Who makes a vented, mid-length free float tube?

[civilsnake]

I don't really need rails but want the accuracy bonus of a free floating barrel. There's also the issue of cost. I've seen basic free float tubes in the right length, but I question their ability to dissipate heat compared to normal, vented handguards.

Can anyone point me in a direction?

Does the venting even matter?

[aplinker]

The VTAC customizable is probably your best option. It would allow you to add rails in the future, if you needed them, too.

YHM might be a little cheaper, but not by much.

They're all gonna heat up if you shoot them a lot.

[Solidsnake87]

Check out, JP, VTAC, DPMS, or Bushmaster (the busy happens to be my favorite). All are nice tubes.

[Ten Rounder]

2+

VTAC, I have two of them, made by JP Rifles

[Rust]

I have one off a sabre upper that I think was made by YHM from looking at the pictures. It doesn't have a huge amount of venting, but it would provide a little airflow. I'm not using it, if you're interested send me a PM.

[Mississippi]

The VTAC customizable is probably your best option. It would allow you to add rails in the future, if you needed them, too.

YHM might be a little cheaper, but not by much.

They're all gonna heat up if you shoot them a lot.

+100000 Vtac is cool and I have a mid-length YHM on one of my ARs.

The lightweight YHM has plenty of hole for venting heat.

[civilsnake]

Thanks, all! Once I had a couple names I was able to search the forum and get lots of good stuff.

[mltrading]

JP/Vtac is the best bet. It's only $150 a set.

[Flat Broke]

FWIW, I took a DPMS rifle length one, cut it down to fit a midlength gas setup, and then milled vents into it. As per Randall's suggestion, I used a set screw into one of the 20 gas tube holes (the one 180 degrees off from the gas tube) to secure the tube to the barrel nut. It's really solid feeling, though after seeing it on the upper I'm not sure it was the look I was going for. I haven't pinned the gas block/sight post back in yet, because I need to decide if I'm keeping it. Either way, it will have to come off again because I'll need to send it out for stripping and ano if I keep it.

For a midlength gas with a factory gas block/sight combo, I'd look into custom or JP. If I recall, the YHM smooth one with the rail on top in midlength was adversised at a length that was a touch too long for my CMMG midlength setup. I'd check into that dimension or ask Randall as I'm sure he's done a few. Though if you're doing a bull barrel without sight post, just go with any of the riffle length vented ones. The rifle length DPMS tube like the one I cut up, but with vents runs around $80 at most places.



Chris

[BlackRifle313]

+1 on VTAC