djmorris
11-05-12, 14:56
Thought I'd share my impressions of one of Troy's newer offerings; the Troy Battlerail Bravo. Seems like it's not too common and not a lot of people have real world experience with it. Troy's website also does not offer much as far as weight and size specifications. I currently do not have any pictures of the rail on my BCM but will likely add some pics a little later. I'm not a professional writer so please excuse any grammar or formatting mistakes.
I stumbled upon the Troy Battlerail Bravo when looking for an alternative to the typical Centurion, DD, and KAC quad rails that are considered the gold standard of quad-rails. I was not interested in running a modular rail/ff tube for this weapon, although I'm a huge fan of the Troy Alpha Rail and other similar modular rails, it's just not what I wanted to do with this particular build. I do not feel that I need to spend $250-$400 for a quad rail, either. I want to attach things, but not too many things. I'm attempting to follow K.I.S.S but also do not want to sacrifice function and there is no denying the added benefit of running a free floating quad-rail on your AR15/M4 platform. The thing is, you can almost do a new build for the price of a brand new Daniel Defense rail. I keep finding myself asking is it really justified to spend hundreds of dollars to attach a flashlight and vertical grip?
I am familiar with most all of the offerings out there for quad-rails. I basically wanted something more affordable, durable, not too heavy, and nothing excess. I am very aware that there is not many solid offerings out there that match this criteria. Either you spend a bundle on the top dogs from DD, Centurion, etc or you go the lesser route with a ridiculously heavy and crappy UTG or Blackhawk rail, which will have more problems than a math book, nevermind the fact that they are not even FF.
The TRX/Alpha Rail has helped to propel the industry in another direction. They have almost single handedly created the current modular rail trend that is plaguing the AR15 world. It's by far the most popular modular rail and for good reason. It also helps that the Alpha Rail is priced very competitively. As mentioned before, Troy's previous quad-rails do not exactly fair well in comparison to some of the other options out there, mainly due to the outrageous weight (upwards of 1.5lbs for some of their older rails), lack of certain features, and outdated mountain solutions. They were in dire need of an updated version. I've been waiting and hoping for them to follow up on their excellent Alpha Rail with a quad-rail variant. I'm happy to say that this definitely qualifies.
Initially I was looking for a 12" but the Bravo Rail is not sold in that length. The closest options are the 11" and the 13.8". The 13.8" would be overkill and all kinds of unnecessary weight, so I went with the 11". The 11" weighs in just a hair over 13oz without the barrel nut. This brings the total weight to roughly 14.5oz which is comparable to the 12" C4; granted though, it IS an inch shorter.
I for one do not really give two shits what a product looks like, long as it functions like it should. However, the first thing I noticed
upon unboxing the product is that it looks great, especially considering the price. Anyone who has used Troy's rails/tubes will be very familiar with it. The finish looks good and does not scratch too easily, albeit I have not had it for that long yet. The infamous "cheese grater" cooling holes still apply here but you'll be gripping the picatinny rails anyways so you don't get that same "cheese grater" feel that you do from the TRX and Alpha Rail. Most people prefer to run some kind of rail cover or ladder on them and I would also recommend this. While I do not have the exact measurements, the diameter feels very average if that makes sense.
I prefer to use the rail ladders rather than the full covers offered by Troy, Magpul, etc because my hands are not that large and I don't like the extra weight of full covers. It's very similar in diameter to the C4 rail and I would not expect it to be too large (or small) for most guys.
Some of the highlights of the rail that I like are the rotation limited QD points and how simple installation is. My 11" has two QD points on the left side of the rail, and one on the right side. As far as installation, it's not C4 easy (one piece, not two) but it's damn easy. The rail utilizes the standard barrel nut and the mounting solution used on the Alpha Rail; the so called "Tri-Clamp". The only changes that need to be made on a brand new upper would be to remove the delta ring, including the weld/snap spring underneath it. As most of you know, this is easily done using a Dremel tool and takes all of about five minutes. Removal of the barrel nut is not necessary.
I've been running the rail on my 16" BCM Mid-length for a few weeks now and have not had to re-torque the screws. I did not use Loctite or others adhesives.
The rail feels very durable and is essentially the Alpha Rail with full length rail sections. If you're using multiple rail sections on a modular then the weight is probably on par with this or any other quad rail.. plus, you get the added bonus of the QD attachment points whereas on the modular flavor you would need to spend $30 on each QD point, and another $30 for each rail section you want to add.
There is no play or movement between the upper/barrel and the rail. I was able to align the rail with my upper easily and slipped it on over my crudely chopped FSB. Again, there is no noticeable movement, flex, play, or whatever the case may be. Also, I have not had any uncomfortable heat transfer. The cooling holes seem to be very effective and also serve as potential additional QD points using the same mounts necessary for a QD attachment on the TRX/Alpha.
I paid $150 on the dot for a brand new 11" version, and the 13.8" can be had for about $10 more. MSRP on these rails is a bit higher than that but if you use a Google search then you'll find it for the same price as I did. This is significantly less than the other options on the market. I purchased this rail with an open mind figuring that I would be venturing into uncharted territory.
So far - I'm glad I did.
Bottom line, if you're in the market for a quality quad-rail and you cannot justify over $300 to attach a couple of accessories then in my opinion, the Battlerail Bravo is perfect.
Just so I'm clear, I'm running it on my BCM which is not a "plinker"; it's setup as a fighting weapon first and foremost. I did not cut corners with the parts used - everything is BCM with the exception of my Daniel Defense sights, B5 SOPMOD stock, and the Troy rail. I feel very confident that this rail can chug through the harshest conditions without the mounting or any other part giving out. If I were in *that* harsh of conditions then I would probably consider using some Loctite on the mounting screws just to be at 101%. This is true for ANY rail system, though, not just the Bravo Rail.
I see absolutely no reason to spend an additional $200 to save 1oz of weight or get 1" extra rail space and will likely use and recommend these for future builds, unless of course Daniel Defense and Centurion decide to drop the price of their quad-rail's by 50-60%. Even then, I am not seeing any substantial gains or bonus' from the "other guys" rails. Not to say that Troy's rail is the second coming of Christ, but it can certainly hold it's own in the current market and even moreso when you consider the price/value aspect. For $150, I'm in for another one or two. :)
http://www.pkfirearms.com/product_images/0001/2441/Troy_11in_Bravo_Rail.jpg
Unboxing video (not mine): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-KEc4u4V9A
- Includes allen wrench and screws necessary for mounting
- 11" Bravo Rail weighs in just a hair over 13oz without the barrel nut
- 13.8" Bravo Rail weighs in around 15.5oz without the barrel nut
- Available in Black and FDE colors.
Pros:
+ Multiple rotation limited QD attachment points with the ability to install additional ones in the cooling holes
+ Significantly lighter than Troy's previous quad-rail offerings
+ Simple to install; uses standard barrel nut
+ Mounting method is solid
+ Very affordable without sacrificing quality
Cons:
- Still just a tad heavier than the competition by about 1-1.5oz depending on the length
- No 12" variation available (I know this is the sweet spot for many)
- Not a two piece design, but this may also be a preference thing
I stumbled upon the Troy Battlerail Bravo when looking for an alternative to the typical Centurion, DD, and KAC quad rails that are considered the gold standard of quad-rails. I was not interested in running a modular rail/ff tube for this weapon, although I'm a huge fan of the Troy Alpha Rail and other similar modular rails, it's just not what I wanted to do with this particular build. I do not feel that I need to spend $250-$400 for a quad rail, either. I want to attach things, but not too many things. I'm attempting to follow K.I.S.S but also do not want to sacrifice function and there is no denying the added benefit of running a free floating quad-rail on your AR15/M4 platform. The thing is, you can almost do a new build for the price of a brand new Daniel Defense rail. I keep finding myself asking is it really justified to spend hundreds of dollars to attach a flashlight and vertical grip?
I am familiar with most all of the offerings out there for quad-rails. I basically wanted something more affordable, durable, not too heavy, and nothing excess. I am very aware that there is not many solid offerings out there that match this criteria. Either you spend a bundle on the top dogs from DD, Centurion, etc or you go the lesser route with a ridiculously heavy and crappy UTG or Blackhawk rail, which will have more problems than a math book, nevermind the fact that they are not even FF.
The TRX/Alpha Rail has helped to propel the industry in another direction. They have almost single handedly created the current modular rail trend that is plaguing the AR15 world. It's by far the most popular modular rail and for good reason. It also helps that the Alpha Rail is priced very competitively. As mentioned before, Troy's previous quad-rails do not exactly fair well in comparison to some of the other options out there, mainly due to the outrageous weight (upwards of 1.5lbs for some of their older rails), lack of certain features, and outdated mountain solutions. They were in dire need of an updated version. I've been waiting and hoping for them to follow up on their excellent Alpha Rail with a quad-rail variant. I'm happy to say that this definitely qualifies.
Initially I was looking for a 12" but the Bravo Rail is not sold in that length. The closest options are the 11" and the 13.8". The 13.8" would be overkill and all kinds of unnecessary weight, so I went with the 11". The 11" weighs in just a hair over 13oz without the barrel nut. This brings the total weight to roughly 14.5oz which is comparable to the 12" C4; granted though, it IS an inch shorter.
I for one do not really give two shits what a product looks like, long as it functions like it should. However, the first thing I noticed
upon unboxing the product is that it looks great, especially considering the price. Anyone who has used Troy's rails/tubes will be very familiar with it. The finish looks good and does not scratch too easily, albeit I have not had it for that long yet. The infamous "cheese grater" cooling holes still apply here but you'll be gripping the picatinny rails anyways so you don't get that same "cheese grater" feel that you do from the TRX and Alpha Rail. Most people prefer to run some kind of rail cover or ladder on them and I would also recommend this. While I do not have the exact measurements, the diameter feels very average if that makes sense.
I prefer to use the rail ladders rather than the full covers offered by Troy, Magpul, etc because my hands are not that large and I don't like the extra weight of full covers. It's very similar in diameter to the C4 rail and I would not expect it to be too large (or small) for most guys.
Some of the highlights of the rail that I like are the rotation limited QD points and how simple installation is. My 11" has two QD points on the left side of the rail, and one on the right side. As far as installation, it's not C4 easy (one piece, not two) but it's damn easy. The rail utilizes the standard barrel nut and the mounting solution used on the Alpha Rail; the so called "Tri-Clamp". The only changes that need to be made on a brand new upper would be to remove the delta ring, including the weld/snap spring underneath it. As most of you know, this is easily done using a Dremel tool and takes all of about five minutes. Removal of the barrel nut is not necessary.
I've been running the rail on my 16" BCM Mid-length for a few weeks now and have not had to re-torque the screws. I did not use Loctite or others adhesives.
The rail feels very durable and is essentially the Alpha Rail with full length rail sections. If you're using multiple rail sections on a modular then the weight is probably on par with this or any other quad rail.. plus, you get the added bonus of the QD attachment points whereas on the modular flavor you would need to spend $30 on each QD point, and another $30 for each rail section you want to add.
There is no play or movement between the upper/barrel and the rail. I was able to align the rail with my upper easily and slipped it on over my crudely chopped FSB. Again, there is no noticeable movement, flex, play, or whatever the case may be. Also, I have not had any uncomfortable heat transfer. The cooling holes seem to be very effective and also serve as potential additional QD points using the same mounts necessary for a QD attachment on the TRX/Alpha.
I paid $150 on the dot for a brand new 11" version, and the 13.8" can be had for about $10 more. MSRP on these rails is a bit higher than that but if you use a Google search then you'll find it for the same price as I did. This is significantly less than the other options on the market. I purchased this rail with an open mind figuring that I would be venturing into uncharted territory.
So far - I'm glad I did.
Bottom line, if you're in the market for a quality quad-rail and you cannot justify over $300 to attach a couple of accessories then in my opinion, the Battlerail Bravo is perfect.
Just so I'm clear, I'm running it on my BCM which is not a "plinker"; it's setup as a fighting weapon first and foremost. I did not cut corners with the parts used - everything is BCM with the exception of my Daniel Defense sights, B5 SOPMOD stock, and the Troy rail. I feel very confident that this rail can chug through the harshest conditions without the mounting or any other part giving out. If I were in *that* harsh of conditions then I would probably consider using some Loctite on the mounting screws just to be at 101%. This is true for ANY rail system, though, not just the Bravo Rail.
I see absolutely no reason to spend an additional $200 to save 1oz of weight or get 1" extra rail space and will likely use and recommend these for future builds, unless of course Daniel Defense and Centurion decide to drop the price of their quad-rail's by 50-60%. Even then, I am not seeing any substantial gains or bonus' from the "other guys" rails. Not to say that Troy's rail is the second coming of Christ, but it can certainly hold it's own in the current market and even moreso when you consider the price/value aspect. For $150, I'm in for another one or two. :)
http://www.pkfirearms.com/product_images/0001/2441/Troy_11in_Bravo_Rail.jpg
Unboxing video (not mine): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-KEc4u4V9A
- Includes allen wrench and screws necessary for mounting
- 11" Bravo Rail weighs in just a hair over 13oz without the barrel nut
- 13.8" Bravo Rail weighs in around 15.5oz without the barrel nut
- Available in Black and FDE colors.
Pros:
+ Multiple rotation limited QD attachment points with the ability to install additional ones in the cooling holes
+ Significantly lighter than Troy's previous quad-rail offerings
+ Simple to install; uses standard barrel nut
+ Mounting method is solid
+ Very affordable without sacrificing quality
Cons:
- Still just a tad heavier than the competition by about 1-1.5oz depending on the length
- No 12" variation available (I know this is the sweet spot for many)
- Not a two piece design, but this may also be a preference thing