Free floated rail advantages?

[GaryO]

Are any advantages real or just precieved? Does having a free-floated rail make sense on a midlength M4 that will be used premarily for home defense and plinking? Thanks...

[KevinB]

Well it will give better accuracy - especially if used with a bipod and/or sling.

If you want a rail, IMHO the way to do it is with a FF one.

However if your not wanting a rail - you can tap the plastic handguard for a small rail for adding a light.

Really depends what your wants/needs are and what your finacial means are...

[JonnyVain]

I've heard of significant point of impact shift because of people leaning on the barrel when shooting.

For home defense or plinking, it isn't necessary. There are other ways to mount a light or VFG. Magpul's MOE handguard is one way. Ergo makes a handguard mounted VFG. There are light mounts for your front sight base.

[Koop]

I don't have enough AR experience to qualify my opinion, but I do have much experience with traditional hunting rifles.

I always glass bedded and free floating my hunting rifles - mainly because the wood stocks were prone to slight warpage with changes in humidity (or rain!) and could apply different pressures on the barrel which affected point of impact. I got into this habit and even bedded and free floated synthetic stock hunting rifles in the '90's though I wonder if it was necessary with the inert stock material.

FWIW, my SR556 is not free floated and I'm not too concerned about it.