AR-15 Workbench: How to Upgrade Your Handguard

An extended guard may be fitted with extra equipment and gives extra actual property to grip the rifle. Some handguards function different attachment programs (M-LOK, Picatinny, and so forth.), and a few cut back the quantity of warmth transferred from the barrel. Others are designed to be as light-weight as potential, whereas nonetheless others are designed to be virtually bulletproof. Or, you would possibly wish to change your handguard simply since you desire a cooler-looking lengthy gun.

No matter your purpose, it’s value doing the job your self. Like engaged on automobiles or dwelling home equipment, there’s one thing satisfying about modifying your individual rifle, and the method is comparatively painless with a couple of easy instruments.

There are lots of of handguards in the marketplace, so choosing the proper one for you requires a transparent understanding of your priorities.

One of many first concerns ought to be the size. There was a time when handguards had been divided by carbine, mid-length, and rifle-length varieties. Some producers nonetheless use these phrases, however many provide handguards in one- or two-inch increments. That approach, you will get a guard precisely the size you want to your rifle.

I favor a handguard to be just a bit shorter than the place the threads start on the muzzle (often about 1.5 inches lower than the size of the barrel). That lets me grip the rifle as far ahead as I can with out worrying about touching a screaming scorching barrel. But it surely additionally ensures I can connect a suppressor or different muzzle machine with out the handguard interfering.

Nonetheless, some favor a shorter handguard to avoid wasting weight, whereas others set up a handguard that extends past the muzzle. This setup permits a suppressor to be put in underneath the handguard so long as the guard is wider than the gun muffler. I get why folks do that (it appears to be like fairly slick), nevertheless it additionally strikes me as a bit impractical (what if you wish to shoot the gun with no suppressor?).

You may cut back the gun’s general weight by choosing a slim, light-weight handguard, or you may enhance your attachment choices by going with a quad rail or one thing with M-LOK slots at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock.

Much more necessary than how a handguard appears to be like on the surface is the way it mounts to the rifle. There are mainly two mounting programs: drop-in and free float. You may nonetheless purchase drop-in handguards that work with A2-style entrance sights and exchange a budget plastic guard that comes with bargain-bin AR-15s. These models are often polymer, and so they’re low-cost and straightforward to put in.

Today, nonetheless, free-float handguards are way more widespread. These guards don’t contact the barrel, which will increase the accuracy of the rifle. Aluminum guards are additionally extra sturdy and permit equipment to be connected extra securely.

However they’re additionally costlier and troublesome to put in. Whilst you would possibly spend as little as $30 on a drop-in handguard, you’ll doubtless spend over $100 on an aluminum free-float. The Midwest Industries T-Sequence quad rail I used for this how-to was $195, which I admit is a reasonably penny for a little bit of aluminum.

In case you go together with a free-float, make certain the barrel nut doesn’t require tuning or permit slippage. The barrel nut is, as you could have guessed, the nut that threads onto the entrance of the receiver and secures the barrel. Every handguard comes with its personal (often proprietary) barrel nut. Some require tuning with shims to permit the fuel tube to suit by one of many holes and into the receiver. That is the form of nut that was on the AR-15 I used on this article. Steer clear of these. They’re typically a ache within the butt, and there are higher choices on the market.

Additionally, ensure that the handguard attaches securely to the barrel nut. Typically, a free-float handguard can slowly work its approach off the nut over the course of hundreds of rounds. You may keep away from this annoyance by buying a handguard that makes use of a no-slip system, so do your analysis earlier than pulling the set off.

When you’ve chosen your new handguard, I like to recommend additionally buying a vise block for the higher receiver. I’ve achieved this job with out one, however the vise block makes it exponentially simpler and reduces the percentages of bending or scratching the higher receiver.

Step 1: Take away the Previous Handguard

I can’t provide a lot recommendation right here, since I don’t know what sort of handguard is at present put in in your rifle. However mine required eradicating eight Torx head screws and sliding the guard off the barrel nut. In case you bought a whole rifle, the guard would possibly require some convincing; simply make certain you’ve eliminated all of the fasteners first.

Step 2: Take away the Muzzle System (If You Have One)

As annoying as it’s, you’ll must take away a couple of extra issues earlier than you’ll be capable to unscrew the previous barrel nut. The primary is the muzzle machine. Hopefully, the machine in your rifle wasn’t put in with a compound that requires a particular process to take away. I beforehand put in this one with Rocksett, which simply must be soaked in scorching water for about quarter-hour. In case you’re wrenching on the muzzle machine and it’s not budging, it may be value getting in contact with the producer.

Step 3: Take away the Fuel Block and Tube

As soon as the muzzle machine is eliminated, you may slide off the fuel block and tube. Your fuel block may be affixed with a distinct system than mine was, however it’ll doubtless be some mixture of pins and set screws. Use a hammer and punch to take away any pins, unscrew the set screws, and slide the block and tube off the muzzle finish of the rifle.

Be aware: You don’t should take away the fuel tube from the fuel block until you wish to examine and clear it.

Step 4: Unscrew the Previous Barrel Nut

That is the place issues would possibly get tough. Each barrel nut is completely different, and a few require a particular device to take away. Most may be eliminated with an AR-15 armorer’s wrench or an everyday crescent wrench. If neither of these do the trick, you might need to get inventive or contact the producer. Happily, I used to be in a position to take away mine with an armorer’s wrench with out an excessive amount of hassle.

Step 5: Set up the New Barrel Nut

Your new handguard will include a barrel nut and, if obligatory, a wrench. Comply with the producer’s set up directions right here. Some require the nut to be torqued to a sure weight, whereas others permit for a spread. Additionally, don’t skip the anti-seize grease. That’ll make eradicating the barrel nut a lot simpler for those who determine to take away it once more.

In my case, Midwest Industries included a wrench head that may be affixed to a torque wrench, and so they advocate torquing the barrel nut to 40 foot-pounds.

Step 6: Reinstall Fuel Block and Muzzle System

Reverse the process to reinstall the fuel block and tube first, then the muzzle machine. Make sure the fuel block is aligned earlier than tightening the set screws.

Step 7: Set up the New Handguard

Midwest Industries has developed an ingenious system that permits the handguard to be aligned and secured utilizing a torque plate. This torque plate suits into the underside of the handguard, and a tab slides right into a groove on the barrel nut. This ensures that the handguard doesn’t slide ahead, and it retains the guard safe and aligned with the higher receiver. It additionally permits the guard to make use of a barrel nut that doesn’t require tuning, which makes the whole course of a lot simpler.

To put in, simply insert the plate and torque the 2 screws to 40 inch-pounds.

Put the rifle again collectively, verify it’s unloaded, and do a operate examine. Examine your work for something that appears unusual or misaligned, and ensure the handguard doesn’t transfer or wiggle. If it doesn’t, you ought to be good to go.

As I famous in a earlier AR-15 Workbench, swapping out a handguard isn’t as straightforward as altering a pistol grip or inventory. However with the fitting instruments, a bit know-how, and a free afternoon, it’s not troublesome. Plus, you should utilize this very same process to swap out a barrel, so I feel it’s positively value studying.