AR: To free float or not to free float; that is the question.

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arthurcw

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Really… that’s what I’m asking.

I think the answer is “NO” in my case, but I just what some input to see if my logic is on point. I need to make sure I’m not trying to avoid both feature creep and over spending at the expense of something that may be useful later.

I think we may have found an upper to our liking and a good price. A Lightweight Middy that we both can live with. However… we were offered the addition of a Quad Rail FF tube for not that much more.

The Quad rail part doesn’t so much give me the Chris Mathews Obama Leg Tingle ™, but the free float aspect of it may be nice.

This is not intended to be a 500 yard shooter. It’s intended for Range/HD/SHTF in that order and we won’t be putting any magnifiers on it. It’s for the Mrs. and she MAY want a vertical fore-grip at some point.

Weight is a consideration and I’ve asked the person selling it what the weight of tube is. If it’s too heavy that may end the idea right there.

Right now, the gun will have irons. But it may have red dot or holo on it later. It will not be scoped or (as said above) have any magnifiers.

So given all that and assuming the weight is not an issue would you:

1) Get the tube on the idea it’s better to have and not need yada yada.

2) Get the tube because it will really help the light weight barrel be more consistent especially if you hang a fore-grip on it.

3) Just get the standard handguards and add worry about a FF tube, should it be needed, later.

4) Just get the standard handguards and never look back. Even with the light weight barrel, you will most likely never be as accurate as the gun can be at 150 to 200 yards.

Thanks. Just doing this one final double check to avoid buys remorse.
 
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This is not intended to be a 500 yard shooter. It’s intended for Range/HD/SHTF in that order and we won’t be putting any magnifiers on it. It’s for the Mrs. and she MAY want a vertical fore-grip at some point.
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For what you want "I think the answer is “NO” in my case" :D

Keep it simple. If down the road she wants a vertical fore-grip you can entertain options however it will most likey see range action. Spend the dough on ammo and training :)
 
Minimalist approach for the wives and girlfriends unless they are already hard-core shooters, who really love the sport. In my experience, a substantial portion will be indifferent or outright adverse to the manly-man's attempt to convert them to true believers. So, why spend a lot of money on fancy flowers, when they don't even LIKE flowers?

Or maybe, I'm just not suave enough.

I only had one comanche-love-thing experience at the range.

The rest of 'em are more likely to just hold the muffs against their head extra tight, hoping it will be over soon.

Nothing against the women by the way. I've seen disinterested men do pretty much the same thing, but in the annoyed-man-at-the-range kind of way.
 
I don't see a need for you. I can shoot under an inch easily at 100 yards without one. So for SHTF/HD/range trips you should be fine.
 
The rest of 'em are more likely to just hold the muffs against their head extra tight, hoping it will be over soon.
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Not so much. She just dragged ME to the gunshow this past weekend casue SHE wanted to look at AK's. She likes to shoot things. I keep on my P's and Q's cause I don't ever want to be one of the things she likes to shoot.

Gotta love a redhead with a gun.

I don't see a need for you. I can shoot under an inch easily at 100 yards without one. So for SHTF/HD/range trips you should be fine.
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Kinda what I was figurin'. It's going to give it a realm of accuracy that it really doesn't need.
 
Sounds like a FF tube is not necessary for your use. There are ways of adding a VFG to standard plastic handguards if you want to do that in the future.
 
I have long been of the opinion that lots of the folks that have mounted a free float don't have any real need for it,just want.
Unless your better half is convinced she needs the FF now,just get the simple gun and put the money saved into sights,triggers,ammo or training.
 
It’s intended for Range/HD/SHTF
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GI M-16 / M-4 handguards come off easily for a very good reason.

Sometimes when the SHTF, you need to get under there for cleaning the gunk out!

Most FF hand-guards don't come off without a vice, action block & a wrench that fits them.
A few do, but most don't!

rcmodel
 
To me, for the minimal additional price, the peace of mind when using a sling makes freefloat a simple choice. My last carbine had Yankee Hill, 4 rail FF with a vented endcap to keep out the gunk ... somwhere around $130.

I'd get them - can't hurt, may help, not expensive.
/Bryan
 
The sling attaches to the freefloat rails which, by definition, don't impinge on the barrel. Hence sling tension is not 'bending' your barrel and subtley having a different effect with each shot.
/B

ETA: Just in case, the point is that freefloat matters for accuracy because of barrel stress...doesn't matter if they're rails or a std handguard, freefloat keeps them off the barrel. Does it matter for a plinker or "minute of bad guy/zombie" - no, but as has been said, only accurate guns are interesting and freefloating is a pretty inexpensive step in the accuracy direction.
 
I see what you are getting at.

Still, I think I’m gonna keep this one simple. If we were talking about it turning into an unwieldy bullet hose with a sling that sprayed rounds all over the place, I’d reconsider. But at most, we’re looking at a .5 MOA or so improvement (unless I’m mistaken and if I am, please correct me).

I think we are going to be talking about a gun capable of 1.5 MOA right now (chrome lined lightweight so that might be generous) and shooters who are capable of 3 or worse (Hey… I shoot pistols like no tomorrow, gimme a break). If free floating it drives it down to a 1 MOA or .75 MOA gun, you’ve still got a couple of 3 or 4 MOA shooters.

Should we (and by we I mean my wife and I [when she lets me fire it]) ever find ourselves bumping against the limits of the gun, I’ll put a tube on it or better yet; build a stainless 18” SPR or 20” and free float that one. I’d love to do that anyway and actually build the whole upper. It won’t be a HD/SHTF weapon so if it hiccups every now and again due to a crappy gunsmith… oh well.

Anyway, if I’m way off base, let me know.
 
Not off base - whatever works for you. I'm a poor enough shot (working on improving) that I'll take whatever help I can get, especialy with irons and aging eyesight!
/B
 
I'm a poor enough shot (working on improving) that I'll take whatever help I can get, especialy with irons and aging eyesight!
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Amen. I hear you.

God gave me great hand-eye coordination and the ability to pick up movement that is kinda creepy. But He also gave me the worst astigmatism on the planet and cross dominant eyes. Uncorrected, I can't hit jack squat outside of 7 yards. Corrected, I still have issues past 100 yards without some serious help from my optics.

My wife wants me to get Lasik... but that seems like a waste of money. I could spend that on new guns and ammo.
 
It is always cheaper to buy it with the rails first. If you decide you want the railed forend later, it'll cost you a lot more than the "upgrade" will now.

You don't need a FFT, but it certainly doesn't hurt anything. And if the price to upgrade now is minimal, why not get it?
 
The real question is what thickness is the barrel, and will a sling be used while shooting. If it's an HBAR or bull barrel for 100 yards or less, then no, it's not necessary. If it's a lightweight or pencil barrel, and a sling will be tied in, then yes, you'll want the free float to keep the hot barrel from being affected by the sling putting tension on it.
 
There are only three downsides to free float tubes, and two of those are not always issues.

1. Installation (not terrible, but harder than standard handguards. Not an issue if you buy pre-assembled)

2. Weight (this can vary from quite a bit heavier to quite a bit lighter)

3. Cost

If you buy a pre-assembled upper with a rail that is light, the only downside is price. That's it. For me? Totally worth it.

However, if your use for the gun does not require the free-float, there's also no real reason to step up to it. Your gun will still work just fine without it. My thought, though, is that more accuracy is never bad.

Mike
 
Ok... so maybe I'll get it. I love you guys but you do cause me acute dyspepsia sometimes. :neener:

Here's the tale of the tape. Looks like regular Mid-length guards run about 6 oz. According to RRA their QRFF handguard is 12.4 oz. (I'm a bit dubious about that so if anyone can confirm...). So it will be adding a bit more than 6 ozs to the front end on a lightweight barrel.

So versus a RRA HBAR (the only thing I really have experience with) which is very front heavy, I'm assuming that it will STILL be very much lighter even with the extra 6 oz? Yes/no?
 
Coronach covers the basics but keep one more thing in mind:

I own a medcon middy. While the situation seems to be improving, just finding midlength free-float rails and tubes is a pain. Everything out there is rifle or carbine. Most of the foreend replacements for midlength that I do find are handguard replacements not proper free float tubes.
 
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