Hand protection (firearm)
As hand guard is in some portable firearms protection referred that the running surrounds. It is part of the stock and is intended to protect the shooter from burns from the hot barrel. It also offers an ergonomically better grip.
In many cases, the hand protection offers the possibility of accessories such as visors or laser attachments directly on the hand protection or on mounting rails, e.g. B. the Picatinny rail to install.
The hand protection usually consists of wood, plywood or (fiber-reinforced) plastic. This is often designed with slots or bores to allow better cooling of the barrel. In some cases, metal hand protection is also used. Here one uses its thermal conductivity to cool the barrel, which, however, leads to a faster heating of the hand protection.
A free-swinging hand guard is not connected to the barrel, which has a positive effect on precision.
literature
- Friedrich Graf: Karabiner 98 short. Technical study of the changes made by the company Mauser Werke AG Oberndorf / Neckar to the Karabiner 98 short (K98K) in the war years 1939 to 1945. Journal Verlag Schwend, Schwäbisch Hall 2000, ISBN 3-935210-12-4 .