Looking to learn about free float ARF tubes.

[stilly]

So the part that these things screw onto is actually the upper receiver of the ARF.

I am wondering how hard it would be to make an adapter that would be attached to the frame permanently and allow about any free float or delta ring installation to be used.

I guess I need to get some minimum diameters of what I need.

[Junkie]

Are you talking about mounting the tube directly to the receiver instead of to a barrel nut? I don't quite understand what you're looking to do. The Aero Precision M4E1 mounts the rail directly to the (custom) upper.

[Merc1138]

Umm, the barrel nut is usually the adapter for the forend. There isn't really anything on an AR receiver to mount a forend to other than that, unless you go with a proprietary upper and forend like the aero precision or something else that has a mounting system built into it.

I'm not sure what you'd gain either, as any adapter you could make(assuming it were possible) would then need a proprietary handguard to go with it made to fit the adapter. If that's the case, then you might as well just use the barrel nut or whatever that comes with your forend.

There are systems that mount with a delta ring in place(daniel defense makes some), but then you're limited to what you can do with it(dimensions) and you've got parts left sitting on your rifle that are basically useless(delta ring and handguard endcap). Then for the cost of a DD omega rail, you can buy an ALG freefloat tube of any length you want and pay for a gunsmith to put it on if necessary.

If you wanted to make an adapter that mounted to the receiver with the delta ring in place, then you've got to make whatever it is you're doing work around the delta ring, just adding to the overall bulk of the rifle for no reason.

[stilly]

Umm, the barrel nut is usually the adapter for the forend. There isn't really anything on an AR receiver to mount a forend to other than that, unless you go with a proprietary upper and forend like the aero precision or something else that has a mounting system built into it.

I'm not sure what you'd gain either, as any adapter you could make(assuming it were possible) would then need a proprietary handguard to go with it made to fit the adapter. If that's the case, then you might as well just use the barrel nut or whatever that comes with your forend.

There are systems that mount with a delta ring in place(daniel defense makes some), but then you're limited to what you can do with it(dimensions) and you've got parts left sitting on your rifle that are basically useless(delta ring and handguard endcap). Then for the cost of a DD omega rail, you can buy an ALG freefloat tube of any length you want and pay for a gunsmith to put it on if necessary.

If you wanted to make an adapter that mounted to the receiver with the delta ring in place, then you've got to make whatever it is you're doing work around the delta ring, just adding to the overall bulk of the rifle for no reason.

Here is my project that I am working on. It is just a simple forend replacement.

[Merc1138]

Ok, now I'm totally confused. I thought you were wanting to make a custom mount for a handguard on an AR. You're trying to mount it to a lever gun?

[hermosabeach]

Cool looking movie prop


Can you
Remove the at tube
Thread the barrel
Screw the barrel nut onto the threaded barrel
Reinstall the mag tube?

Threads would be hidden under the free float tube?

[stand125]

The rifleman would be jealous

[stilly]

Ok, now I'm totally confused. I thought you were wanting to make a custom mount for a handguard on an AR. You're trying to mount it to a lever gun?

I initially wanted just a red dot on this thing because I wanted to have fun.

Then I saw the Mossberg 464 SPX and I tried to obtain a forend from them but they told me it was a restricted item and I could not buy one. (*******s)

SO I decided to start looking at the quad rail setups to attach to it or rail setups and I kept coming back to the ar hand guards. Then I thought about how hard it would be to make an adapter and I found someone else here that might be able to help me, but I am waiting to hear back from them.

I wanted a red dot and one of those cool bi pods that has one leg attach to each side rail, plus MAYBE an angled foregrip or green laser (expensive one, nothing cheap).

But I was looking at the hand guards and adapters and trying to see how each one attaches and then I watched a few u-tube videos. The barrel and mag are about 1.552" tall at the receiver so I need a ring to slide over those that I can weld or somehow attach to the receiver. I saw the free float stuff and thought I could just hide everything inside one of those and put a plug or two (modified) inside the tube for stability. since the pistol is 11.25" from receiver to muzzle, a 12" free float AR hand guard would cover it completely, I HAD thought about putting on a fire pig, but the barrel is not long enough, I would be better off doing that to a rifle instead. So now I will have a fully shrouded barrel/magazine and the means to put a red dot sight towards the front or middle or back if I so choose plus the bipod plus the green laser (if I do not like the red dot) plus whatever else I want to, flashlight, bayonet, pop-up sights, camera, whatever...

So, after watching a video or two on attaching the free float tubes, I have come to realize that I just need to find my keymod or free float or delta ring based attachment and weld it to the receiver so that I can change things out as I please, but there might also be an additional small piece or two to keep things straight and lined up that I need as well. The barrel is tapered. It may be 1.552" tall at the receiver, but it is only 1.344" tall at the muzzle. Whatever I put on it I want to be rugged and bullet proof.

I am just doing my research for the ARF hand guards so I can find one with ample space that I can adapt over. The ALG might be too tight of a fit, but it looks like there are others that are bigger. Midwest industries has an ID of 1.75" which is .2 larger than the barrel/mag at the thickest point. Nordic has a similar sized item and so does YHM now that I am looking.

Cool looking movie prop


Can you
Remove the at tube
Thread the barrel
Screw the barrel nut onto the threaded barrel
Reinstall the mag tube?

Threads would be hidden under the free float tube?

Can't. The barrel bands are crucial to stay on right now I believe. If I were to thread the barrel it would have to get pinned and welded since this is a pistol.
I HAD thought of doing that. I DO like the look of the Fire PIG so I thought that I could possibly find a way to attach a fire pig to a hand guard and ground it out so that it slips over the edge of the barrel enough (1/4") to be somewhat effective or I just have it cut out so that I have a custom plug at the end of it that sticks out but has the mag tube and barrel in it. It would still accomplish what I want, but maybe I would go for a 14" or 15" length of handguard for that or just have a large enough piece that sticks out enough to hide them both very well.

The magazine is too close to the barrel PLUS the barrel has a flattened bottom so there can be no easy way to thread anything in that spot. This is why I am going to just have a barrel nut type (custom fabricated) welded in place so that I can attach most of the free float hand guards out there.

I guess what I want to do is turn the entire barrel into a suppressor except there will be no supressing. Everything will fit inside of a free float tube and I will have a plug near the muzzle that keeps things centered hopefully.

Hell. I might even put a Mossberg Chainsaw handle on it just for ****s and giggles. It IS a .44 mag...

I shot this today. DAMn was it fun, but it needs a way of holding it for better stability in the front, which leads to my next thread...