Barrel shroud
A barrel shroud is an external covering that envelops (either partially or full-length) the
In shotguns, a thin, slim partial shroud known as a rib is often mounted above barrel to shield away the mirage generated by barrel heat, which can interfere with aiming.
Full-length barrel shrouds are commonly featured on air-cooled
Barrel shrouds are also used on
Handguard
A handguard (also known as the forend or and a variety of other attachments.
Handguards are typically available as two types. The first has a contact point at the base of the barrel and a predetermined length up the barrel. They are typically made of polymer if they are this brand but can be made of different types of alloys. If they have the two contact points they are considered to be a drop in handguard.
The other type attaches around the barrel but does not make contact with it directly. That particular type of handguard is, the majority of the time, made out of some form of aluminum or aluminum alloy. That allows for what is considered a free-floating barrel. Free floating barrels are known to have greater accuracy than their counterparts that have drop in hand guards. They also use a number of mounting systems with the main ones being
When talking about
Free-floating Handguard
Free-floating handguards, also referred to as "floating" handguards, have seen a rise in popularity in the recent years. They work by only attaching to the firearm at one point (on the barrel nut by the
Free-floating handguards have been known to increase accuracy between 0.5 and 0.75
Barrel warping occurs when the handguard makes contact with the barrel which then slightly alters the barrel's angle reducing accuracy. An instance where this would occur would be when a rifle is propped up against a surface during or when a bipod is used. Force exerted onto the handguard pushes back up against the barrel which in turn changes the barrel's angle reducing accuracy. The angle may seem insignificant, however, even a slight deviation can be magnified causing the shot to be widely off down range.
Free float handguards do not suffer from barrel warping due to the fact that the handguard floats around but does not make contact with the barrel. Force exerted onto the handguard is not pushed back onto the barrel which allows for an increase in accuracy.
See also
- M-LOK - free licensed competing standard to KeyMod
- KeyMod - open sourced competing standard to M-Lok
- Muzzle shroud
- Forearm
- Thermal sleeve