TonytheTiger

Is anyone else running one of these yet? I think I want one but still like to hear lots of reviews and opinions before I drop a months wages on a part that's probably not actually 110 dollars better than my modified Miculek unit.

Don't you read the magazines? The right handguard can turn your 4 moa bullet hose into a 1/2 moa tack driver! Not to mention the increased attention from good looking women, big bonus checks at work, automatic 6 pack abs and all kinds of great stuff. I wouldn't ever spend the 300+ on the handguard I have, it just happened to be attached to the rifle I wanted. It can't be that much better than the similar but much cheaper MI guards.

At the risk of earning some sad face stickers I'm gonna come out and say it. While not suited for competition (yes, I've tried) I still think the ak47/74 rifles are viable working guns. With the aftermarket showing more support now the ergonomic oddities can be somewhat negated, at least I don't think they're weirder to use than a SCAR. And I've personally seen less malfunctions with aks than ars but I probably shouldn't open that can of worms. And the accuracy is not as terrible as some would have you believe, my ak74 consistently shoots 2 moa eating Hornady ammo and hits full sized silhouettes at 450 yards no problem. I've seen plenty of m4 clones that can't say the same. That said, I still prefer my ar for anything short of being my designated shtf gun.

Did you consider stance and shooting style? I stick my nose all up in the charging handles business and needed a mount that would accommodate me. The extra extended vortex (3" offset iirc) was the least expensive option I had and so far it's held my scope exactly where I left it last. Oh I think swfa has a reasonably priced standard length unit that is supposed to be good for the price.

My Barnes Precision Machine rifle came with their 14" hg and I love it. Dimensions similar to the MI unit but the barrel nut is beefier than most. I left the sling stud on as a mini hand stop/index point and the flat rail mounting surfaces on the sides and bottom help stability noticeably over a round hg when resting it on flat surfaces, poking it through pallets and such. I think bush master just started using them too.

I have a vortex sparc on the handguard of my ak74, along with all the previously mentioned pros of having it further out I noticed that needing to have my head in just the right spot to see the dot helped (or forced) me to have a very consistent and precise cheek weld. No need to argue the importance of that.

If you wanna really get the ladies you'll look a little ways outside the box and get a yugo m77! I know, it's not an ak47 at all but they're milled, optic included, unusually accurate for an ak type design and 8mm mauser is an awesome cartridge, especially if you handload it.

You didn't mention a handguard, but since your thinking a 16" barrel (mid length gas presumably) and the jp gas block you must be thinking of a hg length of 12" or less? If so I would seriously consider getting a lower profile gas block so you can run a 14"+ slim hg over it. I've never run into a situation where a handguard was too long but I've seen plenty where they where too short.

I figured after a year of getting sucked into the 3gun money pit I'd finally join the forum where I do most of my learning and get all my expensive ideas. Who knows, I may even have something useful to say someday.