I have an Armalite Match Rifle with a stainless barrel.  I bought Aloyster 1913 handrails to replace the handguard set that came with it.

When I took the handguard off there is what looks like a tubular heat shield underneath.  The new rails do not fit with it there so it has to be removed.

There is a stainless mount (no front sight - just a short mounting rail in the front which holds the handguard on.  Is it correct to assume that this has to come off?

Is it a tough job?

Thanks

if its a national match rifle, its not a heat sheild,  its a service rifle legal float tube.   there should be a lock ring thats 1/2" wide or so near the reciever end.  you need to loosen that before you spin the tube off the modified barrel nut.  Front sight needs to come off obviously.

does it look like this?  if so its a float tube and its threaded onto a modified barrel nut.:

It is a national match rifle.

The picture does not appear to be exactly the same but close.

The flared end that the sling swivel is mounted on is a part of the tube.  If the tube is removed with the flared end, doesn't the rail need the "stop" in the front served by the flared end?

There are small set screws on the rail, are those sufficientto lock the rail in place?

Thanks a lot.

Your barking up the wrong tree,

You will need to completely pull the float tube, including the barrel nut, then buy a new barrel nut, end cap for the forarm and a new set of hand guards (read the set on the rifle have been shaved to fit onto the tube).

Again, the DCM float tube system on the match rifle is to keep the rifle service rifle legal. If you want to tack crap onto the rifle, you will need to pull the float tube system, and install the stock A-2 parts to allow you to change the parts out (read de-NM'g the rifle, unfloating the barrel).

Dano

Thanks for your reply.

I was assuming that I was buying handrails that fit onto the floating barrel on the Armalite (I bought them from Armalite and told them what rifle it was going on).

Doesn't anyone make rails that fit were the original handrails were installed?  It doesn't seem like a difficult thing to do?



 

Quoted: Dano Thanks for your reply. I was assuming that I was buying handrails that fit onto the floating barrel on the Armalite (I bought them from Armalite and told them what rifle it was going on). Doesn't anyone make rails that fit were the original handrails were installed?  It doesn't seem like a difficult thing to do?

No, On a DCM tube system, the hand guards are shaved to fit the tube.  As you figured out, this doesn't leave anyroom between the hand gaurds and the tube.

To add: since you have a CMP legal rifle, go shoot some CMP matches for christ sake,  It the whole reason for the design/rifle build, and not to add range queen crap onto after the fact.