Ar-15- Durable Handguards

durable...

wat?

I've never heard of handguards wearing out. Either style will be damaged if subjected to a severe enough impact.

Durability with poltmer handguards is a non-issue.

Polymer - as in nylon reinforced fiberglass - can have a lower melting point. It can also have higher impact resistance compared to other materials, specifically the material used in the original triangular and round handguards. Those were formulated with high heat resistance because of full auto or burst fire.

The video showing a M4 under continuous lock and load full auto fire shows that after a number of magazines, handguards will catch on fire. I suspect polymer handguards would do so earlier.

Since most users will be shooting semi auto, the harshest use would be in competition or carbine class. In that case, I would use milspec. Polymers have been known to melt when used in those circumstances.

For a weekend range and hunting rifle, not so much. Five 30 round mag dumps aren't a constant concern for many. Polymer will do, especially for older clumsy hunters with a bad leg that hangs up on brush causing him to fall down once or twice a day. Younger users will find less cracking and chipping of corners on rocks practicing three second rushes.

Now that you can't tell which I am, I'll say I bought polymer handguards for my AR build, first because it's a hunting rifle, and second, I could get the color I wanted. Should I ever need to burn up magazine after magazine of ammo, I won't be worrying about the guards melting as the impending click of being out of ammo will be more on my mind. And having chipped up some nice wood stocks in my time, I don't want a lot of cracks in them.

Not that I fall down or anything.

I wouldn't worry about melting your handgards. My Colts handgards don't really get too warm when shooting.

As far as smashing or cracking them, I think your Ar's optic would be toast long before you break your handgards!

Rails use protective covers made out of polymer. That may tell you something about the relative impact strength of aluminum vs. poly.

Who makes an AR-15 free-float tube that uses poly/plastic substantially for structural strength?

Just buy one of these for $30 and be happy

http://store.magpul.com/product/14/50

Just buy one of these for $30 and be happy

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Not free float.

Who makes an AR-15 free-float tube that uses poly/plastic substantially for structural strength?

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I didn't even notice that aspect of the question. You're right.

I was thinking the OP was asking about ordinary handguards vs. a railed forend, but yeah, I don't think there are any polymer free-floated forends. The closest thing would be a carbon fiber free-float tube, but I doubt that's what the OP was thinking of.

http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/PRI-...l-Free-Float-BLACK-p/pri 05_073_03b black.htm

Zak Smith said:

Who makes an AR-15 free-float tube that uses poly/plastic substantially for structural strength?

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Maybe he's talking about the free float tubes that you use for service rifles, which you attach the stock A2 handguards? In which case I would think they are pretty rugged, they are just a solid metal tube.

The plain jane issue handgaurds will melt/catch on fire under semi auto pretty easy, the last time we qualified with M16's we new we were getting M4's the next month and we went on a semi only zero range and 2 people catch there hand gaurds on fire and got guns hot enough to cook off rounds. My finger's were tired and soar from pulling the trigger it was fun until we had to clean them.

The plain jane issue handgaurds will melt/catch on fire under semi auto pretty easy, the last time we qualified with M16's we new we were getting M4's the next month and we went on a semi only zero range and 2 people catch there hand gaurds on fire and got guns hot enough to cook off rounds. My finger's were tired and soar from pulling the trigger it was fun until we had to clean them.

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I don't believe any of that.

Rails use protective covers made out of polymer. That may tell you something about the relative impact strength of aluminum vs. poly.

Click to expand...

Those are mostly to protect your hands from the cheese grater that uncovered rails are. BSW

Doublepost doubleplus ungood.

BSW

You can belive what you want "highhorder" but when you put as many rounds down range as we in the short amount of time that we did it in you will see what happens. We had people brining fresh mags out and trading our emptys out, the whole time we we doing it.

^ It sounds like you may have seen it on Youtube.