Howdy dudes,

I was at the Bushmaster web-site and they have a curios claim about "their" handgaurds. It's claimed that they use "comression molding" and some others use injection molding in the process. the diffrence bieng that their handgaurds "will not melt" under heavy sustained fire.

knowing that many manufactures buy from the same vendors, I still have three questions:

1. How can you tell the diffrence between Injection and comressed plasic? Is it possible by the eye? By a red hot pin head?

2. Does model 1 sales use compressed plastic in their handgaurds?

(I ordered some and now I'm a bit worried..not a lot, just a little concerned. I would ask them but I want an independent view of realty and not a sales pitch.)

3. Is there any major manufacturer that really does use the cheaper "injection" method, or are they pretty much the same?

Thanx to all in advance...

I can't tell you for certain how to distinguish between the two but I can tell you it is not the manufacturing process that makes one part better than the other. Compression molding is a low volume method or for materials that will not flow through the injector nozzle especialy material that has fiber reinforcement. The materials I have come across in my little contact with compression molding have been of a higher temperature which you would want in a handgaurd.

So compression plastics are better for high tempuratures.
Any one know if Model 1 sales uses the comression plasics?

The Oly upper I had looked like it was injection molded (and they didn't have heat sheilds to boot).

If it costs more I doubt the 'bottom feeders' would have the more expensive compression molded units in thier kits.  Then again I doubt if many people would notice the difference, or use them to the exent you would need the 'extra' capability of the compression molded.

You bet Forrest,

I had a chance to look at a J&T upper just today, fresh out of the box, the diffrence between that and a Bushmaster Handgaurds...big diffrence.

I can now tell it is easy to tell the diffrence between injection and compressed plastics by eye and touch. The compressed plasic was slightly smoother, and Much stiffer. the injection plastic flexed to one side with just hand pressure. (They do have heat shields though).

Score one for Boooshmasta'
If the handgaurds from "model 1" are not up to spec...back they go...and bushmasta'(or Colt) will get my money.

Model 1 told me that they sell injected and not comressed handgaurds, and further that Bushmaster ordered a few thousand from them for Government contract rifles! Whether true or not when I order them from Bushie what they send me had better be Comressed.

Could it be that all the rush to put wepons in the hands of our boys is making Bushmaster turn to lesser parts? (Could be as I hear they have a backorder on barrels...)

hmmm.