18" barrel - 13" or 16" handguard replacement?

[Jayjay1]

Guys,
I have a Savage MSR15 2.0 with a carbon fiber wrapped 18" Proof Research barrel.
The adjustable gas block sits at around 14".

The current hand guard, which I want to upgrade, is 13.5" long.
So I´m thinking of the length the new hand guard should have.

Are there advantages or disadvantages of a 13"ish hand guard against a 16"ish one?

 

[roostercogburn98]

I have a 17 inch handguard on my 18 inch gas gun

 

[mudholestomper]

I’m not sure if this helps, but here’s an 18” barrel (308) with a 16” Aero rail. The gas system is rifle length. The Aero agb is about 2” inside the end of the rail. It sits right behind where the wood from the rack crosses over the rail.

If you look at the horizontal pictures of the gun sitting on the table, you can zoom in to the end of the rail and see the gas block just inside the end of the rail in line with the flashlight tail cap.

I’ve got an X-caliber barrel being turned, but I’m jealous of your Proof carbon fiber barrel, Mr. Fancypants!

 

[mudholestomper]

Guys,
I have a Savage MSR15 2.0 with a carbon fiber wrapped 18" Proof Research barrel.
The adjustable gas block sits at around 14".

The current hand guard, which I want to upgrade, is 13.5" long.
So I´m thinking of the length the new hand guard should have.

Are there advantages or disadvantages of a 13"ish hand guard against a 16"ish one?

Forgot to add: as far as advantages, I prefer as much rail as makes sense. Depending on how your gas block adjusts, will you be able to still access it with the 16”? At 14”, you should if it adjusts with an Allen wrench or something you can reach it with. A longer rail gives you more real estate to add a bipod or rest your gun on various surfaces.

The added length adds weight out towards the muzzle, but if you’re not marching with it, it shouldn’t be a significant difference.

 

[Green461]

All preference. whatever you like. I dont like long handguard looks and some do. Also I like the adj gas blocks exposed, cant stand having to adjust them deep down, not knowing or remembering if its a torx bit or allen and likely stripping it out anyway. Weight wise.... a couple inched of handguard is likely not even noticeable.
The barrel sticking out more looks better to me (OCD evenly proportioned) instead of having a handguard almost to the end.

 

[Jayjay1]

Yes, the gas block adjusts with an Allen screw, that´ll work.

I get your infos, but how does length effect stability?
I´m planning to add a bipod from time to time.

 

[Jayjay1]

I’ve got an X-caliber barrel being turned, but I’m jealous of your Proof carbon fiber barrel, Mr. Fancypants!

Actually I wanted a Criterion, but couldn´t get one in time.

So ...

 

[Green461]

Yes, the gas block adjusts with an Allen screw, that´ll work.

I get your infos, but how does length effect stability?
I´m planning to add a bipod from time to time.

13.5 handguard on my 18" barrel, bipod works good at the end. Its quick release and all my rifles have a 4 slot piece of pic rail attacked to the MLOK slot for it.

 

[mudholestomper]

13.5 handguard on my 18" barrel, bipod works good at the end. Its quick release and all my rifles have a 4 slot piece of pic rail attacked to the MLOK slot for it.

View attachment 8709838
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Same with mine. The gun I posted is a 13-14lb pig (unloaded). I’m really impressed with the quality of the Aero rail, but they’re not known for tier 1 rigidity. There’s zero flex with the full weight of the loaded gun up on the bipod that’s way out on the end of it.

 

[hlee]

All else equal, a bipod on a 16” rail should be more stable than on a 13” rail. BUT… Adjusting a bipod from behind the gun becomes progressively more of a pain in the ass as it gets further from the shooter. If you are a short guy with short arms, a 16” rails is probably going to be one of a pain than the stability warrants. That said, I like the look of a looong hand guard.

 

[Jsp556]

I like the look of the long handguard but can’t stand seeing bipods past the muzzle device when in the stowed position. Of course a suppressor fixes that aesthetic. Plus, if you have the bipod at the very end of the hand guard, you’ll see more poi shift when you go to a tripod/barricade.

 

[WeR0206]

I like the look of the long handguard but can’t stand seeing bipods past the muzzle device when in the stowed position. Of course a suppressor fixes that aesthetic. Plus, if you have the bipod at the very end of the hand guard, you’ll see more poi shift when you go to a tripod/barricade.

Im with you on that. There’s also a good bit of difference in weight. I just built an upper with 18” rifle +2 and 15” M89 rail and the rail ends right at the back of the gas block.

 

[gopherslayer]

15 on an 18

 

[TonyAngel]

Which handguard are you considering? If you're going with something lighter, I'd keep it shorter. Lightweight handguards, like the Aero/BA models with the turnbuckel, flex a LOT. The longer it is, the less rigid it will be and the more it will flex. The more rigid the handguard, the farther out you can out your bipod without negative effects.

As far as adjusting the gas block, you can always cut a window in the handguard to accommodate a ball end hey key. Or, go with a riflespeed.

 

[Jayjay1]

I´m torn.

All I know is, that it has to be M-Lok, rigid and stable.

The barrel is more narrow in front of the gas block.
So if I would take a slim but longer hand guard, 16"+, I could adapt a short pica rail at the bottom and a QD swivel on the left side in front of the gas block.

Or I take a wider but shorter hand guard, which ends at the gas block and am gtgo.

 

[ToddM]

Even though I don't mess with them much once setup, I really like being able to access the adjustable gas block without having to remove the handguard. I've also had multiple problems over the years with gas blocks that did not fit under handguards, or were so close that interference was a concern. White Oak actually makes some really nice stiff handguards that are in lengths so they just expose the gas blocks at common lengths and are not ridiculously expensive.

White Oak TR M-LOK Handguard

White Oak TR M-LOK Handguard

www.whiteoakarmament.com

 

[WeR0206]

Even though I don't mess with them much once setup, I really like being able to access the adjustable gas block without having to remove the handguard. I've also had multiple problems over the years with gas blocks that did not fit under handguards, or were so close that interference was a concern. White Oak actually makes some really nice stiff handguards that are in lengths so they just expose the gas blocks at common lengths and are not ridiculously expensive.

White Oak TR M-LOK Handguard

White Oak TR M-LOK Handguard

www.whiteoakarmament.com

Im very curious if anyone has used these handguards for a precision build. Seems like they use a nice beefy steel barrel nut

 

[Rob01]

I see no downside to a longer hand guard. Protects the barrel from being touched and a longer area to put it up on support. I have a 19” hand guard on my 22” barrel and would have went a little longer but 19” was the longest.

You can adjust the gas block with the hand guard off or with the hand guard you have now and you shouldn’t need to be messing with it once set. 18” barrel I would go 16” without a doubt.

 

[Jayjay1]

Even though I don't mess with them much once setup, I really like being able to access the adjustable gas block without having to remove the handguard. I've also had multiple problems over the years with gas blocks that did not fit under handguards, or were so close that interference was a concern. White Oak actually makes some really nice stiff handguards that are in lengths so they just expose the gas blocks at common lengths and are not ridiculously expensive.

White Oak TR M-LOK Handguard

White Oak TR M-LOK Handguard

www.whiteoakarmament.com

I appreciate your recommendation, it looks quite sturdy.
Unfortunately I can´t get them here on the old continent.