Do those rail'd foreends get hot?

[Dennis in MA]

Curious more htan anything. I'm looking at YHM's foreends. Looking for L-I-G-H-T as possible. So I'm thinkin the more-cut-out one. Then I think, "Gee. I wonder how much heat will dissipate into that big piece of aluminuminum."

So, how bad is it? I recall my 20" upper with free-float heavier-than-heck aluminum round floattube getting relatively warm. I don't think I've ever felt the plastic/heatshielded ones getting warm at all, but that could be due to the plastic.

Looking for real-world experience, esp. with people who have YHM (any model) or BMAS free-float jobbies.

And yes, I know AR15.com exists. And I can ask the same quession over there. But I'm looking for info from nuts I know, not nuts I don't know. ;)

Thanks, boiz!

[Dobber]

I have the Midwest Industries forearm on my Bushmaster. I had ladder covers on it and switched to a TD VFG. The heat is no longer an issue with the VFG.

[brett.bailey]

ALMOST 2000 rounds in 2 hours. KAC RAS with KAC covers and TD VFG, hand gaurd was still easly held with bare hands.


MULTIPLE back to back mags 'bump-fired' and still easy to hold, no noticable heat to the bare hand. From what I've seen these handguards help out ALOT vs. stock handguards when rapid firing/etc.

[Ramennoodlesoup]

I too have the MI two piece forearm on my Rock River. It cools down much faster than the stock handguards as theirs plenty more ventilation.

[RMTactical]

Originally posted by Ramennoodlesoup
It cools down much faster than the stock handguards as theirs plenty more ventilation.

+1

[DJ Niner]

I have the carbine-length YHM with the normal-sized cutouts on my Bushy Modular Carbine. I tried to get this pretty hot when I first bought it, wanting to make sure it would run when toasty. I popped 6 30-shot mags as fast as I could trigger the rounds and reload; still cool enough to hold barehanded when done.

I've also considered getting the more ventilated one for a lightweight build, but I'm concerned about overall strength with so much metal removed. I realize it will not be as strong/stiff as the stock item, but I don't want a springy, easily bent FF tube, either. Kinda defeats the purpose. :)

[Michigun]

Originally posted by Dennis in MA
I'm looking at YHM's foreends. Looking for L-I-G-H-T as possible.

If you're looking for as light as possible then you should be looking at Daniel Defense free-float tubes instead. ^c

[9x45]

Looks to me like the YHM is a replacement handguard, not a free float. I use the 3 piece PRI carbon fiber guard. The most rounds on a stage that I have shot is about 65 and it gets a little warm, but you can still handle it.

[Dennis in MA]

Assume my B-day was yesterday. Someone buy me a Daniel Defense carbine-length rail. ;) (Those suckers are expensive!)

YHM makes both cover-only and free-float one-piece models. I'm lookin at the once-piece ones.