I was sent a pair of handguards from Samson Manufacturing to review. My review process is simple for handguards; research the product, put the product on, feel the product in my hands and how it feels during dry fire exercises and finally I take it to the range and shoot with it on. I go through a magazine at a time to feel how the heat feels on my bare hands while shooting normal, and to finish off the review I let it cool off completely and I then shoot as many rounds as I can through my rifle until it becomes impossible to hold due to the heat and I time the amount of time it takes for the handguard too cool off completely.
I was sent the Samson SX light weight 15-inch handguard and the Samson SXS15-inch handguard. They came in individual plastic packages wrapped tightly with little movement in the package to limit damage during transport to my home. Inside each of the plastic packages was the required barrel nut wrench as they use a proprietary barrel nut. For all of their accessories that also send an allen wrench that fits the MLOK screw and
The first handguard I took out of the box and put on was the SX light weight 15-inch handguard this is the handguard I ended up staying with and keeping on my rifle after testing. This handguard is extremely light, weighing in at just under seven ounces. The feel of the cut outs on the guard are not uncomfortable in fact due to the snug fit of the guard I can perfectly wrap my hands around the guard providing an optimal grip for my rifle. With the addition of this handguard my rifle dropped from nearly seven and half pounds down to six and a half pounds. The fit and finish of the handguard is perfect is impeccable, with the barrel nut torqued to fifty pounds, the handguard slides on easily and the set screws at the bottom are tightened until they are flush to the handguard. All of this applies to both hand guards. They both look and feel great in the hand.
I was able to go to the range and shoot with the handguards on. I started off by testing two magazines of wolf polyformance .223. I felt the heat but it dispersed quickly and didn’t require me to stop shooting. I came to the true and final heat test, I put two-hundred rounds through my rifle and with the light weight handguard I was unable to hold on to it anymore. I needed to keep it on my sling and lean it up against a tree to time it for cool down. For the Light weight handguard, it took seven minutes to cool down to a comfortable level to touch but another fifteen minutes to cool down enough for the next test of the SXS 15-inch handguard. This handguard took 230 rounds before it was too hot to hold onto and then it took ten minutes for it too cool down to the touch and another thirty minutes for it to cool down completely. This is fine as very few people magazine dump between six and seven magazines at a time. Both hand guards look good and feel good an are well worth their over $200 price tag. The original article can be found here.
M-LOK SXS Light Weight 15-inch Handguard
Product Details
The Samson SX Lightweight handguard’s striking design combines form, fit and function to create unrivaled performance. We took our solid-mounting SXS rail system and skeletonized it down to an amazing 6.8 ounces. It is light enough for competition, yet rigid enough for professional use. The CNC machined fourth axis cut vent holes aid in barrel cooling and the ergonomic shape encourages rapid follow up shots. An interrupted 12 o’clock M1913 Picatinny rail includes M-LOK® attachment points as do the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions. Climb to the top of the leaderboard with the SX Lightweight!
Includes: handguard, barrel nut, hex wrench and barrel nut wrench. Features:
o Numerous weight reduction cuts
o Easy install Vertical Bias Mount captured clamping system
o Free float
o Interrupted M1913 Picatinny rail on the 12 o’clock position for front BUIS and bridging optics with the receiver
o Ergonomic design
o M-LOK attachment points at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions
o Patent Pending
o Made in New Hampshire USA
Specifications:
o Material: 6061-T6 aluminum
o Finish: MIL-A-8625 type III class 2 anodizing
o Length: 13 and 15″
o Inside diameter: 1.3″
o Outside diameter: 1.5″
o Weight: 6.8 oz. (13″)
The Samson M-LOK® SX Series features a free-floating rail system and is the latest addition to the Samson line of AR15 upgrades. Its sleek profile creates a comfortable feel to a wide range of shooters, regardless of your application. The SX system creates a solid extension of the upper receiver with the benefits of rapid and easy installation thanks to the pre-installed, captured clamping system and Samson barrel nut.
Includes: Hex wrench and barrel nut wrench.
o 6061 T6 aluminum
o Type III Mil-spec hard coat anodizing
o Attachment points at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions
o Ambidextrous, integrated QD sling points
o Patent Pending
o Length: 15.0″
o Weight: 11.7 oz.
o ID: 1.3″
o OD: 1.54″
