Midwest Industries HG and Ultimak Gas Tube

[Krom 36]

For those who have the midwest HG, based on your experience can a midwest HG be made to work with a ultimak gas tube?

 

Basically I'm looking for a handguard option that works with the ultimak gas tube that is durable, resists/withstands heat, and is not too expensive ($120 is about the max I'm willing to spend).

 

Right now this is what I'm thinking hand guard option wise.

 

-Tapco galil style HG with heat shielding installed (I have one on a different rifle w/ an ultimak gas tube and I need to test it to see how it holds up to heat since there is no metal structural support build in the HG)

 

-Tapco interfuse saiga HG, I think these would fail very quickly due to heat so I will not consider this option (I don't think that there is metal in the front portion of the HG where it tabs onto the barrel)

 

-K-var stainless lined HG with Dinzag's HG retainer, this is a good option just it's pretty expensive and it offers no rails

 

So I would like any suggestions or feed back about the midwest HG or other options to use with the ultimak gas tube.

[cynical 8]

The MI handguard already has a rail on the top, why would you want to put an Ultimak under that?

 

I guess you could remove the top of the handguard and use the Ultimak INSTEAD of the top rail, but that seems like added expense for not much gain (an Ultimak would keep an optic mounted lower). If you don't mind the added height, putting an optic on top of an MI handguard rail would keep the sight cooler. I don't know if the MI setup requires the top section to stay mounted or not.

 

I don't think any Galil-style handguard will fit with an Ultimak without some serious modifications to cut the top down lower.

 

I've had good experience with the CAA lower handguard on my Bulgarian AK. I had to grind a bit off the top edge to get it to fit with the Ultimak, but a lot less than a Galil handguard would require. It doesn't have a heat shield, but I haven't had any problems so far (and I don't do mag dumps). It's only about $45, but is not US made.

[Krom 36]

I already have an ultimak gas tube for the rifle (saiga 5.45x39, but I have not fired any rounds through the new ultimak gas tube) and I've modified the stock HG to work with it for now and I'm looking for other options.

 

On my 7.62x39 I have a tapco galil HG and yes I had to cut a good bit of material off to accommodate the ultimak gas tube but it turned out pretty good (better than the stock HG for sure).

 

Maybe I should just sell my utlimak gas tube (especially since it has never been used only mounted) and just buy a midwest HG..

 

Will the CAA HG fit a regular saiga? Cause I think that if I have to add a HG retainer it makes it pretty cost prohibitive.