Rail for standard two-piece hand guard?

AR/M4 AR General Discussion
1

Howdy folks-

This is my first time to this forum, there is certainly a wealth of information here!

I’ve recently decided to make my AR my dedicated house/uh-oh rifle, and I’m hoping to avoid buying a completely new upper for it. I’d get a rail system, but I’ll just go ahead and get a new upper if I have to spend $200 on that.

I’ve got an 18" upper with rifle length gas and full length, standard two-piece hand guards right now. Is there any conventional way to mount a picatinny rail to it? I’m just wanting a rail along the piece for a VFG and a light.

Thanks for any help!

2

You can add a rail by modifying your stock handguards and adding a section of rail available from a number of websites (brownells carry rail sections I believe). As far as adding a VFG, I’m not sure if such a mod will be practical on the stockers, but I may be mistaken.

Also, Magpul has the Mid-length and Rifle Length handguards coming out here pretty soon. They allow you to easily add rail sections without needing to do any drilling.

3

Ah, those $30-40 ‘MOE’ forends? Those are attractive too, I believe some rifle length ones would be worth a wait!

4

Spooky! Whatsup fellow Bladeforumer.

The MOE handgaurds are awesome! $30 bucks, plus 20 bucks or so for rails… you’re set. I’m ordering two rail sections for a flashlight on one side, and a sling mount on the other. you can get the rail sections from magpul’s website.

5

I would save your money and search on here and other related sights for a YHM Lightweight FF tube. I love mine!

6

Midwest Industries makes some.

http://www.midwestindustriesinc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=93

7

Thanks guys! I will look into the items listed thus far. The MOE guards are pretty attractive right now.

And Howdy Jake! How’s things? Cool to see you here.

I was also thinking and realized that I could live without the VFG if I could get a decent light setup. I have a picatinny front sight block that, after the front sight is attached, will still have a slot open. Is there a good setup to have a ‘side extension’ of a rail? Any other simple rigs?

8

An 18in barreled upper receiver group is pretty darn long for a house rifle. Your best bet may in fact be to buy a new upper half with a 14.5in or 16in barrel.

As for your question of rails, I’d say the others (except for the YHM tube recommendation) above me did a great job. The MOE offerings should be great when they get here.

9

I’ve got a Surefire with picatinny mount. All i need is a single picatinny groove to mount the light in which I prefer at the left side out next to the front sight. What suggestions do you guys have for this sort of thing? Don’t even need a rail per se, just a single groove to mount a Surefire.

I like the standard handguards and was wondering if anything that mounts to the bayonet lug maybe?