Lightweight, Superlite, and Ultralite

What's the difference and which one is right for you? All three rifles are based on very similar barrel technology, so let's take a look at what's the same and where they differ.

First, let's look at how they're similar. All three are 16.5" in length and have a .920" bull barrel diameter with a 1:16" twist. The lightweight THM tension design is the original "lightweight bull barrel" that we built our lightweight barrel platform around. It's actually a four-piece design, consisting of a small diameter barrel with stainless steel end caps separated by a carbon fiber sleeve. The end caps are tightened to a specific torque to provide tension, and thus rigidity, to the barrel. This offers many benefits:

• Heavy, bull barrel accuracy at less than half the weight
• Accurate, bull barrel harmonics instead of the vibration common with smaller diameter barrels
• This design creates an air space between the barrel and sleeve, allowing for better heat dissipation than other lightweight barrel designs

So how are they different? Both our Lightweight and Superlite rifles utilize our original Lightweight THM Tension Barrel, whereas the newer UltraLite Rifle is built on our Ultralite Barrel.

The Lightweight THM Tension Barrel is designed for those looking for a lightweight option without sacrificing accuracy. This particular barrel is also available in a variety of anodized colors. These colors would be done on an aluminum sleeve compared to the standard carbon fiber sleeve.

The Ultralite Barrel features a smaller barrel diameter and shorter end caps for an even lighter barrel. It was designed with rimfire steel shooters in mind. There's a tiny drop-off in accuracy of the Ultralite barrel compared to the Lightweight THM Tension Barrel, however it is still a very accurate barrel with five shot groups at 50 yards coming in at .500" or better.

Now that you know the difference in barrels, let's look at the difference in rifles. The Lightweight Rifle is built on one of our stainless steel receivers, whereas the Superlite is built on a Type III hard anodized alloy receiver. The only noticeable difference in perfomance and durability between the two receivers is weight. Both rifles however feature a barrel threaded into the receiver and an integral Picatinny rail machined into the receiver. The Lightweight THM Tension Barrel is used on both rifles.

The Ultralite Rifle is a little different in that it is built on our aftermarket receiver. This is still CNC-machined however uses a more conventional wedge locking block to secure the barrel versus the threaded receiver listed above. The Picatinny rail on this one is also removable allowing for the receiver to be drilled and tapped for a specific mount or red dot optic.

Competition shooting, squirrel hunting, plinking? We've got you covered at Volquartsen.com