08-15-2012, 09:25 AM
Good points. There are non Forward Assist uppers now from Les Baer and Rainier Arms ready to go for a gas-operated AR15.
I personally would recommend vent holes in a carbon fiber handguard, as opposed to cutting the length down. I use rifle-length handguards on any gun with a 14.5" barrel and longer, as you get better control, more positional options for support, and better mounting options front sights, slings, bipods, and illumination if you choose. The fore end of the barrel is also protected from impact more than a carbine handguard set-up, which is really better for 10" guns in my opinion-the ones it was developed for with the Colt Model 607, then XM177E1. Once they went to the XM177E2 with an 11.5" barrel, a longer set of handguards would have been more appropriate, but they kept it with the carbine-length handguard cap and 6-hole circular handguards that had been made for the XM177.
Those carried onto the Colt Model 653 14.5" A1 carbine, and the Model 723 and 727, then M4, when there should have been a set-up like the Colt 605 back in 1963. SOCOM has finally come around to that configuration, only with a modern free-float handguard with the SOMPOD Block II guns, which is the trend now among the spear tip of development with the AR15 family for military applications, where lightweight is still important.
I agree that balance is more important than arbitrary numbers, and a rifle-length forearm carbine will provide amazing balance, especially with lightweight "pencil" barrels.
I personally would recommend vent holes in a carbon fiber handguard, as opposed to cutting the length down. I use rifle-length handguards on any gun with a 14.5" barrel and longer, as you get better control, more positional options for support, and better mounting options front sights, slings, bipods, and illumination if you choose. The fore end of the barrel is also protected from impact more than a carbine handguard set-up, which is really better for 10" guns in my opinion-the ones it was developed for with the Colt Model 607, then XM177E1. Once they went to the XM177E2 with an 11.5" barrel, a longer set of handguards would have been more appropriate, but they kept it with the carbine-length handguard cap and 6-hole circular handguards that had been made for the XM177.
Those carried onto the Colt Model 653 14.5" A1 carbine, and the Model 723 and 727, then M4, when there should have been a set-up like the Colt 605 back in 1963. SOCOM has finally come around to that configuration, only with a modern free-float handguard with the SOMPOD Block II guns, which is the trend now among the spear tip of development with the AR15 family for military applications, where lightweight is still important.
I agree that balance is more important than arbitrary numbers, and a rifle-length forearm carbine will provide amazing balance, especially with lightweight "pencil" barrels.