Looking for a handguard to fit these specs.

[MarkTwelve]

Greetings. Long time lurker, first time poster. I'm a refugee from that "other" site, which shall be mentioned no further without being asked to do so.

I have a registered SBR PDW that is essentially the Barnes Precision Machine PDW. I am looking to make enough changes to the design that basically I'll be just building a whole new upper for it.

It's in .300 Blackout and has a 7.5" barrel with a 6.5" Barnes PSFFRS lightweight Mlok handguard.

It is, in nearly every detail, this.




Changes to be made:
I plan to suppress this, using an Allen Engineering AEM2 or AEM3 suppressor, which is a reflex type suppressor that will require something like at least 2.1 inches of available barrel in front of the gas block. This may require me to
obtain a longer barrel. (I think so. 8.5 inches or so.)

I want to keep the overall length as short as humanly possible.

I'm going to have to find a free float handguard system that has a larger internal bore than the diameter of the suppressor, as this will allow the suppressor to be at least partially tucked into the handguard. The suppressor is 1.5 inches in diameter.

I'm quite firm on the suppressor choice. I won't have a single point of contact suppressor mount system or a lug based mounting system. The two points of contact and resultant guaranteed concentricity and virtually knock-proof solidity of this mount outweighs all other considerations. And if it is mounted inside the handguard, it's going to be treated as a permanent installation anyway, as to fire such a setup without the suppressor mounted could result in a banana peeled handguard. Believe me, you would not want to have your hand in the blast zone of the muzzle brake, either.

I'm looking for recommendations for that handguard. Given that it can't be a slim profile handguard, and with the internally positioned suppressor it has to be a free float system, this must narrow down the selection. And I want to keep it short, not more than eight inches, or certainly not longer than the barrel with attached brake. (Don't want to fully cover the supressor, either.)

For the upper receiver I want to go with a left side charging setup. With a non-reciprocating charging handle. Must use a standard type bolt carrier.

At this point all that's shared with the original upper is the gas block and gas tube. So, yeah, this is a complete upper build.



Got any recommendations and sources for a handguard that fits the bill? And for the side charger upper as well. I know that the Gibbz is probably the most common choice, but I'm actually hoping for something that has the same features and carries a more classic look to it. One that looks like a slightly modified A4 upper, with case deflector and, yes, the forward assist, which I hope never to use.

[Defaultmp3]

https://www.midwestindustriesinc.com...-Lok-s/329.htm
https://lancer-systems.com/product/l...bon-handguard/

[MistWolf]

Mark Twelve, welcome to the forums. As you're new here, let me explain how the Custom Build Forum works. Only builds that are complete can be posted here. It's not the place to ask where to find parts or ask which parts should be used. You can do that in either the AR General or AR Technical sections.

To qualify as a build, it must be more than slapping a store bought upper on a store bought lower.

If you'd like your post to remain in this section, I suggest rewriting your post, telling us what parts you selected and why. If you've had a chance to run rounds through it, tell us how it shoots, how it meets your expectations and how it doesn't.

There's a sticky giving a base outline of what's expected of a thread in this section. Read it for further clarification.

If rewriting your post won't accomplish your goal, report your post to the mods and they'll cheerfully move it to the right forum where it'll reach the right folks to answer your question.

Hope this helps!

[MistWolf]

Bloody double tap!

[MarkTwelve]

I wasn't sure that this was the right place to post and ask but I figured that since this is becoming a customized build, it MIGHT be.

Once I figure out how it should be changed and where it should be moved to, I'll make those edits and request the move. Thank you.

Since this is an SBR and will hopefull end up suppressed with two tax stamps, I'm thinking that the NFA forum might be the right place,
but then again, maybe not. I'm looking for parts suggestions for a custom build, where does that fit best here?

I'm also not seeing the "report post" button yet. Maybe my browser isn't working properly.

[fledge]

For a handguard, consider the 8” KAC URX4. Pricey but solid. The ID at 1.55” will allow you to tuck the 1.5 suppressor.

[MarkTwelve]

I'd be happy to go with the KAC offering. I like KAC products and WILL spend the money. They're on my Mark 12 Mod 1 where appropriate for the build spec. Hard to believe that the BUIS set cost me as much as a complete CMMG bargain bin M4gery!