You're generally going to be safe if you stick with reputable manufacturers but lesser known brands can put out a solid quality product as well. Polymer handguard quality tends to vary and not all polymer is made equally. The military frequently uses handguards made from 6061 aluminum and it’s a solid option you can’t go wrong with. Some brands are using carbon fiber and then there’s a whole category of polymer handguards.īy far the most widely accepted industry standard for aluminum handguards is 6061-T6. Then you have specialty metals like titanium or magnesium infused metals. Handguards are being made out of 6061-T6, 7075-T6 or even 6063-T5 (although, brands using this type of metal are likely cutting corners and 9 times out of 10 will be made overseas). Right now, there are an incredibly large number of material options to choose from. So if you're happy with your choice, then that is all that really matters. Everybody's preferences and shooting styles are different. They're generally more affordable, easier to install and perfect for those that want to quickly modify the look and feel of their rifle without a lot of effort.Īt the end of the day, it depends on what you are looking for. That said, drop-in handguards are still a perfectly valid choice and have their place in the market. Aesthetics of your rifle are important and it will be much easier for you to find the right flavor you're looking for. Lastly, free float handguards often come in a much more diverse range of styles. This increased sight radius increases accuracy. Second, it's possible to get a free float handguard that extends right up to the muzzle device.

While they may require a little more work to install, free float handguards have a few advantages over their drop in handguard counterparts.įirst, because free float handguards don't make contact with the barrel (they only attach to the barrel nut which attaches to the upper receiver), they aren't at risk of barrel warping which has been shown to reduce accuracy. They make 2 points of contact with your firearm. Drop in handguards are 2 pieces that are held together by your rifle's delta-ring. Free-float handguards are a type of rail stytem that only attaches to the handguard at one point - the barrel nut.

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