Cheap AR Handguards - Carbon Fiber?

[Lee]

I know, I know.

I've got some cheap aluminum handguards, a couple I picked up at a gun show, I think one is an AIM, kind of triangle shaped, no clue on the other, I've a Guntec I got cheap on eBay (remember when you could get parts on eBay?), recently got a Matrix Arms from Joe Bob. All of them work, I like the barrel nut/attachment better on some more than others.

I don't compete, I'm not running and gunning, I'm not using an AR for defense, all of the AR variants I have are plinkers, the Grendel has aspirations of a long ranger, but most are just mutts of various parts deals over the years. I'm not a complete tight ass, but I don't see what more a Daniel Defense, Midwest, La Rue, Geissele, etc. $$$ handguard is going to offer me to justify 4-6X the cost.

Browsing GB, I'm seeing more and more cheap "Carbon Fiber" handguards. Anyone have any experience with them? I went down the rabbit hole, trying to find a brand name of a vague ad for a "Carbon Fiber" handguard I found on GB. Looks like the one I'm specifically trying to find info on is a Tacband handguard, there are a lot on Aliexpress, Made-in-China(dot)com, etc. I mean I've spent $60 on dumber stuff.

 

[Provience]

$60 sounds high, but have at it maybe it is just a sticker? i dunno. I'm half tempted to tray and make one out of fiberglass

 

[VG SERE]

Interesting. I'd try it. I spend $$$ on the trigger and barrel and get good results. The rest is just personal preference.

 

[Aisin]

That looks like it would crack or break the first time it got dropped. Do you handle your guns like a baby? All of my shit is beat like a $3 whore on a Friday. I like aluminum for that purpose. Go for it and be a test subject. Are there any YouTube vidjeos on it?

 

[Lee]

Aisin, uhhh, somewhere in between. I haven't held a lot of babies, but I don't set out to break my stuff. I can't recall ever dropping one of my guns.


Assuming it's actually carbon fiber, and not just injection molded nylon or some kind of fiberglass, it should be pretty tough. Though, even at $60 from China, it's probably glass fiber reinforced nylon with a carbon fiber stencil or hydro dip.

 

[Stuck]

Are you planning on mounting anything on it? Sights, bipod? If so Id stick with aluminum. I foresee cracks where it mounts if youre loading the bipod properly. I just cant see it being as durable as aluminum in that use. If its just a handguard then maybe but I still prefer aluminum. Yeah yeah I know carbo fiber is a miracle material but I dont see cheap and real CF going together.

 

[boardbysled]

When they say carbon fiber composite, they mean that it is a plastic that has carbon fiber reinforcement instead of say nylon fiber reinforcement like a lot of stuff. The carbon fiber look you are seeing is just a hyrdrodip coat.

 

[Thefishguy77]

Aisin, uhhh, somewhere in between. I haven't held a lot of babies, but I don't set out to break my stuff. I can't recall ever dropping one of my guns.


Assuming it's actually carbon fiber, and not just injection molded nylon or some kind of fiberglass, it should be pretty tough. Though, even at $60 from China, it's probably glass fiber reinforced nylon with a carbon fiber stencil or hydro dip.

I have never dropped a gun on purpose but when you hunt in hard enough ground, every once and a while the ground rises up to meet you. Sometimes it hits hard. I have hit hard enough to verify zero before continuing hunting. Pretty much ruins your day.

 

[FrankenToy]

I purchased an on-sale kit with an upper that came with an aluminum free-float hand guard (keymod IIRC, prolly why it was on sale). It is my first and only AR platform with a free-float handguard. Of all my AR's only one has an optic (rmr on my carbine length 5.56 SBR that has a carbine handguard), every other one I only run irons (or plastics :)) ). The aluminum guard just feels flexible and less suited to irons. I would estimate that those guards feel even more flexible which would be inconsequential for a gun with an optic.

 

[Lee]

Y'all talked me off the ledge. I got another Matrix Arms Foxtrot 15" Mlok for about the same price as the Chinesium "carbon fiber." I like the Matrix Arms Foxtrot I already have enough, and they claim to be "proudly made in the USA," so they've got that going for them.

Though, I really like the AIM Sports, triangle handguard on Jewel's AR too, and I'm pretty sure it's Chinesium. It cost about $40 more than the Matrix Arms, maybe it's Chinesium Plus, or Super Chinesium?