Yankee Hill forearms

[hatt]

Has anyone had any experience with YHM customizable free float forearm? I was thinking of adding one to my next build in case I ever want to add a VFG or light.

[AR15barrels]

Has anyone had any experience with YHM customizable free float forearm? I was thinking of adding one to my next build in case I ever want to add a VFG or light.

You are probably not going to get a high opinion of YHM handguards on this site.
People will be quick to mention past problems with the design and their experiences with improperly installed specimens.
Others will be quick to mention that the rails might not be perfectly to spec because their tangodown VFGs did not fit on the rails.
Those same people will not be so quick to admit that Tangodown VFGs fit tightly on LOTS of rail systems.

If YHM are installed correctly, they are completly functional, but fat in the hand.
The customizable is not as bad in the fat respect, but it is an aluminum tube and therefore subject to getting really hot.
Plan on a support hand glove if you shoot a lot.

YHM handguards are a good value, but most here will not admit to choosing their rail system based on cost.
Choosing an inexpensive rail system is not tacticool.

[Robb Jensen]

Great rails for the money, as Randall says they are huge. Most people try to install the barrel nut on these using a USGI barrel wrench which will distort the holes in the barrel nut and sometimes break the wrench and/or damage the nut badly. When I install Yankee Hill FF tubes/rails I use a PRI 5 pin barrel nut wrench or the Yankee Hill wrench which has 3 long pins. The pins on both of these wrenches are longer than the USGI wrenches to better distribute the torque to the barrel nut without screwing it up.

PRI wrench


Yankee Hill wrench


I don't know if they're still doing it but Yankee Hill Machine makes or did make the flash hider/suppressor mounts for AAC.

[Lumpy196]

Yay. Choosing quality parts is going to be mocked as "tacticool" on this website also

[jacketch]

I was interested in Customizable FF handguard also. In addition I'm looking at the YHM Smooth Carbine FF Forearm.
http://yankeehill.bizland.com/store/product291.html

Anyone have any experience with it.


Customizable FF forearm:
[IMG]"http://yankeehill.bizland.com/store/media/Custom_Forearms.jpg"]http://yankeehill.bizland.com/store/media/Custom_Forearms.jpg[/IMG]

[ccoker]

along the same lines
what about a basic carbon fiber one?
I would like a FF on my carbine, but will probably only ever mount a tac light occasionally... and the carbon fiber ones advertize not getting as hot

I mountain bike seriously and own a custom mountain bike shop, our frames average 2 K and bikes average 5k

We bet the crap out of carbon fiber handlebars and they take the abuse fine
there are places I trust carbon fiber and places I don't really like

[Bryson]

Don't bother. There's a reason that people don't like them! I have one, and the biggest problem I have is that the rail on top doesn't match up with the rail on my upper. Not just butting up against it, but they're different heights. That's unacceptable to me, since I was planning on putting a front sight on the rail instead of the gas block.

They're not just large, either. They're heavy. So let's recap: quick to heat, large, heavy, rails don't match, possibly require special tools to install? Pass.

[rob_s]

YHM handguards are a good value, but most here will not admit to choosing their rail system based on cost.

That goes both ways ya know. Most people will ONLY choose the YHM because it's cheaper, even though they really want the more expensive (and better) LT or DD, and then spend untold amounts of energy and hours posting on the internet defending their choice of sub-par and inexpensive equipment while claiming that their decision wasn't based on economics at all.

Wait, that doesn't just apply to rails, or frankly just to guns.... it's the whole damn internet! In fact, it applies to virtually every purchase that every American male makes ever in his lifetime. We may not NEED that Weber grill, or F350, or 400HP car, or Dewalt drill, etc. but we sure as hell always try our best to buy it.

People would get along alot better if they just admitted that they bought lesser quality gear because they either can't afford the better stuff or didn't think they needed it. You gotta hand it to that jem guy in that regard; he views his AR as only a plinker so he bought a plinker-quality DPMS and freely admits to it.

[AR15barrels]

Wait, that doesn't just apply to rails, or frankly just to guns....

People would get along alot better if they just admitted that they bought lesser quality gear because they either can't afford the better stuff or didn't think they needed it. You gotta hand it to that jem guy in that regard; he views his AR as only a plinker so he bought a plinker-quality DPMS and freely admits to it.

So true, but it's not just guys.
Women compete like this in their choice of clothing and men.
They all want Brad Pitt, but settle for what they can obtain/afford.

[hatt]

Thanks for the info and opinions guys. I'm definately going on price with the YHM. I am mainly trying to build up 4 or 5 good guns before the next ban. Since I don't use a VFG or a light paying $300 for a rail doesn't make sense right now for me since that money could go to buy more parts. But for $62 I think I could justify it if the quality is decent and it works as advertised.