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Posted: 9/12/2009 8:40:25 AM EDT
| Opinions? Anyone have one? |
| http://www.tapco.com/ You mean that intrafuse handguard on the AR on their home page? Personally my opinion is that it looks ugly as hell and is VERY wide. |
(Damn that's one ugly handguard!)
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Quoted:
If that handguard had "magpul" on the side of it, it would be a hit on this site. The MOE handguard proves my theory. I strongly disagree! I have a MOE handguard and love it because it is a more natural fit for my hand than std M4 guards. That Tapco thing could say LaRue, Magpul, Noveske, Vltor, JP, DD etc IDC it's hideous but on top of that you'd have to have hands larger than a Sasquatch to even use it yet I still doubt it'd be comfortable. That thing looks exactly like a brick, just not red. |
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I've never used the Interfuse handguard, so I don't have an opinion on that exactly, but my expirience with Tapco is that most thier stuff is reasonably durable, but has an odd "closed loop" kind of design element. It's like they read about the current market trends in an email, then set about designing thier own product without actually asking anyone what it should look like.
Take the Interfuse for example. Integrating M1913 into a regular polymer handguard isn't really a bad idea. I like the MI bolt on rail I use on my regular Middy handguard to attach my SureFire light. It's a simply and inexpensive solution to attach what I need to a gun that isn't meant to be a tack-driver or a safe queen. The Magpul MOE is a great option as well. You'll notice right away that it is somewhat triangular in feel and works well with rails. But Tapco's interpretation of that idea (the Interfuse) looks far too wide to be comfortable, giving it a rather funky appearence. It's like they never asked anyone on the serious shooting community "what do you think?". Maybe they went downstairs to the front office and said "does this look tactical?", but that's not the same thing. So what I'm trying to say is that most of thier stuff I've tried has been reasonably well-made, but looks like it was designed by someone who doesn't shoot. Tex78 |
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Quoted:
I don't know if I would buy any thing from TAPCO? I have a couple of 6 position buttstocks from tapco. Solid enough, no play in any direction, the one on my M4 clone I had to slam on the table a couple of times to get a stuck wolf case out of the chamber once, no problems. As for this handguard, it is probably as strong as the issue carbine handguards anyway. |
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Needless to say, I have much experience with these hand guards. They do vary from traditional AR designs and are probably not for everyone. I assure you quality will not be an issue, you can check other threads, the people who have them do not have fitment problems. They lock in tight and don't rock or wobble. They were designed to deal with heat from rapid fire and competition shooting... and they do this better than any other hand guard available. We've ran 300 rds at full auto while holding the hand guards bare handed. You simply can't do that with any aluminum hand guard. In a similar test, the aluminum hand guard was over 200 degrees, feel free to hold that with bare skin if you'd like.
Our hand guards offer a lower rail cover, for anyone who would prefer to hold the rifle in a traditional method, but most competition shooters we talked to preferred to use a vertical grip. There are also the forward half-rails on either side, perfect for lights/lasers, i've even seen a small red dot mounted on the side as a back-up. They may look wide but the overall width is LESS than that of an aluminum hand guard with rail covers installed. And yes, we vented as much of the surface as structurally possible. We were thinking more of functionality, serviceability, and performance more than winning beauty contests, but i've since come to realize some rifles are built more for looks than anything else. Which is fine, we just need to change things up a bit to cater to those rifles. Your feedback is always considered as we move forward on new projects. |
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Thank you for your input. It's nice to see a Mfg speak up on these questions.
Quoted:
Needless to say, I have much experience with these hand guards. They do vary from traditional AR designs and are probably not for everyone. I assure you quality will not be an issue, you can check other threads, the people who have them do not have fitment problems. They lock in tight and don't rock or wobble. They were designed to deal with heat from rapid fire and competition shooting... and they do this better than any other hand guard available. We've ran 300 rds at full auto while holding the hand guards bare handed. You simply can't do that with any aluminum hand guard. In a similar test, the aluminum hand guard was over 200 degrees, feel free to hold that with bare skin if you'd like. Our hand guards offer a lower rail cover, for anyone who would prefer to hold the rifle in a traditional method, but most competition shooters we talked to preferred to use a vertical grip. There are also the forward half-rails on either side, perfect for lights/lasers, i've even seen a small red dot mounted on the side as a back-up. They may look wide but the overall width is LESS than that of an aluminum hand guard with rail covers installed. And yes, we vented as much of the surface as structurally possible. We were thinking more of functionality, serviceability, and performance more than winning beauty contests, but i've since come to realize some rifles are built more for looks than anything else. Which is fine, we just need to change things up a bit to cater to those rifles. Your feedback is always considered as we move forward on new projects. |
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I do not own these handguards. With that said, I do not think that they are bad for what they are. The examples I have handled feel a bit less cheesy than the CAA's railed polymer HG's. Also the TAPCO magazines have done ok in my AR's...so far. They have not replaced my PMag's or Lancer's but they seem like am ok choice if you cannot get the other two. Of course, YMMV and opinions are subject to change. I'll know more after I throw them down the driveway, loaded, and run them over with the family SUV.
Why don't I own these, or the CAA's? Because I personally do not think that anything other than a light should be run on std. HG's, so I bolt a small piece of rail on the the HG's I already own. If I want to run a VFG, or any more than a light, I buy a railed HG made of aluminum (YHM, MI, Troy, Samson, et al). To my mind TAPCO > CAA If you buy them, you'll get a nice pair of HG's (though they do look a bit different). One last thing, are they any cheaper than the Magpul MOE HG's? |
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Quoted:
No, they are twice the price.  Really?  I never looked at the prices when I was looking at them, I only knew that they were cheaper than the CAA/Samco HG's.
Well, that's that then isn't it? I know which one I'd go with but the OP has to make his own decision. |
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Quoted:
i hate hearing opinions for people who have never tried the product. If you haven't used it, just say, no experience with it, or better yet, don't post. Agreed, 100%. Quoted:
CRAPCO! Is this based on experience? Or is it just what all the cool kids say? 
And yeah, this page belongs to me. -Ed |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
If that handguard had "magpul" on the side of it, it would be a hit on this site. The MOE handguard proves my theory. lol True, but if it had Magpul on the side, it probably wouldn't be shaped like a brick, and would be half the price 
FWIW I have nothing against tapco, I'm just commenting on this particular product. I have also never held either. It just LOOKS sort of ugly(Not that its that big of a deal IF it works well), and LOOKS uncomftorable. I do have a MOE hand guard in the mail, and the only reason I got it was because it was cheap so I could shoot my new shortie while I made myself a better hand guard (FF and Metal). Again, I say cheap, I also wanted to try one out to see if it lived up to it's reputation, that's the only reason I didn't go with the even cheaper standard HG (I already know how those feel). |
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Quoted: Needless to say, I have much experience with these hand guards. They do vary from traditional AR designs and are probably not for everyone. I assure you quality will not be an issue, you can check other threads, the people who have them do not have fitment problems. They lock in tight and don't rock or wobble. They were designed to deal with heat from rapid fire and competition shooting... and they do this better than any other hand guard available. We've ran 300 rds at full auto while holding the hand guards bare handed. You simply can't do that with any aluminum hand guard. In a similar test, the aluminum hand guard was over 200 degrees, feel free to hold that with bare skin if you'd like. Our hand guards offer a lower rail cover, for anyone who would prefer to hold the rifle in a traditional method, but most competition shooters we talked to preferred to use a vertical grip. There are also the forward half-rails on either side, perfect for lights/lasers, i've even seen a small red dot mounted on the side as a back-up. They may look wide but the overall width is LESS than that of an aluminum hand guard with rail covers installed. And yes, we vented as much of the surface as structurally possible. We were thinking more of functionality, serviceability, and performance more than winning beauty contests, but i've since come to realize some rifles are built more for looks than anything else. Which is fine, we just need to change things up a bit to cater to those rifles. Your feedback is always considered as we move forward on new projects. Ya know what? I gotta give you some serious props. A lot of other manufacturers would not handle the criticism you guys guys get with such grace. You worded that pretty darn well and handle youself with dignity. That is something you don't see a lot of, these days. Well said and well done. |
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