Free Float Handguards

[David]

What exactly do these things do?

[CJ]

What exactly do these things do?

The perceived advantage is since they make no physical contact with the barrel, they do not interfere with the harmonics of firing, allowing higher accuracy. The argument being handguards that do contact the barrel cause differences in the way the barrel vibrates during a discharge, which effects accuracy.

[David]

The perceived advantage is since they make no physical contact with the barrel, they do not interfere with the harmonics of firing, allowing higher accuracy.

So it's just a super accuracy thing. Fair enough.

[ThreeFingerPete]

So it's just a super accuracy thing. Fair enough.

And it gives people a reason to put another 350$ thing on a 700$ rifle.

[ceyko]

The AR I have is free float and to be honest I'm probably not going to do free float again. As mentioned the handguard are more pricey (350 is a bit extreme though) and I don't see myself ever trying to get a 223/5.56 round going 700 yards. Ya know, maybe on a rifle that you're shoot that far - yeah.

This just came with the upper I bought at a good price. I like it, but for a basic AR and such - na. Not needed. This is my opinion and I'm no expert.

[GAP]

Unless you're like me and just buy a Model 1 free float tube for $35 and I like it a lot. I may throw it on the lathe and lighten it up and vent it though.

[CJ]

I think its snakeoil on any 16" carbine. Waste of money, it can prevent it from overheating as easily, but no one here has an automatic that will dump 120rds in 20 seconds.

[GAP]

I think its snakeoil on any 16" carbine. Waste of money, it can prevent it from overheating as easily, but no one here has an automatic that will dump 120rds in 20 seconds.

Slide fire stock?

[CJ]

Slide fire stock?

Yeah that's like 1/4 the cyclic rate of an auto, I don't think it would affect you that much still.

[YALE]

I like my MOE gear. That's fancy enough.

[David]

I think its snakeoil on any 16" carbine. Waste of money, it can prevent it from overheating as easily, but no one here has an automatic that will dump 120rds in 20 seconds.

Speak for yourself!

I was just curious about them, seem like everyone wants one on their gun. I finally saw one on someones upper and was confused as fuck.

[CJ]

Speak for yourself!

Well its a tradeoff. You can argue a multi contact handguard can act like a heatsink cooling the barrel quicker, but in turn heating the foregrip up. In either event the radiant heat is too much to handle without gloves.

[YALE]

Rails add a better place to put a bipod than the gas block. You wouldn't want to be shooting your crazy match AR all day, like at prairie dog shoots, and have your barrel warp on you. They're applicable where a free-floating stock would be on a bolt gun.

[CJ]

Rails add a better place to put a bipod than the gas block. You wouldn't want to be shooting your crazy match AR all day, like at prairie dog shoots, and have your barrel warp on you. They're applicable where a free-floating stock would be on a bolt gun.

I would volunteer the odds of that happening are just about impossible. Any varmint barrel is going to be heavy. Maybe if you were machinegunning a pencil barrel.

[YALE]

I would volunteer the odds of that happening are just about impossible. Any varmint barrel is going to be heavy. Maybe if you were machinegunning a pencil barrel.

Valid.