Howdy all! I am about to buy a new Bushmaster upper 20" I was going to order the V match with the tubular aluminum free floating handguard, but one of my buddies said that the V match handguard gets too hot to handle while firing. Should I go with the standard style handguard?
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I want to go with a flat top A3. I will mount a Nikon scope that I already have lying around. Can I use high rings directly mounted to the receiver, or do I need scope riser blocks?   Thanks for the help!

As my CR6724 has an alumin. FF handguard on it (non-vented) I think that yahoo that told ya they get too hot must be firing mag after mag of rounds in order to heat it up. I've never had mine get too hot, but then it's my long range rifle NOT my plinker and I keep close track of the number of rounds thru it.

As to the "high" rings, if their around 1.5" high or a bit higher they should be about right.

Mike

The v match AFAIK is more for shooting off a rest or bipod. I'm sure it can be used off hand. My quad rail will heat up after a few mags run through it rapid fire, so I don't see why the V match FF tube would not. If you use high rings you shouldn't need a riser but that all depends on the rear sight(if you put one on) My scope rings are not high enough to let the scopes ocular lens clear my back up iron sight so the scope is mounted a bit forward. I actually need to get higher rigs or at least a riser mount. So it will depend on the rings and if you use a BUIS.

If you target shoot from a bench, the poor heat dissipcation of the aluminum handguard may not bother you.  I'd much rather go with Danial Defense, SIR or KAC FF systems [:d]  The BM handguard also doesn't allow you much flexibility in terms of accessories mounting, but that may not be an issue to you either.
I find a riser is necessary to mount a scope, even with high rings, for a good cheekweld.  I tried mounting both a Leupold VariX III with ARMS 22 high rings, and a USO SN3 with USO posa lock and slide mount, neither worked very well for me without the ARMS riser.

I had a Vmatch fluted 20 and it WILL get hot within 1 to 2 mags- even at a slow pace of fire.   The handguard is also very cold to the touch in rain or cold weather.  Definitely a bipod weapon.

The handguard is not ventilated at all, and the smoke/heat exiting out the front slightly blurred scope vision like a mirage on a hot road.  I think the vented Varminter model was a step foward (after complaints?).