03 DESIGN GROUP
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AR15 Upper Receiver Weight Comparisons [2009-11-15]

(Originally written 11-15-09 - New uppers added 03-28-10)

The purpose of this review is an attempt to give the reader an apples to apples comparison of different Bravo Company Manufacturing (BCM) upper receiver weights. As more info or configurations become avalible, I will update this review.

All weights were as you see the upper receiver in the picture. None of the upper receivers had bolt carrier groups or charging handles in them when they were weighed. I ensured everything was the same on all uppers weighed.

A few things to consider when comparing bare upper receiver weight to finished (ready to shoot) upper receiver weight:

Let's compare two of the exact same uppers with rails in different lengths.

BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - LaRue Tactical 9.0 rail - A2 front sight base = 3 lbs - 10.6 oz BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - LaRue Tactical 12.0 rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 9.8 oz

The upper with with the longer rail and the low profile gas block is almost an ounce lighter than the upper with the shorter rail and A2 front sight base.

To completely cover a LaRue 9.0 rail it takes 20 Magpul XTM rail pannels which weigh 4.4 oz

To completely cover a LaRue 12.0 rail it takes 27 Magpul XTM rail pannels which weigh 6.2 oz

For the LaRue 12.0 you will need a Troy Industries front back up iron sight which weighs 1.6 oz

Bare weight the upper with the 9.0 rail system was 0.8 oz heavier than the upper with the 12.0 rail system. After adding a front iron sight and enough rail pannels to cover the longer rail the upper with the 12.0 rail ended up weighing 2.6 oz more than the upper with the 9.0 rail system

1) BCM upper - Standard 11.5" barrel - Daniel Defense 7.0 Omega rail - A2 Front Sight Base = 2 lbs - 14.2 oz

2) BCM upper - BFH 11.5" barrel - Daniel Defense 7.0 Omega rail - A2 Front Sight Base = 2 lbs - 15.0 oz

3) BCM upper - BFH 11.5" barrel - LaRue Tactical 7.0 rail - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 1.4 oz

4) BCM upper - Standard 11.5" barrel - LaRue Tactical 11.0 SRBS (Gooseneck) rail - low profile gas block = 2 lbs - 15.4 oz

5) BCM upper - Standard 11.5" barrel - Daniel Defense 10.0 Lite rail - low profile gas block = 2 lbs - 13.6 oz

6) BCM upper - Standard 11.5" barrel - Knights Armament Company URX II Mid Length rail - low profile gas block = 2 lbs - 14.6 oz

7) BCM upper - BFH 11.5" barrel - LaRue Tactical 10.0 rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 0.6 oz

8) BCM upper - BFH 11.5" barrel - Field Dark Earth Daniel Defense 10.0 Lite rail - low profile gas block = 2 lbs - 14.0 oz

9) BCM VLTOR VIS upper - BFH 11.5" barrel - VLTOR VIS 10.0 rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 4.4 oz

10) BCM upper - SS410 11.5" barrel - No Handguards - A2 Front Sight Base = 2 lbs - 11.2 oz

11) BCM upper - SS410 11.5" barrel - LaRue Tactical 7.0 rail - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 4.6 oz

12) BCM upper - SS410 11.5" barrel - Daniel Defense 7.0 Omega rail - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 2.0 oz

13) BCM upper - SS410 11.5" barrel - LaRue Tactical 11.0 SRBS (Gooseneck) rail - low profile gas block - front and rear Troy Industries back up iron sights = 3 lbs - 7.2 oz

14) BCM upper - SS410 11.5" barrel - Field Dark Earth Ion Bond finish - Field Dark Earth Daniel Defense 10.0 Lite rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 1.4 oz

15) BCM VLTOR VIS upper - SS410 11.5" barrel - VLTOR VIS 10.0 rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 7.6 oz

16) BCM upper - Standard 12.5" barrel - Kino Configuration - No handguards - A2 front sight base and low profile gas block = 2 lbs - 11.6 oz

17) BCM upper - Standard 12.5" barrel - Kino Configuration with LaRue Tactical 9.0 rail - A2 front sight base and low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 6.8 oz

18) BCM upper - Standard 12.5" barrel - Kino Configuration with Daniel Defense 9.0 Lite rail - A2 front sight base and low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 4.2 oz

19) BCM upper - Standard 12.5" barrel - LaRue Tactical 11.0 rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 3.4 oz

20) BCM upper - Standard 14.5" M4 Carbine barrel - BCM A2X flash hider permanently attached - Field Dark Earth Daniel Defense 12.0 RIS II (FSP) rail - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 11.0 oz

21) BCM upper - BFH 14.5" mid-length barrel - BCM A2X flash hider permanently attached - No Handguards - A2 Front Sight Base = 2 lbs - 13.6 oz

22) BCM upper - Standard 14.5" mid-length barrel - BCM A2X flash hider permanently attached - Daniel Defense 12.0 Lite rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 6.0 oz

23) BCM upper - Standard 16" M4 carbine barrel - Daniel Defense 7.0 Omega X rail - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 6.4 oz

24) BCM upper - Standard 16" M4 carbine barrel - Daniel Defense 10.0 Lite rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 6.6 oz

25) BCM upper - Standard 16" M4 carbine barrel - Midwest Industries T10 rail (Black) - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 7.6 oz

26) BCM upper - Standard 16" M4 carbine barrel - Midwest Industries T10 rail (FDE) - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 8.0 oz

27) BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - No Handguards - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 0.0 oz

28) BCM upper - Standard Lightweight 16" mid-length barrel - No Handguards - A2 Front Sight Base = 2 lbs - 11.2 oz

29) BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - LaRue Tactical 9.0 rail - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 10.6 oz

30) BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - Daniel Defense 9.0 Lite rail - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 8.2 oz

31) BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - Fiel Dark Earth Daniel Defense 9.0 Lite rail - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 8.4 oz

32) BCM upper - BFH 16" mid-length barrel - LaRue Tactical 9.0 rail - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 11.0 oz

33) BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - LaRue Tactical 12.0 rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 9.8 oz

34) BCM upper - Standard Lightweight 16" mid-length barrel - Daniel Defense 12.0 Lite rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 4.2 oz

135) BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - Daniel Defense 12.0 Lite rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 9.2 oz

36) BCM upper - BFH 16" mid-length barrel - Daniel Defense 12.0 Lite rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 8.2 oz

37) BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - Field Dark Earth Daniel Defense 12.0 Lite rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 8.2 oz

38) BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - Field Dark Earth Daniel Defense 12.0 RIS II rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 11.0 oz

39) BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - Knights Armament Company URX II Rifle Length rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 8.2 oz

40) BCM upper - Standard Lightweight 16" mid-length barrel - VTAC TRX Extreme Battle Rail 11.0 handguard - low profile gas block - weight includes 2 short rails and 1 long rail = 3 lbs - 3.6 oz

41) BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - Midwest Industries T12 rail (black) - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 10.2 oz

42) BCM upper - Standard 16" mid-length barrel - Midwest Industries T12 rail (FDE) - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 10.2 oz

43) BCM upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - No Handguards - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 4.2 oz

44) BCM upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - Black Ion Bond Finish - No Handguards - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 3.8 oz

45) BCM upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - LaRue Tactical 9.0 rail - A2 Front Sight Base = 3 lbs - 15.4 oz

46) BCM upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - LaRue Tactical 12.0 rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 14.8 oz

47) BCM upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - Daniel Defense 12.0 Lite rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 13.2 oz

48) BCM VLTOR MUR upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - Daniel Defense 12.0 Lite rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 13.8 oz

49) BCM VLTOR MUR upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - Black Ion Bond finish - Daniel Defense 12.0 Lite rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 14.0 oz

50) BCM upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - Field Dark Earth Ion Bond finish - Field Dark Earth Daniel Defense 12.0 RIS II rail - low profile gas block = 3 lbs - 14.8 oz

51) BCM upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - PRI Natural 12.0 - low profile gas block (weight includes 2 short and 2 long PRI handguard rails - = 3 lbs - 14.4 oz

52) BCM upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - PRI Black 12.0 - low profile gas block (weight includes 2 short and 2 long PRI handguard rails - = 3 lbs - 13.8 oz

53) BCM upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - Black ION Bond finish - PRI Black 12.0 - low profile gas block (weight includes 2 short and 2 long PRI handguard rails - = 3 lbs - 14.6 oz

54) BCM VLTOR VIS upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - VLTOR VIS 12.0 rail - low profile gas block = 4 lbs - 3.2 oz

55) BCM VLTOR VIS upper - SS410 16" mid-length barrel - Black Ion Bond finish - VLTOR VIS 12.0 rail - low profile gas block = 4 lbs - 3.4 oz

56) BCM upper - SS410 18" barrel - SPR Mk 12 Mod 2-Bravo LaRue Tactical 12.0 Rail - low profile gas block = 4 lbs - 6.2 oz

57) BCM upper - SS410 18" barrel - SPR Mk 12 Mod 2X-Bravo LaRue Tactical 13.2 Rail - low profile gas block = 4 lbs - 7.2 oz

58) BCM upper - SS410 18" barrel - SPR Mk 12 Mod 3-Bravo Daniel Defense 12.0 Lite Rail - low profile gas block = 4 lbs - 4.0 oz

59) BCM upper - SS410 18" barrel - SPR Mk 12 Mod 3X-Bravo Daniel Defense 14.0 Lite Rail - low profile gas block = 4 lbs - 6.2 oz

60) BCM upper - SS410 18" barrel - SPR Mk 12 Mod 0-Bravo PRI Natural 12.0 - PRI folding front sight and gas block (weight includes 2 short and 2 long PRI handguard rails - 4 rails total and standard charging handle)- = 4 lbs - 10.0 oz

61) BCM upper - SS410 18" barrel - SPR Mk 12 Mod 0-Bravo PRI Black 12.0 - PRI folding front sight and gas block - weight includes 2 short and 2 long PRI rails = 4 lbs - 9.0 oz

62) BCM upper - SS410 18" barrel - SPR Mk 12 Mod 0-Bravo PRI Natural 12.0 - PRI folding front sight and gas block - weight includes 2 short and 2 long PRI rails, ARMS #40 back up iron sight, ARMS #38 Swan Sleeve, OPS Inc muzzle break and suppressor collar - without bolt carrier group and charging handle = 5 lbs - 7.2 oz (weight with bolt carrier group and charging handle = 6 lbs - 4.0 oz )

63) BCM upper - SS410 18" barrel - Black Ion Bond Finish - SPR Mk 12 Mod 0-Bravo PRI Black 12.0 - PRI folding front sight and gas block - weight includes 2 short and 2 long PRI rails, ARMS #40 back up iron sight, ARMS #38 Swan Sleeve, OPS Inc muzzle break and suppressor collar - without bolt carrier group and charging handle = 5 lbs - 7.6 oz (weight with bolt carrier group and charging handle = 6 lbs - 4.4 oz )

64) BCM upper - SS410 18" barrel - SPR Mk 12 Mod 1R-Bravo KAC Free float RAS 12.0 - low profile gas block - weight includes 3 KAC rail pannels = 4 lbs - 8.4 oz