Free Float vs Drop In Handguards: Why We Recommend Free FloatingĪny forces against your barrel can affect the accuracy of your shots-an effect that becomes more noticeable as distances increase. I opt for a low-profile gas block, free float handguard, red dot/holographic sight, and back-up sights for even my home defense and SHTF rifle setups. With the exception of perhaps those regularly engaged in combat, I see no reason to go with a front sight base. With that said, modern back-up sights have come a long way, as has battery life and reliability for red dots. The one valid reason for having a front sight base is that they're more reliable than back-up sights and are always there if your optic fails. With that said, these days you can often build or buy a free floated AR-15 without much additional cost, if any. Until recently, you could argue cost was a factor, as free floated AR-15s are generally more expensive. Why are there still holdouts using a front sight base? Rainier Arms AR-15 Upper With Low Profile Gas Block The company literally created the M-LOK mounting system, which has become the standard today.īeyond handguards, they're a go-to manufacturer of backup sights, AR-15 magazines, pistol grips, and many other firearm parts. When it comes to the quintessential drop in polymer handguards, most people's minds go to Magpul. Here are the lengths and weights available for the handguards alone.įor those of you with a fixed front sight base and delta ring assembly who just aren't ready to make the switch to a low-profile gas block, here are the best drop in AR-15 handguards. With these features combined, it's arguably a better lightweight option for tactical and practical applications. The Hyper-Lights also have sling mounts on each side. Unlike Faxon's carbon fiber handguards, which are actually heavier than these V Seven handguards, the Hyper-Light handguards have a Picatinny rail on the top and M-LOK or KeyMod slots at the 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions. They've also got you covered if you're looking to lighten up your handguard. We've talked about Faxon in the past as being known for making super lightweight parts, like their pencil-thin and gunner-profiled AR-15 barrels. If this is what you're looking for, we have a couple of super lightweight handguard options to choose from. Today's trend is to build the most lightweight AR-15 possible, without sacrificing performance. (Again note that I added rail panels to it.)
This AR pistol I build with a complete BCM upper. One major advantage of the MCMR vs the Aero Precision options covered above is that it has mounting slots at more angles.ĭespite any complaints I mentioned above, this handguard is actually a part of my favorite AR-15. This table shows the lengths and weights of BCM's M-LOK handguards, which can all be found here:Īgain these weights are for the handguards only and do not include mounting hardware.
However, this is a general "problem" of handguards with full picatinny rails. Basically, it's fairly pronounced and can feel a bit uncomfortable, almost even "sharp". That's worth noting because I feel both are quality products made of the same 6061 (T6) aluminum.Īs you get into the longer BCM MCMRs, however, the price does get more competitive with Aero Precision.Īnother thing I don't like about these handguards is that the top rail doesn't "blend" super well into the rest of the handguard.
They have both M-LOK and KeyMod variations for all of their handguard designs, but we generally recommend M-Lok as we explain here. In our own experiences along with everything we've seen across the internet, their quality control is excellent, as is their customer support in the unlikely event you have any problems.Īll of Aero Precision's free float handguards are made out of 6061 (T6) aluminum, which is generally the standard material across the industry. They manufacture their own receivers and handguards in house, which has led to them churning out parts in bulks. If you've read our best upper receiver and lower receiver guides, you've seen that we're big fans of Aero Precision when it comes to affordable, high-quality AR-15 parts. We'll be grouping our choices for the best AR-15 free float handguards by manufacturer, starting off with some budget options, then going onto some higher-end handguards.
As we discuss in detail below, we highly recommend opting for a free float handguard, as opposed to a drop in handguard.