Trying to finish up HB AR

[WillT]

Well, long time no see fellers.

According to the home page, I have 472,573 new posts I have to read.

But in the meantime, maybe you AR nuts can help me a bit.

I'm finishing up an AR build, just got the barrel, gas tube and handguard today from the big brown truck.

I'm not 100% sure what I need to get this sucker going, though. Barrel nut? Delta ring? Barrel retaining ring? Love? Magic? Moly lube?

Here's what she looks like...





Specs:
S&W MP15 lower
CMMG upper
CMMG bolt
DMPS buttstock
DPMS 24" stainless
Harris bipod
Command Arms handguard (kinda didn't want this style handguard, but everything else is sold out )

[Deadcenter]

Ya since that is more handguard than rail you would likely need min a barrel nut assy with delta ring BUT the prob with that is you have nothing for the front part to latch into - that setup would be best served with a Free Float rail or handguard.

LaRue is the best IMO but spendy, chance of being in stock is good.

ETA I think DPMS has the tube style FF handguard that would go nicely with that style of rifle.

[WillT]

Yes, I see what you mean about the front of the handguard. I had forgotten about the free-float requirement! It'll have to be something with rails though since I had planned (and I don't think I have any choice otherwise) to mount the bipod and a sling swive to the guard. On with the search...

[Deadcenter]

Looks like you have a rifle length gas system, you'll need a long tube to cover it all. I am a big fan of LaRue Tactical

LaRue Tactical AR15 13.2 Handguard

this would do the trick quite nicely, I would make sure the gas block would fit under before purchase.

Another option is something like this:

White Oak Armament Match Parts

Rock River Arms Free Float Tubes, Quad Rail Aluminum Free Float

or even

DPMS AR-15 Accessories.

you can add bipod & sling mounts to this type too

[xdmikey]

dang, that's a lot of barrel!
i'd like to build my own upper(done the lower-30 minutes)but i don't have the guts/nuts/tools to do it.
good luck w/yours!

[reidic]

YHM does a nice one that gives you the best of all shown above, here.

[John A.]

That rail looks like a command arms M44 to me. I used to own a carbine version like that years ago when they first came out (and were plastic). I think the newer versions are aluminum, but are still far from being floated.

You'll need a delta nut assembly and a regular front cap to install it (as well as a vice, armorer block and armorer tool, but you'll need the tools no matter what forend you put on it).

Probably most importantly, your gas block has set screws. If the screws back out from the pressure/movement of the forend and vibrations from shooting, it's likely to cause the gas block to move (and the gas port to become misaligned with your block causing malfunctions).

And the rail height of your forend top rail will be way above the flat top reciever rail, so there will be no hope of mounting anything forward of the upper in line with the upper.

Overall, those forends will usually work for play, but decidedly not too well from my experience.

PS, in your photo's, the forend is backwards. The large ring that has no rail on it goes in the back next to your upper.

Pss, the rock ridge or whatever they call them bipod from walmart that you have pictured will also need an adapter to mount onto the rail.

Psss, there will be a lot of gas being dumped into the reciever from the gas tube/long barrel, so you may want to consider using an H1 or H2 buffer in that collapsible stock, or use a rifle length buttstock since they have a longer spring and heavier buffer to begin with.

If you're trying to save some weight by using the collapsible, the Ace skeleton stocks work great. Especially with Tubbs/Superior Shooting Chrome silicone/flat coil buffer spring.

[RyanH]

Viking Tactical also makes a very nice handguard.

Viking Tactics, Inc.

[Mercmar]

YHM makes a nice free float tube that's pre-drilled and tapped for a couple of rails. You don't need rails on all four sides, in order to mount a stud for a bipod and/or sling. You'll also need a torque wrench and a barrel nut wrench. Be sure and lube the receiver's threads before you torque the barrel nut.

BTW, I use a DPMS vented fft for my builds and just drill a hole for a swivel stud, securing it with a stainless steel nut on the inside of the tube. However, I'm not much of a Rambolista.

[WillT]

Thanks for all the links guys! Quite a bit to look through, and alot of it seems to be out of stock, which is going to be a large deciding factor since there is something of a deadline for the build.

I had wanted a regular, rails-on-the-bottom only HG, but had trouble finding one in stock. I'm not a huge fan of the quad-rail systems, they're a little too "tacticool" for me. But I was willing to put up with it anyways.

Originally Posted by John A.

That rail looks like a command arms M44 to me. I used to own a carbine version like that years ago when they first came out (and were plastic). I think the newer versions are aluminum, but are still far from being floated.

It is indeed a Command Arms HG, as mentioned in the OP

Originally Posted by John A.

You'll need a delta nut assembly and a regular front cap to install it (as well as a vice, armorer block and armorer tool, but you'll need the tools no matter what forend you put on it).

The tools I've got, torque wrench as well.

Originally Posted by John A.

PS, in your photo's, the forend is backwards. The large ring that has no rail on it goes in the back next to your upper.

Yea, I wasn't paying too much attention, I just tossed it in there for the picture's sake.

Originally Posted by John A.

Pss, the rock ridge or whatever they call them bipod from walmart that you have pictured will also need an adapter to mount onto the rail.

Harris 1A2-LM

Originally Posted by John A.

Psss, there will be a lot of gas being dumped into the reciever from the gas tube/long barrel, so you may want to consider using an H1 or H2 buffer in that collapsible stock, or use a rifle length buttstock since they have a longer spring and heavier buffer to begin with.

There is indeed a buffer tube inside the buttstock, but I'm not sure what style/model/type/whatever it is. Came with the buttstock.

Originally Posted by John A.

If you're trying to save some weight by using the collapsible, the Ace skeleton stocks work great. Especially with Tubbs/Superior Shooting Chrome silicone/flat coil buffer spring.

Too late to save weight on this sucker, what with the barrel I've got That was more to cut down on the overall length, but that was before I picked up the 24" barrel.

Originally Posted by Mercmar

BTW, I use a DPMS vented fft for my builds and just drill a hole for a swivel stud, securing it with a stainless steel nut on the inside of the tube. However, I'm not much of a Rambolista.

I'm curious, the hole you drilled. Was it for a sling or for a bipod adapter? Is it pretty sturdy? I don't have a huge problem with drilling stuff, I work at a machine shop, so I've got all kinds of fancy tools available to me.