Free-float forearm on your AR-15

Blindpig · Post by **Blindpig** » Wed May 09, 2007 2:26 pm

Do any of you guys have a free-float forearm on your AR? I'm thinking about putting a free-float kit from Yankee Hill Machine on my S&W MP15A and would like to hear opinions about whether or not this is worth the money (which is quite a bit) to do this mod. I am particularly wanting to put a flip-down front sight on the MP15 so I can get a little less clutter when I look thru my red-dot optic and I'd like to be able to do away with the riser I use now to allow co-witness of the front sight in the lower half of the optic.

Post by **Bullseye** » Wed May 09, 2007 5:33 pm

Both my AR service rifles have free float tubes in them. This is the single most important part of accurizing an AR style rifle. A float tube prevents the shooter from distorting the barrel's natural center by imparting stress on either the handguards or the sling. I have used the Compass Lake tubes and they are great.

Installation is not bad but you will have to modify (i.e. grind) the upper handguard, for the gas tube, after installing one of these parts.

I haven't used the Yankee Hill Machine Tool set up but it should do a similar job for tactical or three-gun style rifles. The brand you get definitely depends on the style of shooting you plan to do with your rifle.

Hope this helps.

R,
Bullseye

Blindpig · Post by **Blindpig** » Thu May 10, 2007 10:32 am

Bullseye, did you retain your original FSB or install a different type of gas block? The Yankee Hill Machine kit has a FSB/gas block that's very similar to the original but the top of the sight folds down. My rifle is strictly a tactical/self-defense weapon; I'm not good enough for competition!

Post by **Bullseye** » Thu May 10, 2007 7:42 pm

I kept the originals but had to cut off the sling posts.

That front sight block looks fine, plus its what you want for your rifle. You have to take the front sight block off to install the float tube so installing another is no big deal. Do you need another gas tube with that set-up?

R,
Bullseye

Blindpig · Post by **Blindpig** » Mon May 14, 2007 11:44 am

Bullseye wrote:I kept the originals but had to cut off the sling posts.

That front sight block looks fine, plus its what you want for your rifle. You have to take the front sight block off to install the float tube so installing another is no big deal. Do you need another gas tube with that set-up?

R,
Bullseye

Good point on the gas tube. I think that YHM's setup uses the existing gas tube but I'll check with them. Thanks for the advice.

Blindpig · Post by **Blindpig** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:00 pm

Here's the final result on my free-float handguard job. I went with the Yankee Hill Machine four-rail carbine length and end cap plus their flip-up front sight base. I like this set up because it lets me fully co-witness the irons with the EOTech 511 or flip the front sight down for an unobstructed view thru the optic.

Post by **Bullseye** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 5:55 pm

Looks pretty good, but the big question is - How does it shoot?

R,
Bullseye

Blindpig · Post by **Blindpig** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:28 am

Bullseye wrote:Looks pretty good, but the big question is - How does it shoot?

R,
Bullseye

Excellent question, Bullseye. Short answer is, it shoots better than the guy squeezing the trigger! I really like the EOTech, too. It's a big help when your eyes aren't what they used to be.
On an unrelated note, I had some problems with three new mags for it that I ordered from Brownell's. None would feed rounds reliably. It appeared that the front strap was too high to allow the round to ride over it or else the feed lips were out of spec. I sent them back to Brownell's and, of course, they refunded my money with no hassle. I just received some new ones from C Products that I'm going to try. I got the ones with the orange Mag-Pul followers and the Mar-Lube finish.