View Full Version : Thin vs. Thick rails?
I previously was not that happy with my Vltor VIS using the Thumb-over-bore hold using magpul ladders. It was too square.
Then I bought some LaRue index clips, and all of that changed.
I previously had tried the Magpul AFG, but did not like the angle of my wrist. It seemed unnatural and fatigue inducing.
I ended up using my LaRue FUG and placing 3 fingers on it, like a hand-stop/VFG combo kindof. The angle worked better for me than the AFG.
Now, with the LaRue clips, I can use thumb-over bore. The rail is comfortable to grab with them, and it's larger than some of the very skinny rails out there.
What advantage does a skinny rail have?
I tried grabbing a broom handle, and it was much more uncomfortable due to my hand closing further around it. It seems the more the rail fills my hand, the less awkward stress is placed on my wrist.
Am I weird and unique, or are other people appreciative of the more medium size rails than the very thin one's?
I tend to be able to bench and dead-lift more weight/reps with a thicker bar at the gym, as well, I have noticed. I use my forearms less and the other muscles (chest, lat, tri, etc) more and my grip fatigues much slower. That's what got me to thinking about my M4, from this angle.
My grip strength isnt an issue... so I can deadlift the same amount whether its a skinny or thicker bar.... if you've ever used a "fat bar" i'm sure your deadlift would go down!
That being said, I feel like my grip worsens the wider my hand gets.... therefore, I prefer a skinnier handguard (or bar for that matter). Obviously enough force isnt produced by an AR15 to provide grip issues, but a smaller handguard just feels more secure.
Definitely interested in others responses tho.
Ya gotta go with what works for you. Myself, I've always preferred slender forearms
davidjinks
09-07-12, 07:45
I like your skinny bar fat bar analogy. It's the damn truth too!
I'm in agreance with you as well...I prefer skinnier rails as opposed to the fatter ones. I personally get a tighter, more crontrollable grip on the rifle itself when it has a skinnier rail.
One of the reasons I prefer the URX III and DD RIS II rails.
My grip strength isnt an issue... so I can deadlift the same amount whether its a skinny or thicker bar.... if you've ever used a "fat bar" i'm sure your deadlift would go down!
That being said, I feel like my grip worsens the wider my hand gets.... therefore, I prefer a skinnier handguard (or bar for that matter). Obviously enough force isnt produced by an AR15 to provide grip issues, but a smaller handguard just feels more secure.
Definitely interested in others responses tho.
It's more the angle the forend bends my wrist at when it's so skinny that bothers me. Never did have bendy wrists. I cannot do clean and press very much because of it.
I have long forearms, so powercleans and clean and jerk/press are tough for me to do with perfect form.
I can hang on to any AR15 though.
Are you talking about using the "scorpion" forearm grab technique? :p
LaRetard's index clips do wonders for helping out the retarded dimensions of a lot of these rails.
They've saved my FAT MI shit rail, and My I beam DD light rail.
Are you talking about using the "scorpion" forearm grab technique? :p
LaRetard's index clips do wonders for helping out the retarded dimensions of a lot of these rails.
They've saved my FAT MI shit rail, and My I beam DD light rail.
I don't know, but it looks like I'm marching to my own drummer on this one. Whatever the case, those clips are nice.
I don't know, but it looks like I'm marching to my own drummer on this one. Whatever the case, those clips are nice.
Yep. I won't buy another kind of rail cover again.
I tried the Chinese knock offs in hopes that I could avoid giving LaRue any business. But they weren't the same material and quality....
Yep. I won't buy another kind of rail cover again.
I tried the Chinese knock offs in hopes that I could avoid giving LaRue any business. But they weren't the same material and quality....
I don't like giving him any of my $$ either, but if his gear is the best for the task at hand for me, I don't let personal disgust for the maker get in the way of the gear. Just think of it this way...there are plenty of good people who work there that get more of the $$ combined than he does for each purchase. :cool:
Yeah. Some day I'll go to SHOT and tea bag one of his billet guns! :cool:
Ok boys, why all the hate for LaRue??
Curious, not to start a war.
He's just a douchbag of a person. He's even admitted that when people meet him in person, they ask him why he's such a douche on the forums.
He controls what's posted and who stays on AR15.com. He's always into high school drama with other industry people... instead of just shutting up and letting his product stand on its own good reputation.
And he doesn't sell his highly touted "Dillo Dust" on his website. You gotta buy his products first before you get one for free. Boy, what a Douche!!! :sarcastic:
Well, sorry to hear this......I've always liked his rails and mounts. This does give me pause.
Thanks for the insight..
It's more the angle the forend bends my wrist at when it's so skinny that bothers me. Never did have bendy wrists. I cannot do clean and press very much because of it.
I get what your saying now. Its uncomfortable on my wrists to grab the forend unless i'm using a VFG. They just dont like bending that way.... but it does not seem to make a difference whether the forends are skinny or fat.
I don't like giving him any of my $$ either, but if his gear is the best for the task at hand for me, I don't let personal disgust for the maker get in the way of the gear. Just think of it this way...there are plenty of good people who work there that get more of the $$ combined than he does for each purchase. :cool:
100% agreed. If he was some terrorist, anti-american, satan worshiping individual, I might not buy his products..... but he's not. Just become he comes across "a lil douchy" is no reason for me not to buy his stufff. He has a wide selection of tried, proven, and well made products; and for that, I will not let stupid internet distaste sway me from his business.
Matter of fact, think i'm gonna go buy a T1 and mount from him now....
I really like the feel of the smaller handguards even though I have large hands. The MI Gen2 is the perfect size to me
Ok boys, why all the hate for LaRue??
Curious, not to start a war.
He's the John Hennessey of the firearm world.
I get what your saying now. Its uncomfortable on my wrists to grab the forend unless i'm using a VFG. They just dont like bending that way.... but it does not seem to make a difference whether the forends are skinny or fat.
100% agreed. If he was some terrorist, anti-american, satan worshiping individual, I might not buy his products..... but he's not. Just become he comes across "a lil douchy" is no reason for me not to buy his stufff. He has a wide selection of tried, proven, and well made products; and for that, I will not let stupid internet distaste sway me from his business.
Matter of fact, think i'm gonna go buy a T1 and mount from him now....
The tighter I close my hand, the tenser my wrist seems to get.
LaRue is a dick, but he does make good stuff, and he doesn't get near the profit that his other employees must get when I place an order, by the numbers, so if his gear is the best for an application, yeah, I still buy it. I'm with you. If I let my dislike for someone make me use inferior gear, who exactly hurt who?
[QUOTE=markm;1388877]He's just a douchbag of a person. He's even admitted that when people meet him in person, they ask him why he's such a douche on the forums.
You are pretty much a smart ass yourself.
I previously was not that happy with my Vltor VIS using the Thumb-over-bore hold using magpul ladders. It was too square.
Then I bought some LaRue index clips, and all of that changed.
I previously had tried the Magpul AFG, but did not like the angle of my wrist. It seemed unnatural and fatigue inducing.
I ended up using my LaRue FUG and placing 3 fingers on it, like a hand-stop/VFG combo kindof. The angle worked better for me than the AFG.
Now, with the LaRue clips, I can use thumb-over bore. The rail is comfortable to grab with them, and it's larger than some of the very skinny rails out there.
What advantage does a skinny rail have?
I tried grabbing a broom handle, and it was much more uncomfortable due to my hand closing further around it. It seems the more the rail fills my hand, the less awkward stress is placed on my wrist.
Am I weird and unique, or are other people appreciative of the more medium size rails than the very thin one's?
I tend to be able to bench and dead-lift more weight/reps with a thicker bar at the gym, as well, I have noticed. I use my forearms less and the other muscles (chest, lat, tri, etc) more and my grip fatigues much slower. That's what got me to thinking about my M4, from this angle.
I use the same grip with my thumb over bore method. I use my troy stubby as a hand stop too. I have a Troy alpha rail and that method works plus fells great. I use the magpul ladder only on top to protect my rail. I only use two rails mounted for a flashlight and the VFG so my rail is not blocky.
It feels to wierd without the vfg because the angle I hold it and it is little thin. The vfg feels better for me.
The skinny rail is sometimes for weight savings but that dont matter to me because I also lift weights. I know what you mean by grabbing a broom handle and it is too skinny. It does feel uncomfortable.
[QUOTE=markm;1388877]He's just a douchbag of a person. He's even admitted that when people meet him in person, they ask him why he's such a douche on the forums.
You are pretty much a smart ass yourself.
But I've never seen Markm insult his customers or their families.
sooo...thick or thin rails
sooo...thick or thin rails
Thin one in my hand just doesn't feel right.
Ok, so who makes the thinnest rails? I have a Troy Tactical drop in (DI) rail on my LMT Carbine with Larue index clips and it feels ok. Would prefer something a little thinner.
Ok, so who makes the thinnest rails? I have a Troy Tactical drop in (DI) rail on my LMT Carbine with Larue index clips and it feels ok. Would prefer something a little thinner.
Pretty sure the Troy TRX Extreme and Noveske NSR are the thinest
Thin one in my hand just doesn't feel right.
That's what she said:lol:
Different applications - the VTAC/TRX handguard on my wife's, even bare, feels extremely good, but because I wrap almost completely around it. My RIS-II also is pretty decent, and it's wider than the TRX is tall almost, totally different feel.
I'm a fan of the intermediate ones - simply put, a Lite rail with LT Index Clips is the goldilocks width, and the bottom rail works really well with hand stops to streamline the handguard a lot - so that's what I'll run, until I can afford all URX-III rails.
Thin one in my hand just doesn't feel right.
Same here. I can't stand those faggy match gun tubes that everyone is running lately. They looked good at first. But when I got to actually shoot and handle one???
Absolutely hated it.
Small hands vs. big hands, pick the right tool for the job. Ones not better, but one is better for you.
Fwiw, we have some precision scales at work. I weighed a larue index clip. I also weighed three and divided by three to verify. It was the same: 0.0009kg, or 0.0317466oz per clip, equivalent to four rail sections each with 16 index clips weighing a total of 2.03oz. Pretty light.
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