"Fat" handguards

[Slater]

Companies such as PSA and DPMS (both under the same ownership, IIRC) use these on their A4 rifles, and carbine length versions are also available. What's the appeal (or advantage) of these over standard handguards?

https://www.cavmfg.com/C5-Fat-Rifle-Handguard-C5.htm

[One More Time]

Big hands?

Same reason I like the Magpul K2 XL grip I suppose.

[jsbhike]

Used to be a place that went the other direction with a slimmer A2 forearm. Think it was Lonestar Ordnance.

[Screwball]

My 11.5” came with the fat one. I swapped uppers on my KE Arms polymer lower build… which was one of those Bushmaster uppers that CDNN got. That upper came with a slim one. That gives me both for the 11.5”.

The fat one… I put a Surefire G2X on an IWC mount. With the size of the forend, the fat one places my thumb behind the button… comfortably.

The slim one… it is very comfortable to hold, but for me to put my thumb behind the same location that the IWC mount would put the light is awkward.

Both work and both have their limitations.

[mack7.62]

Big advantage is double heat shield, skinny handguards expose the barrel through the vent holes.

[markm]

I don't know who runs or owns Cavarms now, but their shit was so cheap and cheesy. The Definitely weren't double shielded back in the day.