First Look: Firefield Verge M-LOK AR-15 Handguard

In the battle of KeyMod vs. M-Lok accessory-attachment systems, M-Lok seems to have been declared the de-facto winner after the results of a USSOCOM-requested test conducted by the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center determined the M-Lok system to be stronger than comparable attachment options. This led manufacturers to go full-bore on product introductions featuring M-Lok accessory attachments, and one of the latest on the market is the Firefield Verge M-Lok Series handguard and rail system.

Designed particularly for today's modern sporting rifles, the Verge handguard is machined from 6061-T6 aluminum and features an all-black, anodized finish that provides added durability. The fore-end features skeletonized cutouts that work to lighten the overall weight of the product, ensuring that owners of lightweight AR-15s won't negate the nimbleness of their guns by adding this new option. However, despite its skeletonized design, the Verge doesn't need to be babied, as this handguard has the strength needed to take a beating at the range or in the field.

Options in the Firefield Verge M-Lok handguard lineup can be had in 7-, 9-, 12- and 15-inch lengths, sized right to fit a range of different MSRs on the market, ranging from popular pistols to NFA-registered short-barreled rifles to standard 16-inch carbines. The 7-inch model weighs in at 5.2 ounces, and the longest model in the bunch, measuring 15 inches long, weighs in at 9.9 ounces. Each rail section ships with a seven-slote M-Lok rail segment.