M&P sport handguard

[FFES]

I just got a new sport today (Oct 3) and then I read about the handguard getting hot on the post below. Is this something that only happen on the sport. I don't really want to wear gloves when I shoot. What would be the best handguard with best heat shield to solve the problem? Also I know that this has probably be ask a lot, but what is the best oil. I watched a youtube video of Hickok45 and he uses Ballstol Sportsman's Gun Oil. He claimed it was a oil and cleaner in one.

Thanks
FES

 

[cyphertext]

Shoot fast and they all get hot. The rail systems can act as a big heat sync. The other handguards with heat shields will eventually get hot, just not as quickly as the ones on the Sport. I have never shot mine fast enough that it became unbearable, just warm.

As for oil, you will get a ton of opinions. I use CLP for quick clean and lube, in between thorough cleanings. When I really strip them down with a degreaser to clean, I use Miltec 1 to lube them back up.

 

[Jlduke]

The Sport is awesome but the handguards that come with it are junk. The Magpul handguards are great and they help block the heat far better than the stock ones. You can also pick up a UTG quad rail on amazon.com for about 40 bucks and its very well made. Magpul makes some really good rail covers that are way better than those crappy rubber ones.

 

[JaPes]

How hot a barrel gets is irrelevant of the make/model/manufacturer of AR15. A hot barrel is not 15-Sport specific.

The barrel gets hot because of friction. The projectile travels down the length of the bore, contacting the lands & grooves of the rifling. Additional heat is transferred to the barrel from the hot propellant gasses.

The amount of heat is due to the tempo of shooting. Slow paced fire allows the barrel time to air cool between shots (radiating heat to the environment through convection) . Fast/Rapid fire (mag dump) does not allow the barrel much time to cool between shots.

There are no head shields on the stock 15-Sport handguards, allowing more radiant heat transfer through the polymer handguard. Heat shields create a chimney convection effect. Cold air enters the bottom handguard vent holes, barrel transfers heat to the air, hot air exits the top handguard vent holes.

Heat shields insulate the sides of the handguard. Shoot fast and hard, heat will overcome the insulation provided by the heat shields.

If you do not want to use gloves & want a relatively inexpensive handguard, go with a Magpul MOE. If using optics, expect to encounter heat mirage distortion from the hot air exiting the top of the handguard.

If you do not want to use gloves and want to minimize heat mirage distortion effect on an optic, swap to a railed handguard that has lots of vent holes between the rails. Put rail covers on the exposed rail.

Have you seen the Hickock45 videos where he does a mag dump out of his Colt? The exposed exterior surface of the barrel is smoking. The barrel is so hot that it's cooking off the Ballistol, just like oil in an hot pan.

Your question of what is the "best" oil can't be answered, because all you will get is opinion. I can give you some suggestions for oil to try out and evaluate.

Ballistol: Non toxic. Smells like black licorice. Depending on where you live, it can be challenging to acquire. Requires more dwell time on the fouling to dissolve it. It saves time because it cleans, lubricates, and protects in one shot. I'm experimenting by using Ballistol exclusively on my new Ruger P95. The more my barrel goes through heat cycles with ballistol, the more it is becoming easier to clean. I assume that the Ballistol is seasoning the barrel.

Breakfree CLP: Used by the military. Available almost everywhere. When using the aerosol can CLP, it foams up. The foaming action is very nice when cleaning the bore. The dwell time is longer than a dedicated solvent, but less than Ballistol. Cleans, lubes, protects.

RemOil: Very lightweight oil. I don't use it on my AR15's.

Outers Gun Oil: It is oil. Nothing special about it. It works.

Mobil 1 Synthetic: It works. Its easily found. For the price of a few ounces of oil branded for firearms, you get a QUART of oil.

I've used almost every solvent & lubricant out there, and I'm a Ballistol convert. I'm happy to sit through the longer dwell time on parts to use a non-toxic product. I'm consuming & not replenishing the non-Ballistol cleaning solvents & lubricants in my cleaning kit.

I use the hand spray packaged Ballistol at home. I keep an aerosol can of Ballistol in my range bag.

What Ballistol won't replace is a good copper solvent. I'll always keep a bottle of Hoppes Copper Solvent in my kit.

 

[JaPes]

Also, check out this thread:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...8269-new-ars-here-some-tools-i-use-clean.html

 

[rojodiablo]

Well, Cyphertext has it right. All the handguards tend to get hot if the rifle is fired a lot in rapid short succession.
Within the confines of a shooting competition, I have never approached a heat level which would have made me wish for a welding glove.
With this said........ if you feel the handguard is getting too hot, my recommendation is to grab the rifle by the barrel.
You'll forget all about the hanguard being hot!!!

Some experience I will give you: I use very light gloves for shooting. Like mechanics gloves, and I look for the thinnest set I can find. They help with the possibility of the grip getting too hot. They keep the sweaty hands on plastic to a minimum. They are a guard from 2nd degree burns when you accidentally touch the barrel. They are a safeguard should you have to open the rifle and wrestle a stuck round, pull the bolt, etc.
And, never lean the rifle afainst any car paint, or on any shooting case unless it is aluminum. No poly case, or Voodoo nylon bag will hold up to the heat off the barrel for more than a few seconds. And, the barrel will then have plastic melted to it, requiring some work to clean it off.

 

[storeyteller]

Welcome to the M&P-15.

 

[HCSO84]

I'm wanting to buy the Magpul MOE handguard for my new M&P 15 Sport but don't know if I should buy the carbine size or the mid-length size handguard. I want to keep the A2 sight that comes with the rifle. I've checked many threads to find my answer but no one has said which one best fits the M&P 15 Sport. Thanks.

 

[oneyeopn]

if you have a Sport you need the Carbine length one. The Sport is a carbine. It will drop right in and can be replaced in just a couple of minutes.