12-03-2018, 05:21 PM
I have a 5.56 upper with Magpul drop in handguard. It's midlength and great for a more traditional use AR. It's a plinking gun and a battle style setup. It is not a precision rifle though.
If I were you I would go with a free float for hunting. You never know how you might use the rifle (bipod, free hand, lean aim, awkward hold) so you can't predict how you will put forces on the barrel. There are plenty of accurate rifles which are not free float, but there are basically no rifles that are built around accuracy that are not free float. The only reason I would use a non free float AR for hunting would be if I didn't have one.
If I were you I would go with a free float for hunting. You never know how you might use the rifle (bipod, free hand, lean aim, awkward hold) so you can't predict how you will put forces on the barrel. There are plenty of accurate rifles which are not free float, but there are basically no rifles that are built around accuracy that are not free float. The only reason I would use a non free float AR for hunting would be if I didn't have one.