Howdy,

I remember back in the day, I could always remove my A2 handguards alone, without a "buddy" or a "handguard tool."

For some reason, nearly every AR15 upper I have purchased in recent years, 20-inch or 16-inch, have handguards that are very hard to remove. I am not sure if it's the handguard lip being wrong, due to poor modern product, or the delta ring being too tight. Either way, it requires a lot of fuss to remove them.

Anyone else notice this?

Thanks.

Older, arthritic hands...

That's a logical possibility.

But not in my case. I'm only in my fifties and have no arthritis in my hands.

But thanks for commenting.

Possible better, thicker, stronger, weld springs. I went through a weld spring fiasko a few months ago. I am in the middle of about 6 or so builds. I had bought a few cheap delta ring kits. The spot welds on the weld springs just looked cheap. So then my OCD got the best of me. I went pulling on all I had. Several of them just fell apart. Very crappy spot welds. I did not want that happening months or years down the road after I finished a build. So every order I made from Numrich, JSE, etc. I always ordered a couple weld springs with my order. I ended up with a couple dozen or so weld springs from different places when it was all over. I wanted to use the best made ones. I noticed some were thin and real easy to pull back but some were a lot tougher. I also noticed some of the newer ones were a lot stiffer than some the older ones I had in my parts bins for years ago too. My AR from the 90s can almost be pulled back with 2 fingers. The newer ones take a whole hand.

Ever install Magpul MOE SL handguards?  Better start a workout regimen and have some ibuprofen on stand-by.  

Weld springs are hit and miss, some are insanely stiff and some are way to easy to compress. I prefer ones that feel in between too weak and too strong. I'll I buy are the Colt weld springs through Brownells and though the welds are fine, the spring tension on them ranges.

I tried those once. IMO, plastic handguards should be easy to install and remove. I couldn't even get the SLs installed so I gave up on them.

I had to remove some plastic on a set of carbine hand guards to get them to fit.  There was no way they were going on.  I had help too.

I don't think it's anthing to do with A2 or modern parts.
I have a early 90's Colt H Bar Match Target.
It's an SOB to get the handguards off.
Also have a pre '86 Colt transferable M16a1.
While I have never fired the upper, I have taken the handguards off to wipe down the barrel, and it too is an SOB

RCA

Order this, or a similar tool from a number of different manufacturers.

https://www.primaryarms.com/real-avid-easy-grip-handguard-removal-tool-for-ar-15

Thanks for the replies.

This all makes a lot of sense. And yes, I did try a set of MOE handguards last year and sent them back because I found them impossible to install!

Be well.