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Posted: 10/1/2007 7:08:46 PM EDT
| I want a continuous rail system. Who would you recommend to go with, and what is the best way to build? I am building a 16" CAR/M4 style hopefully highspeed rifle. I want the handguard to be a foursided rail system. I am not sure if its better to purchase one of the upper/rail handguards or to just buy a handguard rail system separate and replace one from a M4 completed upper. |
Well, here's what I ran into. Most of the cheaper, well-made free-float rail systems (YHM and the like) require removing the front sight base (FSB). Getting the pinned FSB off a barrel is like beating your head against the wall to drive in a nail. It's tough, but it can be done. I did it on my precision rifle build - wow, was it hard to get the pins out of that DPMS HBAR.  I ended up breaking one of them somehow and had to buy two new pins for a dollar or so at Del-ton.I'd go with the two-piece design that doesn't require removal of the FSB. This also allows you to get a real 14.5" M4 barrel and pin on a Phantom (or similar) flash hider instead of a 16" ghey "M4" barrel to be legal. That way, all the bayonets fit, and it looks better, in my opinion too. Once that FH is pinned, there's no taking the FSB off. I use the MI MCTAR20 on my M4 clone. It is awesome, and all you need to do is remove the delta ring assembly (cut it off or take it off with the real tools and sell it). The top and bottom halves bolt down around the existing barrel nut to lock the free-float rail system down. It is super-strong and provides a continuous rail on top. www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Midwest_Ind._Free_Float_Carbine_Handguard.html |
Depends on the barrel. I have the 12" rail on a 16" barrel. My FSB is set at the rifle position. There is a small gas block at 9" that runs the rifle. BSW |
Not bad & thanks for the link! 2 issues: 1) It costs $163 and 2) It does not free-float the barrel so its not likely to improve accuracy. I do not mind taking the FSB off. Anyone have a less expensive option? Thanks. CBR |
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