AR15 floating hand guards opinions

[tabberski]

Here is my plan for today at least. Build a 6.8 SPCII upper with a 20-24 inch barrel for deer hunting. The question is do you think the floating hand guard is strong enough for hunting? I'm afraid, being that it is only supported at one end it may not be up to the abuse of walking, falling, tripping, slipping through the hills, bogs, ravines, fallen trees ect.... Additionally the chance of a shot much over 100 yds is unlikely. But of course I would like to be able to say it is accurate out to 200 + yds. So do you feel a floating hand guard is up to the task, and do you think much is given up in performance/accuracy with a full standard hand guard? One of my nicknames is stealth, not sure how I got that one I'm more like a cat (Caterpillar heavy equipment) stealthyness. The question boils down to durability, spelling, and accuracy. Fire away guys. Let experience talk.

[FJ540]

The FF handguards are more than durable enough if you go with a reputable unit. The original plastic two-piece design is lighter, and cheaper to manufacture, but does give up some accuracy due to harmonic disturbance and additional points of contact with the possibility of additional stresses placed on the barrel from the additional contact (like when you use a sling for stability or shoot off a log/rail).

You will sacrifice some weight savings with most of the rails out there. Some of the newer ones, especially the key mod stuff that's just becoming hot in the market now, is light enough to compete against the MOE type plastic guards - especially if you don't load them down with add on rails and covers.

For hunting, I really like the feel of the MOE hand guards while not wearing gloves. Plastic doesn't suck the heat from your hands like the metal does. Rail covers solve that, at the expense of more bulk and weight. No free lunch.

[tabberski]

Rifle will be scoped, and a good chance of no back up sights, lasers, flashlights, bipods, grenade launchers, 4 wheel drive or any other add on. At most a sling. Sorry if that offends anyone

[tabberski]

Been thinking of one of those thin hand guards with Pictinany across the top only, and capability of adding sides and lower as the mood changes.

[FJ540]

Rifle will be scoped, and a good chance of no back up sights, lasers, flashlights, bipods, grenade launchers, 4 wheel drive or any other add on. At most a sling. Sorry if that offends anyone

Sounds like how I roll.



Only reason for the 9 o'clock rail is camera mount for demo videos.

[mahnster]

There is not a huge difference between a 16'' and 20" barrel lengths for the 6.8. You might see up to 100 fps or so unless you doctor up some handloads to take advantage of the extra length. If you are building it for lugging through the woods chasing deer I would recommend a 16" or 18" barrel to save a bit of weight and be more manageable carrying through the brush.

Check out http://www.68forums.com for 6.8 info.

[yuppiejr]

I like the Windham Weaponry rifle length varmint free float tube and have abused it hard in the woods without ill effect. Some soap and water and CLP after a trip through thick brush in the rain and good as new. No rails but a single sling stud up front, grippy texture with enough vents to aid cooling... Functionally good looking and priced under 100 bones to your door.

http://www.windhamweaponry.com/shopexd.asp?id=179 ($75 plus shipping)



... I also agree with JJ, a good trigger does a world of good for AR accuracy - my current favorite is the Geissele G2S for $165:

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/tr ... 55593.aspx

[JJ]

An upper with a standard hand guard configuration, should have no problem being fairly accurate at 100-200yds. And by fairly, I mean groups under 2" at 100 (depending on the nut at the trigger of course) if not better. If your primary focus is accuracy under 200yds, a FF tube is not necissary.

Personally, I would spend the same amount if cash on doing something wit the mil-spec trigger before the hand guards. YMMV

[rugersol]

lotsa good info here ...

• shorter bbl

• better trigger

• smooth handguard

I'll go ahead 'n disagree with JJ about 2moa bein' "good enough", though!

there seems to be this longstanding belief that "minute of deer" is "plenty good" ... from a sky-palace, at 20yd, that may be true!

but if, on a sunny day, with no wind, off sand, and nothin but a piece of paper downrange, the very best the gun can do is 2moa ... what's it gonna do when there's a nice deer there ... and the wind kicks up a bit ... and God forbid, there ain't no bench?!

IMO, shooting from a less than ideal position (no bench, no sand) immediately amplifies anyone's group-size! ... by a factor of 2+ ... so now yer at probly 4moa, simply w/o a bench!

Now get yer blood pumpin a bit ... let's make it 3x ... so now yer up to 6moa!

Maybe add a little wind ... maybe best guess range ... now probly up to 7 - 8moa ... that's 16in at 200yd!

Now let's say there's actually somethin to all that ... and now let's start over with a gun that's 1moa off sand! ... now where we were 16in @ 200yd ... we're 8in at 200yd ... 4in at 100yd ... sound better?!

Now let's say we can get that down to 0.5moa off sand (with a decent trigger, and a free-float tube, plenty realistic) ... now we're 4in @ 200yd ... and 2in @ 100yd ... in far less than ideal conditions!

Now let's say my amplification factors were a bit too conservative ... maybe 0.5moa off sand is really only good for 4in @ 100yd and 8in @ 200yd, all said n done!

I know there's a few really good shooters here ... particularly with AR's ... particularly off-hand ... and course, if yer one of them, maybe 2moa off sand ain't no big thing ... but that would most certainly be the exception!

I've used the YHM Customizable, and the Nordic tubes ... the Nordic's a bit less, but it comes with zero rails ... which, is nice ... cause ya don't pay for what ya don't need ... but, IIRC, by the time ya buy nuff rails to match what ya get with the YHM, it ends up costing $10 - $20 than the YHM ... if they offered the YHM for $20 less w/o the long rail, I think it'd be a no-brainer! ... otherwise, the Nordic's plenty nice, too!

[shooter115]

Pretty much everything has been covered so I'll be brief.

1. Yes on the FF HG. Durability is not even an issue and if will most likely increase your accuracy. Nordic Components get's my vote almost every-time unless you are going to add a bunch of crap to it.

2. Yes on the trigger. For a hunting rifle, Jard gets the nod.

[Hmac]

I had a Daniel Defense Lite 9.0 that I recently replaced with a Noveske NSR 9 keymod. I like it a lot...more comfortable grip, very light

[AR-15collector]

I had a Daniel Defense Lite 9.0 that I recently replaced with a Noveske NSR 9 keymod. I like it a lot...more comfortable grip, very light

You interested in selling the DD9?

[rukwikenuf]

i agree with a bunch here. the Free Float tube isn't going to be an issue with durability (as long as you don't grab an airsoft part made in Uzbekistan), it will also make the firearm inherently more accurate. if you're shooting from a bench, a 20-24" bull bbl 6.8 would be awesome, but for a woods gun, i'd look at a government profile, and i'd look in the 18" range. Six-Eight is a great round, and it doesn't need the extra barrel length to get traveling.
the Windham handguard mentioned is a nice sturdy one, but if you thought you MIGHT, MAYBE wanna add anything later, you're SOL. i'd look at the Midwest Industries tubes, they're light, strong, and well priced.