View Full Version : Free Float Rail or not??
Currently I'm running the Troy carbine length drop in battle rail on my AR. Ive got a Wilson 16" 1/9 chrome moly heavy bbl underneath. I've been looking at the DD omega drop in free float rail system and am debating the upgrade. I've primarily designed my rifle to be a 100 yard gun so to speak and was wondering if I would be able to see a difference in accuracy with a free float rail system? Is the extra money worth it or should I just stick with what I've got.
Are you dissatisfied with your current performance? If not, I'd run it as is until I shot it out, then upgrade when you get a new barrel and put one of the DD Lite rails or something similar on it along with a 1:7", chrome-lined 5.56, 5150 CMV barrel.
If you are using your gun for no more than 100 yards as u stated then a free float wont give you any noticeable accuracy gains. I think the main advantage to a free float is not so much the slight gain in accuracy but that it allows for a surdy platform to mount sights, lasers, or any other aiming device.
To be honest if all you need a rail for is to mount a light and you will be shooting no further than 100 yards, I would say save the weight and just throw in a magpul MOE handguard. But then again you cant beat the sturdiness of a free float barrel.
I'd so go with a free float on a DMR, what you have now will be sufficient and will work as advertised. The free float will indeed take weight off the BBL but you won't really notice a difference at 100 but having a nice sturdy platform for your accessories is never a bad thing.
The reason why free floating a rail on an AR is so important to accuracy is because when your barrel is not free floated constant changes in the support of the rifle cause POI changes downrange. Also any contact between the barrel and handguard will cause the natural frequency of your barrel's vibrations to be distorted which has a negative effect on accuracy.
I like the ff rails just because they are rock solid. I had an MI drop-in rail and the slight movement when holding my vfg really pissed me off. If you've got money to burn I say go for it, but you won't notice any functional improvement.
Why try to make a match rifle out of a carbine?
Since when does a ff rail turn a carbine into a match gun?
Why try to make a match rifle out of a carbine?
As some of the others have pointed out changing to a FF rail will do 3 things;
1. eliminate the effect of slinging up when shooting(pulling directly on the barrel affecting POI) and remove any movement in the rail
2. shave a couple of ounces off the weight on your rifle
3. make your wallet lighter
Are any of the above changes significant?? maybe. But #3 is a cold hard fact! IMHO
No I am not dissatisfied with the performance of my rifle. I wanted to to be effective as a 100 yard gun and it very much so is. I just wanted to know if the upgrade to free-float would improve its shooting ability. If making the switch would more or less go un-noticed I'll just stick to what works. My current Troy drop-in battle rail is solid as a rock with absolutely zero movement. Thanks for the input but I think I'm just going to stick with what I've got.
I put a DD Omega on a Noveske Light Reece Basic and it made no noticeable difference in the accuracy of that particular rifle. Sample of one.
If you think your rifle is capable of better accuracy I suggest you go with a unit that requires the full change - including the barrel nut. (DD Light Rail, Troy/VTAC TRX, etc.) Remounting the barrel might (or might not) make a significant difference.
If my soon to be started DD build with a Troy TRX out-shoots my Light Basic + Omega, I'll eventually go that route with the Noveske. But that's just me - I enjoy these types of projects. (Plus I have the tools as well as the time).
No I am not dissatisfied with the performance of my rifle. I wanted to to be effective as a 100 yard gun and it very much so is. I just wanted to know if the upgrade to free-float would improve its shooting ability. If making the switch would more or less go un-noticed I'll just stick to what works. My current Troy drop-in battle rail is solid as a rock with absolutely zero movement. Thanks for the input but I think I'm just going to stick with what I've got.
I consider 100 yards to be too close to see any diference i accuracy from a FF. To be honest with you I have never done any true testing to confirm this, but I gurantee you I shoot just the same at 100 yards with a ff than when I had the stock hand guards. The only difference is I like how solid a ff feels, and if I ever wanted to move my sights forward or throw a laser on it I could do so.
The only advantage I ever got from free float is for optics, but the screw clamp on a non FF works ok too, if you already have the FF rail try'em both and see which works best for you, many people like each for their own reasons.
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