http://www.ak-builder.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=30080

I just got one and I want to know what people think before I spent the time to put it on/test it.

It works great for me. I cant say if it will melt as I have not done a mag dump. I also removed the L side rail as it blocks the sling loop.

I have one on a Romy G with an Ultimak and really like it.  It's rock solid on the rifle.

Sounds good.

Thanks for the quick replies.  I'll throw it on there tomorrow.

Oh, what do you guys put on the rails?  Lights, lasers, forward grip?  Just curious/looking for ideas.

Ive got one along with my Ultimak.  
I love it.  It is the closest thing to a railed original hand guard you can buy.  They are thick plastic, and mine has not had any heat problems despite multiple rapid mag dumps.  I also removed the side rail pieces.  

They are good to go.


I use mine to mount an AFG - but might be changing to a handstop.  I use the Ultimak to mount a light.


(Keep in mind that they need to be trimmed a little to be used with an Ultimak)

As others have said, it's a good piece of kit. Looks good, built well, no problems with heat. It will take a little trimming for the Ultimak. Take your time and only remove a little at a time. Mine holds a Magpul AFG on the bottom rail and occasionally a light on the right side. It has just enough rail space to be usefull without looking silly.

I've gotten good use out of the LHV47 also and still continue to recommend it even though I eventually went to only an Ultimak on my SHTF rifle. In the end all I needed was a light which worked fine on the Ultimak with an offset mount, the LHV was eclipsed through no fault of its own by the Aimpoint Ultimak combo.

Were I to actually use a VFG or magpul type thing I'd happily go back to it, but I'm a mag hold kind of guy and really don't need any rails on the HG for my shooting style.




Having said all that I recently picked up the 'new' STK polymer HG which is similar to the LHV but built in Russia, thanks to Citadel-SC's BeLOMO optics thread that clued me onto it. Not made by Izzy but from some Russian company that makes tactical gear for AK's, I've seen some of their gear in the past (they have an interesting looking tac light) but this particular HG seems to be relatively new on the market. I think the price is silly at $99 from Kalinka but I wanted to try it out for curiosity's sake, so far it looks tougher and better built than the LHV and even has a heat shield.

I'm working on a little write up but here are a few pics.








Z

I like mine. Like most people on here I ditched the side rails to make it more comfortable. It's been plenty hot in the past without any melting. I bought it for the same reason as Mosin. I wanted something with at least one lower rail that didn't look too aftermarket. It feels solid too. I've handled one of the other plastic railed hand guards before and it felt hollow and flimsy compared to the LHV47. Maybe that's why it had a metal heat guard.

Is that a AFG-2?

Love mine.  Use it with a Ultimak holding a H-1 on my SGL-21.

Yep. I like it a little more than I did the AFG1. The "ears" on the AFG1 stuck out a little further than the sides of the hand guard and it bothered me.

Nice pictures, guys!  I think I want to throw an AFG on it and perhaps a light on the side.  Thanks for the ideas!

the one picture of the russian using the periscope red dot, is he using a LHV? that looks more like the LHV than the Russian one you have there

Not 100% sure the STK is the exact same HG in the pic, but it doesn't look like an LHV47 to me because of the top side of the HG right under the upper HG...LHV is different.




Z

That hand guard looks good TX. Thinking of getting one and trying it with a VG and light.  Just so damn expensive.  Did your PK come in yet?

Yeah the PK is in and I like it.

Alot


I have some photos just haven't posted yet, plus your write up is excellent. Great pics too      




Z

I believe that is an earlier version of the STK hand guard, def. not the LHV though they do look similar.  The new one TX just got is the latest one from STK.  Here is there website though it does not offer much in terms of info.  I would love to get my hands on one of their folding and telescoping stocks that utilizes the existing AK-74 folding trunnion.  Might have to see if Andrew can get those since he is carrying their hand guards, grips, lights, bipods, and other items.

Stock and current hand guard:
http://stk.udmnet.ru/eng/futureE.htm

Earlier hand guard like in Belomo pic:
http://stk.udmnet.ru/eng/productsE.htm

FWIW I like the STK hand guard a lot, its very very well made, has a heat shield and fits more smoothly and easily than the LHV does. Unfortunately the STK is a lot heavier at 8.3 ounces on my scale (compared to the LHV at 5.9 and the regular poly lower at 4.4 ounces) and it definately feels like it. I wouldn't say it unbalances the weapon when mounted because you know when the adrenaline is pumping during training you tend not to notice these things, but just fooling around the house its noticeable.

The plastic is much tougher than the LHV and tougher than the regular HG polymer from what I can see...it's thicker and feels harder. Not to say the LHV is weak or inferior, just think of the STK as the LHV47 on steriods. It's solid, and you get the immediate impression its intended for heavy use, not looking cute on the range. I kinda feel like you could use it as a hammer if you removed it from the rifle    

The STK is very similar to a regular AK lower including a metal reinforced front where the HG retainer secures it and the modern back end where it fits into the receiver. The LHV is all poly and has no metal reinforcements, the rear is also different. The STK is not as overmolded as the LHV where it secures to the receiver and it has fit both my SGL31's and SLR105 smoothly, the LHV is more finicky but does fit all 3. The rails aren't metal but they seem even tougher than the poly body plus they can all be removed including the bottom rail, whereas on the LHV only the two side rails can be removed. I'm not sure why you'd want to remove the bottom rail but you could if you wanted to. Like the LHV it has to be modified to fit an Ultimak, I haven't bothered because I think I will probably sell this down the road. I bought it mainly just to see it first hand and do a little review on it so I didn't want to hack it up just yet.

I dislike the price...to me it's way too high at $99. I think $50 would be much more reasonable but then again its imported and I doubt there is a large market for it over here. I guess you can't do much about that but I still wish it were cheaper.


Overall I'm impressed with it, though I'm not sure how much I'll actually end up using it since the Ultimak covers all my tactical needs at the moment.


STK side


LHV left and STK right


Front STK left and LHV right


Back STK left and LHV right


Top STK left and LHV right


Bottom STK left and LHV right


I don't use this configuration but it's very handy





Z

STK: for a almost $100 bucks for a plastic handguard is ridiculous! Might as well dish out a bit more bucks and get a aluminum rail MI or a Ulitmak,

I wonder if I could rig a heat shield into a LHV.....

It would be very easy to duplicate the heat shield of the STK using thin gauge aluminum and securing it with the existing fasteners that hold the side rails on the LHV.



 

K-var sells a stainless Heat shield that would work for this.

I happen to have a spare Kvar handguard that i could modify the heat shield to fit in. This could work. I will look into this LHV and determine if I can get it to fit riht with some some modification on my thicker barreled Vepr.