Handguard for precision Crypto build

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rugbydave

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Been out of the AR15 world since, hmm, 2020? Wondering what the go to 15" handguards are these days for a precision build? I've always been partial to the MI Combat handguard as a good balance of quality/weight/cost but I never tested it for poi shift when going from shooting prone with a bipod to bagged up at the magwell/tripod. So what's the next best thing to a monolithic uper?

As much as I like the look of the PRI Mk12 handguards, I'd rather stick to something with a full length pic rail at 12:00 and mlok for the sake of modularity (be able to add arca rail for tripod, pic rail for bipod, etc.
 
CobraGT said:
The problem (as was the problem with the ATRS receiver sets) is that the indexing tabs on some handguards may NOT fit the Crypto upper properly. Some (or a lot of) fitting may be required.
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Recently had somewhat of an experience with an AR hand guard purchased thru Saskatoon Gun Works. Darren went above and beyond for this and I owe it to him for all to know. Anyway bought the Aero Atlas S-one hand guard as a part of an order we had built up over the phone. Got the order the NEXT day and out of pure excitement I called him to thank him for the excellent service. He almost immediatly asked for me to pull the hand guard out, spin on the barrel nut and see it the hand guard would line up. Of course the Crypto being built the way it is and its two retaining pins + block up front, its slightly wider upper and the base of the top pic rail it was unable to fit. Darren had two options he sent my way instantly. Money back or send him my upper and free of charge he would put the work in to make it fit and if not still refund the money spent. Took me a couple minutes to decide as I love to tinkering with my projects, however I took the chance to trust him in being as meticulous as I would be in making this fit perfect. Darren nailed it!! Atlas fits my crypto as if it was designed for it. Buying that hand guard "blind" / not seeing in person was a risk on its own, however the design caught my eye.

I don't know what style of hand guard you're after. I am not a precision shooter, tho I would assume you're probably not after the lightest unit you can get on there

The price of this unit, it comes with its own barrel nut tool and the weight and shape all caught my eye. I ended up buying 2, and the other will have to be my project. Darren invested a lot of time into making this fit, he did a hell of a job and I love this hand guard!

https://www.saskatoongunworks.com/atlas-s-one-handguard-m-lok-aero-precision.html

Saskatoon Gun Works also has this unit which I'm pretty sure we came to agreement would not need to be modified. However the profile of it is "huge" in my eyes. This unit you also would need to purchase a seperate barrel nut and whatever tool needed.

https://www.saskatoongunworks.com/ar15-quantum-m-lok-handguards-aero-precision.html

Lastly. I will say I have had good luck with the TNA / Dino defence and GP Seller 416 dealer (or something like that) and the Chinese MLOK unit they sell. Have it in 15" and 17" and they come with there own barrel nut and are pretty sturdy along with being cheap around $160.

https://truenortharms.com/ar15_default_store_view/super-m-lok-handguard-easy-install.html
 
CobraGT said:
The problem (as was the problem with the ATRS receiver sets) is that the indexing tabs on some handguards may NOT fit the Crypto upper properly. Some (or a lot of) fitting may be required.
Click to expand...
Hadn't thought of that, actually. Might be a good idea to compile a list of which handguards fit with no fitting, and how much fitting others require. I was leaning towards a Geiselle Mk16 but I'm not super pumped on the idea of butchering a $450 rail... Now that I compare the Mk16 rail to the front profile of the Crypto, I don't think the anti rotation tabs would fit so I think you just saved me some cash, haha.
 
Tvw said:
Recently had somewhat of an experience with an AR hand guard purchased thru Saskatoon Gun Works. Darren went above and beyond for this and I owe it to him for all to know. Anyway bought the Aero Atlas S-one hand guard as a part of an order we had built up over the phone. Got the order the NEXT day and out of pure excitement I called him to thank him for the excellent service. He almost immediatly asked for me to pull the hand guard out, spin on the barrel nut and see it the hand guard would line up. Of course the Crypto being built the way it is and its two retaining pins + block up front, its slightly wider upper and the base of the top pic rail it was unable to fit. Darren had two options he sent my way instantly. Money back or send him my upper and free of charge he would put the work in to make it fit and if not still refund the money spent. Took me a couple minutes to decide as I love to tinkering with my projects, however I took the chance to trust him in being as meticulous as I would be in making this fit perfect. Darren nailed it!! Atlas fits my crypto as if it was designed for it. Buying that hand guard "blind" / not seeing in person was a risk on its own, however the design caught my eye.

I don't know what style of hand guard you're after. I am not a precision shooter, tho I would assume you're probably not after the lightest unit you can get on there

The price of this unit, it comes with its own barrel nut tool and the weight and shape all caught my eye. I ended up buying 2, and the other will have to be my project. Darren invested a lot of time into making this fit, he did a hell of a job and I love this hand guard!

https://www.saskatoongunworks.com/atlas-s-one-handguard-m-lok-aero-precision.html

Saskatoon Gun Works also has this unit which I'm pretty sure we came to agreement would not need to be modified. However the profile of it is "huge" in my eyes. This unit you also would need to purchase a seperate barrel nut and whatever tool needed.

https://www.saskatoongunworks.com/ar15-quantum-m-lok-handguards-aero-precision.html

Lastly. I will say I have had good luck with the TNA / Dino defence and GP Seller 416 dealer (or something like that) and the Chinese MLOK unit they sell. Have it in 15" and 17" and they come with there own barrel nut and are pretty sturdy along with being cheap around $160.

https://truenortharms.com/ar15_default_store_view/super-m-lok-handguard-easy-install.html
Click to expand...
Thanks for that, I might just reach out to Saskatoon Gun Works and a few other places that carry Cryptos and handguards (RDSC) and see if they can say what will and won't fit.

For a precision AR what I'm looking for is a very rigid rail generally with a longer barrel nut or a mounting system that mitigates the common poi shift you get with lotsa handguards when going from prone with a bipod to shooting off bags or from a tripod.
 
Looking at different handguards and comparing them to the Crypto it would seem that anti rotation tabs on the bottom of teh handguard would be an issue but up top (like an MI Combat Rail) should be ok.
 
What I'm really wanting now is a Cross Machine & Tool Arca Rail, I asked RDSC if they can bring them in since they carry CMT and if they'd fit with a SA agb.
 
I have a WOA TR coming in with #####h Armory. For now I'm using my old TNA handguard, it's actually quite good for precision because is the long steel barrel nut.
 
rugbydave said:
What I'm really wanting now is a Cross Machine & Tool Arca Rail, I asked RDSC if they can bring them in since they carry CMT and if they'd fit with a SA agb.
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Keep us posted if the Arca rail works with the crypto! I love CMT rails and would put one on a crypto too!
 
rugbydave said:
Thanks for that, I might just reach out to Saskatoon Gun Works and a few other places that carry Cryptos and handguards (RDSC) and see if they can say what will and won't fit.

For a precision AR what I'm looking for is a very rigid rail generally with a longer barrel nut or a mounting system that mitigates the common poi shift you get with lotsa handguards when going from prone with a bipod to shooting off bags or from a tripod.
Click to expand...
I have just tested this today as a matter of fact. This was with my TNA SO1 handguard, comparing POI between shooting off bipod mounted at the front of the handguard to resting with front bag at the rearmost part of the handguard. Unfortunately didn't take a photo of the bag setup. 2 seperate 5 shot groups and 100 meters.

With bipod:
20241106_120325.jpg

Groups:
image_cropper_1730921023654.jpg

Left was bipod at front, right was bags at rear. There was 0.64 moa of vertical POI shift or just under 0.2 mil.

I don't think it's possible to completely mitigate this shift without a monolithic receiver. But using a long steel barrel nut and a rigid handguard you can minimize it. 0.2 mil of vertical shift is already quite decent and hopefully with the WOA handguard it can be improved.
 
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Thanks for doing that! 0.2 mils is very decent for a non-monolithic upper. I'd just zero 0.1 high with a bipod and call it good.

Nice groups, what barrel is that?
 
rugbydave said:
Thanks for doing that! 0.2 mils is very decent for a non-monolithic upper. I'd just zero 0.1 high with a bipod and call it good.

Nice groups, what barrel is that?
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I don't load my bipd very hard. I would say I apply light to medium pressure on the bipod and don't totally lean into it the way some people do. Entirely possible that if you load it hard like that more shift could be induced.

The barrel is a Criterion Hybrid Profile 20"
 
Frank2368 said:
I don't load my bipd very hard. I would say I apply light to medium pressure on the bipod and don't totally lean into it the way some people do. Entirely possible that if you load it hard like that more shift could be induced.

The barrel is a Criterion Hybrid Profile 20"
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There's really no good reason to really load into a bipod, you just can't be very consistent when doing so. I'm always mystified when people advocate doing that...
 
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