AR 15 Handguards

[MaxSE PT99]

Hi all!

Have a quick ? for you folks out there....

Is it possible to change the triangular handrguards from an upper receiver of an AR 15 A1 to the A2 style round handguards? Don't want to change anything else, just the handguards.

Would this be unneccisarily expensive or difficult? Is it something I could do myself?

Any ideas/suggestions appreciated.

Jon

 

[444]

What kind of upper are we talking about exactly ? You say A1, is this a pencil barrel, forward assist, triangular handguards ?

It is possible to do, it would't be easy but not out of the question.

 

[4v50 Gary]

No problem, but why? If yours is an original AR15A1 with triangular configuration, leave it be. Classics are just that, classic. MForgery today will be out of style tomorrow as it is replaced. Besides, with the HBAR handguards, it would look kinda funny with that skinny bbl.

 

[Badger Arms]

Agreed that it would look funny. It's a simple part for part swap. The triangular keeper for the front of the handguards is compatible with A-2 style nubs. Just buy the handguards and install. You might want to sell the triangular ones to a deserving THR member.

 

[444]

Correct me if I am wrong but isn't it a simple part for part swap after you remove the flash suppressor and the front sight ?

 

[MaxSE PT99]

Hi all!

Thanx for the reply's soo sooon!!!

Little more detail that might make it easier to give recommendations.

It's a pre ban upper......

Flash Hider

Bayo Lug

Triangle hand guards

Thin barrel the whole way

No charging handle

No brass deflector

A1 sights

Also has F RI 1 marked on the sight post above the barrel

So what is it? AR15? AR15A1? I dunno.

I just want to switch the handguards out cause I like the way the A2's look, not particularly fond of A1 Triangle handguards.

Badger Arms, are you sure i can just switch out the handguards, it doesn't look like new ones would fit. Circle A2's will fit in Triangle A1's?

BTW, I'd be willing to sell this upper minus the bolt carrier/ charging handle, so that I could put on an A2 upper stead of this thing!

 

[Badger Arms]

According to patent # 4,536,982:

FIG. 7 is a front end view of the assembled handguard with the outline of a triangular cap 25 superimposed in phantom thereupon. As depicted in FIG. 7, the side wall of the cap 25 extends over alternate lugs such that the other lugs lie beyond the side wall. As shown in FIG. 8, the cap 25 has apertures 84 and 86 through which the barrel 18 and gas tube 22 respectively extend. Because the lugs 52, 54 and 56 have their radially outer surfaces at the same radial distance from the handguard assembly or barrel axis, a circular cap could be equally well accommodated with its side wall engaging the outer surfaces of the lugs. It will be appreciated that the disclosed lug arrangement permits either section of the handguard assembly to be placed in an upper position or in a lower position and still be accepted by a conventional triangular cap.

...which in laymans terms means YES. And I'm QUITE sure.]

 

[444]

I will be the first to admit that I have never tried to put a round handguard on an upper that has triangular handguards, but in looking at my Colt SP1 with triangular handguards, the piece that holds the front of the handguard that is right behind the rear sight tower, is shaped entirely differently than any of the ones on my other AR15s with round handguards. The handguard itself is shaped completely differently. It doesn't seem like it would work but I am willing to take your word for it.

On the rear, it very well might work. I am not going to take the effort to closely examine it right now, it is late, but the rear is round.

 

[Badger Arms]

Here's a better shot from the same patent.

 

[Spieler]

No problem on swapping handguards. When the M16A2 came out in the early '80s the new round style handguards were all the rage and were selling like hot cakes in my neck of the woods. Everyone wanted their AR15 SP1 to have that cool A2 look and bought the new handguards and they fit like a glove. Same thing when I was on active duty in the late '80s and early '90s we still had the M16A1 as issue weapons but many (most?) had the round A2 handguards on them because the triangular A1 style were no longer in the supply chain. My first issue rifle was an M16A1 with A2 handguards, A2 buttstock and round A2 style forward assist. It still put the rounds where I wanted them to go!

 

[telewinz]

I have an SP1 and an H-Bar A2, just switched handguards, no problem. IIRC early A2's came from the Colt factory with the A1 type hanguards for a short period of time, but everybody wanted the round A2 types as mentioned above. Many SP1's were given A2 handguards by their owners, and a set of A1 handguards could be had for $5!. It was the "cool look" factor. IMHO, they never should have gotten away from the M16A1, they have almost gone full circle in now.

 

[BigG]

444: You don't have to remove flash suppressor/front sight or any hardware. You just pull back on the slip ring at the rear of the handguards and work them out one side at a time. Profanity helps. Creative profanity helps more.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Helps even more to have two people do a one person job. One serves to pull that slip ring back and keep it there while the other removes the handguard.

Alternatively, you could buy a whole new assembled bbl assembly (handguard, bayonet lug, flash suppressor) and pop off the old bbl and put on the new one. Then again, you still need to pull that slip ring back to remove the handguards before you can loosen that spanner/barrel nut.

 

[BigG]

I'm not up on the post ban models but the preban 20" Colts had a triangular front mount for the handguards regardless of whether they were triangular or round. The 16" shorty had a round mount, but it always had the round handguards. If you have a triangular front mount on your weapon you can put the round handguards on. The advantage of the round handguards is there is no right and left side, same part. The round ones are stronger, too. The triangles can break if you are diving to avoid enemy fire, etc.

 

[MaxSE PT99]

Hi all!

Thanks for all the answers.....I went to sleep and expected maybe 2 more in the morning, and what do I get? 10 More! Nice!

Decided to go ahead and order some A2 handguards and put them on the upper.....

Badger Arms, thanks for pointing me in the right direction...wasn't sure I could do it, but from what you've posted looks like it'll fit right as rain.

Jon

 

[Redlg155]

As with everyone else, no problems.

Back in 88 when we still had A1s issued to us at Ft Stewart we routinely put A2 handguards on A1 rifles as replacements for broken A1 HGs. Being the armorer, I of course had A2 HGs.

Good Shooting
Red

 

[444]

I just confirmed this for myself, not that I ever doubted you. Last night I had my SP1 sitting here and two AR carbines. I didn't feel like getting up to open my safe and get out my 20" Bushmaster (post ban). Switching handguards between the two 20" rifles is fine. On the two 20" rifles I have, the thing that holds the front of the handguards is the same shape. On the carbines that I was looking at last night, the piece that holds the front end of the handguard is round and would not work (I realize it wouldn't work anyway because of the length). I incorrectly made the assumption that since the piece was round on the carbines, it was round on the rifle. Once again, I leared what happens when you assume.

So, in summary, I was talking out the wrong end, without all the facts. ....... again.

 

[Badger Arms]

I'll forgive you, 444, but we ain't engagin' in no huggin'.

As a rule, shorty guns have round handguards, round keeper. Standard length handguards have triangular keeper. With the new A2 round handguards, you can have EITHER the round or the triangular keeper and it will work. I prefer the triangular keeper as it seems to hold the handguards better and enhances rotational stability.