The keymod slots have reinforcing ribs on the inside to allow mounting of stressed components like vertical grips, addressing complaints regarding the durability of plastic keymod attachments that have plagued earlier designs. The PKMR has the most pronounced front lip of any of the handguards, handy if you like a far-forward, push-pull hold on your rifle, and features aggressive texturing on the sides that slice through any water or sweat to ensure a firm grip. However, the PKMR is substantially slimmer and lighter than the MOE handguard, a simple but notable improvement on an already well-loved design. In many respects, the PKMR is similar to the Magpul MOE it has accessory mounting slots in similar locations, and nearly the same grip shape with a wide, supportive swell for the palm on bottom and a narrow, pointed top to allow the fingers to pinch together and lock the handguard into the shooter's grip. It's a no-fuss design that might strike the most perfect balance of utility, size, and comfort of any handguard shown here. The (good) bottom line: In typical BCM fashion, the PKMR maximizes practicality while minimizing weight and bulk, a seemingly simple design philosophy that nonetheless eludes many other manufacturers.

It's comfortable for all shooting styles, versatile, comparable in weight to a standard handguard, and not all that much more expensive than the competition.

The odds are good that the SL was designed by people much smarter than you, who shoot a lot more than you do. Final polishes includes quite a bit of functional and attractive design, from the lips that cover the delta ring assembly to the offset vents on top of the handguard which keep heat mirage out of the line of sight, and there's even a textured strip at the true 12 o'clock position to prevent glare in direct sunlight. The rectangular cross-section accommodates a side or bottom grip on the rifle equally well, and M-LOK slots at the 2, 6, and 10 o-clock positions allow for all needed accessory attachment. The (good) bottom line: Appearing roughly a decade after the successful MOE handguard was launched, the SL handguard is noticeably slimmer and longer than the standard MOE and incorporates a front lip to protect you from the hot gas block, allowing a far-forward C-clamp or thumb-over-barrel grip, yet still comes in weighing a tiny bit less than the original MOE.

B5 systems keymod accessories