I've watched the AR15 handguard evolve from a fat triangular 2-piece design, to the A2 ribbed circular, with commando carbine from the beginning, to the fat dual heat shield M4 handguards, which were quickly replaced with the KAC SOPMOD kit.
On the civilian side, we had the Lone Star Ordnance circular handguards in the 80s, then guys started messing with knurled aluminum tubes to free-float.
Then someone got the idea we must take the benefits of the lightweight free-float aluminum tubes, add a lot of weight from the railed handguards, and turn the AR15 into a pineapple boat anchor.
Some companies figured out how to run the machines so most of the material was removed to make lighter railed handguards, which were then weighed down anyway with every possible piece of gear one could bolt onto them.
Then we got away from the $350 boat anchors, started looking at KISS again, especially after you feel the original rifles and carbines and wonder what we were doing all those years trying to pass up a Thompson in weight and succeeding.
Now we're really into the minimalist, simplistic, lightweight realm again, with options in wood, custom CNC cut designs, ornamentation, carbon fiber, and space-age looking handguards.
It finally hit me one day that the handguard is there for me to hold the rifle up, as opposed to a special strain vector of Black Rifle Disease that separates me from my money for sport.
What do you like about some of the AR15 handguards you've used and owned, and what do you not like?
UPDATE:
Breaking the handguard down into its different components and intended use, I'd like to hear people's feedback on the various design points.
I. Handguard attachment method to the upper receiver
II. Handguard shape and human interface
III. Handguard adaptability to sling attachment, aiming and illumination device interface
IV. Handguard resistance to deviation from alignment with the barrel
V. Handguard Material
On the civilian side, we had the Lone Star Ordnance circular handguards in the 80s, then guys started messing with knurled aluminum tubes to free-float.
Then someone got the idea we must take the benefits of the lightweight free-float aluminum tubes, add a lot of weight from the railed handguards, and turn the AR15 into a pineapple boat anchor.
Some companies figured out how to run the machines so most of the material was removed to make lighter railed handguards, which were then weighed down anyway with every possible piece of gear one could bolt onto them.
Then we got away from the $350 boat anchors, started looking at KISS again, especially after you feel the original rifles and carbines and wonder what we were doing all those years trying to pass up a Thompson in weight and succeeding.
Now we're really into the minimalist, simplistic, lightweight realm again, with options in wood, custom CNC cut designs, ornamentation, carbon fiber, and space-age looking handguards.
It finally hit me one day that the handguard is there for me to hold the rifle up, as opposed to a special strain vector of Black Rifle Disease that separates me from my money for sport.
What do you like about some of the AR15 handguards you've used and owned, and what do you not like?
UPDATE:
Breaking the handguard down into its different components and intended use, I'd like to hear people's feedback on the various design points.
I. Handguard attachment method to the upper receiver
- Standard Mil Spec barrel nut and handguard cap attachment, non free-floated, nut requires armorer's wrench with teeth
- Threaded free-float nut with holes for gas tube with external threads for featureless straight tube
- Handguard clamps to upper receiver 1913 rail, free float
- Cylinder free float nut with flats for common wrenches, handguard clamps to nut
- Cylinder free float nut with wrench flats, handguard screws to nut with set screws
- Non Mil Spec upper with independent handguard attachment with set screws, with wrench flat barrel nut underneath that doesn't contact
- Non Mil Spec upper with independent barrel nut and pipe fitting style screw attachment of face to face
- Monolithic welded handguard to upper
- Monolithic billet
II. Handguard shape and human interface
- Conical bakelite prototypes
- Triangular 2-piece with handguard cap
- Ribbed A2
- Ribbed carbine
- Cylinder aluminum tube
- Ribbed dual heat shield M4
- KAC RIS/RAS 4x1913 rails
- SIR
- 1913 12 o'clock, streamlined tube with vent holes
- 1913 12 o'clock, streamlined, with 3,6,9 shortchanged rail sections up front
- 1913 12 o'clock, octagonal cross section
III. Handguard adaptability to sling attachment, aiming and illumination device interface
- Sling attachment via QD sockets, how many QD socket options
- White Light attachment and activation options (pressure switch vs tailcap)
- IR Laser Aiming Module and activation with or without White Light/IR filtered white light
- Bipod attachment ease of mounting, stud vs 1913 clamp-on, swivel post
IV. Handguard resistance to deviation from alignment with the barrel
V. Handguard Material
- Wood
- Bakelite
- Glass nylon with aluminum heat shields
- 6061 Tubular aluminum
- 6061 aluminum extrusions
- Al/Mg alloy
- Al/Li alloy
- Billet 7075T6
- Billet 6061
- Carbon fiber
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