Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles A hand guard and a muzzle device question both AR

I have been really impressed by the performance of the muzzle device on my Springfield Armory Saint pistols. A buddy has the same gun and took his off to replace it for a quick connect for a suppressor. I was thinking of buying it off him and trying it out on my 16” carbine. Any reason not to try it? Tried googling it to little avail. Birdcage on the 16” is obnoxious compared to the the other in on a 7.5”

https://store.springfield-armory.com/saint-victor-pistol-blast-diverter-223-5-56/

Secondly, I’d like to replace the hand guard with something that extends past the front sight post with a slimmer profile than stock or the fat quad rail I replaced the stock guards with 10 years ago +/- I saw a couple options out there, but looking for real world feedback from the ‘fire. Would like to be able to extend my support hand out further, and put a light on out there.

I shoot the platform plenty, but never really messed with dressing them up. It don’t believe it matters, but for the curious gun is a bone stock Rock River I’ve had for almost 20 years.

Thanks

There are several blast diverters or linear comps that will fit your RR.

Fixed FSB’s limit your options. MagPul SL hand guards extend just in front of the FSB and offer M-Lok mounts. This is my 11.5” SBR with carbine gas. They make them for mid length gas too and they are just about right for me.



There are a few free floated hand guards that have a cut out for the FSB, Centurion and Midwest Industries are two but neither are cheap.

Most will just grind off the top of the FSB and get a longer Free float tube to go over the now trimmed gas block and buy a sight for the rail if desired.

Thanks for the help.

The Midwest industries was more than I was looking to spend, no plans to cut off the front sight post. The magpul was my default option, but was hoping to hear first hand experience on here as to robustness or other options. My concern was anything past the catch on the front being wiggly if that makes sense.

What TRW said.
The MagPul works ok & I've also used a similar one from UTG & it works fine too.

But, honestly, you are better off to grind the front sight off & use a different HG or just remove the gas block & the barrel nut & put a decent free float on with a new barrel nut, gas block & tube.

White Oak makes a great one for less than $150 plus a GB & tube.

Actually, I just bought a 13" lightweight HG for a bargain build, made by Stoner, from Midway for $99 & it's just fine & far better than I expected, & I'm a bit of an AR snob.

Good luck.

MM

It always help if the OP includes the buget constraints in the OP.

How much were you looking to spend?

Nobody knows what you mean by "catch on the front". Please explain.

Here to help.

Thanks!

Be sure and update the thread with pictures when you get that new handguard installed.

Thanks.

Yes, a budget always helps, but since he was asking about a drop in replacement I assumed relatively lower end & that's why I suggested what I did.

I love SLR Ion Lite's & Geiselle MK-14 & 16's but most aren't willing to spend $300 to rejuvenate a 20 year old gun either.

MM

I’d just buy a new upper or even rifle if it came to it and build it out like I wanted. I didn’t know there were options to do what I’d like until I did some googling. Figured I’d get some input here before I dropped any coin on something that ended up being trash. Just looking for a slimmer fore end that extended out past the gas block and front sight that wasn’t flimsy out past the attachment points.

Good points.

Sometimes I forget some just can't afford to put a few extra bucks into a gun that they hardly use.

It's always good to have many view points and that $100 rail you suggested looks pretty good. I have a few PSA rifles with a very similar rail and it's not a bad way to go for a budget build.

Interested to see pictures of it installed on OPs rifle. Should do well for him.

Hope those PSA’s give you good service.

This one has an Unbranded front hand guard and a blast can from Midway USA.

I really prefer a 15” hand guard but on the 11.5” gun above I was more concerned about letting my support hand get too far out and around the flash hider. So I kept the FSB and just stuck the SL’s on there. The SL’s are really pretty good for getting you just enough room on a carbine gassed gun.

I later got the suppressor out of jail and have thought about cutting the FSB and going MK18.

I have also seen a few guys dremmel the top rail off and make their own longer rail with the FSB sticking out of it. That would allow you to buy a cheap rail and experiment.

So far so good and I tested them hard.

There are lots of Departments looking for a low cost option for patrol rifles and we can compete really well using OEM pricing on PSA kits put together properly.

Not something a real shooter would buy for a personal rifle, unless they were comfortable assembling, but to equip a small dept with decent patrol rifles it gives us a solid option at the low price point.

Obviously way ahead of a SA Saint or IMI but at just a slightly higher price point.

If we do dedicated suppresssed under the handguard then our pricing and performance blows everything away.

Don't win all the bids but then who does?

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Snipped your post because I was interested in Why?

Just asking because I am a bit suprised.

I have 15 inchers to cover +2 gas systems but I don't really use the extra length (over a 13.7) for anything but covering the gas block.

Anyway just curious if you were doing something out there or it was just a why not sort of thing.

I have 13’s and 15’s and extend my arm out pretty far. The extra length allows me to get my light further out, less shadow and gives me a clearer front sight when shooting irons.

It’s not a big deal but I just feel less cramped up. My 13’s are old Troy’s with the built in flip up front sights. I won’t change them but I won’t be buying anymore.

With regards to PSA, i think in the last 2-3 years, they've upped the game quite a bit.

If you pick & choose & know what you're buying, some of their stuff is fine............we've gotten 3 of their FN hammer forged chrome lined 14.7" pinned & welded, barreled uppers, 2 with Geiselle rails & 1 with a PSA branded rail.

Checked all the connections & GB's for tightness, add your own (quality) BCG & they perform very well & are gassed perfectly. HS has been fine too.

They were done as well as if I had done them myself. Use 'em for house & vehicle guns.
Absolutely no hiccups through maybe 1500 rounds between the 3 of them.

MM

I’ve got one PSA FN 16” barrel and one PSA H&R 14.7” barrel and both of those are properly gassed. I’m sure their cheapest stuff is pretty sketchy but they do have some decent parts too.

Thanks.



All joking aside PSA is really doing a good job at low cost/high value ARs.

Might not hit a home run everytime but the trend is in their favor and they will stand behind the product.

For a 12.5 dedicated suppressed (our suppressor) setup the mid lenght PSA 16 inch is spot on for gas port when shortened and threaded.

When trying to make a bid there is zero chance I can use a handlapped custom barrel and getting 12.5s gas for dedicated suppressor use is hard.

PSA 16 inch middy whacked and threaded is an easy button for a dedicated suppressed patrol rifle.