I have already highlighted several aluminum hand guard options in the “Mounts” section of this book, but I wanted to describe them in detail so that the reader gets a better idea how to install them and how they fit the AK rifle. And since the lower hand guard is bolted to the gun, the aluminum hand guard system, as a general rule, offers a far better platform for mounting optical sights on the upper rail. They have to be securely bolted in place for a rigid installation because the upper part of the set that replaces the original AK upper hand guard is usually affixed to the lower hand guard with bolts. For AK shooters who would like a more rigid mounting option that still involves the hand guards, there are several products made out of aluminum that offer just that.īecause the lack of elasticity in metal is simply the nature of the beast, almost all metal or aluminum AK hand guards require a mechanical mounting on the gun. The reason the original Russian polyamide hand guards could take more abuse is simply because they were steel-reinforced.
It will break, crack, melt, chip, or disintegrate at much less stress and load parameters than metal, including aluminum.
Check out these great aluminum AK handguards to turn your Kalashnikov rifle into a more tactical firearm.Īlthough the plastic hand guards with Picatinny rails would work fine on just about any AK rifle, the thing to remember is that plastic, like any material, is subject to fatigue and stress when under load.