The slots in the V-TAC fore-end dissipate heat while allowing for adjustment in the placement of accessory rails.

After listening to my proposal, Mark agreed that it would be fun to find out about free floating. My regular carry carbine is a Stag Arms Model 3 that will shoot 1.5- to two-inch groups with boring regularity at 100 yards. I asked Mark if he would modify my Model 3 to a free-float barrel if I gathered the needed components—figuring that since the gun came from Stag, if it were modified in the same place, a certain consistency would prevail as opposed to sending the rifle to a custom gunsmith.

Mark agreed that he would do nothing more than install a free-float fore-end and gas block and would then return it to me with no further modifications.

So I set out to get the components. Larry Weeks at Brownells (brownells.com) was equally enthusiastic about the project and put me in touch with the company’s excellent technical staff, who gave me a number of ideas and options for what would work for my test.

After several discussions, it was decided that the JP Enterprises/V-TAC modular free-float handguard/rail system would be the best choice. This system provides the tactical or competitive shooter with maximum flexibility to set up a rifle the way he wants without having a bunch of sharp, unnecessary rail surfaces on the forward end of the gun.

In addition to floating the barrel, the V-TAC fore-end also eliminates pressure points from bipods or sling mounts that can pull on a fixed barrel and affect accuracy, something that many tactical/defensive shooters do not consider.

Also, having a long fore-end on an AR-15 can protect the barrel from banging against barricades, walls, cars, range props or other objects that can affect the barrel and thus accuracy. This is the reason that I opted for the longest fore-end that I could get so that it would cover as much of the 16-inch barrel as possible. The vented V-TAC fore-end would also vent built-up heat better, which would certainly aid accuracy during heavy shooting sessions.

The fore-end came with several four-inch sections of rail for the addition of white lights or vertical grips, as well as a trim piece of rail to mount a flip up-iron front sight. Since the V-TAC fore-end is also taller than the standard gas block rail, I added a Forearm Flip Front Sight from Yankee Hill Machine to my Brownells order. While I prefer a quality optic on an AR-15, it’s wise to have backup iron sights.

Since the gas block would be covered by the extra-long fore-end, Brownell’s also included a Midwest Industries low-profile, one-piece gas block.

Once I had all of the components in hand, I headed to my gun club to conduct the pre-modification portion of my test. I had originally intended to shoot the Stag Model 3 for groups at both 100 and 200 yards, but the 200-yard range at my club was undergoing renovation, so I had to settle for a 100-yard test alone.

Since the Model 3 is a 16-inch carbine intended for combat applications, I resisted the temptation to put a high-magnification sporting scope on the gun and instead went with something that was more in line with the gun’s intended function.