1. Is there a "best" standard A2 handguard? I'm curious if, say, Colt A2 handguards are better then the rest (texture, rigidity,etc.)

2. Same question, only on detachable carry handles.  Is a particular make of handle to be avoided? Is a particular make better then the rest?  Point me towards a good one for a good price!

Thanks for your time.

Tagged for later. Want to know about det. carry handles myself.

MM419

For carbine hand gaurds I have heard that colt uses a cheaper polymer but has double heat shields,Cav Arms claims a superior polymer but single heat shields,I have the bushmaster M4 type they seem very good quality in my opinion better than the colt,but the colt is the only other set I have,as far as heat the fat M4 take it well I went through 12 mags at 20 to 25 RPM until it got too hot that I went to gloves and it was still very warm,7 mags with the standard size,I know colt and bushy use fiberglass/nylon 43% polymer for full size rifles,and texture and feel to me is the same,so I would say carbine M4 bushy,standard A2 either company and soon Im getting a cav arms M4 handgaurd so ill be able to make a full comparison.Det.carry handles I have no experience with.

The BM A2 handguards I used to have on an upper I no longer have were solid, but they had a sort of grey tint, like they weren't really black.  Is there a handguard set out there that is more solidly black?  I wonder the same thing about buttstocks, as all the ones I see (A2 style) are pretty light grey.  

I'm still waiting on info on the carry handles if anyone is up to it.  

No idea on the carry handles.

There are 3 different grades of A2 handgaurds.  
 - The best are CavArms (IMO)
 - Next up is the good ones from places like Colt and Bushmaster.
 - Bottom is the cheap ones I got from ASA.

On A2 buttstocks, they all look grey.  Wipe some oil on them and they darken up, but they are supposed to be that dark grey color.

Don't know about the carry handles, but it'd be great if ARMS made one with a throw lever mount.  (I don't like the look of the screws.)  

I don't think anybody would normally carry an AR, M4, or M16 by the carry handle anyway, so a good option is to use the ARMS #40 rear sight or other flip up sight.  That'll leave room on your flat top for a scope or other sight.

I thought about the idea of a throw-lever carry handle a few days ago, so it's funny you would mention it.  The big screws are a little bit goofy.  

I thought about the flip-up sight, but I decided that I want that certain detach-handle look.  You know, the sort of A2 but more business like look.  I think ARs look more sinister with a detachable handle fitted then with a standard fixed one, even if the end result is the same.  

I guess I'm curious as to the quality of the much less expensive imported ones.  They look the same in pics, but has anyone here noticed any differences up close?  

I would avoid the cheap imported handles.  No experience personally, but I've read some bad stuff on here about them.

Between the major brands (Colt, Bushmaster, Armalite, RRA, DPMS, Olympic) I think you could go with any of them.  The one catch may be Colt.  If your barrel & front sight are Colt I'd try to find a Colt handle, and if they're not I'd try to find a non-Colt handle.  There are reports of Colt sights not being quite the same height as everyone else.

I can tell you that a Bushmaster handle works fine on my mid-length RRA upper.  

I've heard the same thing. Stay away from the cheap handles.

I noticed that too on CAR handguards in the 1990's.  Any uppers that I got rid of would go out the door with grayish Bushmaster plastic.  The deep black Colt handguards always stayed home.  Other than color, the quality seemed the same.