lightweight

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Vosteed Parallel

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Vosteed Parallel Review

  Vosteed has a brand new knife out and it’s called the Parallel. It’s designed to be a very thin and lightweight pocket knife. And let me tell you, they succeeded! So if you are looking for a tough, lightweight and thin knife. The Vosteed Parallel could be the knife for you.

The Handle 

  The Parallel features a non textured titanium handle complete with a lanyard loop. For this knife you can get in 3 different styles. I received the gray handled knife and I was completely blown away by how thin the knife is! Coming in at a thin measurement of 0.28”, I couldn’t even tell it was in my pocket sometimes. There were even a couple of moments when I actually thought I lost it, because I couldn’t feel it in my pocket. And that’s also due to the knife being so lightweight coming in at 2.29oz. When I first opened it, I was a little worried about it not having a textured grip handle. It wasn’t a problem for me at all. I can get a great grip on the knife without it trying to slide around in my hand. Having no gripping also helps make it slide in and out of your pocket very smoothly. But thanks to the very strong pocket clip, that can be swapped to either side of the knife, it stays clipped in your pocket really well. It is probably one of the strongest clips I’ve had on a knife. 

The Blade

  Now here is where it gets really awesome! The Vosteed Parallel has one of my personal favorite blade styles on it, a 2.90” reverse tanto blade. For me personally, I love that style of blade and I feel that it is one of the best for piercing and cutting. On the back side of the blade it has some really great rough jimping. This helps keep control when I’m cutting something up like boxes or plastic straps. I have had knives before with smoother jimping and it definitely takes away some of that control you get. The blade steel is 154CM and because Vosteed designed the knife to be thin, the blade is only 0.08” thick! I was worried about the blade breaking due to it being so thin, but it has proven to be way tougher than I thought. Plus it has stayed sharp for a while now. When the time comes to sharpen it, 154CM sharpens very easily. This blade steel is also highly corrosion resistant so you don’t have to worry about it getting ruined by harsh chemicals.

Opening 

  The Parallel comes equipped with only two styles for opening, that is a thumb stud and pulling back the crossbar lock and flipping it open. I personally like having more ways to open a knife like front and back flippers. Or being able to flip it open using a button lock. And this is one of my complaints with this knife. As you open the blade, the spring loaded lock parts move so that the crossbar lock can engage when the blade is fully open. This causes the blade to not want to smoothly open when you take your thumb off the stud while opening. It can kind of push the blade back towards your fingers. So you have to sort of guide the blade open with your thumb on the thumb stud. Or give it a flick when you start to open it. 

The Lock

  Something that is handy about this knife is you can adjust the stiffness of the crossbar lock and that also makes the blade opening a little bit easier. However, It does not fully fix that stiffness. It definitely helps though. You can do this by essentially taking apart the knife, which is not complicated, and moving both springs (one on each side) to 1 of 3 different pin holes. This can definitely help with making it lighter or stiffer to open. It just depends on how you like your knife to open. When I first opened the knife, the lock was very stiff to pull back when the blade was open. So I did that spring adjustment and that made it a lot easier to open and unlock. This is my first pocket knife with a crossbar lock on it, and I have really come to like it. The lock tabs have great gripping on them, so you can pull them back easily to fold the knife closed. 

Summary

  I have come across so many different pocket knives over time, but I have never come across one so thin and lightweight! I sometimes forget I have it because of how well it fits in my pocket. It has been through quite a bit of cutting and slicing. I work in an industrial environment, and this knife has been doing a fantastic job cutting just about anything I need it to. I do wish that it had more ways to open and not such a stiff lock. But that being said, it is still a great knife! This is my second knife from Vosteed, and both the knives have such great quality and designs. If you are looking for a knife that fits perfectly in your pocket and doesn’t have much weight to it, I highly recommend the Vosteed Parallel. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Super thin and lightweight folder

Target Market:

Those wanting a super thin pocket knife

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Blade Length: 2.90" | 73.85 mm

  • Overall Length: 7.04" | 178.90 mm

  • Blade Width: 0.96" | 24.50 mm

  • Blade Thickness: 0.079" | 2.00 mm

  • Blade Material: 154CM

  • Blade Grind: Flat

  • Blade Style: Reverse Tanto

  • Blade Finish: Satin

  • Hardness: HRC 60±2

  • Handle Length: 4.13" | 105.00 mm

  • Handle Width: 0.92" | 23.40 mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.279" | 7.10 mm

  • Handle Material: Titanium

  • Color: Gray

  • Weight: 2.29 oz | 65.00 g

  • Opener: Thumb Stud

  • Lock Type: Crossbar Lock

  • Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

  • Pocket Clip: Reversible | Stainless Steel

  • Carry Position: Tip-up

  • Knife Type: Manual Folding

  • Backspacer Material: Aluminum

  • Backspacer Color: Green

  • Thumbstud Material: Aluminum

  • Thumbstud Color: Green

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

There are 3 different styles that you can go with:

Black titanium handle with a black SW blade.

Grey titanium handle with satin finish blade.

Black titanium handle with Satin finish blade.

What others are saying?:

Both from Vosteed’s website

“Only one major flaw, otherwise a very nice knife

Deployment is unpredictable for a crossbar lock. There is a place between the closed and open positions where the blade swings free. The lightweight blade often bounces back towards the handle as blade approaches the open/locked position. I can’t be sure blade is locked open without looking at it”


Great knife for the money

Super thin
Feels good in the hand no real hot spots
Super sharp out of the box
Great knife and super nice to carry with how thin it is, feels sturdy for its size. My only complaint is the springs are super stiff and you have to really send it to open and on my office hands it can be a bit uncomfortable to hold the cross bar back to have the blade drop closed. I opened it up, it has adjustable spring tension, three positions and it was in the weakest position. Definitely needs break in but will enjoy flicking it until it does

Link to other reviews 

Melissa Backwoods on YouTube

Price point:

MSRP = $129.00

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Vosteed or Blade HQ

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Love how thin and lightweight the knife is! It fits in my pocket so great. 

  • It cuts so dang smoothly and has held a sharp edge for a while now.

Cons:

  • I do wish it had more ways to open it than just a thumb stud or using the crossbar lock to flip it open. 

  • I don’t really like how stiff the lock is and that I had to take it apart to adjust that stiffness.

  • Because of the stiff lock, it makes the blade opening not too smooth. You kind of have to guide it out with your thumb otherwise it pushes the blade back towards your fingers.

Score: 6.50 Okay

CP Firearms Dragonfly

  When it comes to the Ruger 10/22, or its variants, there are tons of options for customization. CP Firearms has one of them. It is the Dragonfly kit. The CP Firearms Dragonfly kit eliminates any part of the rifle that adds weight. They do this with carbon fiber and nylon. I was sent a Dragonfly kit to try out and it does exactly what CP Firearms said it would do.

  The Dragonfly kit comes with everything needed to upgrade that 10/22. In this case it is pins, a handguard, a stock, and the receiver to stock adapter. It does not supply the 10/22 receiver or trigger pack. However, CP Firearms make two different Dragonfly kits. One is for the standard style receiver and the other is for an extended rail receiver. The Dragonfly will not fit Take-Down receivers. However, it should fit just about any standard 10.22 receiver.

   Before I go into the individual parts, I want to mention a few things. The Dragonfly kit is primarily designed for .22 rimfire action events, like Steel Challenge and Rimfire Challenge. With these shooting disciplines, you want a lightweight rifle that swings very quickly from target to target. Especially since winning is based on the fastest time. Because the Dragonfly kit strips down the 10/22 to just the essential parts, some people may find it to not be very attractive. I however kind of like the carbon fiber, stripped down version. It reminds me of something like a Baja 500 racer.

  Starting at the front of a 10/22. The Dragonfly gives you a tube style carbon fiber handguard. You still use your supplied barrel. I used my Faxon flame fluted tapered barrel. Super lightweight barrels are available from various sources including CP Firearms. By using one of these super lightweight barrels, one can lose about a pound over what I have and make the whole 10/22 weigh in at 3 pounds. The Dragonfly’s handguard has that really nice carbon fiber look to it. It also is very functional with a diameter of 1.58 inches and a length of 10.5 inches. To install the handguard, CP Firearms has a barrel clamp that the handguard then screws to. So you must first remove the old barrel clamp and install the CP Firearms one. Once this is done, you can slide the handguard onto the clamp. The Dragonfly kit they sent me was super tight. I had trouble sliding the handguard onto the adapter. I ended up tapping the handguard on with a rubber mallet. Once on, just snug up the screw for the handguard and you are ready to rock. The Dragonfly’s handguard allows for barrels up to 0.924 inches in diameter, so most barrels will fit under it. The tight fit makes the handguard extremely rigid.

  Since the Dragonfly kit does not use any kind of chassis, or typical stock, it needs a way to attach the receiver to it. CP Firearms includes pins and screws to keep the trigger pack attached to the 10/22’s receiver. Pins are also provided for the receiver extension.

  Once the Receiver Extension is pinned onto the receiver, you can mount up the other parts. You will need an AR style pistol grip. CP Firearms says to use one with a beavertail, but ones without will work. I tried both and found out that the beavertail AR grip does work far better than one without the tail. The Dragonfly’s receiver extension is threaded using standard AR buffer tube threads. 

  Lastly, we have moved toward the rear of the 10/22 and the stock. The CP Firearms stock is also comprised of a carbon fiber tube. It has those AR buffer tube threads, so you can screw it into the Dragonfly’s receiver extension. So screw it in and tighten down the castle nut. The carbon fiber tube is covered by a soft rubberish cover. This cover gives one a comfortable cheek weld on the stock. At the end of the tube is the adjustable butt plate. The butt plate itself is slightly curved and decently sized. On it are raised bumps to give a good purchase on one's shoulder. It is hard, but I didn’t even notice when shooting the Dragonfly, probably because it is a 22. The buttplate is adjustable for tilt and rotation. So you can twist it left or right and/or tilt the butt plate up or down. I really like the adjustability of the stock. In the stock form, the stock is an inch longer than the factory 10/22 stock. Technically one can also adjust length of pull, but only by about ½ inch until the tube hits the butt plate. I ended up cutting 1 inch off of the tube to make the length of pull more comfortable for me. To cut the carbon fiber, just wrap it in masking tape at the place you are cutting and saw through it. Then sand the end of the tube to get any imperfections out. 

  When CP Firearms asked if I wanted to try out the Dragonfly, I was a little hesitant. But then I shot the prototype at a steel match. So when they asked if I wanted one of the production versions to do a review on, I jumped at the chance. Even though mine weighs in at 4 pounds, a pound heavier than the prototype, it still shoots fantastic. As previously mentioned, I used a 16” standard style tapered barrel and not one of the super lightweight ones available. I mounted up a Gideon Optics Omega to the Dragonfly. It is a great optic for this type of shooting. I was able to score really high up in the rankings, at the local steel matches, with the Dragonfly kit installed. The Dragonfly kit just screams “Speed”. 

  If you are looking for a way to make your 10/22 as light as possible, the CP Firearms Dragonfly kit might just be it. If that is you, you probably shoot some type of rimfire speed shooting competition and need the benefits of the Dragonfly. I also see the advantages of having a super lightweight 22, even if you don’t shoot competitively. Either way, you should probably check out the CP Firearms Dragonfly kit.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Lightweight kit for 10/22’s

Target Market:

Competition shooters or anyone who wants a really lightweight 10/22

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Weighs virtually nothing

  • Receiver Extension - included

  • CP Complete M4 Style Buttstock - included

  • CP Front Carbon Fiber Handguard - included

  • All Necessary Hardware is included

  • Fits most 10/22 receivers except take down style

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of publishing

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found as of publishing

Price point:

MSRP = $400.00

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

CP Firearms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Carbon Fiber

  • Comes with all hardware to install

  • Super lightweight

  • Fast from target to target

Cons:

  • Long stock

  • Hard to install forearm

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  Faxon 10/22 barrel review

Kaiser X-7 Blackbird receiver set

  When you think about lightweight AR’s, you usually don’t think of composite hybrids. Kaiser US is here to change that, and in a big way. Kaiser has plenty of experience in the hybrid AR market with great product success. Recently they introduced a new Titanium-Graphite composite AR15 receiver set called the X-7 Blackbird. The name pays tribute to the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, a composite plane that was way ahead of it’s time, thus similar to the X-7 Blackbird receiver set. After having Mike, from Kaiser, on the podcast, he offered to send me one of these hot new Blackbird receiver sets for review.

  Let’s talk a little about this Ti-Graphite composite. There are a lot of misnomers about composite, or plastic, receivers. Even though some of these are true, they do not apply to the Kaiser X-7 Blackbird, or any of Kaiser’s other receivers. This is because Kaiser engineered the composite receiver, so it is not just your everyday “polymer” like the others. It has more material in certain places to help with strength. But Kaiser doesn’t stop there. They wanted it to be stronger than the standard aluminum AR15 receivers. So they put titanium and anodized aluminum inserts into the places needing strength. For instance, some of these places are the threads for the buffer tube and the barrel nut threads. The Blackbird’s Ti-Graphite composite also adds in some more strength, simply because the titanium and graphite are molded into the composite. Another huge advantage to the Ti-Graphite composite is its lubricity and wear resistance. Essentially, it is so smooth that very little to no lubrication is needed. I still put some oil on the BCG, but it cycled smoothly without it. So what does this Ti-Graphite composite get you? It yields a super strong upper/lower receiver set that weighs in at 9 ounces stripped. For comparison, a standard stripped, forged AR15 lower receiver, without an upper, weighs 8.8 ounces.

   Besides the Blackbird being a super lightweight receiver set, it also has some other enhancements. Up first is its textured magwell. Not only is it textured on the side, but the front as well. This texture consists of raised rectangles. For those of us that grab the magwell with your support hand, this gives you a good, no slip, grip on the Blackbird. The magwell is also beveled to help get those magazines changed quickly. Next is the fit between the upper and lower receiver. It’s tight! I have never had a matched receiver set fit like this before, in a good way. I can push the receiver pins out, hold the upper, and shake it vigorously before the two halves come apart. If you are using the Blackbird for a precision style rifle build, this fitment would be perfect and would definitely help in the accuracy department.

  With the X-7 Blackbird being engineered differently, it has a few slight differences. All of them are good, just different. First, since the lower receiver is slightly wider than a standard aluminum one, at least in some spots, it can’t use standard anti-walk pins to hold the trigger in place. Standard trigger pins will work, but there is no reason to use them. Kaiser gives you their proprietary V2 anti-walk trigger pins, as well as the allen wrenches to install them. These V2 pins work for any trigger you wish to install into the Blackbird lower. It pretty much accepts any mil-spec or drop in AR trigger. The X-7 Blackbird also uses a proprietary port door on the upper receiver. As with the trigger pins, the lightweight port door assembly is also included. Most standard and ambi safeties will work with the Blackbird. I installed a Timber Creek ambi safety and it works well. Because the Blackbird is about weight, Kaiser also includes a skeletonized titanium grip screw for mounting your favorite grip. I went with the old A2 style grip, because it is one of the lighter weight grips around. The Blackbird upper receiver also does not have a forward assist. My guess is to save weight, since the forward assist isn’t always needed. The last two differences have to do with assembling the lower and upper. Instead of being able to put the rear takedown pin spring in normal, it now goes under the pistol grip, similar to the safety detent. I have zero problems with this, it's just different enough to mention. When installing a barrel and handguard onto the Blackbird, Kaiser recommends the use of a “reaction rod”. This prevents the upper receiver from being over torqued and damaged. They also only recommend 30 ft lbs of torque on the barrel nut as to not cause any unseen damage to the receiver.

  A little bit about the build with the X-7 Blackbird receiver set, is in order. I wanted to try and make this build pretty light, since the Blackbird is so light to begin with. I basically took an assembled AR pistol and took it apart, that way I could use the lightweight parts on the Blackbird. These consisted of a Faxon Lightweight 10.5” pencil barrel, a Walker Defense Titanium BCG, a Dark Hour Defense Magnesium handguard, and some other miscellaneous parts. What this gave me was an AR pistol that weighed 4.2 lbs without an optic. That is with parts that one can buy everyday, no custom special parts here. If you were to put a small lightweight red dot on it, it wouldn’t weigh much more. I did install a larger red dot, a finger stop, and a light. This only brought the weight up to 5.2 pounds, which is respectable with a light. It is possible to get the Blackbird to below 4 lbs without sights, I just haven’t tried to do it yet. One could put a shorter handguard and some titanium small parts to help reduce the weight even more. I am happy with how this build turned out. When you pick it up next to my decked out 11.5” SBR, it feels like it weighs nothing.

  How does it shoot? “Fantastic” would be the first word to come out of my mouth. The Ti-Graphite composite makes it so smooth. There really is barely any recoil, partly due to the Ti BCG and adjustable gas block. But It’s smoother feeling than when the same parts were in a standard aluminum receiver set. Double taps are super easy and quick to make. Essentially, this lightweight Blackbird receiver set makes an awesome place to start your lightweight AR build. I’m sure full Blackbird rifles will be available soon if building isn’t your thing.

  In the end, if you are looking at a lightweight AR15 receiver set, the Kaiser Blackbird can help you out. This Ti-Graphite matched upper/lower receiver set is one of the strongest and lightest ones around. The Blackbird is way lighter than its nearest, more expensive competitor. Don’t be scared by those who say “plastic” will break, they haven’t used the Blackbird and they probably haven’t ever heard of Kaiser US either. So, if you want one of the lightest AR’s around, start with the Kaiser X-7 Blackbird receiver set and don’t look back. You’ll be getting a quality product that will perform above your expectations.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Ultra lightweight AR15 receiver set

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a lightweight receiver set

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Titanium Graphite Composite Material

  • Titanium & anodized aluminum inserts at all critical wear points

  • Beveled mag well

  • Compatible with any Mil-Spec drop-in trigger

  • Compatible with all Mil-Spec and most aftermarket grips

  • X-7 Weight - 9 oz, for the complete receiver set

  • Non-Slip texture

  • Skeletonized Titanium Grip Screw included

  • Ejection Port Cover (EPC): Proprietary for X-7 EPC /Spring /Rods (Included)

  • V2 System: Anti-Walk Trigger Pins (included), Proprietary for X-7

  • Trigger Pin Screws and Allen wrenches included

  • No Forward Assist

  • Zero Corrosion

  • Impact Resistant

  • Maintenance: No Oil or Lubrication Necessary

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Midnight Grey

What others are saying?:

Could only find stuff on the Monarch series

Link to other reviews:

Only found Monarch series reviews    

Price point:

MSRP = $375.00

Retail = $356.00 at Rainier Arms

I need it now! Availability:

Kaiser US

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Super lightweight

  • Smooth operation

  • Tight upper/lower fit

  • Unique look

  • Includes anti-walk pins, port cover, and titanium grip screw

Cons:

  • Price, but lightweight always costs money

  • Slightly wider, in some places,  than standard AR lower receivers 

Score: 9.00 Amazing

Favorite Link:  Blackout Defense 

Walker Defense Titanium BCG

  Titanium bolt carrier groups (BCG) are one of the mysteries of the AR world. A few companies manufacture them, but what are they really for? I’ll try to answer that with the Walker Defense Research Titanium BCG.

  If you are looking at a Titanium (Ti) BCG, like the Walker Defense one, it is probably because of weight. Meaning you are trying to get the lightest possible parts around. The Walker Ti BCG weighs 7.8 ounces complete. A standard BCG weighs 11.8 ounces on my scale. That’s an off the shelf weight saving of 4 ounces. I know, that doesn’t seem like a lot, but when every ounce counts, that's a bunch. An important note is that the bolt is not titanium, it is 9130 steel with a Nickel Boron coating. The bolt is also magnetic partical inspected (MPI). A Ti bolt just doesn’t have the correct metallurgy to work, but for the carrier, it’s great. The Ti carrier, without the bolt, only weighs 5.7 ounces. 

  The Walker Defense Ti BCG is of the standard M16 profile. This is done so that it will work in almost every scenario, except piston guns. It is for direct impingement AR’s only. The M16 profile also gives the BCG strength and reliability. Cutting away material can weaken a BCG or make it not function correctly. Walker makes the BCG out of 6AL-4V grade 5 titanium. This even goes above my material knowledge, but I bet that they know what they are doing, especially since this titanium seems to be the standard for Ti BCG’s. An Ionbond Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) is then put on the carrier. This DLC coating gives the BCG a longer lifespan and makes it super smooth. Of course you need excellent machining to have a smooth coating, and the Walker Defense BCG definitely is machined super smooth. 

  Another reason for choosing a titanium BCG is for reduced recoil. The Ti BCG reduces recoil because there is less moving mass. This does come at a price. One also needs an adjustable gas block. This is a must for any lightweight BCG, not just the Walker Ti one. Then you have to tune the adjustable gas block. Good ones come with instructions on how to do this. Some might say that you can “tune” the Ti BCG by using heavier buffers and stuff. But a heavier buffer just adds more weight and more recoil. Isn’t one reason you would choose a Ti bcg is for weight? I can attest to the lower recoil of the Ti BCG. I have a Superlative arms adjustable gas block, tuned to eject the brass at about 3:30. According to the Mantis x, it reduced muzzle rise by over 50% and recoil width by over 80%. You can see in the short video that even with an A2 flash hider, there is hardly any recoil or muzzle climb. I could definitely feel the difference. 

  I was a little hesitant to try the Walker titanium BCG out. I just didn’t understand why I needed it. After using it thoroughly for some time, I can say it definitely makes the AR shoot so much smoother. All the claims are correct. Reduced muzzle rise. Reduced felt recoil. Faster follow up shots, due to those previously mentioned reductions. Yes, the BCG price can make you gasp a little. But in the end, it’s not much more expensive, if any, than other low mass BCG’s. Even some enhanced BCG’s are in the $250 range. The Walker Ti BCG also has forward assist notches, something a lot of the other lightweight carriers don’t have. For me, I just can’t get over how smooth the recoil impulse is with the Walker Ti BCG.

  Probably the last reason to choose Walker’s Ti BCG is durability. Titanium tends to be more resistant to heat and pressure. What do direct impingement guns have? Hot gasses being directly blown into the carrier. So anything that is more resistant to heat is a good thing. Walker also correctly stakes the gas key on, so it won’t be moving around causing problems. Just lube your Ti BCG as normal, and you should get a long life span from it. 

  The Walker Defense Titanium BCG does everything a BCG should do and more. The “more” is why I really like it. It’s lightweight, reduces recoil, is durable, and has a standard M16 profile. Hopefully you have a better understanding of why you would want the Walker Ti BCG. So if you want that “lightweight everything”, or just a super quality bolt carrier, head over to the Walker Defense Research website and give them a look. Everything I have from Walker is top notch and is always made in the USA.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Lightweight M16 FA Bolt Carrier Group

Target Market:

Lightweight builds, competition shooters, or anyone wanting a high quality BCG

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Compatibility: M16/ M4 / AR-15 Direct Gas Impingement (not for use in piston guns)

  • Calibers: 5.56x45mm NATO / .223 Remington / .300 AAC Blackout

  • Profile: Full Auto Style Carrier w/ Properly Staked Gas Key

  • Carrier Material: 6AL-4V (Grade 5) Titanium

  • Bolt Material: 9310 Steel

  • Carrier Coating: Ionbond DLC (Diamond Like Carbon)

  • Bolt Coating: Nickel Boron

  • Firing Pin: Steel w/ Chrome Finish

  • Made in the USA

  • Weight: Carrier-only (titanium): 5.7 oz, Total (Carrier, Bolt, firing pin, etc.): 7.8 oz

  • Adjustable gas block is highly recommended 

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Carrier only

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars at Walker Defense   

Surprisingly Good

When I decided to upgrade my mil-spec bolt carrier group ("BCG"), I did a lot of research. I found a review of the Walker Defense Research BCG on Pew Pew Tactical. I was impressed by the statistics . I there and when I went to the site, found the NERO, a three-d printed muzzle device. I was impressed by the willingness to explore new technologies. I bought both a NERO and this BCG. I have a JP captured spring and a Superlative Arms adjustable gas block. With the mil-spec BCG, I could only tune the rifle to 1.5 turns into bleed (22 clicks on the detentes). It was a good result. The Walker DR BCG allowed me to bleed off another 1.5 turns (28 clicks). Because of that, I have extremely little barrel movement and keep my targets well (understand that the NERO is not on this rifle so there is no effect--this is strictly the BCG. With less mass, there is less slam. Whenever I take it to the range, others notice the smoothness and my targets. I have offhanded 120 rounds at a session and it is only my wallet that caused me to hang it up in a session. Two other things to mention: 1) my clockworks stay noticeably cleaner because I am able to bleed off so much dirty gas; and 2) the coating quality goes all the way out to the edges. This second issue needs a bit more explanation. On the mil-spec BCG the edges wore nearly immediately. The quality of the finish is so good that the edges remain crisp at 1,250 rounds. I have no reservations about recommending this BCG. I would suggest that you take full advantage by getting an adjustable gas block as well. The two together really make the gun a sweet shooter. My sons have various ARs but they always find an excuse for shooting mine.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found

Price point:

MSRP = $359.99

Retail = $306.00 with “INSIDER15” discount code

I need it now! Availability:

Walker Defense Research 

Use “INSIDER15” FOR 15% OFF

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Super lightweight

  • DLC coating on carrier

  • Nickel Boron coating on bolt

  • M16 Full Auto carrier specs

  • Super smooth operation

  • Less felt recoil

  • 100% Made in USA

Cons:

  • Price

  • Needs adjustable gas block

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link: JSD Supply  

Faxon 10.5" lightweight barrel, gas block, and comp

  I was looking at building a lightweight AR pistol, using off the shelf parts, that wouldn’t break the bank. Part of what I needed was a lightweight barrel. Faxon Firearms had exactly what I was looking for with their 10.5” pencil profile barrel. As a bonus, Faxon threw in their slim profile muzzle brake. So off to assembly I went.

  When the Faxon barrel first arrived, I weighed it on my scale. There’s a few reasons for this. First, I wanted to know the actual weight. The barrel alone weighed in at 14.53 ounces, so not even a pound. The same barrel in a 16” weighs about 20 ounces. Second, this Faxon barrel comes with a gas block, but no gas tube. Because I figured I wanted a total weight, I weighed it with a gas tube and the supplied gas block. Total usable weight was 16.26 ounces, so essentially a hair over a pound. Speaking of the gas block, a really cool thing about it is the pre-drilled hole so you can pin the gas block on with the supplied pin. The gas block also has set screws on the bottom to tighten it up. Having a pinned gas block is especially nice if you are expecting any type of hard use situations.

  The Faxon pencil barrel specifications are pretty standard. This one has a pencil profile. It is made from 4150 CMV steel, has a 5.56 NATO caliber and is 1:8 twist button rifled. Faxon QPQ Nitrides the whole barrel for corrosion and wear resistance. Because it’s a pencil profile, Faxon uses a 0.625 gas block diameter. Being a 10.5” length, it uses the carbine length gas system. To quality control their barrels, Faxon magnetic particle inspects them so that good barrels get sent out to the user and bad ones don’t. Lastly, the barrel is threaded the standard ½-28 and has a recessed target crown.

  Faxon also sent me one of their Slim 3-port muzzle brakes. This particular muzzle brake has an outside diameter of 0.620”. It screws directly onto the barrel threads and comes with a crush washer. The small outside diameter of this brake makes it possible to remove the gas block without removing the muzzle brake. This can be especially nice if you have to pin and weld a muzzle device on to meet a legal length. It is 2.125”’ long, so it will bring a 13.9” barrel to the legal 16” length. I however am using this on a pistol, so no need to pin and weld. When installing the 3 port muzzle brake, be extremely careful as the metal is softer than I realized. I rounded the corners of it with an open end wrench trying to time it properly with the supplied crush washer. Make sure your wrench is on the solid portion, not over a port. That crush washer is stronger than any I have seen. Besides my error in installation, the 3 port design actually works very well. I was a little hesitant due to the smaller size, but it performs as well as other 3 port comps I have used. It actually tamed the little 10.5”’s recoil down some. Now it is loud, but all compensators like this are. The slim brake also only weighs 1.12 ounces.

  The Faxon Lightweight barrel combo serves its purpose. I put it through some use during a “range day.” This is a training style match that the local club has. The barrel and comp both performed well with zero hiccups. Now that can’t be said about the shooter. I also did some accuracy testing at 100yds. The barrel averaged about 2-3” groups with normal ammunition. As expected, as the barrel heated up a little, the groups would string some, but I included it in the group sizes, so you can tell it’s not terrible. For a 10.5” barrel, the accuracy is fine for me because I don’t expect to use this pistol past 100 yds anyhow. 

  If you are looking into a super lightweight barrel, definitely check out the Faxon line of barrels. They are one of the few that come with a pinned on style gas block. The 10.5” barrel and gas block were just the lightweight stuff I was looking for. While you are over at Faxon, don’t forget to look at the slimline comp too.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Short lightweight barrel with a pinned gas block

Target Market:

Builders wanting a super lightweight barrel/gas block combo

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

Barrel:

  • 4150 CMV

  • Button Rifled 

  • 5.56 - 1:8 twist rifling

  • 10.5" Pencil profile

  • Carbine length gas system

  • QPQ Salt Bath Nitride finish

  • 1/2-28 threaded muzzle

  • .625" gas block diameter

  • Gas Block Journal Length: 1.1"

  • M4 barrel extension

  • Magnetic Particle Inspected

  • 11-degree Target Crown

  • Barrel weighs 14.53 oz

  • Weight with gas block and gas tube is 16.26 oz

  • Pin on gas block

Comp:

  • QPQ Salt Bath Nitride

  • Thread: 1/2"-28 TPI

  • Weight: 1.12 Ounces 

  • Length: 2.125 Inches

  • Outer Diameter: .620”

  • Caliber: .223/5.56

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Different lengths and calibers 

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars at FaxonFirearms.com

Top shelf quality. As a toolmaker I can pin a gas block but for the money it's not worth me setting up to do it. Beautiful work

Link to other reviews:

Closes I could find was for the 16” pencil barrel - HERE 

Price point:

MSRP:

Barrel - $195.00

Muzzle Brake - $59.99

Retail: Probably a little cheaper if you can find the same combo

I need it now! Availability:

Faxon Firearms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Super light

  • Pinned gas block

  • Optional muzzle brake that matches barrel

  • QPQ Nitride finish

Cons:

  • Accuracy 

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Gun Guys Garage

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