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Posted: 1/25/2007 9:11:40 PM EDT
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First of all, thank you to everyone who shared their opinions in my first post regarding what rail system you like best. Most of the replies were in favor of the Midwest Industires rail system due to a cost factor. So if cost was not a factor, if you could get any rail system you wanted, which one would you go with and why? I like the way the ARMS system look, but is it really any better than the one POF makes? Is a free floating system really that much better? Let me know what you think! |
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I have a 7" daniel defense rail on my bushmaster and love it...if you wanted to save weight they also have the lite rail for alittle more $...the lite rail also has a better transistion from the upper to the rail... At first I had my heart set on a Larue rail but you have to order them and i didnt have any way to do that at the time so i bought the DD from my local gun store....Like i said i am very pleased |
| The plastic would be lighter but I wouldn't expect it to be as strong as the others. I have looked around and Larue and Daniel Defense seem to be the most popular but also the most $. I recently got a Stag upper with Samson MRFS-C rails and love them. They are a little less costly and I love the way the upper rail goes all the way to the upper receiver rail. |
+1 for Samson. It's the one that came with my new STAG. Pic below.  .
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 I have a KAC RAS II on my M4 and I am very pleased with it. Absolutly rock solid and theoretically makes the M4 more accurate. I also have a Sure Fire forend on a 10.5 upper that works OK. It moves too much to ever think of using it for a red dot, but it was cheap and hold the VFG fine. Pat 0-1-25 |
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My two favorites are LaRue and Daniel Defense. Both of them aren't super-wide, which is nice one you add rail covers. Both are available with a locking system to stop spinning of the handguard under torque (standard on LaRue, you need to buy the DD Lite rail to get the locking system). The other cost-is-no-object alternatives are the KAC URX (very hard to get) and Vltor's VIS, which is monolithic, and allows you to mount optics further forward. The VIS is readily available in the EE. I don't have experience with either. I need to buy an XCR before I buy another expensive AR or part of one, but I think I'll grab a VIS at some point in the future. |
HEY!! I resemble that remark... ... ahhhh the good ole days, when you could drag your gal to the cave by the hair... and make her clean the evening kill... buckmeister |
YOU COULD STILL DO THAT! IN KAZAKHSTAN  
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Because its the "cool" rail, the one the Army uses. Doesnt matter which, as long as it says KAC on the side. I dont think its the best, but I know more people want them. I expect the DD RIS II to be big mover soon once it starts showing up on the news. |
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Another +1 for the DD. I've got a 9.0 on a middy, and couldn't be happier unless it was one of the newer ones that actually had the numbers stenciled on it (I hate counting rail slots). ETA: It's both light and rigid enough for my purposes (EOTech mounted forward, VFG, weaponlight). First attempt at a pic here: 
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I am really impressed with my Troy MRF-C...http://www.websmileys.com/sm/evil/1022.gif http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/AKS-74/Colt4.jpg |
Don't waste your money. You will end up trying to sell it and taking a loss. Even the aluminum version sucks. If you want a decent quad rail that is inexpensive, try the one from UTG. I run one on my SBR with a vert grip and have had zero problems. And before someone flames me-It's not Airsoft. |
Of course, this thread is not about the least expensive, in fact just the opposite. BUT as someone who owns both Daniel Defense forends (my favorite) as well as one Fobus M33 (the 2-railed version), and has owned MI and YHM in the past, I feel that "sucks" is too broad of a term to be completely correct across the board. IF all you want to do is attach a vertical foregrip and/or a flashlight to your carbine, AND IF you are not LEO or Military, then the Fobus M33 is a more solid option than adding a bolt-on rail to existing the handguards that came on your rifle. It is also lighter than even my beloved DD 7.0 once I add the rail covers. You can also add just the bottom half and use the standard carbine handguard on top for even lighter weight and twice the forend for the same $$. YES, the aluminum forends are stronger and a more rigid platform. No doubt about it, and I'm not arguing that the Fobus is better than ANY railed forend... BUT the Fobus M33 still performs it's function, and does so quite well. Plus, for $65 or less new, or <$50 used, it is a good deal. For "the best" regardless of price, I like my Daniel Defense forends, but would also give LaRue a shot without hesitation. |
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The problem with these kind of questions is that "brand loyalty" does not equate to being the "best". Do you want a one or two piece rail? Do you want an uninterupted top rail? Do you want an anti rotation device? Do you want ease of installation? Do you just want to fit in with the flavor of the month? I'll have to disagree with bigbore as well. The KAC FF RAS is, and has been available for years, yet it's one of the least popular free floating rail systems out there. I'd almost bet that both Laure and Daniel Defense sell 20 rails for every one rail KAC sells (civilian market atleast). As for what's the "best", everyone has their own idea of what falls under that term. I have my preferences, but I'm not a big fan of popularity contests. |
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My personal opinion: It depends on what features you want. For absolute fit and finish, Larue wins hands down. Their tolerances are tighter, finish surface is machined cleaner, and everything just "fits" flawlessly. If you are talking free-float rail attaching to a receiver, again Larue. If you can skimp a tad on the fit and finish in exchange for lighter weight, the DD rails would be your best bet. Will you require a monolithic top rail? The samson and Troy rails are pretty close in this department, and im honestly not too familiar with the features between the two to compare. They're both extremely well built though. However, if you're talking about monolithic uppers the Vltor VIS is the best thing going right now. It's M203 compatible, free floats, the upper and rail are milled from a solid forging, so any fitment issues between the upper and rail are gone. It also has the ability to use any standard Ar15 barrel, which puts it ahead of the LMT MRP in my opinion as the MRP uses proprietary barrels and cannot accept the M203 (Recoil from the rail mounted ones are hard on rail systems). The old KAC RIS and RAS are good options, but the price on them is high and they dont have any features that would lead me to buy them over the better finished Larue rails for similar cost. The Larue rail also has the locking plate to prevent it from loosening, which is an added bonus. Yes, KAC is issued to the military units, and all the "cool guys" use them, but if you're building a poser gun there are plenty of contractors and ninja types that use Larue also. The newer KAC URX and DD rails are another story as they are more secure in mounting, add a monolithic top rail, free float, and provide M203 compatibility. If you NEED M203 compatibility or a monolithic top rail, either of these will be well suited to the task. The quality of Larue's stuff is amazing, but their rails aren't compatible with using the M203 and they're not monolithic, which is probably the only downfall... The ARMS SIR is old technology, raises the top rail, the rails arent to proper spec, and its heavy. The new freefloat SIR does not impress me as much as the newest KAC and DD offerings.. Next... It also depends on how much trouble you want to go through installing this rail. If you just want something simple to replace the handguards, one of the older KAC rails or the RAS-II would be perfectly suited to the task. So basically: Non-FF, No monolith, m203 compatible: KAC RIS or RAS-II FF, no monolith, not m203 compatible: Larue FF, monolith, M203 compatible: VIS, URX, or DD Lite. My personal favorite is Larue. I dont need to be able to mount an M203 and would rather trade that capability for the greater fit and finish of the Larue rail. If I did need to fit a 203 id probably go with the VIS since it seems to have just about the best of everything... If cost becomes an issue then you will need to make tradeoffs and compromise, that is where things get tricky. Still though, Larue, KAC, Vltor, DD, etc all make good stuff, as long as the rail you buy from any of these manufacturers has the features you want you wont go wrong. |
You wanna know a secret? The DD is an RAS II with an improved mounting system and better ventilation, and it happens to be a little lighter. And it costs less. |
Actually the VIS is made from a pair of extrusions that are salt brazed together. It is a little heavier but FAR more durable than most of the others.
I'm not an RAS fan. They are over a decade old. That is a long time for someone else to make a better design. And someone has.
The URX is the heat. I applaud KAC for releasing it.
Right on. The SIR sucks... I know, I used to have one. |
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