"A Somewhat Modular Rail" handguard for VFC HK416A5 GBBR V3 (I think?), inspired by the Geissele SMR rail. I don't know about compatibility with other 416 variants, feel free to let me know if compatible with other variants & I'll add them here.
The important word here is "inspired" - both personal preference & different manufacturing techniques/materials lead to some significant differences:
- Instead of normal thread inserts this design uses M4 hexnuts inserted from the inside. I am unsure what screws are being used by the original but decided on M4 for this design. 41mm center hole distance was maintained.
- Press-fitting (insert nut, tighten useing a screw, remove screw) may be sufficient. To avoid losing unused nuts through repeated shocks consider adding a dab of adhesive during insertion. Alternatively only insert nuts intended to be used.
- This mounting method require some additional space, leading to an extended bottom section & limited mounting options on the receiver end due to internal space being required by the barrel nut.
- No QD mounts are included in the design. Instead a fixed section of picatinny rail was included on the receiver-end of the handguard to mount e.g. a swivel mount. The location should provide maximum stability/durability through the proximity to the barrel nut but no real tests have been conducted.
- 41mm center hole spacing is fundamentally incompatible with proper M-LOK so I decided to do best-effort-only for M-LOK specs. 90°, 180°, and 270° slots are 25mm @ 41mm period (out of spec), canted slots are full 32mm @ 40mm period (to spec). Hexnut retainers may slightly limit the useable length of the M-LOK slots further.
- Standard M-LOK T-nuts should fit, this was however only tested with 3d-printed equivalents.
- Length was extended because I liked the look more.
Adapted from porysmail's M-LOK handguard: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5418296 . See also https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7007822 as a pure M-LOK handguard for details on the adaption to the replica. Potential issues inherited from the M-LOK variant also apply here (esp. loss of zero, thin walls leading to potential damage on impact or repeated shocks).
I printed the prototype in various PLAs/PLA+s &the product version in PCTG but I am not quite happy with the look & feel, even after painting.
malte_nyanbinary
