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Free floating handguards-update to save posts

dcinffxva
I'm looking to put a quad-rail forend on an M-4 carbine, and wanted some input on what qualities to look for, and who makes the best value forends for the money.

Are free floating handguards worth the extra bucks on a rifle that will rarely be fired at a target more than 250 yards out ?

Thanks for all the input so far.

I plan on mounting a green laser foregrip (Crimson Trace MVF-515) so it looks like the free floating is the way I'm going to have to go.

After looking around a bit now, there is a huge price difference between several of the manufacturors, and I'm just not sure what the difference in quality is. I don't mind paying for quality stuff, but don't want to pay more than I have to.

Ideally I'd prefer not to have to remove the front sight, or D-ring, but neither of those is a dealbreaker.
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Comments

4 comments

Date Votes
  • midnightrunpaintballer
    Long answer: It depends on how accurate you want it at the distance you intend to shoot it. If you want to hit from man sized targets to soda cans, you don't need the free floated handguard. If you want to shoot sub half inch groups @ 100yds, then maybe......


    Short answer: Probably not.
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  • beantownshootah
    quote:Originally posted by midnightrunpaintballer
    Long answer: It depends on how accurate you want it at the distance you intend to shoot it. If you want to hit from man sized targets to soda cans, you don't need the free floated handguard. If you want to shoot sub half inch groups @ 100yds, then maybe......


    Short answer: Probably not.



    +1

    Mostly, its only worth it if you need/want to wring maximum accuracy out of your gun. Do you?

    One practical thing is that the free floated barrel helps maintain accuracy if you need to rest your guns forearm against some support (eg a barricade, etc). In general, I'd say free floating is worth looking as part of an accuracy package that should include match trigger, match ammo, match barrel, etc.

    Most people don't need to do this, and more to the point, probably wouldn't ever notice the difference anyway.
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  • quickmajik
    I agree tenatively with the above.

    A free floating hand guard does have other good qualities besides just slightly more consistant accuracy. Like they are rock solid for mounting an optic or laser forward of the reciever.. Also the added pressure of a bi-pod will in no way effect accuracy.

    sounds like the VLTOR casvhttp://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=188518086

    One good option is the Vltor CAS-V, it tensions to flat top upper recievers, and you do not have to remove the delta ring to put it on. It is slightly heavier then other free floating hand guards but it is very easy to remove and install, and the main optics rail is continuous.


    if you want the best traditional free floating railed hand guard look into a Sampson or Daniel Defense. the two piece models tension around the barrel nut and dont require barrel removal, all you have to do is cut off the delta ring and they clamp on.


    If you just want a good non free floating railed hand guard, look into a drop in Midwest indistries model 17, or of you have a Colt a 17C. they are very solid and robust.

    Another good one is the Double Star corp, DS416 model slim drop in hand guards. they are slighly lighter and slimmer, but just as robust as the MI guards.
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  • sandwarrior
    dcinffxva,

    If going with free floating just to do that then it isn't too much more cost-wise. With my new Grendel it wasn't a whole lot. However, when I looked into quad rails is when it got expensive. You can get the less expensive 2 piece standard quad-rail handguards for as low as $61.00. Or you can go as high as $170. You need to decide what length you need and what other options you need. As well as if you need to go with a brand name and pay a bunch more bucks. That helps if you re-sell it. Otherwise if it maintains the quality you want then it's fine. A lot of the big name manufacturers had parts like these sub-contracted out. Now that sales of AR's have slowed dramatically, a lot of the subcontractors are sell their over-runs at much less than name brand. Even though they made both.

    Check the auction side as you can find a bunch of stuff there. You can also find everything you need @ midway, graf's, Brownells, Sinclair, and model 1 sales.

    FWIW, I personally found it was easier to go with the free floated handguards than messing with the standard type.
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