surfmaster Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Hi Everyone, Please help me decide. I have a Colt 9mm AR-15 carbine. I would like to swap out the factory handguards with JP's V-Tac modular free floating handguards since I don't like the plasic factory ones. I am still deciding between carbine or mid-length size. If I select carbine, I can keep the front sight post and add the modular Picatinny rail on the of the handguard. Or I can remove the front sight post and add a non-adjustable gas block. I plan to mount a Tasco PDP 5 on a Rock River Arms flat top receiver. If I select mid-length, I would have to remove the front sight post and I would not have a gas block since there may not be enough barrel to add it and it is not needed any way since it's not a .223. The mid-length does give the shooter more of a surface area to hold on to. We don't do long-range USPSA rifle shooting here in the Aloha State. Longest is 50 yards. I would not need to mount a bipod to the rifle. If we did, I would convert my Colt H-BAR. With this background, which handguard length would you recommend? Thanks in advance for your suggestions and comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyn Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 You want all the handguard that you can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Yeah what he said. The longer the handguard the lesser the chance you are going to grab onto a hot barrel, plus being freefloated it gives you a few more options on how to use props as rests. I use a rifle length set on my 16" AR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rishii Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Hi Everyone, We don't do long-range USPSA rifle shooting here in the Aloha State. Longest is 50 yards. Surf take a canoe across the channel, we shoot 100 here at times, if it didn't take soo long to score, I'd use the 200 yard range. I gotta figure out a way to con our BOD into some flashers. but back to the question, get the mid length, more room for your hands, and to mount toys, plus I think they look alot better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRUBL Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 OK.....best of both worlds here. Call JP....order the Carbine Handguard.....and then ask them about the extention they have for their carbine handguard, that they are NOT advertising on their webisite yet. This way, you will be able to use your post sight AND have a full length Handgaurd AND have picatinny rails!!! JP seems to think of just about everything......just maybe a tad slow getting it on the website Tell them Tim sent ya!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfmaster Posted October 19, 2006 Author Share Posted October 19, 2006 Hi Everyone, Thanks for your replies and insight. It appears that the longer mid-length handguard is better so I'll probably get that length. Trubl and everyone, Is it better for me to remove the front sight and have the former sight area covered up with a handguard and/or a non-adjustable gas block, or should I just keep the front sight? Also, would the front sight be in the way when I use my Tasco PDP5 scope with a new flat-top receiver? Please keep in mind that it is for open class and I never use the irons. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matzka Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 (edited) JP does have a handguard on their website that is mid-length, yet allows you to keep your front-sight/gas block assembly. Here is the pic: I don't see the part number for it on their site - don't know if they've just changed it recently or what. You might want to call them and ask them what's available. Edited October 19, 2006 by SuperGlider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbs007 Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 I believe they have a lower gas block without rails that can go inside the handguard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 There is a guy in Cali who machines off the pic rails off of the JP gas blocks so that it will fit under a free float tube. Do a google search for ar-15 barrels. You could put a full length tube out there if you wanted to (and you didn't have a brake that would remove flesh with your hand way out). Taran Butler does something similar to this with a 16 " AR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Run n Gun Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 There is a guy in Cali who machines off the pic rails off of the JP gas blocks so that it will fit under a free float tube. Do a google search for ar-15 barrels. Well Dave, I hate to be painfully obvious but the website is AR15Barrels.com Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRUBL Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Yes....JP does now carry a gas block that will fit under the hand guard....something else they need to get in the website (Yes, I am diggin and poken at John Paul....he doesnt read the forum.....but he'll find out). Actually, I understand that he is in the process of upgrading his website now. As for the PIC above....yes, that is the first design of that handguard, they ended up going to a nicer 2 piece design. NO.....I do not work for JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 Definitely longer handguards. I just put my free float rail system on my new TSS rifle and while the carbine length is nice, when we machine up the rifle length ones it'll be bad ass!!! Rich P.S. As for retaining the front sight, you can do this or use a BUIS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbs007 Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 Definitely longer handguards. I just put my free float rail system on my new TSS rifle and while the carbine length is nice, when we machine up the rifle length ones it'll be bad ass!!!Rich P.S. As for retaining the front sight, you can do this or use a BUIS. +1 with the longer handguard. I just got this for my next project, really sweet. 13.5" of rail will almost cover the gas block completely. ar15barrels.com will be coming out with a low profile adjustable gas block that will have the adjustment on the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 Norbs, I'm running with the Free Float rail system from AMS Machine. They're local here near Spring Lake and Tom A. is a great guy. We're doing some testing for him. The upside of his system is that you can simply swap your stock handguards for his rail system and it's a true free float. You retain the delta ring and it's TIGHT! I'll have pics after this weekend of the prototype. The first addition to the line is adding a longer rail for this exact setup (i.e. low profile gas block). Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbs007 Posted October 21, 2006 Share Posted October 21, 2006 Norbs,I'm running with the Free Float rail system from AMS Machine. They're local here near Spring Lake and Tom A. is a great guy. We're doing some testing for him. The upside of his system is that you can simply swap your stock handguards for his rail system and it's a true free float. You retain the delta ring and it's TIGHT! I'll have pics after this weekend of the prototype. The first addition to the line is adding a longer rail for this exact setup (i.e. low profile gas block). Rich Thanks so much for the link to their site. Now I know where to get a rail mount Docter base. Cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted October 21, 2006 Share Posted October 21, 2006 Tell 'em I sent you. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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