Drop in forearm vs. free float

[RMiller]

Have you found a big difference in accuracy between using a free float hand guard or a drop in style?

I am looking at putting together a hunting 6.5 Grendel MSR and have been using a couple different configurations in other calibers as well.

I am looking at putting together an upper with a 20" rifle length gas system and a Magpul drop in forearm.

[A5BLASTER]

Be interesting to hear some info on this. I have always used free float handguards but have always wondered how much it would effect groups to put a magpul type handguard on one.

[VASCAR2]

With a light weight barrel if you torque the barrel with a bipod or tightly sling up you can get the groups to shift. I have a Colt Heavy Barrel Competition with a standard A-2 hand guard and I could never detect a shift in of point of impact between off hand or bipod. Now I’m not that strong and not the best shot.

I know the tight sling can affect groups since DCM Service Rifle use a free float tube under the A-2 hand guard. I’m probably not good enough to tell the difference. For a hunting rig the non free floated barrels are fine but for target shooting the free float is preferable.

Used to be some of the non floated hand guards were cheaper, lighter and easier to use but today I like the versatility and ease of installation of M-Lok and Keymod hand guards. If you shop around you can find M-Lok hand guards that aren’t much more expensive than if you buy the delta ring/barrel nut configuration.

[LRRPF52]

If we're talking about non free-floating handguards in 2018, it should probably be contained to a collector's discussion and not a practical rifle we're using for target or hunting.

Yes, you will see significant deviation in POI due to input on the handguard.

When I shoot an AR15 that has old handguards and I'm wanting as much consistency and POI=POA, I'll use the magazine as a monopod.

You would not believe the groups I shot with this Dutch AR10 at 150m in Finland one summer. Absolutely the most accurate battle rifle I've ever fired. Notice how I'm not letting anything touch the guards.

[sneaky one]

Aside of military rifles--always go with the free float handguards.

[NeilVT79]

RMiller, drop-in handguards are great for hunting!

They are almost always lighter than free float handgaurds.

If you're hunting in a cold climate (like I do) you'll be thankful you dont have a freezing cold aluminum handguard you have to grab all day. Even with gloves on.

The accuracy difference is minor. I can easily shoot clays at 200 yards and thats enough for me to feel confident in a hunting gun.

It also looks cool, and in the end, isn't that all that really matters?

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[RMiller]

I might use my 25-45 Sharps for a test subject.

It shoots great to 300 yards and I have already taken deer with it.

It has been user friendly from the word go.

But that aluminum forearm does get cold on snowy days.

I will have to try the unipod technique myself.

[imaguy3]

I might use my 25-45 Sharps for a test subject.

It shoots great to 300 yards and I have already taken deer with it.

It has been user friendly from the word go.

But that aluminum forearm does get cold on snowy days.

I will have to try the unipod technique myself.

I got some inexpensive polymer panels from bcm which make the handguard quite comfortable in cold weather. G10 panels are on my other gun (before I found the BCM ones) and they have a nice wood like feel in the cold, but also pricey.

On my 223 rifle, before I free floated the handguard, I had a magpul MOE. On the moe I had a rail piece with a sitting height bipod attached to it. I zeroed the gun over a sandbag at 200 yards and it shot great. I added the bipod and shoot at 200, my groups were about 8" high. The pressure needed to stabilize the bipod, caused it to pull on the handguard drastically affected my impact. I will never not have a free floated handguard/stock on a rifle again.

[NugginFutz]

I only have 2 AR's without free float hand guards. One is the MP 15/22, which hardly counts.

The other is a faux 5.56 Dissipator, with a dummy FSGB just behind the flash hider, and a carbine length gas system hidden underneath the rifle length Magpul MOE hand guard. Barrel is an H-Bar Stoner special, from MidwayUSA.

This rifle started out with the carbine length MOE, but I switched it out for the rifle length hand guard to improve control due to the extra grip surface. In addition to being easier to control, off hand, the polymer is comfortable, summer or winter. This rifle is capable of hitting 4" gongs at 200 yards, off hand, using an Aimpoint Micro T1 (2 moa dot).

On a lark, I mounted a bipod to the lower rail and shot for groups at 100. Hits were definitely higher than previously seen off hand or off a bag. (~2-3"). POI shift was directly proportional to the loading of the bipod.

In a hunting situation, where I would either be shooting off hand or perhaps using a handy tree branch, I wouldn't sweat the shift. If, on the other hand, I were to use sticks or a bipod, I would be concerned about loading if shooting past 100.

YMMV

ETA: This hand guard, with delta ring, barrel nut, etc, weighs just a bit more than the Free Float tube and barrel nut on a similar rifle. Maybe if I was using a quad rail, or had stacked it up with accessories, it would weigh more, but I can't see free float as carrying a weight penalty, by itself.

[FRB6.5]

If the desire is for plastic grip panels, check out Midwest Industries, theirs are much wider than the typical keymod/M-lok strip panel.
If looking for A2 style plastic there are free float tubes that fit under them used for CMP competition.

[Wafavre2]

Try a carbon fiber free float, the best for accuracy and warm hands.

[Sixoeight]

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.

[RMiller]

Awkward hold seems the most fitting.

[bj139]

I like the traditional look. If you are shooting long range like greater than 300 yards then free float is better.
I have been wanting to get a 20" traditional build for a while. I did buy a 16" dissapator in 5.56 and it is nice to have for blasting.

[LRRPF52]

If you have aluminum and are concerned about your hand sticking to the metal in the cold, there are several companies making inserts that snap into the Keymod or MLOK slots.

Many of them are elastomer or polymer.

[RMiller]

Recently I have seen a few pictures of guys having just wrapped paracord around the hand guard.. The hand guards I have are just round tubes.