Hot aluminum hand guard

J

John/az2

New member
I just got my first AR and I had the round aluminum hand guard installed because I wanted the floating barrel.

It gets HOT.

What are some things that you guys have done who have had this problem, to keep it cooler?

I've heard of having slots milled into it to increase the air flow... but give me your suggestions please!

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John/az

"Just because something is popular, does not make it right."

www.countdown9199.com
 
You could get a sheet of Pachmayr's Pac-Skin (checkered rubber with an adhesive backing). Brownells ( www.brownells.com ) catalogs a 6"x10" sheet intended for a D-cell flashlight but it should work nicely on the AR-handguard.

692-007-713 Pac-Skin (6"x10") $6.98
 
First of all, I would try really hard to keep from overheating the bbl in the first place...I do this by either switching uppers or rifles while the other cools. Otherwise with a floating handguard, cut-out slots help a little, but aren't going to solve the problem.

Another solution is the Hogue rubberized aluminum handguards that I've seen available for around 59.00. Good luck!
 
....oh, and I did see an advert for a slip-on rubber handguard that fits over any standard freefloated alum. handguard. Made by Pachmayr...and they also make a matching pistol-grip. Hope that helps. :)
 
there is tape for wrapping exhaust headers but it would probably not look like you want it to. My brother says that while in the army he actually melted a few of the regular handguards on the M4's. Maybe pickup some nomex flight gloves and don't shoot so fast.
 
Nomex flight gloves are nada but thin leather where you'd be holding the aluminum, and the material for the rest of the glove is flame resistant, not insulating, does nothing to reduce heat transfer of the kind you're troubled by unless you're getting it so hot things around you are catching on fire. Trust me, I went through about 50 pairs as an AF pilot.

I also have the aluminum guard on mine, and have noticed the same problem, not sure I'm all that happy with my choice. Additionally, should you ever find yourself in serious cold, be advised that those handguards will suck the heat out of your hands like really quick (before you shoot enough to heat them up, of course). That I haven't tried personally, but the guard seems real similar to a 3xD-cell Maglite, which I carried on alert at Minot, ND exactly once. Picking it up in a 35 below zero cockpit was a non-repeating maneuver as my Dad used to say. And I was wearing 3 sets of gloves at the time. Plastic (handguards or flashlights) does not transfer the heat nearly as fast, therefore the place you grab instantly warms up and the heat drain stops.

Best advice I can think of is to shoot slower-the match grade upper ain't for blastin' away at high cyclic rates, but for careful shot placement (sniper). Or buy another upper! That was my solution, and it is really NEAT having two very different ARs.

Good shootin'!
 
Larry, now that you mention it nomex is really only a flame retardant. i take it Larry that you weren;t too fond of winter in Minot. The saying up here is that 40 below keeps the riff-raff. Get some elkskin gloves, i wear them in ND during every season(unlined of course), they work well for hunting with a rifle or bow or whatever.
 
Thanks guys.

I recieved another response on another board that suggested wrapping the handguard where I hold it with parachute chord.

Because this was the least expensive option ($3) I tried it, and it seems to be working quite well. The nylon chord does not conduct the heat, and would probably insulate fairly well in the cold (Good point about grabbing cold metal in chilly weather, Larry).

Thanks again!

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John/az

"Just because something is popular, does not make it right."

www.countdown9199.com




[This message has been edited by John/az2 (edited June 18, 1999).]
 
Try a 8-10mm neophrene sleeve ala the old Cobray M10/11 silencer cover. Works like a champ. Theirs was a nomex/neophrene mix.

Cheers,
Mike
 
John,
You could go to any dive shop and get repair patches, or cannibalize an old/thrashed suit and get some. Should be readily available from any dive shop that sells suits. Look for the heavier stuff (8-10mm), as it holds up better. You can use old neophrene waders also....you can find them in different camo configurations also if you so desire.

When you wrap it, draw it snug, mark it, and then cut. Before you stitch the long edges together, whip stitch or stretch stitch the ends for a cleaner finished product. This also prevents the fabric from separating from the rubber as easily. Maybe have the folks at the dive shop do it.....who knows!

Good luck!
Cheers,
Mike

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"There's gunpowder and there's pu**y. Live by one, die by the other, and love the smell of both."
 
If your not worried about "cool" looks try a pot holder. Use a piece of duct tape to keep it in place. Take it off when your are done shooting. Keep it in the range bag and it will there when you need it.



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Michael K - NRA, MCRGO
 
WHOA!

DUDE!

No - all this is keeping the hot air inside.

The AR was ment to be vented. The gas tube will get critically overheated.

One night during live fire, I was a using night vision scope and engaging 100 - 200 meter targets. After the excercise we still had plenty of ammo we had to use up. So we were all given copious ammounts of ammo to fire up... I noticed a strange glow in my scope. Pulling my eyes away, I found I was lit up like a neon sign from the glow of the gas tube... the barrel was an angry red color. Very Over heated... If the handguard wasnt ventalated - it would have gotten just a bit hotter, and I would have had a critical failure... probably with the gun exploding.

Dont tell me AR-15s are not reliable... no jam with 500 rounds, and over heating!



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RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
 
I've not covered the entire tube, just where my hand meets the metal... It does have to have SOME place to radiate! You're right, Kodiac! :)

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John/az

"Just because something is popular, does not make it right."

www.countdown9199.com
 
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