Mid length handguard with barrel shroud?

[MrMcMotoMan]

Has anyone ever used the Magpul mid length handguard with a 6 inch barrel shroud? If so, does the shroud reach the handguard alright? How close to the length of the factory quadrail is the mid length magpul?

I prefer the look of the Magpul handguards, and I also prefer the look of barrel shrouds that go inside the handguard, so weather or not it reaches is my deciding factor weather or not I want to order the handguard.



Thanks and happy shooting!

 

[tacticool22]

A shroud can't go into the hand guard because the front sight or gas block will be in the way. You will need to put the hand guard together before deciding on what length shroud you need by measuring the actual assembly. A best guess won't cut it.

 

[MrMcMotoMan]

I have the Mbus sights. I thought the 15-22 didnt have a gas block?

 

[telero]

I have the Mbus sights. I thought the 15-22 didnt have a gas block?

I think the problem is that the Magpul handguards use the front handguard endcap (and delta ring). To keep the endcap in place there is usually a front sight or gas block. The 15-22 doesn't have the front cap or gasblock.

For you to use a shroud it wouldn't go into the Magpul handguards anyway, just up to the endcap. If you had a fake gasblock to hold the endcap in place, the shroud could come up against that.

So you'd need a handguard converter, delta ring, magpul handguards, front endcap, and some way to hold the end cap in place (fake sight or gas block). Then you'd need the shroud, and it would only come back to the sight/block. There are pictures at TRUE SHOT TECHNOLOGIES SMITH WESSON 1522

Unless you just happened to have a correct length shroud that was just long enough to sandwich the whole thing together without the site/block.

Also, Jody has mentioned coming up with a kit soon as well. Quality of that kit will be worth the wait.

 

[telero]

Also, Jody has mentioned coming up with a kit soon as well. Quality of that kit will be worth the wait.

Actually a cool way to make a kit without the site/gas block would be to have a shroud that either comes back to the front endcap or includes the endcap in it. Different length of shroud for different handguard lenths. Shroud could be attached via set screw for non threaded barrels (or threaded on to a threaded barrel)?

 

[MrMcMotoMan]

How would the handguard endcap/delta ring attach? is it just held on by the front sight?

 

[telero]

How would the handguard endcap/delta ring attach? is it just held on by the front sight?

You'd have to use the barrel nut adapter that gives you the outside threads to add either a free float handguard or delta ring, then install the delta ring. Then you need to put on the end cap and fake sight/gas block and install it the correct distance away from the delta ring. Then install the handguards as normal.

Alternatively, install the barrel nut adapter and delta ring, put the handguards in place, put the endcap in place, put the sight/gas block in place, sandwich it all together and tighten down the sight/gas block. If you had a long enough barrel shroud you could use it instead of the sight/gas block.

 

[MrMcMotoMan]

Well darn. I really want to keep my shroud, but also want a FDE handguard. I just found this free float one.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/2344114534/midwest-industries-ss-series-free-float-tube-handguard-customizable-rail-ar-15

Anyone ever used one of these? Could I keep my MBUS sights, and have my shroud go slightly into it? I know I would have to buy the barrel nut converter.

 

[telero]

What shroud do you have?

I think the rifle length handguard of the model you linked to should work. I'd have to do some measuring to know for sure. Extended carbine length would be close I think, but maybe a little short to have the shroud fit inside. That's assuming the shroud isn't too thick to fit in the handguard at all.

MBUS sights should still be fine on that handguard.

 

[MrMcMotoMan]

What shroud do you have?

I ordered the shroud linked below

Angled Ported Slotted Muzzle Brake Style Barrel Shroud S&W AR 15 / 22 6' Long - Kineti-Tech

I think as long as the inside diameter of the handguard is bigger than the outside diameter of the shroud, it'll be fine.

I don't want the entire shroud inside, just enough so you don't see the barrel out the end of the handguard. I think the extended carbine would be good, at only 3/16th's longer than the factory one

 

[telero]

Looks like it should be good. That shroud would look pretty nice with the Magpul handguards too.

 

[MrMcMotoMan]

Thanks for the help!

 

[tracksol]

Here's an updated pic of my AR15 and 15-22 twins:

On my setup, the handguard conversion measures 25.3cm from the tip of the upper receiver to the side edge of the magpul handguard compared to the factory rail which measures 25.4cm , however that doesn't include the front sight. If you include the front sight it measures 29.75cm.

On my 15-22 I measured from the tip of the bayonet lug to the shoulder of the barrel after the threads and it measures at 7.35cm.

On all these measurements, I would like to point out that I have NOT ground of the positioning tabs on the upper receiver that index with the factory rail so my AR15 barrel nut is 6mm away from the edge of the receiver on the side and top and 4mm on the bottom.

It doesn't look like that barrel shroud will work if you install Magpul MOE Midlength AR15 drop in handguards using the 15-22 handguard conversion parts and true shot tech A2 front sight. These guys are right, you have to have something on the front end to hold the handguard cap for the handguards to clip into. On an AR15 there is an extra shoulder machined onto the barrel that the handguard cap rests on and then the front sight or gas block pushes up against it on the other side. Since the 15-22 barrel doesn't have that shoulder, I had to tap the gas hole on the A2 sight and put a screw through the handguard cap and into the sight to hold it on there. If not, then when you remove the handguards the handguard cap would rattle loose and slide up and down the barrel.

It looks like you've already decided on getting another freefloat handguard and have the shroud fit inside. The shroud websites says it measures 1.5" OD so you'll want a handguard that is at least that measurement ID. Here is a link to a spreadsheet with handguard dimensions and weights that should prove helpful.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ajl2UPK0UHPscHdzd2hlZ2hOUXNGblVaTWtaTkYyRFE#gid=0

 

[MrMcMotoMan]

Thanks for that information man! now I know for sure which handguard i'm gonna go with! I just wanted to know weather or not the shroud would fit in the handguard.