Well I went through all my accumulated parts and modded my first AR into what is my SHTF rifle. If I had to grab one out of the safe and a mag pouch and run for it- this is it.
Started as a complete Rock River Arms CAR-15 from the 2003 era.
-Daniel Defense lightweight profile 16" barrel with mid length gas system, AAC 51T Breakout on muzzle
-Daniel Defense 10" lite rail
-VTOR gas block
-Hogue overmolded grip
-Magpul CTR stock
-TLR-1 weapon light
-Troy Ind folding backup sights
-Leupold compact 2-7x32 scope (no batteries required)
-Rail mounted QD for 2 point sling
-4 mags in mag pouch, 1 ready for gun gives me 150 rounds to go.
They’re back up sights. If the scope breaks (dropping rifle, etc), the rings are quick release. Flip the levers, remove scope, flip up the sights and rifle is still useable.
I think they add to much bulk to the rifle. I doubt I’ll need to drop the scope in a firefight. Just if it breaks while away from home, I can dump scope and still aim.
Would you mind quantifying this statement a bit please?
OP, that rifle looks good. I’ve got a pretty similar setup going on for my outside go-to rifle. I really considered a Leupold 2-7, but got a really good deal on this MR/T w/Larue mount:
I ran the above rifle in a Vickers class (without the scope) and had no issues. How fast are you guys shooting and with what grip/handguard are you having such heat issues?
What kind of shtf scenario are you planning on using the bipod for? It seems like a lot of weight up front for limited use. Especially if you are running 30 round mags. Or is it tall enough to utilize with longer mags? From the pictures it doesn’t look like it would be.
The bipod was just to take the photo! I don’t leave it on there. I use it at the range with a 20 round pmag for paper punching.
It shoots great, no missfeeds yet. I’ve had the rifle for about 10 years, although the barrel is brand new (60 rounds through it).
As for the scope, I just had it laying around. It’s not “tactical”, and the gloss doesn’t match the rifle. I bought it long ago for my .30-30 lever action. I like the wide FOV at 2x magnification and no red dot to worry about batteries on. And it can be cranked up to 7x for long shots.
I’m not worried about using it for indoor/close quarters- I’d have a .40 in a holster and my 870 as well. This is the hold-off-the-looters from the house, or throw it in the truck with the family if it became time to take off.
Well I took it the range today to verify it works after swapping the skinny barrel back in. Had 1 fail to feed out of 100 rounds. It was the second round of a new mag- the bolt rode over the round and bent the case. It cleared. That was my first misfeed that I remember with this rifle.
I shot all those in 30 mins and it sure did get hot. The CLP on the outside of the barrel burned off in a nice stream of smoke. The hand guard got too hot to handle after 60 rounds, had to hold the magwell to get the last two mags shot up.
I had to use gloves to clean it when I got home it was still too hot.
It’s your SHTF carbine, right? If the shit hit the fan it’s likely there will be a time a guy would have to lay down a lot effing rounds in rapid succession. Its something to consider.
If that happens, it’ll get hot. No big deal. Not worth lugging 1/2 pound more barrel. It didn’t melt, just got hot enough to smoke some CLP oil off the outside.
Yeah, my cousin said the same thing about his skinny. I ran him through a standard night fire drill I do. After three mags at what you would consider a sustained rate of fire his handgaurds were too hot to handle.
I ran the same drill with my Noveske and had no heat issue.
Three mags is nothing.
But hey, It’s your hands. I imagine after running it hard a few times you will change your mind about skinny barrels for a serious situation rifle.
Just about every military on earth uses skinny barrels on their ‘serious situation’ carbines. These are guns that have selector switches that include the option for full-auto and are intended, in emergencies, to serve as ersatz light machine guns.
Of the ‘serious’ alternatives to the AR-15 FOW for American civil defense, nearly all of them use light barrels: The M14/M1A, M1 Garand and Carbine, almost all Kalashnikovs, both SCAR 16s and -17s, the FAL, HK91, and virtually every non-precision application 7.62 AR in production (LaRue, KAC, &c.). These are used without complaint in regards to their barrel contours in military contexts around the globe and their semi-auto brethren here in the states are utilized in training courses under a variety of instructors and almost no one ever complains about the barrel weights on these weapon systems.
If you are in a situation where you have to dump 90+ rounds of ammunition in such a hurry that your handguard heats up enough to not hold onto, you have more serious issues to worry about. Like the reason(s) you’re dumping three-plus magazines in a hurry.
In any sort of situation where you’re going to need to use the firearm, you’re probably going to have to carry it a lot more than you’re going to need to shoot it. So it makes sense to trim as much excess weight from the gun as possible. This is why hunters typically do not use 15+ pound bolt guns for deer and elk or skeet guns for little birds. And why nearly every self-loading, general issue combat rifle and carbine of the last half-century has had a lightweight barrel.
If you have a specific need for a heavy barrel, whether it is precision or for use as a machine gun, by all means… otherwise, the light barrel will work just fine for 99.99% of what you’re ever going to have to do, including zombie hordes and communist Chinese occupation.
