KAC is pricey for me. How about Daniel Defense? DPMS? Fobus M44? What can you recommend in a good 4-rail handguard, free float not necessary, although aren't they all free float? Thanks for the info.

The DPMS is quite heavy- either a Olympic Arms FIRSH or, if you want to spend more money, a used KAC RAS might do.

I would look around for either a used RIS or RAS.  The Bolt on rails, plastic rails simply dont hold up to real use.  If you just want to be able to bolt stuff on your weapon to look cool then perhaps they are fine.  

The Fobus M44's aren't free-float, they just snap in in place of your old handguards.  If you're just looking to hang lights, a bipod, or a forward grip, they're probably plenty good enough.

M44, Oly FIRSH, Bushmaster makes some also like the FIRSH
i've seen the M44's for around $100, the other two seem to be around $130

Before you buy anything, check out the weight.

YO CLEAN ...

I just pulled a pair of M44's off of my carbine and replaced them with a SIR #50 slim bi-level and in comparing the two well there is no comparing I am budget minded and just basically a cheap prick so I tried the M44's thinking value minded and they looked good I did have to file one down to make them flush , one handguard was torqued a little up and didn't meet flush all the way around a couple of past discussions on this product indicated that several other shooters had similar problems. With the M44's I had the slight and very slight side to side wiggle that just drove me nuts , if you are ordering the upper order it with handguard w/4rails installed I would because I am not sure what a gun shop would charge to install say the DD quad rail but after the cost of the installation time and transport it may run you into the range of the pricey hi-ends railed handguards which can be installed w/out gunsmithing such as KAS SIR , but I'll tell you the SIR is sweet and I wish I would have broke down first and not wasted the money on the M44's which are aok but no comparison .  

I like the modularity of the Fulton Armory FF tubes.

$80 and then you add rails at $20 ea.

[img]www.fulton-armory.com/Rails-350_50.jpg[/img]

[url]www.fulton-armory.com[/url]

- LS

In my opinion, the M44 handgaurds are to be skipped on! Especially if you can get something like the Oly FIRSH at the same price!

Some folks cant get a FIRSH because they have a permanantly attached muzzle device and the FIRSH requires the removal of the gas block/front sight to install.

In this case I would look towards the new system being released by Surefire. They are about $100 less than the Knights RAS/RIS, and they are probably about 100 times better than M44's.

Daniel Defense stuff is supposed to be pretty great, though I myslef have not ever tried any of them.

got a link to this new Surefire system?