KevlarSix

Hi, I'm looking for a ventilated handguard for my M1A. Anyone here selling or know where to find one? Thanks, KevlarSix

Different

www.fredsm14stocks.com in the Catalog

Old Sarge

Just so you know, these vented handguards are quite thin and flimsy, that's why the military changed them to non-slotted, and even they were to thin that they broke, but not quite as fast as the vented ones. They had to retool their dies to make them thicker. I have one slotted handguard sitting on my loading bench, I just have it for historical reasons, but feel it's to flimsy to hold up, so rather than wreck it, I just leave it on my bench. If you plan to buy one and shoot the rifle, heat coming off the barrel will cause heatwaves over the barrel affecting your sight picture. I would put one on a safe-queen though for display purposes though.

M14

I was thinking of this last night. I think SA, Inc also has them for soemthing like $29, but I am not sure if the are GI or commercial made - if commercially made, maybe they would be thicker and more sturdy??

g5

The Fulton Armory made are nonvented but thicker. I suppose you could drill or dremel one. They are very nice handguards.

Oryguner

KevlarSix,
I like the looks of the vented handguards and have them on a couple of my rifles. Since I am not "at war" with anyone and don't rough handle and fire multiple successive mags through the barrel the issues of their weaker construction and heat waves are of no consequence. The one I have on an all GI Armscorp has the added advantage of showing off the markings on the Winchester barrel very nicely. If you like the looks, get one. Fear not, they are not so fragile that they will blow off in the wind.
As Different stated, Fred's is probably your best bet to find one.

tsmgguy

I can't imagine an original ventilated handguard breaking unless the rifle is subjected to some really serious abuse. They work well for their intended purpose. The later guards offer no ventilation whatever. The first time I fired my rifle with its walnut stock and non ventilated GI handguard, the stock smoked and charred. I thought it was going to catch fire! It does not do this with the ventilated guard. Granted, I was just doing some informal shooting and probably exceeded the rate of fire mentioned in the manuals.

g5

I haven't been able to get a telephone answered at Fred's for the past two weeks.

Karsten

I have 2 left that just need to be cleaned up and repainted Dark Brown or Black, PM me if you can get ahold of Fred's.

Karsten