I have a 223 AR that is delightfully light. Got a 4.5-14 Leupold on it. And I have a 6.5 Grendel AR that is a pig. Shoots really good, so I keep ignoring the weight. Bought it off a guy that probably thought it was too heavy. Got a Wraith Mini on it and a small IR light. I just hate to get rid of a gun that shoots so good. Heck, I suppose the barrel is the heavy part, but that’s why it shoots so good. I’ve been mentally chewing on this for a long time, and I suppose I need a new upper to get to where I want to be. Any other suggestions you can think of? I doubt it, but I’m listening.

Who makes a light upper with a great barrel? Light weight and a so-so shooter just won’t make me happy.

Faxon gunner barrels are tip top quality. Government profile under the handguard and pencil profile from the gas block forward. I have both a 20" rifle and a 16" mid-length rifle with the gunner barrels.

I dunno...to me, it ain't the weight that makes an AR less fun to carry, it's the shape and all the projections. I think a good sling can make an AR more "carry-able" than a six or eight ounce reduction in weight.

Oh...and I have had a Faxon 6.5 Grendel barrel, my first and last. No thanks.

I have had dozens of Faxon barrels over the years and couldn't be happier with them. What problems did you have?

I had same issue. I bought my first ARs when SPR barrels were poplar. The weight was terrible. I couldn’t understand why people liked ARs so much. Switching to slimmer profiles made all the difference. Accuracy was the same but i finally realized how fun ARs are to carry.

I went Micro prism 3x optics for even more weight savings. Super fun sport utility rifles. Bottom is 223 Wylde and top is 6.8 spc.

'Twas a piece of crap. Lumps of schidt in the chamber (they blamed it on the nitriding process---THEIR nitriding process, presumably), so-so accuracy, and crappy customer service. I won't ever own another.

That is really odd. Nitriding doesn't add or remove material.

Wilson Combat

First thing I’m gonna do is what I should have already done, and that’s to take the scopes off the two guns and weigh them. Just how much heavier is the Grendel? I suppose I need to know. One thing to mention is that the 223 AR has a 16” barrel, where the Grendel has a 20” barrel. How heavy is 4” of gun barrel? I sure don’t know, but some of you fellows do.

Just buy another upper, or better yet, a complete rifle. Don't ever sell a gun that's that accurate.

What handguard is on the Grendel? Maybe there could be some weight savings there that wouldn't mess with that accurate barrel. 4" will add a good amount of weight though. Maybe get a 16" walking around Grendel and keep the 20" for stand hunting/target shooting.

I wanted a lightweight AR, so just recently got a 16" 300 BLK upper, fixed iron sights, that is a light rig.

I just went from an 18 inch Grendel to a 12 inch Grendel barrel to save on length and weight. Faxon Gunner barrel was on sale for $130. Had to trim the hand guard to get the suppressor to fit, but all lined up perfectly and it’s a nice balanced combo.

Going to top this with an Arken EP8 1-8 scope and thermal.

Especially an AR.

Great advise right here.

Too bad ARP doesn't do 6.5 G barrels... that would be an excellent option for accurate slimmer/shorter/lighter barrel if they did. (They may have done Grendel barrels previously, but pretty sure they don't now.)

I have an 12.5 ARP barrel on my 6.8 and it has been sub-MOA with everything I've fed it.

Yup, there are a few items I'd really like to have back.

Geez! Getting a new AR past the wife is gonna be real tough.

Upper is all it will take.

You guys who can have an extra upper laying around without it somehow "acquiring its own lower" must have a lot better self control than I do. I can't even have a couple of extra triggers laying on the shelf with them "acquiring" upper and lower receivers, barrels, parts kits, and all that stuff. BTDT, got the teeshirt, learned my lesson. I hope.

My 223 Wylde is ARP. They are great barrels. My 6.8 is a Bison since ARP was out of stock. The Bison barrel is excellent as well.

Yessir! I switched one of my 5.56s to an ARP .223 Wylde, and next chance I get, I've got an 11.5 BCM that's gonna get swapped out for another ARP... possibly 5.56 CLE. I've heard good things about that chamber.

Wilson Combat 16” 300 HAM’r. Weighs 6 lbs 10.9 ounces with scope. It shoots 1” groups at 100 yds.

Project gun

Manual cycle AR, 5# 15.3oz ready to use.

TAC polymer receiver
WC forged no-FA upper
WC 10" handguard (a switch to carbon fiber can shave another 3-4oz off)
WC LW BCG (a switch to an aluminum carrier can shave another 2oz or so)
BCM charging handle
16" pencil bbl with thread protector (no gas port, gas block or tube)
WC TTU
Smoke carbon fiber buttstock
MFT pistolgrip
Nikon 2-7x32 scope in an AERO mount (this scope is too heavy, I wish Leupold hadn't disc their Ultralight 2-7)
Lancer 10rd mag + 10rds of 300 HAM'R ammo

Overall I suspect another pound can be shaved off.

With no gas operation and a hard butt the little rifle has some kick to it!

How does that poly lower hold up? Love those Nikons, wish they still made them. Side charger would reduce some weight too.