Motorcycle exhaust wrap on the gas tube?

[AnthonyDuclare 0]

I like the OEM handguard on the Saiga rifles, which is one of the reasons why I converted a .223 instead of buying an SLR-106 series rifle; I saw no reason to pay for mods that I didn't want. Some heat shielding on the gas tube would be nice, though. A promising idea seems to be motorcycle exhaust wrap (description here).

 

Anyone have any experience with this stuff? Would insulating the gas tube like that cause the rifle to overheat? If so, maybe I could just insulate the little segment of the tube that my thumb would ride against in a "thumb break" style grip?

Edited August 20, 2010 by Anthony_DuClare

[BobAsh 582]

I've used it on exhaust pipes. It rusts them out.

 

It would definetly work for a little while...but eventually it will become nearly as hot as the barrel.

[rjrivero 50]

I've used it on exhaust pipes. It rusts them out.

 

It would definetly work for a little while...but eventually it will become nearly as hot as the barrel.

 

They are notorious for trapping moisture rusting exhausts. They do nothing for dissipating heat either. Heat shields work better by allowing the gas tube to heat, and to allow heat to dissipate. Wraps trap heat and don't allow heat dissipation.

[AnthonyDuclare 0]

Good to know. Thanks, guys.

 

I think I'll just install a new gas tube and traditional AK upper handguard, and trim that or the OEM lower as needed. Looking back at the numbers, the upper half isn't the expensive part of doing a handguard conversion, anyway.

Edited August 24, 2010 by Anthony_DuClare

[dsmtsi23 18]

Check out mcnett camo form wrap..

[The Sarge 34]

LOL...we have been using exhaust wrap to accomplish two things around here for years...

1) Super heat the exhaust to maximize scavenging/flow

2) Reduce under hood temps

 

It always tickles me about the rusting headers caused by wrap statements on this interweb thing....sure if your talking a stone cold exhaust system wrapped...and you soak it down...yes the water will be trapped against metal.....but the reason this is total BS is a couple of things.

Stainless steel. Heard of that? Seems most (if not all) exhaust systems are made with stainless about the past 25 years.

More importantly....your running a exhaust system at op temp and your splashing around I gurandamntee you the water is instantly turned into vapor and is gone.Dry as a bone in 1.2 nanoseconds.