Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Ultra light AR 10?

Anyone know if you can get/build an ultralight AR 10? I got my first AR, a RRA coyote, last year and have caught the AR bug, but now I want to hunt with one. My current path is to build a 6.5 Grendel or LBC upper for my lower, and get the total weight down to around 6 lbs bare. But before I start ordering the parts, I want to make sure there isn't an AR 10 out there that would fit my needs. A .308 with a 20" fluted tube that weighs less than 7 lbs, would be just the ticket.

Anyone have one or know of someone that builds them? Maybe its not even possible, but I thought I would ask.

Ain't gonna happen, the buffer and carrier alone weigh almost that much... well not really but they are heavy.

Curious you have a RRA but you are thinking Armalite when RRA has a 308 model as well? Why the switch, does Armalite build the better 308 foundation? I only ask because I was thinking about a LAR-8 predator.

I handled a DPMS 308 a while back. Not sure of the model, but it was the lightest, best handling AR 10 I've ever put my hands on.
But TWR is right, most of em are way too dang heavy. I'm gonna stick with the larger cal cartridges that fit the 15 platform. No telling what will be available in coming years with the improvements in bullets and powder we have these days.

The Rock River uses a magazine (the FAL) that was never designed as a feeding device (FAL is controlled feed). It is flawed from the start.

I believe that the Armalite is a better product. It is the one that Noveske uses to build their top-shelf rifles.

Plus, I think the RR is technically inferior due to it's use of FAL magazines.

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=827832

Try AR15performance. They build a 308 they call an AR-12. It is supposed to be pretty light.

I gave up. My .308 battle rifle is a Mauser. 7.25lbs including weapon light and 2.5x scope. An aimpoint would weigh the same, but I get more range out of the scope. Stripper clips work better than you would think, particularly if you have last round bolt hold open.

Just for clarification I mentioned "ultralight" not Armalight. I love my RRA .223, and it shoots awesome, its just the LAR-8 is to heavy to lug up the mountain. And if you think I am a weight wimp (I kinda am) come on down and I will race you up a mountain.....light is fast. I will check on that AR-12, if that doesn't cut it, I am just going to build a 6.5 on my lower.

Well, the AR-10, is Armalite...

Funny. Shooting Times did a very large write-up on the LAR-8 Predator a few months ago. They shot it with a 243, 7-08, and 308 upper WITH FAL mags and had NO ISSUES at all. 100% reliable and sub MOA with HUNTING ammo. I have one on order, and I have NEVER heard of feeding issues with a LAR-8.

The same could be true of AR-15 being Armalite, but it is used as a generic term. AR-10 is used as the 308 sized AR generic term. Why nit-pick?

Well it was meant to be funny but if you really want to nit-pik, Colt bought the rights to AR-15, and no one else really uses the term.... And the original ArmaLite is defunct, Mark Westorm, new owner of Eagle Arms simply bought the rights to ArmaLite and their rifles are M-15's but we don't call em all ArmaLites now do we?

Just fooling around but since no other 308 platform uses enough interchangeable parts like the AR-15 type guns do, it's hard to call em all AR-10's to me.

The difference is AR-15 is mil-spec which all the manufactures abide by. The '08 ARs are not and each model has their own specs and parts which may or may not interchange with other 308 ARs. An AR-10 is Armalite, I don't think it is nit picking and only leads to confusion otherwise. No one calls a ruger 77 a 98, or a push feed winchester a model 700, or even every 1/2-ton pick-up on the street an F-150 lol. Each manufacture has their own model of 308 AR and it only makes since to call them what they are. Just my .02

like any of that makes any difference in performance at all.

Parts is parts, just like with chicken.

Try an AR-10 upper on an LAR-308...

It won't fit because the frame of the LAR-8 is longer to allow the use of the FAL magazines.

I just take the AR-10 questions to mean any 308 sized AR type gun. If we didn't, we would need multiple forums to talk about the 308 sized Black Rifles.

Sorry, newbie lack of experience causing confusion here (that's me). I am just learning my way around an AR 15, and even more ignorant of the .308 platforms. So there isn't a generic term for a .308 platform, and worse it sounds like there isn't a standard that supports interchangeable parts! Sounds like I am dreaming for a 7 lb..308 AR it just isn't going to happen. But thanks for your help and lessons. I will just build up a 6.5 upper....

Well, I know the LAR-8 Predator with the 20" SS barrel is 8.5pounds, which is about 2-3pounds lighter than the tactical versions of a 308 AR sized gun. If you chose your scope wisely, you should be able to keep it at a reasonable weight.

I wouldn't go near a R-25/DPMS version as I hear of alot of issues with them.

this is your best bet. Any 308 semi auto I have owned has been in the 9 pound range, then you add a magazine with 20 rounds in it.