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Posted: 2/1/2017 3:11:49 PM EDT
| Is there an actual benefit to the floating hand guard or is it cosmetic? I read somewhere that the theory is that with the floating guard you dont' put any stress on the barrel thus making it more accurate. That makes sense, but in the Marines we used to wrap the sling around our arms and stress the hell out of the barrel and still hit targets at 500 yards. I have a feeling this is a controversial topic, just wondering if there are any benefits. Thanks. |
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The topic isn't controversial, free float tubes allow you to mount bipods or use as much sling tension as you want without having any effect on bullet grouping. Shooters that sling up tight and do it exactly the same way every time, meaning using the same amount of tension and the same position will get consistent groups on target. Their sights are adjusted accordingly.
Therein lies the problem with standard non-floated hand guards. It's impossible to use the same tension and the same position 100% of the time. Inside of 200 yards there is very little effect from sling tension. Longer distances will exaggerate the problem. I like float tubes and I feel they help without harming anything other than weight. I also own standard carbines with government profile barrels that I would be totally comfortable using in any situation. Light weight is a plus if you have to carry the damn thing all day. |
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Quoted:
Is there an actual benefit to the floating hand guard or is it cosmetic? I read somewhere that the theory is that with the floating guard you dont' put any stress on the barrel thus making it more accurate. That makes sense, but in the Marines we used to wrap the sling around our arms and stress the hell out of the barrel and still hit targets at 500 yards. I have a feeling this is a controversial topic, just wondering if there are any benefits. Thanks. Also keep in mind that the outer scoring ring of the USMC target you were shooting at was 12MOA wide, the inner ring is 8MOA, and the silhouette is 4MOA. When we're talking about the effect on accuracy for a non-free-float barrel we're talking about a couple MOA at most, so well within the margin of error for even a 5 point hit on that target. |
| All of that is true but it comes down to real world shooting for most of us, and the bottom line is it just doesn't matter. Plus, it also depends in part on the barrel profile - HBAR, modified HBAR (RECCE, SOCOM,etc.) and shorter barrels just do not deflect as easily as government profile and pencil barrels. More often, the 'rail' handguard is useful for mounting attachments like front sight, vertical fore-grip, light, laser, etc. |
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I'm with you, PGJ. I think the free-float handguard is overdone. Sure, some folks like it just for looks - no problem by me.
But I have had enough time shooting out to 600 meters with the conventional system, and it works fine, assuming fairly large target size. So, if I'm shooting at 300 meters and less, I actually prefer the conventional setup. However, once you start getting into weird positions, and trying to trim down accuracy, I think the free-floated handguards are better, in terms of accuracy. Just totally depends on your purpose. I like the light weight and simplicity of a conventional handguard. My go-to has a f-marked front sight, a rigid rear, and nothing else. I have an extra upper for it with all kinds of fancy junk, but I prefer the basic setup for most uses. Being lighter doesn't hurt the equation. |
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