AR-15 free float handguards

[acmax95]

I am thinking of putting a free float handguard on my AR. I am just curious what all I have to change to put on the new FF guard.

I am currently running MOE carbine length handguards with a railed gas block.

 

[Robert]

If they are a one piece design you may need a low profile gas block, or remove your front sight post/ gas block, to install them. Many float tubes will work with your stock barrel nut or come with the required hardware. Are you looking at a specific ff tube?

 

[greyling22]

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=10343/guntechdetail/Installing-A-Free-Float-Handguard

there's a step by step vieo on how to do it. brownells will of course recommend you buying a couple of tools you can probably live without, but you'll need action blocks and a barrel wrench.

 

[wally]

brownells will of course recommend you buying a couple of tools you can probably live without, but you'll need action blocks and a barrel wrench.

Definitely need the barrel wrench, but the action block is not really needed (although its worth it if you plan to do a reasonable amount of AR work). I didn't have any trouble removing/replacing the barrel by holding the rifle between my knees -- its only like 60 ft-bs of torque.

or remove your front sight post/ gas block, to install them.

I though this when I did mine and removed replaced my front sight block (PITA by the way, careful with those taper pins!) but then it was pointed out to me that you can un-pin the gas tube and remove it from the rear, then remove the barrel to install the free-float tube from the rear.

 

[Robert]

but then it was pointed out to me that you can un-pin the gas tube and remove it from the rear, then remove the barrel to install the free-float tube from the rear.

Well I'll be... That right there is a good idea.

 

[Redlg155]

Removing the gas tube and leaving the FSB/gas block works great when swapping barrels, but I fail to understand how you could get the FF barrel nut on from the rear?

 

[Robert]

If you are reusing the stock barrel nut, as some float tubes do then it should not be an issue. Maybe Wally can describe how it works.

 

[Redlg155]

ok


I am going to be aggravating, but the ones that utilize the stock barrel nut are usually clamp on, thus negating the need to remove the barrel/gas tube.

 

[Tex4426]

itstactical.com also has a step by step of building any part of an AR...oor you could probably just do a youtube search and see 50 different ways

 

[wally]

Maybe Wally can describe how it works.

No I can't, I removed my front sight base to put mine on. Having one that uses the same barrel nut would seem to be a requirement for this method.

 

[DougW]

If you use a CASV Vltor forearm, it basically clamps the the pic rail on top of the upper, and is supported by the stock barrel nut.

If you are going to truly put on a free float fore end, then you will have to remove the barrel (or at the very least the barrel nut). Removing the gas tube can be very difficult if you have fired the rifle a lot. Carbon will build up making the removal difficult. Removing the front sight is also a good way. Bottom line is that you have to get the gas tube out of the reciever somehow. I use either the reciever block or barrel clamps in a 4" vice. That way things don't move around when loosening and tightening things up.