Yeah Yeah, Wood on AR UPDATE

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Greg528iT

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Even before I posted I was not overly fond of the hand guard. Many of you concurred and it had to go.

I've now wrapped the AL tube in Walnut.. MUCH better, better proportions.

Yeah for some of you.. it's still wood.. if you don't like, that's fine, it's NOT for you. Don't bother to post that you don't like it.

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Still different enough, and the hand guard is much much better. With what you have there as a basic canvas I can see you doing all kinds of interesting engravings, edges to the front end of hand guard, fluting similar to barrel (minor to extreme contrast anything) neat build, and much better than before. The butt stock is by the the best looking, you got it right,pistol grip as well you got right to begin with, keep tinkering with it and it may become a money pit LOL I may have been guilty once or twice of tinkering myself.
 
Please don't take this critique the wrong way (how's that for an opening) but as much as I like wood, and I applaud your effort, your forearm looks totally unfinished, sort of like a piece of pipe going through insulation. Most wouldn't just stick a piece of wood with no contour, shape, aesthetics, etc. on any gun.

I would find a forearm I liked, and try and copy the contour.

Here's some examples, and I agree they're not run of the mill, of what can be done: https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs...=yhs-mozilla-001&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001
 
I like it a lot. If you wanted to dress it up a bit you could try checkering it. What you have now is awfully close to what I plan to build. I'm looking at a long range build, and I want it set up much like yours. Very nice work, and if you go a tad further it will be downright incredible....but that's entirely up to you.
 
I like different, I like unique, I like craftsmanship! Neat gun....
 
Most wouldn't just stick a piece of wood with no contour,

All very true.. and when I was turning the original, from a much thicker piece of wood, I contemplated what kind of figure or movement I could put into it. Even at it's current shape / size it's not small.. To clear the bull barrel, the gas block etc, it needed a certain inside diameter. Adding thickness to the OD to then add contour, I was afraid of getting back to the huge mass people complained of from the picket fence. I am sure there is a balance in there somewhere.. maybe the NEXT one will find it. :D
 
New handguard looks much better though I agree with others who say it needs something to set it off with a little more style. Right now it kind of looks like a large cardboard tube.
 
I could see a white line spacer and a second darker wood right at the end of the foregrip, but that would of needed to probably be done before the turning process. All in all, nice work.
 
Looks pretty cool. I'm not a fan of the round forend (I prefer a bit of contour so it's easier to grip) but it looks a lot better than the fence posts you had previously. Good job mate.
 
I'm not sure that the "who stuck a rolling pin onto my AR?" look is a whole lot better. But hey, it's about playing with look and feel. So this is certainly an option. Whether it's "better" or not I wouldn't want to say. I sort of agree with the folks that while it's less busy looking than the last it's now a little too plain.

I like the suggestions above from the others about going with a more oval shape and adding air slots. The air slots, if done right, would also give you a more secure hold on the wood. And after holding the very oval Ruger SR-556 in the shops I really like the oval shape for the more comfortable and secure feel it provided. So the idea of both oval and cooling/grip slots makes me think that could be a worthy direction.

Either way the front needs a little something. Not sure what but it needs something other than being just square ended. Either round the corners or perhaps add a metal front cap which doubles as a sling mount?

Never mind the naysayers. You're moving in a positive direction. I really like the mix of wood and metal. the key now is finding the right shapes and balance of wood to metal.

And as funny as it was likely intended I think the idea of hydro dipped "woodgrain" magazines would be a winner in combination with the wood incorporated with the gun. It would give the folks on the line that last moment of "WTH?" and they do a double take when the magazines came out.... :D
 
Good input all...

I got the idea of the round tube from the
http://www.lesbaer.com/223varmint.html
Les Bear varmint rifle. Though I didn't like ho it stops short of the gas block.
VARMINT.jpg

My original plan was to have stripes of oak running down the hand guard which would have broken things up some.

If and when I cut the vent holes, I can also incorporate some sand carving and put a nice pattern into it.. also aiding in grip.

I've sand blasted patterns into leather, glass and wood
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The trick will be finding the right pattern.
 
That looks great! Better than the original pickets.
But still, To my eye it would look best with a triangular hand guard.
But its awesome anyways! Way, way better than the wooden furniture ive never built.
 
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