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Posted: 3/25/2009 2:33:55 PM EDT
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So I'm looking at a tactical handgaurd/rail and I'm wondering what the advantages/drawbacks of each are. I'm looking specifically
at the Troy MRF-C and the MRF-DI. I think I know what the Free Float does for the gun but I'd rather get someone else's explanation first... For the record, I have searched the forums, and the BIY guide. I did not see an explanation of why one is better then the other though. |
| When you palm a NON-free floated forend on your rifle, or hold onto a foregrip mounted on a NON free floated forearm, it can cause very slight bending or your barrell or stress on the point of contact between your barrell and upper, which could to some degree lessen the accuracy of your shots. Also, NON free floated handguards sometimes have (some more than others) wobble, which some poepl find incredibly annoying, and others don't care. If your building a straight SHTF rifle, or a rifle were accuracy really isn't too much of a concern, and if slight wobble dosen't bother you, or if your just hard up for cash, than consider a non-free floated forend. However, if the converse is true, than fork over the extra $$$ and get yourself a quality free float forend from Larue or Danield Defense etc. |
| On a very long barrel it makes a lot of difference. But, on lets say a 16 inch M4 barrel, they were designed for drop in handguards. Honestly, on a typical service rifle, free floating doesn't really do anything extra for you. It is a different look and usually is a more solid mounting platform for rail items. Drop in hand guards are a little more prone to wiggling or moving. Free float are more solid because they are connected to the barrel nut. Now if you are talking a competition bench rest rifle, then the free floating would probably make it more accurate. But, in a fighting rifle, it doesn't make any difference at all. Not enough for the typical shooter to ever notice anyway. It may slightly improve your accuracy, but a drop in hand guard built rifle is still more accurate than the average shooter can ever be anyway. The theory is, it improves accuracy by taking all pressure off the barrel because nothing is pressing against it. But, if you have an HBAR, or a bull barrel, this will never be a factor anyway. If you use the tinyest of pencil barrels, this could possibly be a factor, but not at 16 inches, and not with milspec or thicker. |
| Free float are more solid and are what you want if you are mounting anything that needs to hold zero. I prefer free float over DI because I run a shaved gas block and my front sight is rail mounted. I use a Troy MRF-EX which is a longer version of the MRF-C. I would also look into the new TRX rails from Troy. They are one piece and the TRX extreme is incredibly light. |
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Muttt summed it up very very nicely.
The original free floats for ARs were developed for the competition shooters (CMP, NRA Highpower etc)... If you use a very tight sling you can get some barrel deflection that will be noticable. If you don't sling up while shooting you're unlikely to see a difference. Now - the security of hanging stuff onto the rails is another matter. |
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Quoted:
Free floating a barrel makes it more accurate. Plus a free float tube is usually a little stronger since its a one piece design not two halves held together Free floating a barrel does not make the barrel more accurate. Free floating removes the possibility of inconsistent forces the shooter might apply to the barrel |
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Not to repeat what has already been said, but switching from handguards to a free float rail when you've got a 16" $150 barrel, you're NOT really going to change accuracy.
One thing to consider, if you're mounting optics and sights on the rails, a true free float rail probably makes a more stable platform for the optics/sights, that will hold their zero, than the drop in rails that replace the handguards. Of course if your using drop in rails, you're almost definitely mounting the front sight on the barrel. |
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