Homemade hand guard heat shield

[denden 16]

I plan on using a modified stock hand guard. Would fitting a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil inside the hand guard reflect barrel heat up toward the new vents I will be putting into the unit? There's no moving parts to worry about jamming and it certainly wouldn't cost much. Just wondering if anyone has any first hand experience with this. If I reuse the foil from my next beef brisket, it may even provide a certain enjoyable fragrance when the barrel heats up at the range.

Edited April 1, 2010 by denden

[elvis christ 451]

I use aluminum foil on my AK pistol, which had a loose fitting handguard. I put it around the barrel, like a gasket, and press the handguard up onto it. I can't attribute anything to the heat reflective properties of the foil, but it holds the handguard in place nice and tight.

[Rhodes1968 1,638]

YEah you ill get some reflection from that but if you check with a good hardware store they make a thin sheet that will fit with alum on one side and an insulator on the other. Its what i used but it doesn't go all the way to the end of guard.

[denden 16]

if you check with a good hardware store they make a thin sheet that will fit with alum on one side and an insulator on the other. Its what i used but it doesn't go all the way to the end of guard.

Can you share a little more information about this product (e.g., name, its normal function, approximate size, etc.)? Thanks for suggestion. As soon as I know what to call it, I'm heading off to the hardware store.

[Klassy Kalashnikov 1,393]

Get a good pair of gloves. Mechanix brand 19.99 now it don't matter if your barrel is hot enough to single the carpeting on the rifle rest at the range. Never seen a heat shield that works better than good gloves. Notice all special police units, military units, competition shooters, etc. all wear gloves.

Edited April 2, 2010 by Klassy Kalashnikov

[sailor 6]

Klassy - good point, but I am trying (soon as I can get to the range) the 2500 degree welders soft cloth from Home Depot (I think - looked at too many stores). I just cut a piece to fit into the bottom of the HG, and about 2/3 way up the barrel. With 5 oblong vents in the HG, it is about all I hope to need to keep the HG reasonable to bare hands. At least the bottom of the HG shouldn't heat up. We shall see.

[shades_of_grey 1,092]

It's not something you could easily make yourself, but I find the steel heat-shield that came with my K-Var poly handguards to be very effective.

Edited April 2, 2010 by post-apocalyptic

[denden 16]

Just had a thought. I'm going to get one of those frozen food bags that they stick ice cream in when you check out of the grocery store. It's insulated and fairly thin. This may give me just enough insulation to make my head think its making a difference, regardless of what my hands tell me.

[CPE1704TKS 24]

Just a thought, but pop-top beverage containers might provide the raw material. Some salvage thinsulate might also be of use.

[Hemlock 1]

Kvar sells a loose heat shield for around $5.00.

[shades_of_grey 1,092]

Kvar sells a loose heat shield for around $5.00.

 

^ Buy this.

 

/thread

[Spikester 93]

There is something called moto-tile that is made for dirtbikes to keep the pipes from melting the plastic parts, it sticks on and looks like thick aluminum tape.

[denden 16]

What I found at Lowes and used on my hand guard is something called Frost King Pipe Wrap Insulation Tape. It's a self-adhesive foam backed aluminum tape. It has an R value of 2.0. That's not a great amount, but it is thin enough to fit between the barrel and the hand guard. It comes in a 15 ft roll, so I have about 14 ft. left. The range that is closest to me does not allow rapid fire (two seconds between shots) but after 30 consecutive rounds I did not feel any appreciable heat coming from the hand guard and I was not wearing gloves. So for me, this is the answer.