Not entirely practical.
This kit is designed to give you a free-floated barrel for greater accuracy, while meeting the outward appearance requirements for a certain type of competition. It achieves those narrow goals, but does not produce a very practical rifle for general use. It is machined or made well enough for what it is, but is very heavy... it totally alters the balance of the rifle. It also requires handguards significantly modified by cutting away features that would normally help hold them in position, making the handguards much less sturdy in field use. So it might seem like it would give you that improved accuracy while preserving the ruggedness and lightweight handling advantages of a stock military-style rifle, but in reality it does not work out that way.
More needs to be said about the weight of this.
This kit seems high quality enough, but it is quite heavy. I guess I should have paid more attention to the weight in the specifications, but there is nothing like holding it in your own hands. Apparently the DCM rules that this meets are only about looks, and not weight?
I have a few AR's without floating barrels, but wanted to explore greater accuracy potential with two more builds: one with a free-floated heavy barrel and some radical bipod setup, and one that would be more of a "field rifle" with relatively lightweight free-floating barrel and conventional-looking handguards. This kit was supposed to be my ticket to conventional handguards, but the steel tube inside of it is very thick-walled and kills the whole idea of a conventional, lightweight field rifle, in my opinion.
Well, I'm an Army veteran from the M16A1 era. To me, THAT weapon is how an AR should balance and carry, if it is going to be carried around and/or fired offhand or kneeling. Heavy barreled versions are OK for shooting if they have a permanently-attached bipod, but for general carry and use they feel like the tail wagging the dog.
I'm now debating if I should return this item, because to be honest I can't see myself using it. It just defeats the purpose that I bought it for. Maybe one of those ugly, cold aluminum tubes is the best compromise for me?
