Purpose of Round Tube Handguard on AR-type Guns?

[Buck Wilde]

What is the purpose of a round, tubular handguard on an LR-308? I bought an LR-308 years ago, and it came with a bull barrel and round handguard. I understand the bull barrel, but I can't figure out the advantages of the handguard. Seems like a normal M-Lok handguard would be more useful.

 

[snarkscarbine]

How long ago? MLOK/Keymod are both still relatively new. And there wasn't really much like them other than drop-in pic rails. The DPMS free float tubes were really just meant to be that: a lightweight handguard that free floated the barrel in a time when most rifles still had front sight posts and A2-style handguards. Sure there are advantages to other things now, but the aluminum tube was a pretty big advantage over what came before it.

Ultimately, just change it out if you don't like like it. Or if you're not going to hang a bunch of stuff on it anyway, just leave it alone.

 

[Blutroop]

What is the purpose of a round, tubular handguard on an LR-308? I bought an LR-308 years ago, and it came with a bull barrel and round handguard. I understand the bull barrel, but I can't figure out the advantages of the handguard. Seems like a normal M-Lok handguard would be more useful.

Ammo would be more useful

 

[BullGear]

It's just one design of a handguard. There are many out there. Fin dthe one you like and install it onto your AR.

 

[drewthebrave]

If you don't want to install anything on your rail, round tubes are great. Not everyone needs tacticool doodads hanging off of their rifle. These days, MLOK, Keymod & Picatinny rails offer the option of mounting things to the rail. But they're more complex to machine and thus more expensive.

I just built a basic bitch upper with a round ALG handguard and I'll be damned if it isn't one of the more comfortable rails I've ever used. And it was CHEAP.

 

[bfoosh006]

At the time when round tubes were produced... it was a industry "standard" for a FF tube.

Times have changed , as have the FF handguard standards / Options have evolved.

 

[308pirate]

What is the purpose of a round, tubular handguard on an LR-308?

To hold on to it?