Warning

 

Close
Confirm Action

Are you sure you wish to do this?

Cancel Confirm
AR15.COM
AR Sponsor
2/4/2010 3:26:00 PM EDT
Hey guys I'm thinking of buying a stag model 2 off my buddy but I wanna get some railed handguards and the local gunshop has some surefire quad rail aluminum handguards my only question is which type of handguards to get. I figured I'd get a free floated version because more accuracy is always a good thing but I have a question about free floated handguards. Because they don't support the barrel as far forward on the gun I have a nagging (albeit hard to explain) feeling that a rifle with a free floated barrel would be somewhat more liable to be damaged or lose it's zero. If I put free floated handguards on the gun and I for instance, drop the gun down the ravine in my back yard is it going to fair worse than if they were standard drop in handguards?

Also, has anyone in here used surefire handguards for their ar? Are they good quality?

Sorry for the dumb questions guys just trying to avoid making a dumb decision.
2/4/2010 3:36:55 PM EDT
[#1]
any impact that could change accuracy would do so freefloated or not, as far as zero goes your sight should be on the receiver so it should fair better in an impact
2/4/2010 3:38:53 PM EDT
[#2]
Standard handguards do not support the front of the barrel.  To describe it in terms of support, the barrel supports the front of the handguards.  

Free float is not a weaker desing that standard handguards
2/4/2010 3:47:51 PM EDT
[#3]
Ok thanks for the explanations I appreciate it. Have either of you guys had experience with surefire forends for an ar?
2/4/2010 3:51:41 PM EDT
[#4]
*edit*

Sorry, I'm slow
2/4/2010 5:37:16 PM EDT
[#5]
The top rail of the SF rail is not the same height as the upper receiver. So if you mounted an optic on there you'd have issues lining everything up.
2/4/2010 6:04:51 PM EDT
[#6]
Shit.....ok well I'll have to find a different one online then thanks for the heads up
2/5/2010 2:57:11 AM EDT
[#7]
Surefire rails are not freefloating. The Daniel Defense Omega rail is and is probably in the same price range.
2/6/2010 1:38:28 PM EDT
[#8]
I have the Sure Fire setup and they are very good quality and lock up Solid.
2/6/2010 5:04:22 PM EDT
[#9]
i just ordered a dd omega for my middy, i'll report back when i get it in if you're still undecided.  

if you're looking for free float guards that can be installed relatively easily by the user (read: NOT REMOVING THE BARREL), there are several choices:
Troy MRF
MI
VLTOR CASV
daniel defense omega rails

i'm sure i'm missing a few
2/6/2010 5:23:28 PM EDT
[#10]
ok thanks I appreciate that. I just started looking at a YHM lightweight free floated handguard and a MI T-series free floated handguard. I'm not sure which to go with because I  know YHM is mil spec but I dont know if MI makes mil spec things. My other question is that the YHM handguard is 100.00 while the MI is 130.00. They're both aluminum and one piece and are both freefloated. Does anyone know why MI is more expensive? If there is a significant quality difference I wouldn't mind shellin out the extra 30 dollars because I've learned over the years that if you buy cheap you buy twice. This brings me to my new question: why are DD handguards and LaRue tactical handguards so much more expensive than say, YHM or MI? Are they that superior in quality?
AR Sponsor