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Comparing Colt Carbine Handguards - Big Pictures (Page 2 of 2)
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This is really a great thread. OP @RLR350 can we get an update on this and add a few things? Like not using Photobucket... lol. Anyhow, Colt 6 Holes also have a "birthmark", as was noted in the picture of the N1 Stock. They have mold marks on the inside as seen here (just above the "L" (also seen in the 7th picture of the 1st post, very clearly);   Here are pics of an OKT (OK Tool and Die)      pics of the new H&R     Some overall pics, top to bottom - Colt, OKT, LSO, H&R   General observations of the H&R and OKT vs Colt. Exterior: 1. Colt and H&R look almost identical on the exterior. The holes on the H&R are not counter sunk as much as those on the Colt. Both are similarly shiny, both have ribs that come to points (H&R is a bit more pointy though). 2. OKT is more mat on the exterior and the ribs are rounded at the ends. Interior; 1. All 3 have "L" ribs that are the same. All 3 use similar heat shields, though the colts I have (4 sets) have a mix of shields with wide tabs and skinny tabs. Both the H&R and OKT seem to use the wide tabs. 2. Colt is the only one with the mold marks inside. These are almost like an extra rib along the inside running parallel to the seams on each half. OP's original post, picture 7 shows them well. |
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lol. I forgot about this place. Back when I did this Photobucket was the way the sight worked. I’ll see if I can do an update, but it looks like the above poster has it covered. I’m on a phone and it’s hard to see everything. Hope everyone is well. |
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Originally Posted By RLR350: lol. I forgot about this place. Back when I did this Photobucket was the way the sight worked. I’ll see if I can do an update, but it looks like the above poster has it covered. I’m on a phone and it’s hard to see everything. Hope everyone is well. If you still have the pics, switch them over to Imgur. Photobucket stamps everything now. So the pics are kinda hard to see details with the photobucket watermarks. But a great post you started! |
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Originally Posted By seand1111: If you still have the pics, switch them over to Imgur. Photobucket stamps everything now. So the pics are kinda hard to see details with the photobucket watermarks. But a great post you started! I checked my photos and don’t have those anymore. It looks like you guys have done a good job at recreating them. As I said way back in 2010, many of the non Colt brands have similar features, but not all features. Thankfully, some are even stamped with the manufacturer name or other identifying characteristic that automatically eliminates them from being Colts. I think it is very rare that someone could find a pair of Colts and not be able to identify them using the existing photos in this thread. As for non Colts, you will know they are not Colts, but may never be able to tell the original manufacturers in some cases. It’s been years since I’ve looked at a pair, but if I recall correctly one of the features that wasn’t really reiterated anywhere past the OP is the “C” curve under the front mount. It was shown in the sixth and seventh picture. That photo could probably use a clear update if anyone has comparisons. |
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Originally Posted By RLR350: It’s been years since I’ve looked at a pair, but if I recall correctly one of the features that wasn’t really reiterated anywhere past the OP is the “C” curve under the front mount. It was shown in the sixth and seventh picture. That photo could probably use a clear update if anyone has comparisons. That “C” curve used to be something I looked for also, till I saw that the OKT’s had that same curve. I see that the H&R also has the curve too. I really brought this thread back up because to me, it’s scary how much the new H&R and I suspect the Linemount 6 hole handguards resemble the shiny Colts of yesteryear. But as I noted, the one thing the colts have that the others don’t, the mold marks inside the body. That tell tell is now my goto when I am verifying that a set is actually colt. Thanks for seeing if you had the old photos. |
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Originally Posted By seand1111: That “C” curve used to be something I looked for also, till I saw that the OKT’s had that same curve. I see that the H&R also has the curve too. I really brought this thread back up because to me, it’s scary how much the new H&R and I suspect the Linemount 6 hole handguards resemble the shiny Colts of yesteryear. But as I noted, the one thing the colts have that the others don’t, the mold marks inside the body. That tell tell is now my goto when I am verifying that a set is actually colt. Thanks for seeing if you had the old photos. @seand1111 Is the Colt birthmark you are referring to like the picture below? I just received Linemount latest batch of Retro handguards and the picture is it. If that's exactly what you are referring to as Colt birthmark, it is something that Taiwanese faithfully reproduced and sell by Linemount. 
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Originally Posted By mlin: @seand1111 Is the Colt birthmark you are referring to like the picture below? I just received Linemount latest batch of Retro handguards and the picture is it. If that's exactly what you are referring to as Colt birthmark, it is something that Taiwanese faithfully reproduced and sell by Linemount. https://i.imgur.com/3qfUn9n.jpeg SHIT..... yes, only colts had this before. I have a set of linemount's coming also, curious to see if this is present there also. If so, they just made it super hard to tell colts from theirs via pics alone. |
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Since it was pointed out that the Linemount handguards also have the mold marks or "birthmarks" like the Colts. I thought I would add a post here with pics to show the two. While both look the same and have many of the same features, there are quite a few differences to tell them apart. The main differences being weight, feel (surface texture), and a few additional features the Colts have that the Linemount's lack. I will let the pictures speak for them selves now.          
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I recently bought a set of the Linemount handguards for an XM177E build. When dry fitting it, the rear portion of the handguard seemed a bit too thick to properly fit within the slip ring of the Brownells barrel I bought. I swapped the slip ring for a delta ring and proceeded to install th barrel. However, the Linemount handguards still don't completely seat within the delta ring. Is this normal for the Linemount? What about the H&R?  
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Originally Posted By ryee30: I recently bought a set of the Linemount handguards for an XM177E build. When dry fitting it, the rear portion of the handguard seemed a bit too thick to properly fit within the slip ring of the Brownells barrel I bought. I swapped the slip ring for a delta ring and proceeded to install th barrel. However, the Linemount handguards still don't completely seat within the delta ring. Is this normal for the Linemount? What about the H&R? https://i.imgur.com/gYnJJi5.jpg https://i.imgur.com/nr1CdOy.jpg All handguards of this type (clamshell) have various fitment quirks. One thing I notice on both of your pictures is the handguards are not fully closed and aligned. This could be part of the issue. Edit. I just took my Linemounts and tried them with a slip ring and a delta ring and they have a proud fit with each. Looks like they could benefit from having some material removed from that end of the handguards. and no, my H&R's fit fine with no material removed. One set of my LSO's required a bit of material to be removed. I can see that some of my Colts looks like they have had material removed, others not. |
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Originally Posted By seand1111: I can see that some of my Colts looks like they have had material removed, others not. This is my experience too on one of my genuine Colt HG, some material was removed (not by me) to better fit the slip ring. So production variance existed back in the old days even with Colt OEM. |
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I was able to compare original Colt handguards to an unknown set I have for over ten years now. Both look very similar and weigh the same at 4.6 oz (two peices/full set). Both feel solid. Both fit very similar and decent on a Colt Sporter Carbine. So on a first look and touch it is hard to tell a difference. Judging from the old pictures here the unknown set might be RRA, but I am not sure. On a very close look you can tell the fiberlite material of the Colt parts. They are shiny on the inside but still dull on the outside. I suppose it is a NOS set that would get shiny from handling and oiling. Here are some pictures. Colts on the right, unknown on the left:       |
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Originally Posted By Gunslinger-Mike: I was able to compare original Colt handguards to an unknown set I have for over ten years now. Both look very similar and weigh the same at 4.6 oz (two peices/full set). Both feel solid. Both fit very similar and decent on a Colt Sporter Carbine. So on a first look and touch it is hard to tell a difference. Judging from the old pictures here the unknown set might be RRA, but I am not sure. On a very close look you can tell the fiberlite material of the Colt parts. They are shiny on the inside but still dull on the outside. I suppose it is a NOS set that would get shiny from handling and oiling. Here are some pictures. Colts on the right, unknown on the left: https://i.imgur.com/IYVyo3s.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/VOAKr4j.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/BM1PHGv.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/UZanqHV.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/tRfrnCK.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/LQ93tGu.jpeg I think you are right. They do look like RRA’s. |
| this thread brings back some memories...too bad photobucket tried to extort it's user back in the day...we lost a bunch of useful and informative pics when they tried to start charging people for access to their stored pics... |
the A2 is not now, nor will it ever be, retro......but I still like 'em
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(Recreating the original post without the Photobucket watermarks - Feel free to snag these in case something ever happens with my Imgur account) Originally Posted By RLR350: I put together some slides showing some details of things I have learned from you guys about comparing Colt handguards to others. Thought it might be useful to someone, so here it is. Please correct me if anything is wrong and I will change it. Some other brands will have some of the same features as Colts, but usually not all of the same features. These examples are Colt, RRA (which are close replicas) and an unknown brand. Captions are below the picture.  Green - Colt's will have six holes. Red - Colt holes are tapered. RRA's are tapered also. The unknown brand is vertical. Purple - The Colt lines are thin and clear. RRA's are thin, not as clear cut and the unknown brand has clear, but less lines. The Colt's tend to be shiny and the others are a more flat finish. The unknowns also have knubs on the front where they go into the end cap.  Red - Colt vertical ribs go into the horizontal ribs at 45 degrees. The other two brands are at 90 degrees. Blue Arrow - The top ridges roll over the end on Colts. Although you can't see the other brands, the unknown brand stops without rolling over.  Red - A better view of the top ribs rolling over the edge. Not so on the unknown brand.  Red - The heat shields on the Colt's and RRA's have tabs. The unknown brand is bent the entire length. Some brands have tabs, but they are square instead of one end of the tab being curved. Blue Arrow - The Colt's and RRA's have tongues and grooves along the edge. The unknown brand is smooth.  Inside, rear close up: Red - The Colt's have a thin "L" shape. RRA's have a thicker "U" shape. The unknowns are covered by the heat shield. Purple - The top of this ridge is flat on Colt's. Round on the RRA's and thinner on the unknowns. Blue Arrow - This wall is angled on the Colt's. It is vertical on the RRA's.  Inside, front close up: Red - The Colt's have a smooth "C" shaped curve. The RRA's are more of an "S". The unknowns are flat, no ridge.  Green Arrow - Better view of the front ridges. Blue Arrow - Both the Colt's and RRA's have internal ribs, although slightly different. The unknowns don't have them. Red - The Colt's may have a backwards "1" or "2". The RRA's have "Israel" markings. The unknowns only have a normal number, "4" in this case. |
Here's some photos of a set of the B5 Systems CAR15 handguards I recently got with an H&R upper receiver group. Overall they seem decent if not completely accurate repros. They seem sturdier than most no-name commercial carbine handguards, the heat shields are slip-in and similar to the Colts, but the finish is matte like later Colt M4 handguards and doesn't have the sheen of the Colt, contract, Linemount, or H&R six-hole carbine handguards.    These three photos are of a B5 (on the top/left) next to an H&R (on the bottom/right).   
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The Echo Nine Three is worth adding here. I bought some Linemount and they looked nice but flimsy so I ordered some Echo93 and they were way better. "Factory replacement handguard assembly for the CAR-15/M-4 Carbine. From the original OEM manufacturer, includes heat shield and features a shiny outer surface." "These are our fiber reinforced thermoformed OEM type handguards."  Echo93 vs Linemount Handguards |
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Originally Posted By Shane733: The Echo Nine Three is worth adding here. I bought some Linemount and they looked nice but flimsy so I ordered some Echo93 and they were way better. "Factory replacement handguard assembly for the CAR-15/M-4 Carbine. From the original OEM manufacturer, includes heat shield and features a shiny outer surface." "These are our fiber reinforced thermoformed OEM type handguards."  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMqER9BhT1I"Factory replacement handguard assembly" Wonder who makes them. Can you post detailed pics, including behind the heat shield. |
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The line mount CAR hand guards are airsoft level. Cheap plastic, with a cheap shine. Now looking for OEM under $100  ETA: I had to sand the back end of the line mounts, to get them to fit a Colt Delta ring. They still look like cheap ass Airsoft. |
Comparing Colt Carbine Handguards - Big Pictures (Page 2 of 2)
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