How light is too light?

[OPENB]

I recently built an ultra lightweight 3gun rifle using a Voodoo Innovations 16.5" Ultralight barrel, AP carbon fiber handguard, Voodoo lightweight bolt carrier, SLR Sentry adjustable gas block, & Ace ARUL stock. Without the optic, it weighs 5.1 pounds. It feels lively in the hands & transitions quickly, but doesn't settle down, kind of "twitchy". I'm thinking I might have gone too light. What do you think is an ideal weight?

[mpom]

Which muzzle device are you running?

[openclassterror]

Balance is nearly as important as weight. I can handle a 10 lb rifle as quickly as an 8, as long as the majority of the weight is between the hands. I prefer as heavy of a rifle as I have strength to control, as it hangs better for long range shots. That said, for matches with a bunch of short-range burner stages and no shots over 200, I think 6-1/2lbs with optic is great. Just make sure it balances forward of the grip. Slightly muzzle heavy is way easier to control than a butt-heavy gun.

[OPENB]

I'm using the Voodoo Jet comp. It balances at the barrel nut. Watching others shoot it, it appears to shoot flat. I may just have to get used to it. I've always wanted to try the SJC Titan, I may have an excuse to spend the money now.

[MickB]

I'm running a very similar setup. I threw on a JP brake, but the biggest difference was using the TACCOM ULW buffer with TTI reduced power recoil spring to take the snappiness out of the rifle....

Mick

[OPENB]

I took a regular rifle buffer & removed weights until it weighs the same as a JP buffer. The TACCOM is pretty inexpensive, so I will look into that. I just got a Wolff reduced rifle buffer spring, gonna try that. Which JP brake are you using Mick?

Edited October 12, 2014 by OPENB

[MickB]

I am using the regular Bennie Cooley JP brake. Before switching to the TACCOM ULW and TTI reduced power recoil spring, the rifle would experience muzzle dip due to the return stroke of the buffer/BCG.

Mick

Edited October 12, 2014 by MickB

[MarkCO]

In order to get the most performance out of a lightweight gun, you have to tune the system to the shooter, which includes load and comp as well as the gas system, buffer, spring and carrier mass.

The best "weight" depends on what you want to do with it. For me, i find a high 7# 18" barreled rifle with loads that would be considered standard 223 velocities is best. For a .22LR, I find a 4 pound AR to be best. Everything else is in the middle. I tuned a load down to 55s running at about 800 fps below normal for a 5 pound AR and that thing is a screamer, but past 300 yards, can not hang with the heavier gun for the long range stuff.

If you hang an SJC out front, that weight might give you some issues for accuracy and balance. I like the balance at the front of the magwell, which is about between my hands.

[EaZeNuTZ33]

I built a very similar rifle for this season and recently made a couple minor changes that have really leveled the gun out and made my rifle feel the best it ever has for last weekends 3GN Regional in Texas.

Here is my rifle build:

16.5" rifle gas Voodoo Evo Ultralight barrel

Syrac Gen II gas block

Vltor billet upper with dust cover and FA

Rubber City Armory LW BCG

BCG Gunfighter CH

16.2" Lancer Octagon carbon fiber handguard

Omega Armory billet lower

Phase 5 one piece lever/bolt catch

AR Gold trigger

Luth-AR stock

LaRue Apeg grip

Taccom ULW buffer system with carbine spring and spacer for rifle buffer tube

Taccom ULW muzzle brake

The last two things added/changed to the gun are:

Rolling Thunder comp

Taccom's new preload adjustable rifle buffer system

I was having some "pushing" issues where I was overpowering my lightweight rifle and snapping it past the target, and a few issues with the comp allowing me to push the gun to the right with each shot. With some advice from Tim at Taccom, I put the Rolling Thunder comp on the muzzle, drilled a very small side port in the comp, then gradually increased the size of the port in the right side of the comp until my muzzle no longer moved to the right. I intended to do the same with the port on the top of the comp, but it never rose on me when shooting. I haven't seen a single issue with lost accuracy of any stringing with sustained fire due to the extra weight at the end of the muzzle. My adjustable Taccom ULW comp was excellent at controlling muzzle rise, and with all three ports open on the top pushed my gun DOWN, but I felt like I was overpowering the the gun and couldn't run it slow enough or steady enough without a counterbalance.

Tim from Taccom sent me the new buffer system that has spacers to adjust preload. My 16.5" rifle gas was close to the ragged edge of running reliably with 55gr ammo, when tuned for my heavier 69gr handloads. I put the rifle buffer system in with only 1 spacer, removing 2. Took the gun to the range and started with no gas, opening the Gen II Syrac block 1 audible "click" at a time until it locked back on an empty mag. There still wasn't any muzzle rise or push to the right, but with the gas block being opened a little more than half what it previously was, the perceived "push" back into my shoulder reminded me of my silenced .22 bolt gun. I had the previous version of the Taccom ULW buffer system with spacer and carbine buffer/spring setup, which is a great setup, but with my A2 buffer tube inside the Luth-AR stock, I'm glad to take advantage of this new setup!

Lastly.....I only added a few ounces at the muzzle, barely changing the balance point of the rifle, BUT the location of the weight makes me PERCEIVE that it is similar to the stabilizer on my bow with the bit of extra weight near my weak hand. That, perception or reality, has me feeling like I can't push past the target.

[Tuflehundon]

Too light is going to be different for each person. My rifle weighs in at around 12lbs, and I really like the weight of it. It's well balanced. But I'm also a 280lb former Marine. Friend of mine that is around 5'8" and maybe 160 want to lighten up his rifle which is around 7ish lbs. he thinks mine is way to heavy, but I think his is to light.

[hysupra]

It's like bowling, not everyone uses the same weight ball. Figure out what works for you.