Stupid Noob Question

[SpicyMcHaggis]

I'm buying my first AR from a buddy. It has a free float hand guard on it. Are free floats interchangeable? Like can I just unscrew one and screw the new one on from another company, or do I have to change the nuts also?

[GOST]

Some rails are interchangable as long as they use a mil-spec barrel nut. A lot of your higher end rails use proprietary barrel nuts. In this case you would have to remove the muzzle device, gas block and then nut to put the propietary nut on for the rail. This is not that hard to do. Rails like the Fortis, Rainier Arms/Samson Evo and Centurion C4 use a mil-spec nut. What rail is on your buddy's rifle? If you know then I'm sure lots here will recommend rails that may be compatiable.

[SpicyMcHaggis]

I didn't really look at it. It had magpul butt stock and grip so I just assumed the hand guard was magpul too. But I can't find anything by magpul that looks like it.

[SpicyMcHaggis]

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd127/BoydsOfSummer/20140124_190515.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/BoydsOfSummer/media/20140124_190515.jpg.html)

Here it is.

[SpicyMcHaggis]

Put a picture up. Looks like a mod has to okay it first though.

[GOST]

Is there a particular rail that you are wanting to run?

[SpicyMcHaggis]

Yankee Hill Diamond. Pic is up now....take a look.

[SpicyMcHaggis]

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd127/BoydsOfSummer/20140124_190515.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/BoydsOfSummer/media/20140124_190515.jpg.html)

Here it is.

[UWone77]

Any particular reason you want to run the Yankee Hill Handguard? Lots of great options out there. The question is, what do you want to get out of your handguard? What do you want to accomplish your current one isn't doing for you?

[SpicyMcHaggis]

Love the way the YH looks. I want a quad rail so I can put BUIS on it, maybe a light.

[UWone77]

Love the way the YH looks. I want a quad rail so I can put BUIS on it, maybe a light.

I think it was answered earlier. Most aftermarket rails and handguards use their own proprietary barrel nut. The barrel nut is how the handguard attaches to the upper. As long as you have an upper without a pin and welded flash hider, as found in most 14.5" guns, you'll have to remove the gas block and flash hider. Remove the barrel nut and attach the new one on per instructions.

Check out the "How to Section" on the forum and you can see various other handguards being installed to give you an idea of how that works.

Some handguards use the standard barrel nut such as:

Fortis REV
Ergo EZ Float
Centurion Arms C4
Rainier Arms/Samson Evolution.

[GOST]

I personally think a 14" Fortis Rev would look good on your rifle.

[SpicyMcHaggis]

I personally think a 14" Fortis Rev would look good on your rifle.

Those are nice. I'd prefer to stay closer to 100 than 200 if at all possible. If I decide to go that high, I'm going with Diamonhead vrs-t, those are sweet.

[KevinBLC]

You should look at Parallax Tactical Rails... I just got a blem for $150.

[WARRIOR84]

I really like the 15" Troy VTAC alpha I had but somehow I ended up with a 14" REV. I think it's about 4-5 oz lighter than the Troy.

[Slapstick223]

May I suggest a Midwest industries. They are a good mid price range hand guards. They do use their own barrel nuts. But there pretty nice. I have one on my 2vets sopmod.