeletonized parts open up the whole platform for dust, fouling, sand and moisture to get in, making the whole thing more difficult to keep clean. Over time, skeletonized parts, (especially moving ones) may wear faster than those that aren’t skeletonized, as a result of particulate and moisture ingress.
So, ultimately, if reliability is the most important thing to you, avoid skeletonized parts. It’s also inadvisable to use them on a rifle that will be used in the field. Otherwise, if you’re cool with the extra cleaning and maintenance it’s going to require, then maybe the weight savings will prove worth it to you.
Looking to Upgrade with Skeletonized AR 15 Parts? Start Your Search Here
Despite the relative shortcoming of skeletonized AR 15 parts touched upon here, they are still attractive enough to a wide enough cohort of shooters to keep them in demand.
If you’re interested in upgrading your rifle with skeletonized parts, start your search here. We sell a wide range of skeletonized parts as well as kits. If you have any questions about anything we sell, you can contact us at Sales@MCSGearup.com