ADM UIC-10A Carbon Hunter Rifle: An AR-10 For Lightweight Hunting

The firearms industry is always chasing the Next Big Trend, and right now, the trend in the hunting rifle world is to chase weight loss. We’ve seen lots of ultralight bolt-action rifles built for expeditions high into the mountains. Now, we have the new ADM UIC-10A Carbon Hunter as another take on the formula, with an AR-10 action mated to an ultralight carbon fiber-wrapped barrel.

American Defense Manufacturing @ TFB:

• ADM's UIC Lightweight Tactical Competition Carbine
• A Closer Look at Accuracy with the UIC ADM4 Mod2
• TFB Review: The UIC ADM4 Mod2 From ADM
• Atlantic Guns Exclusive ADM UIC-10A Pistol in .308 Win

Weight loss program

Right up front, let’s just note that there’s certainly nothing new about the AR-10 platform itself; it has been around for generations. And American Defense Manufacturing has been building its UIC-10A rifle design for a while as well, based on Eugene Stoner’s ideas. What’s new here is the weight loss program, which is intended to make this rifle easier for hunters to carry through tough terrain.

While they used a host of get-skinny-now tricks to trim the fat off this rifle, the key difference here is a carbon fiber-wrapped barrel (hence the name Carbon Hunter). In the 16-inch barrel configuration, that helps get the weight down to 8 pounds (there is also an 18-inch version). Of course, that number is without adding an optic or ammunition as well.

ADM also cut some weight by going with a skeletonized lower receiver made of billet aluminum, just like the upper receiver.

Finer details

Other features include ambidextrous control including a Talon ambi safety selector and Raptor charging handle (with a right-side bolt catch and release lever, and magazine release on the left). The rifle comes with a 20-degree magwell and enlarged trigger guard, an H3 buffer and a beefed-up Sprinco Red buffer spring.

A Geissele SSA two-stage match trigger is standard, with Magpul SL or PRS furniture, and QD endplate.

Buyers can get a 15-inch or 17-inch handguard with M-LOK slots. The gas system is rifle-length, with an SLR Sentry 7 adjustable gas block. The barrel terminates with a Surefire Warcomp, NOX Keymount or Huxwrx muzzle device.

The rifle’s coating is either a Type 3 mil-spec anodized finish or a Cerakote finish. And of course, the Carbon Hunter is made in the U.S.A.

For now, the rifle is offered in either .308 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmoor. Pricing starts at $3,750. See more specs at ADMmfg.com.