Bargain lightweight build

[Sasquatch]

I don't know if you follow the forums that says "Hot Deals" but I read and post there when something looks like a deal. Here's a build I've just done and some of the (bargain!) prices to make it happen.


Build:
KE Arms blem lower: $75. Nice thing about this is you don't need a buffer tube since the stock houses it. Oh, and it's stupid-light being polymer. It's the 'what would stoner do' rifle.
Bushmaster pencil barrel: $60. 1:8 twist good. Carbine length gas system not as good. Also needs a .625 gas system, but they had it for $13, plus $11 for the carbine tube.
PSA Bolt: $50 .Nitride, full-mass. Price was estimated after taking off the bundled pmags.
VG6 Muzzle device: $30. I like the bead-blasted stainless look.
TRS-26: $50. Looks like an MRO- but with less parallax.
Midway upper: $34. Bargain. FDE no-forward assist.
Midway rail: $48 15 inch, color matches upper, and is pretty darn close to KE lower.
PSA Drop-in trigger: $80. Works great.
LPK: $25. I had picked up some Anderson ones a while ago. Upper didn't need anything.
Ambi charging handle: $25

I'm in it for less than $400 for a lightweight build.

 

[Tim]

Nice!

What does it weigh…and does it shoot?

 

[Frack N Cylons]

I’d love to know how much it weighs. I did a lightweight budget build a few years ago that turned out pretty cool. They certainly are interesting to handle, the mass just feels so weird.

I’d bet yours comes in between 5.25lbs and 5.5lbs with the optic. Close?

I’m curious why you mounted the optic to the rail.

 

[Chris.]

Looks pretty handy. Any experience with those lowers, do they hold up well ?

 

[Sasquatch]

Nice!

What does it weigh…and does it shoot?

I haven't weighed it yet- should be pretty light. Only weight reductions I could add are a Faxon 14.5 pencil (I have that on another build), a lightweight BCG (need a gas block), and a shorter or carbon handguard.

Looks pretty handy. Any experience with those lowers, do they hold up well ?

Yes- amazingly so. I've had polymer lowers before, but they always break- go figure that aluminum is stronger than plastic. But this design makes it much stronger since it integrates the stock with the lower- no easy fracture points.

My son has been running one of these KE lowers with zero issues for a year now.

I’d love to know how much it weighs. I did a lightweight budget build a few years ago that turned out pretty cool. They certainly are interesting to handle, the mass just feels so weird.

I’d bet yours comes in between 5.25lbs and 5.5lbs with the optic. Close?

I’m curious why you mounted the optic to the rail.

I'm just playing around with position- on my PCC I mounted it really far back so I could see more through the reticle- but with this, I'm trying the opposite- two eyes open shooting with just a dot floating in space.

Does it shoot? I made it (*cough*) for my wife, so I'll wait to go to the range with her maybe this weekend.

 

[Jerzsubbie]

Does it shoot? I made it (*cough*) for my wife, so I'll wait to go to the range with her maybe this weekend.

Boy, does that sound familiar! I built a Cav-Arms rifle w 16” Bushmaster pencil barrel and JP handguard years ago… for my wife. She didn’t appreciate the lightness and I lost interest after the lightweight novelty wore off.

That said, after seeing KE arms bring back the poly lowers, I’m tempted to build another.

Edit: found an old pic

 

[Chris.]

Boy, does that sound familiar! I built a Cav-Arms rifle w 16” Bushmaster pencil barrel and JP handguard years ago… for my wife. She didn’t appreciate the lightness and I lost interest after the lightweight novelty wore off.

That said, after seeing KE arms being back the poly lowers, I’m tempted to build another.

Stripped KE lowers are around $89. Build one and do an extensive range test so the rest of us can buy with confidence 😆