The Magpul MOE AR Hand Guard

Magpul have built a solid reputation creating affordable yet innovative and rugged firearms accessories, often using fiber-reinforced polymer technology. They have focused on the AR market and have come to dominate the economy end of that market with solid, value for money products that have won a great following with the nation’s military, law enforcement and sports shooters.

Magpul’s baseline range is the MOE or Magpul Original Equipment series of AR accessories. The MOE hand guard addresses the requirement to mount accessories on ARs of various lengths without tolerating the substantial additional weight and ergonomic drawbacks of a quad rail system. Not everyone wants to cover their entire fore-end with accessories and this fore end is very attractive and stylish – particularly when teamed up with the rest of the MOE accessory range. Bushmaster were suitably impressed and adopted a variant of this hand guard for their ACR or Adaptive Combat Rifle. A combination of trapezoidal cross-section, chunky transverse ribs and a non slip surface provide the best possible grip. Forward and side lips at the front prevent the hand from sliding on to the hot gas block. Horizontal holes allow cooling and the hand is protected from heat by and aluminium heat shield. Holes are provided to allow polymer Magpul MOE rails in 5, 7, 9 and 11 slot lengths to be added at 2, 6 and 10 o’clock positions. The mounting of torches is enabled by and MOE illumination kit. The illumination kit comes with both short and cantilevered Picatinny rail sections and old and new style Surefire pressure switch mounts. Everything you need to mount the items is included. For sling fixing, the Magpul RSA Rail Sling Attachment can be employed to attach the front end of one of their range of multi mission slings. You can fit a vertical fore grip, but these are not popular with MOE users, possibly because any drop in handguard will never be as solid as a rail system.

This unit is a drop-in replacement for the USGI or factory supplied unit. The hand guard clears a low battery housing Eotech fitted to the receiver rail, provided that it also clears the hand guard. Whilst the fore end will only fit direct impingment gas systems, it is available in three lengths to suit carbines, mid lenght ARs and rifles. Polymer technology allows the colour to be included in the material and black, OD green, foliage green and dark earth alternatives are available.



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