Handguard end ring coming loose

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Yep! I can get you the plastic type when I get home from work. Basically, it’s a Delrin type plastic with molybdenum sulfate mixed it. They said it’s (normally) used for plastic bearings. It sure machines nice, and they had a two foot piece left over from a previous customer. It’s not painted, that’s the natural color.

Wow! Never would have guessed it was plastic. How does it compare with the weight of aluminum, and would it hold up well to threading with the barrel?

 

[DougStump]

Wow! Never would have guessed it was plastic. How does it compare with the weight of aluminum, and would it hold up well to threading with the barrel?

When I get home I can weigh it and make a guess about what an aluminum version the same size would weigh, but I’ll bet the plastic is a lot lighter. It threads very well, but you’d have to use a coarse thread just like aluminum. Your threads have to be larger than the metal (or plastic) grains and I doubt that 28tpi would hold. When I decided to make it out of plastic, I scaled it up .1 inch more, so it’s bigger than I originally intended. If I ever get around to threading my barrel 1/2x28, I’ll make one out of aluminum scaled properly to the barrel. It does get some interesting comments at the range.

 

[BELT_FED]

you can allways thread a metal glug and press it in so that you have nice clean threads and light weight

 

[DougStump]

Wow! Never would have guessed it was plastic. How does it compare with the weight of aluminum, and would it hold up well to threading with the barrel?

The plastic is "Nylatron GS" and as is it weighs 2.5 oz. Depending on what alloy of aluminum it would weigh anywhere from 5.5 to 6.0 oz. That would probably be too heavy.