Anyone use the 2 piece AR handguards (rails)

[TexasRifleman]

Friend of mine wants to put a vertical grip on an AR for a carbine class and we don't want to mess with a full float install so I was considering a shortcut with the Midwest 2 piece handguard.

Anyone using this or one similar?

Are they solid enough?

Thanks

 

[jdh]

Have the UTG on one of the carbines. It is solid and was easy to install. Yankee Hill is very good but almost twice the price. Those are the only one I have first hand experience with.

 

[jpwilly]

I've got the UTG and no problems it's solid. Only downside is the barrel is still not free floated otherwise perfect for the price.

 

[TIMC]

I have a YHM 2 piece handgaurd on my Beowulf; it fit like a glove and holds very tight. I have had it on there for about a year and if it can hold up to the recoil of the Beowulf it will hold up to anything.

 

[Anotherguy]

Bought a UTG a couple of years ago, for the life of me I could not get it to fit. Got a YHM which fit perfectly with no play or sloppiness whatsoever.

 

[parabolate]

I have that EXACT handguard on my DPMS and it is an extremely tight fit. It's so tight you will likely need a second person to install it unless you have the handguard removal tool. Slipping in that second half is a real pain if you are doing it manually.

Highly recommend the product in terms of quality, fit, finish, and especially price.

 

[JDGray]

I have a Troy Drop In on my RRA 9mm, no complaints
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=Troy+MRF+DI

 

[Jeff White]

I have the KAC RAS on both of my carbines. It's two piece design and works just fine. In my opinion free float rail systems on a carbine are overkill. You aren't going to pick up any appreciable accuracy on a carbine that you use from 0-200 meters.

Neither the M4 RAS that is used on the M4s and M4A1s or the M5 RAS which is used on the M16A4 is a free float design and they work very well for the Army.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Thanks for the input. I ordered one this morning after reading this.

I just can't see messing with the pain of installing the free float just to hang a light or VFG off of the thing.

Thanks again.

 

[Mags]

If you are going to shell out the money for a Midwest 2 piece you can get a 2 piece MIdwest free float for 150, you do not have to remove your barrel or front sight but you will have to cut off your delta ring.

 

[EdLaver]

I've got a MI on my DPMS and it fits nice and tight, I have had it about two years. Never had a problem and was a cinch to install.

 

[freakshow10mm]

I've got the YHM 2 piece on my machine gun and they hold up just fine.

 

[Still Too Many Choices!?]

I have the surefire railed handguard on my M4gery. Hasn't come loose at all and is stable enough to mount my eotech forward if I want. It does slightly skew your Delta ring as the set screws tension the two halves against it, but you don't have to cut it off.

 

[kwelz]

Please don't get UTG crap. It isn't even quality enough for Airsoft. YHM, Surefire, Troy, DD, etc are all varying levels of quality but are solid and much better than UTG.

 

[FMF]

I'd go with the Midwest rail if you're sticking to a tight budget. But for about $30 more you can get a two-piece free-float that doesn't require removal of the front sight base just like the two-piece non-floating unit. In terms of quality, Midwest is the lowest I would go. I love my 10" FF rail from them.

 

[Rubber_Duck]

Im in the same boat as Jeff W. in that I also have the Knight's Armament M4 RAS on my carbine. I took two people to install, even with tools, but it is rock solid and I see no need for anything else. I picked mine up off eBay for about $200, I think I got a good deal (came with KAC rail covers of assorted sizes and a vertical grip).

 

[12131]

I've tried Gun-Tec, CAA, UTG, and Troy no-mod drop-in non-FF 2-piece quadrails. I can say that the Troy leaves the other three in the dust.
Haven't tried the non-FF drop-in from Midwest, but my guess, based on using their FF quadrail, is that it's probably excellent.

 

[Onmilo]

I use KAC RAS full length and carbine and also have two piece units from Midwest Industries (rifle length) and Yankee Hill,(carbine length).

The Knights Armament rails are far and away the best and the price reflects that.
For the price of the two sets of handguards I could have bought a fully assembled decent AR15 or built a Match Grade AR rifle.

Of the Midwest Industries and the Yankee Hill, my nod goes to the Yankee Hill rails.
Tighter fit and mil-spec rail dimensions means no slop and accessories fit without modification.
Price is reasonable too.

Daniel Defense is suppossed to make a super tricky set of two piece rails but I have not had the need to try these out.

 

[Coronach]

I have a DD Omega two-piece free-float on one of my carbines. It works very, very well.

I agree with Jeff that the FF is overkill on a carbine, but the Omega was also one of the lightest options available, and the price was right, so I got it. FF can't hurt, and it might well help, but on a "standing up fighting carbine", it's not needed.

Mike