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Reading the current Post on bending the hand guard tabs up brings my attention to several factors about the front band and the hand guard installation for improved accuracy in the M1A.
The most important mod to be made to the handguard is to shorten it, when the HG is installed the rear portion does not contact the receiver. Most of the time they require material to be removed from the back end.. There should be a mim. 1/16 inch clearance, I like mine to be about 1/8 inch, which seems to be too much at first, but it is not too much if you choose to free float the hand guard, which I prefer.
If you prefer to epoxy your HG in place the same shortening is required.. Bending the tabs up to lift the HG off the barrel is not the primary purpose of the bending.
If the tabs are not bent up, in most cases , the front band contacts the top of the stock ferrule becauses the needed gap is too small, too small and the FB will bounce off the ferrrule during firing, you do not want that to happpen. The bending procedpure raises the tabs in the process, giving plenty of room for no contact issues.. You have probably all-ready noticed after bending the tabs up the HG will not fit into the FB, material has to be removed from the bottom edges.. This in turn raises the HG off the barrel. Some heavy barrels require other mods.
Free floating the HG does not distract from accuracy, it must be done properly. If you are intersted let me know and I'll address the subject... However, if you are a Match shooter epoxy the HG in... Art
The most important mod to be made to the handguard is to shorten it, when the HG is installed the rear portion does not contact the receiver. Most of the time they require material to be removed from the back end.. There should be a mim. 1/16 inch clearance, I like mine to be about 1/8 inch, which seems to be too much at first, but it is not too much if you choose to free float the hand guard, which I prefer.
If you prefer to epoxy your HG in place the same shortening is required.. Bending the tabs up to lift the HG off the barrel is not the primary purpose of the bending.
If the tabs are not bent up, in most cases , the front band contacts the top of the stock ferrule becauses the needed gap is too small, too small and the FB will bounce off the ferrrule during firing, you do not want that to happpen. The bending procedpure raises the tabs in the process, giving plenty of room for no contact issues.. You have probably all-ready noticed after bending the tabs up the HG will not fit into the FB, material has to be removed from the bottom edges.. This in turn raises the HG off the barrel. Some heavy barrels require other mods.
Free floating the HG does not distract from accuracy, it must be done properly. If you are intersted let me know and I'll address the subject... However, if you are a Match shooter epoxy the HG in... Art
