If you’ve ever had to lug something across any distance, you know how much of a difference just a little bit of weight can make over the long run. Even something light can feel like you are carrying an anvil if you have to hold it for very long or carry it very far. It doesn’t matter if that weight is a backpack or your toddler-aged child or… a rifle.
Fortunately, there are some options out there for people looking for a lighter weight rifle that still provides accuracy and stopping power. 2A-Armament has a 6.75 pound AR10 that some people are calling one of the lightest AR10s on the market and are raving about. One of those people is AWR Hawkins who writes,
The XLR-18 is chambered in .308 and is perfect for hunting applications in states where AR-style rifles are legal to use.
We used one for hog hunting in two different parts of Texas and the rifle was flawless. The XLR-18’s trigger is crisp and the gun cycles flawlessly. We put about 400 rounds of various brands of ammunition through the XLR-18 prior to the hog hunts and the rifle never hiccuped.
The .308 round delivers knockdown power missing in smaller rounds—like .223/5.56—and makes hunting 170- to 230-pound hogs, and larger, a breeze.
We paired our XLR-18 with a Pulsarvision Trail XP50 Thermal Riflescope, which gives you the benefit of a clear image in both day and night. The 2A Armament–Pulsar combination is as close to hog-hunting perfection as one might see this side of heaven.
The precision and light weight of the XLR-18 are complemented by a remarkable trigger. All of these features combine to make the gun easier to keep on target in a situation that requires quick follow-up shots[.]
The XLR-18 is a fine weapon, which performs at a level that many other AR-10s cannot hope to match. It does not stumble, jam, or fail; and it delivers extreme accuracy. It is a rifle for those who want a firearm for long-range target shooting that can also be counted on as the go-to hunting rifle season after season, year after year.
Now, you don’t have to be a hog hunter to realize that a rifle useful for that purpose is going to be useful for a number of other purposes, too. So, if you’re looking for a lightweight rifle with some stopping power, the XLR-18 AR10 may be exactly what you’re looking for.
