Why are JP/VTAC handguards more common with 3 gun rifles?

[Robb Jensen]

I am looking at using JP/VTAC for a coyote calling gun (not to replace my home defense guns). Will mounting only a bipod effect the mounting screws?

Just red loc-tite them and it'll be fine.

[John Hearne]

I'm not sure whether to post this here or in Techincal but I'll start here.

What's the skinny on the PRI foreends. I know that Sully uses them on his Grail builds so I'm assuming they're GTG. I'm curious about their weight versus the other options out there. I'd also like to know how easy it is to reconfigure where the rail sections lies on the foreend.

I'm mentally building my next upper for my patrol gun and I'm looking to minimize weight. All I want on my fore-end is a flashlight as I'll keep the FSB on the barrel.

I have a nice, Noveske barreled upper that will become my competition gun so the new upper shouldn't have a lot of rounds through it outside of an occassional class.

[rob_s]

You might be surprised what some rails weigh. Some so called "lightweight" weigh more than the competitions standard rail.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?k...QsFnUZMkZNF2DQ

IIRC, the PRI rails were actually pretty heavy because of the barrel nut, but that's been quite a while since I looked at them.

[Nick S]

The PRI tube has an aluminum barrel nut. The older ones were steel. The published weights are a little deceiving as they usually include the rails on the GEN III tube.

There is a competition tube that is available that has no rails and an aluminum nut. I think the total weight is around 10.3 oz. I have one on my rifle and really like it.

Nick

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

It would be interesting to see if you stripped the paint off of the inside of the tube it that low E surface would keep it from getting hot from the heat radiated from the barrel. Either that or low profile plastic pads to fit in the slots.

[Robb Jensen]

I'm not sure whether to post this here or in Techincal but I'll start here.

What's the skinny on the PRI foreends. I know that Sully uses them on his Grail builds so I'm assuming they're GTG. I'm curious about their weight versus the other options out there. I'd also like to know how easy it is to reconfigure where the rail sections lies on the foreend.

PRI makes excellent FF tubes but even their low priced one is $100 more than the JP tube (retail price is $254 on the economy PRI tube), the regular ones retail for $330 (more than double the price of a JP) they are 5oz lighter but for 3gunners who typically are shooting 8-12lb rifles, 5oz really isn't worth twice the price.

Something I have noticed with my JP tube is that after finishing it in tan Norrells I noticed that it doesn't nearly get as hot. I don't know if it's not absorbing the sunlight and the radiated heat from the barrel and gas block or what but the lighter color seemed to help a lot. Rarely do I have to wear a glove when shooting rifle.

USMC03 is 100% correct in that 3gunners and other competitive shooters do very much 'support the sport' and it's a pretty common saying in competition.
Without supporters their wouldn't be the very nice prize tables that draw large numbers of shooters to big matches and even though the matches are still fun without prizes, the prizes are like an added bonus. Too see who sponsors USPSA go to www.uspsa.org and look down the left side of the screen and click 'sponsors'. Those are just the bigger sponsors, many other companies not mentioned there who also sponsor USPSA and other 3gun include DPMS, Sabre Defence, CMMG, Brownells, and BlackwaterUSA and most people here have heard of those. With that said if you haven't tried 'running & gunning' you don't know what your missing, it is a ton of fun!

[LonghunterCO]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but since we are sharing some options other than the JP. I have been using a hiperform on my longwalk/truck gun AR. I really like it.
http://www.hiperform.com/hand-guards.htm




-rob_s another great chart.

[USMC03]

Something I have noticed with my JP tube is that after finishing it in tan Norrells I noticed that it doesn't nearly get as hot. I don't know if it's not absorbing the sunlight and the radiated heat from the barrel and gas block or what but the lighter color seemed to help a lot. Rarely do I have to wear a glove when shooting rifle.

gotm4,

I have noticed the same thing (black vs. tan / green). I have been at matches / classes where they had gun racks that were out in the hot sun. On a hot summer day, often times the barrel or aluminum handguard would be hot to the touch (all black gun).

Due to this experience, most of my competition guns have FDE or Foliage Green furniture on them. Black plastic gets noticeably hotter (than tan or green) after it's been in the sun for a short period of time (side note: I live in a high mountain desert, the avererage temp from late May through early Sept is 100 - 110 degrees).

Ambient temp + hot summer sun + rate of fire + color of the gun, all play a factor into how hot a gun get's and how long it takes too cool off. Note that in the pic above Zak is shooting a PRI carbon fiber tube that has been painted tan / green, yet due to ambient temp + hot summer sun + rate of fire, the fore end gets hot enough that Zak needs to wear a glove.

The ambient temp at this match was 105 - 110 degrees, the summer sun was not helping matters, and the rate of fire in these run and gun matches is fairly high (50 - 150 rounds per stage (x3 stages) ...... depending on how good you are and how many rounds you want to spend on those targets that are giving you a problem).

All of these factors come into play. Painting the gun a nuetral color can go a long way in managing the heat (start a stage with a gun that is cooler, it will take longer for it to heat up to the point where it's "hot to the touch"). I have noticed in the fall / winter months, heat has never been a problem with PRI or JTAC handguards.




I've always like that gun, by the way



S/F,
Jeff

[JWNathan]

Though I dont 3 gun(yet)I have a Vtac on one of my ARs and really like it, but the heat can be a PITA. I think the most shooting I've done with it is around 4 rounds over several hours and that thing got wayyy to hot to touch with out gloves. Heck I ran one because it looks cool!
-Jesse