Can a Colt 6960 Handguard be Replaced?

[WheelGunRealGun]

I really like the Colt CCU 6960 with the midlength gas system, low-pro gas block, and lightweight barrel. The only thing I don't like about it is the Centurion CMR freefloat fore-end. I know that's a big part of most people's appeal with the rifle, but I'd want to replace it with a free float quad rail like a Daniel Defense RIS II (I know quad rails are out of vogue these days, but I prefer them to the ultra-light tube MLOK type handguards popular today).

Is there anything about the barrel nut or delta ring of the 6960 that would make it impossible to put just a standard quad rail on there? I know there are some of these types of handguards that have a special mounting system that can't mount standard stuff.

I'm considering buying a 6960 upper to throw on my Colt 6920 lower, but the handguard is a point of contention for me.

[Scorch]

Most forends/free-float tubes come with a new barrel nut and everything you need to attach the forend to an AR. Take the old parts off, put the new parts on. Done.

[Theohazard]

Originally Posted by WheelGunRealGun

Is there anything about the barrel nut or delta ring of the 6960 that would make it impossible to put just a standard quad rail on there?

That Centurion rail uses a proprietary barrel nut, and the 6960 doesn't have a delta ring. That said, there's nothing on the 6960 that would prevent you from installing any normal handguard designed for a mil-spec upper. Most free-float handguards come with their own proprietary barrel nut. And if they're designed to be used with a mil-spec barrel nut and you don't have one, they're easy to get.

Originally Posted by WheelGunRealGun

I know there are some of these types of handguards that have a special mounting system that can't mount standard stuff.

Some companies make upper receivers that are extended at the front to provide a more stable mounting point for the handguard (like LWRC's rifles or Aero Precision's "enhanced" uppers), and those use proprietary handguards. And some companies use monolithic handguards that are completely built into the upper receiver. But a 6960 isn't like any of those, it uses a regular upper.

Originally Posted by WheelGunRealGun

I'm considering buying a 6960 upper to throw on my Colt 6920 lower, but the handguard is a point of contention for me.

Unless you're getting a great deal on the upper (I don't think Colt sells these uppers separately, so I assume you're buying used), this doesn't make much sense to me. A large percentage of the price of a complete upper like that is the free-float handguard. If you don't want the handguard anyway, why not just build the upper the way you want it from parts?

[WheelGunRealGun]

Unless you're getting a great deal on the upper (I don't think Colt sells these uppers separately, so I assume you're buying used), this doesn't make much sense to me. A large percentage of the price of a complete upper like that is the free-float handguard. If you don't want the handguard anyway, why not just build the upper the way you want it from parts?

Brownells had just the uppers on sale for $599 recently. Unfortunately I didn't jump on it then and they're now on backorder for $699. But yeah, the cost of the handguard does make it rather inefficient to purchase it to change it to another handguard. I could just re-barrel the 6920.

[Nathan]

You should be fine except you have to remove the muzzle device and gas system from the colt barrel to get the special DD barrel nut on. It has a proprietary tool too, it looks like.

The gas system will be a bit of a challenge to remove possibly due to carbon build up and not sure how the gas block is positively mounted by colt, but surely it is....rockset or ??

Might need a new bevel washer for your MD also.

[WheelGunRealGun]

Eh, I think I'd be better off just rebarreling my current rifle then, but it'd be a shame to pull a perfectly good barrel.

[Nathan]

Why? It is not a lot of work, if you have the tools.

[WheelGunRealGun]

Why? It is not a lot of work, if you have the tools.

I guess because the rail is what factors into a large chunk of the price and I'd just be tossing it to put another, also expensive rail on.

Unless you meant why not pull the barrel on my current gun. In which case the answer is just that there's nothing really wrong with the current barrel and I don't have a stripped upper laying around to put it in.