Quote Originally Posted by TAZ View Post
Isn’t aluminum directly connected to carbon fiber susceptible to galvanic corrosion?


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I encountered this assertion in my research on the topic. Some people advocated using a glue that would insulate the carbon fiber from the aluminum, essentially creating a barrier with sufficient thickness to avoid bubbles and gaps in the glue. Others, espousing the fiberglass method, asserted that the intervening layer of fiberglass and glue would prevent the carbon fiber and aluminum from coming into contact.

As GH41 states, this is not a big concern to me. I just want to make sure the rail section remains in place. Over a span of years I may change my mind.

As for the glue experiment, it appears to have worked. I removed the sing M-lok hardware screw and nut, then wacked it over a dozen times with a small rubber mallet. With no failure, I then used a nylon tipped punch and a Lyman hammer to hit the rail section from various angles. The rail section remained in place. I then attached a Troy flip up front sight and smacked that around with the mallet, and then set about hitting the handguard at various places near the rail. The adhesive held.

I considered whether I should continue the abuse to point of failure, but then I realized two things: (1) I had no way of documenting the amount of force used, and (2) that would be way outside the object of all this trouble.

With the screw and nut back in place, I am confident that the assembly is as good as anyone can reasonably expect. I am not doing some kind of NSWC-Crane toughness test. My barrel is free floated and I had the component I wanted (BUIS). Time to get back to the utility carbine problem, which is hard enough.