JP/VTAC Modular Hand Guards

With the input of Kyle Lamb from Viking Tactics, Bennie Cooley from CRTC (Crisis Resolution Training Consultants, Inc.) and other highly experienced military and police operators, we've redesigned the JP modular hand guard to offer the best versatility of any hand guard system out there while retaining the light weight and cooling capacity of our original hand guard. During the design process for the new JP/VTAC Modular Hand Guard System, we made sure to address four key components of an effective rifle setup:

Safety: Depending on the optic/sight setup, it was possible to grab the rifle in such a way as to touch the hot gas tube with our first generation hand guard. We have changed the outer nut design and tube completely shielding this area to prevent this from happening. The new nut also completely covers the transitional area between the receiver and nut, preventing the exposed tube from being crushed if the rifle is dropped on a rock in just the right manner. The chances of this are remote, but in a place like Iraq, anything can happen. A fringe benefit of this new design is the reduction of the thermal optical distortion effect from hot air off the barrel/gas tube rising in front of the scope or sights under calm conditions.

Precision: The tube is now secured to the outer nut with six flathead screws for a rock solid relationship that will never turn and remain precisely aligned to the upper receiver. Thus, any accessories such as secondary sights, co-witnessed sights or tactical lights stay in precise relationship to the upper receiver improving accuracy and hit probability with those accessories.

Versatility: We’ve designed full-length, carbine, mid and rifle rail systems that extend the upper receiver rail interface forward at 12:00 on the hand guard, allowing for the use of co-witnessed IR equipment, secondary sights or flip-up iron. We also offer carbine and mid-length versions of the JP/VAC Modular Hand Guard System. These accessories allow a rail configuration for virtually any possible accessory combination.

Integrity: This design features a dual-nut system with a 6061 T6 outer receiver extension nut combined with a carbon steel internal barrel retainer nut that can be secured with a standard M16 armorers wrench. This improves the overall structural integrity of the barrel/receiver relationship and makes it possible to achieve a precise 12:00 index of the tube regardless of where the internal nut needs to be for proper torque.

If you look at many of the hand guard systems on the market nowadays, most have permanent rails at the 6:00, 12:00, 3:00 and 9:00 positions. Typically, you only need one or two sections of rail, and in many cases, they are best utilized at the 1:30 or 10:30 clock positions, not 9:00 and 3:00. Having to deal with the weight and uncomfortable feel of all these rails where you don't need or want them is not acceptable. These are just another example of products designed by people who are not real shooters for customers who just want their gear to look cool and don't actually use it. The JP/VTAC system allows for complete flexibility. You can use as many rail systems of whatever length makes sense when and where you need them and can forget about rails you don't need. That's versatility!

Free floating tubular hand guards for the AR-15 offer the greatest improvement in accuracy of any single modification. In addition to overall accuracy improvement, point of impact will not change regardless of how the rifle is being shot, whether with a bipod, sling or hand held. Assuming a good barrel and ammunition, it's not uncommon for accuracy to improve from 1.5 -2.0 MOA to sub-MOA with a properly installed free float tube.

The JP/VTAC modular hand guard is designed as a complete system to improve not only the accuracy but the handling characteristics and utility of the rifle. The floating studs included allow complete flexibility in bipod positioning, whether all the way out for maximum stability or all the way in next to the receiver for fastest possible target indexing. Extra studs allow for proper tactical sling setup as well.

Two-piece design makes for an easy installation with a standard armorers wrench with proper torque as opposed to a strap wrench on one-piece tubes. There’s no need to drill unsightly holes for studs that may not align after disassembly/reassembly of the tube system. All accessories can be quickly relocated at will. The radical tapered nut and superb metal finishing make this the finest tube on the market. The ventilated, fluted design is also 20% lighter than standard tubes and also makes this the coolest running tube in terms of heat dissipation. Stippled center portion assures non-slip grip regardless of weather conditions

The standard finish on all hand guards is now non-glare matte black. We also offer matte Magpul OD green and titanium gray duracoat versions that add a unique touch to any rifle. Each kit includes two floating studs for sling or bipod attachment, except for the carbine length, which includes one. There is also a tapped 10-32 hole at 6:00 center for a permanent stud.

Our AR-10 version for the large frame rifles finally allows the use of the more comfortable and ergonomic 2” tube on the larger rifle instead of the 2.25” tube typically required due to the spacing on the barrel and gas system of the large rifle. Our unique acentric barrel nut assembly allows the barrel to sit slightly low in the hand guard to allow the 2” tube to clear the gas system. One quarter of an inch doesn’t sound like much, but it makes a huge difference in the feel and handling characteristics of the rifle. Now your .308 rifle will feel like your AR-15.

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