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M-LOK seems to be the most popular right now, with Keymod not far behind. With Magpul's approval, any manufacturer may get a free license. M-LOK, unlike Keymod, is not open source. M-LOK, which stands for "Modular Lock," is Magpul Industries' newest mounting method. The Keymod design, which is open to the public, is well-known and industry-standard. People who currently own Picatinny accessories may save money by using Keymod adapters and Picatinny rail sections instead of buying new ones. They are also much thinner than Picatinny rails. After Picatinny had been the industry standard for a few decades, Keymod entered the market.īecause of their lightweight skeletonized construction, keymod rails rapidly gained favor. Most rail manufacturers continue to provide quad rail alternatives.
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They are still in use by the US military and law enforcement organizations throughout the country. Furthermore, the Picatinny rail design is older and heavier than the other choices listed, yet it is still extremely important in the field of rail interface possibilities. The Picatinny rail was eventually integrated into handguard designs by entrepreneurial gunsmiths.Īs "quad rails," these Picatinny-railed handguards garnered popularity and attention. The upper receivers of M16 rifles and M4 carbines were among the first to have a Picatinny rail, making it simpler to attach optics.
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In the 1990s, Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey finalized and standardized the design. The Picatinny rail was developed in the 1980s by businesses attempting to standardize the Weaver design. Picatinny rails are the oldest of the three designs. Interface systems are used in all three designs to attach sights, optics, and accessories.
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Picatinny or MIL-STD-1913 rail, Keymod, and M-LOK are the three most common-rail designs. Upgrading Your AR-15 Handguards to a Rail System To make things simpler for you, we've included instructions on how to modify the rails on your AR-15 handguards below. Drop-in alternatives are considerably simpler to install and generally don't need any equipment. Due to barrel harmonics, free-float rails do not make touch the barrel, improving the rifle's accuracy.Īs a result, mounting systems for free-float rails are generally stronger and stiffer, but they frequently require the use of tools to install. When it comes to rails, you typically have two choices: free-float handguard and non-free-float, often known as drop-in options. It's cool to upgrade your AR-15 handguards to a rail system. The age of simple plastic handguards has come to an end. The AR-15, America's most popular contemporary sports rifle, has improved significantly in the last decade.
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