Depending on how many shooting attachments you have on your AR, it could weigh anywhere from 6 to 8 pounds, and in some cases, much more.
That doesn’t have to be the case. This short post will investigate some creative and highly effective ways you can shave some weight off your favorite sporting rifle, from skeletonized AR 15 parts to completely ditching the muzzle device.
Why You Want a Lighter AR15
First, let’s take a closer look at why you might want a lighter AR15 rifle in the first place.
For one, a lighter rifle will be easier to shoulder and shoot. It’ll also be easier to carry, so if you hunt with it, you’ll be able to cover more ground with less fatigue over the course of a day (or night).
For those that compete, handling will also potentially improve, especially for those that participate in highly mobile competitive disciplines like 3-gun.
There are tradeoffs; for instance, a lighter rifle will generate more recoil. But for some shooters, this sacrifice will be well worth it.
So now let’s get into it - how can you lighten your AR15?
Swap the Barrel
The first thing to go should be the barrel, with the only exception being if you already have a short, light barrel.
However, in most instances, your barrel will be your single heaviest AR part. That being the case, it should be the first one you remove and replace.
Got a 22” barrel? Swap that for a 20, or even an 18 or a 16 inch carbine-length barrel. It will significantly lighten the rifle.
If you already have a short barrel, compare barrel weights; not all 16” barrels weigh the same and metallurgy will influence mass.
If you can find a lighter barrel of the same length, that is also a win.
Replace the Handguard
After the barrel, your handguard is liable to add a whole lot of weight to the rifle, especially if you have a Picatinny handguard, or worse, a tropical handguard, on there.
You can substantially lighten the overall rifle by replacing either of these handguards with a KeyMod or an M-LOK handguard.
Not only are these latter two options considerably lighter, but they offer a secure interface for shooting attachments and most shooters agree that they are more comfortable to shoot, too.
Plus, you won’t need to add rail covers to either KeyMod or M-LOK rail systems, because they are already naturally comfortable to use; not to mention, adding rail covers makes the weight problem worse.
Get Some Skeletonized AR 15 Parts
Another effective way to lower your AR15’s weight is to swap out some your existing parts for skeletonized AR15 parts.
Skeletonized AR15 parts have significantly reduced weight because material is removed until only the bare minimum remains. This makes skeletonized AR15 parts not only lightweight and strong, but superior in terms of heat dissipation (for parts in which that matters). Some parts you should consider skeletonizing are the stock and grip; these can shed a lot of weight.
This, along with a lighter barrel, is one of the best ways to shave weight off your AR15. Just be aware of one thing: because of the higher surface area, it’s a bit harder to clean skeletonized AR15 parts than solid parts.
Remove the Muzzle Device
Most AR15 rifles come with a flash hider. Functionally, it does very little but obstruct your muzzle flash, and let’s be honest, that doesn’t offer a whole lot of value to a shooter, except in some low light conditions.
What it does do is add several ounces to the front of the gun. If you are serious about shaving weight off the build and have swapped the stock and added some skeletonized AR15 parts, consider also removing the muzzle device and not replacing it with another, but simply installing thread protectors.
Replace the Bolt Carrier Group
There are lightweight bolt carrier groups out there that will not just lighten the weight of the rifle, they will also improve cycling time.
While you’re looking into a bolt carrier group upgrade, don’t miss the opportunity to get one with an advanced coating like titanium nitride or nickel boron, both of which exhibit superior permanent dry lubricity and which will also potentially improve cycling performance.
Remove Unneeded Attachments
Lastly, if you don’t need them, remove them. This includes but is not limited to lights, lasers, vert grips, heavy slings, and so on and so forth. Some of these shooting attachments aren’t worth the weight they add, but you will need to be the judge as to what you remove and what you let remain.
Explore AR15 Parts Here
As you can see there is more than one avenue you can follow to lighten your AR15 rifle, and more than one AR part you can replace to do so. Explore our collection of AR15 parts and if you have any questions about weight reduction or the impact it will have, get in touch with us.