What's up with the new trend of "rail-ready" forearm/handguard?

I don't care for rails on my forearm. If I can mount what I want on my rifle without rails, I'd be happy. I do want the advantage of a free float tube, but most have too large a diameter. I also prefer the protection from heat carbon fiber offers. I like how the PRI Delta carbon fiber forearm fits my hand so that's what I went with although it's pricey.

A move away from quad rails a fad? Unlikely. I think it's more of a practical choice as I feel quad rails are a specialized piece of equipment. Most don't need that much rail estate

As we say there is no free lunch. Free-float rails will obviously provide some measure of increased accuracy, although that is just a piece of the puzzle.

Some rails are better than others and all of them will have an advantage/ disadvantage. I really like the Centurion Arms rail for a variety of reasons. It's slimmer, it feels lighter and more user friendly when it comes to installation.

Rails like the Troy TRX are also a good option. Slimmer profile, rails where you need them, lower cost, etc... The real test is how will they hold up over time and after being abused. That is something that people need to take into account. DD rails are solid, and though they may be "bulky" in some minds they are also "grunt" proof which is a necessity.

In the end if you don't want rails and you only mount a light and sling and can get away with a particular set up then by all means do so.

reference

some clarifications...

The MOE is not "lighter". In fact, most quality handguards, 4-rail, 1-rail, or smooth, weigh less than most plastic handguards once you take the full mounting system into account. Stock barrel nuts and delta rings are heavy, relatively speaking.

1-side or smooth tubes do start out life lighter, but as you add rail sections they add up very, very quickly. This is due in part to the fact that in the mounting surface area you now have twice as much metal as you would in a dedicated 4-rail setup.

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This is where, provided you don't want or need QD, the Mount-N-Slot products are great as they eliminate the need for redundant metal such as the rail section and tend to be lighter overall than a throw-lever mount because it has less moving parts.

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Originally Posted by Bushmaster-M4A3

Is this a better solution? Or just another trend?

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A little of both. There's no question that the AR aftermarket nonsense has become like the custom motorcycle world... but there is something to be said for not needing 48" of total rail space when 6" will do.