??'s on ar15 handgaurds

[chaser_2332]

i have a rock river a4 nm it came with free floated handgaurds with the triangle front plate and delta ring attachment pretty much the standard. i'm wanting to replace my handgaurd my question is am i limited to ones with the triangle front plate or will other free floats fit.

[Technosavant]

Free float handguards do not contact the front plate. That retainer plate holds the handguard by pushing against the front sight base (spring tension provided by the handguard spring and delta ring at the receiver end of the handguard). By definition, if it pushes against that plate, it is NOT a free float.

Free float handguards are held on by clamping on the barrel nut (often using a special nut). They do not press against the barrel at any point (as those held on by spring tension against the retaining plate do, by pushing on the front sight base, which is connected to the barrel).

Most free float handguards require gunsmithing in the form of removal of the gas tube, flash hider, and front sight base in order to swap out the barrel nut. There's a couple that do not (the Daniel Defense Omega Rail is extremely simple to install and very high quality, but Midwest Industries makes a less expensive model that requires chopping off the delta ring, but not removal of the barrel nut).

Any rifle length handguard will fit- if you don't want to remove the front sight base, I'd strongly recommend the Daniel Defense Omega Rail 12.0; I have one on a 18" AR, and the more ovoid cross section (cheaper rail systems are more round) is easier to hold and handle.

Looking at the RRA website, they claim that the handguard is indeed free float, but I'm not sure how. Unless there's a sleeve that provides support for the handguard at the front end (guessing there is from the description), there's really no way that kind of thing can be free float. In that case, ANY handguard would be free float. The only reason to swap out the current one would be to add rails, in which case you should be able to take your pick of no-gunsmithing rail systems so long as the inside diameter of the handguards have enough clearance for the support sleeve.

[chaser_2332]

the national matches have a free floated tube under the handgaurd the triangle front plate is attached to that it doesnt' contact the barrel

[Ridge_Runner_5]

Pics would be very helpful here...

[Magi]

I am very interested in this.

bump.

[Ifishsum]

I have the same system on my OCMP 20", I don't think other free float systems will work with it. The whole point of the NM style free float system is that it looks like original configuration while still having the benefits of being floated. I think chances are good that any original style handguards (non FF) will fit the delta ring and front plate; though you would probably have to remove any heat shields in order to clear the FF tube you have. Any handguards that fit onto your existing tube will be free floating.

If you buy a different free floating handguard/tube, it will need changed completely. For most folks that means a trip to the gunsmith as the FSB will have to come off.

[chaser_2332]

what what i'm thinking and also trying to avoid i like the set up the way it is, does anyone know if they make a handguard that will fit my set up with rails??

[Ridge_Runner_5]

Well we dont know what rail setup you have until we see some pics. Your description of them makes no sense to me.

[Technosavant]

what what i'm thinking and also trying to avoid i like the set up the way it is, does anyone know if they make a handguard that will fit my set up with rails??

Hard to say, but I'm imagining that the OD of the barrel sleeve isn't so much that it would be a huge problem. HBARs get rather thick and there's still more than enough clearance for all the handguards to fit.

If you're just looking for a nice and quick rail system, I'd look at the Midwest Industries MCTAR-19 (http://midwestindustriesinc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=67); it is a straight up replacement for rifle length handguards. Just remove the old one and put these on in their place. I have the carbine length version of those on one of mine- they're the less expensive round profile railed handguard, but they work and the lock up plenty tight.

[Technosavant]

Well we dont know what rail setup you have until we see some pics. Your description of them makes no sense to me.

He doesn't have a rail system. He has the regular rifle length handguards, but the mounting system utilizes a sleeve over the barrel so that while the handguards clamp in like regular handguards, they are still free float- I imagine the barrel nut is rather different from the normal one because the sleeve would have to extend all the way forward to just shy of the FSB. From the pic on RRA's site and the description of them, any drop in handguard replacement should work.