I’ve got a SOLGW Wedgelock rail I was going to replace the RIS II on my DD Mk18 with but now I realize it would be a waste without the anti-rotation pin above the gas tube.
I found a 10.5" CHF barrel with a small enough gas port to run a can and all I need now is a forged milspec looking upper that has the pin hole to keep the Wedgelock rail from rotating for when I stick my laser on it.
I want it to be “Thermal Fit” and I don’t want it to look “Gucci” and if I could get it for under $150 shipped that would make my birthday shootout next week just right(I’m giving my old Mk18 to my son before he moves out with his GF).
By thermal fit, do you mean the upper needs to be heated to insert the barrel? If that’s what you mean, then yes they will most likely be a thermal fit where the barrel is inserted into the upper receiver. Icon Defense, Zev, SOLGW, Noveske, Mega, Rainier Arms Gen2, all come to mind.
Ive noticed a little less temporary zero shift on hot guns and almost no permanent zero shift after they cool down since I started using interference fit uppers or shimming my barrel extension/upper interface.
Now all I need is to build a newfangled lightweight MLOK type stick that the handguard doesn’t flop around or twist on so I can run my peq without having to fiddle with it every other time I wanna use it.
Thanks for your help, this build is gonna get done before Turkey Day now…
The don’t get it. The handguard (rail) is clamped on to the barrel nut. It won’t rotate in use. Did you mean it would be slightly off everytime you reinstall the handguard? You can put a witness mark there for realignment. You will need to recheck the laser’s zero after disassembly and reassembly anyway.
Thermal fit is nice. I usually “bed” the barrel extension to the upper with loctite retaining compound or just ordinary blue loctite thread locker. It helps if you apply it correctly.
Adco drilled a receiver for me for a Wedgelock. Though, personally I’d keep the RIS II. If you must do MLOK, the G Mk8 is better, IMO, on a gun that short. But Pic beats MLOK on a Mk18, again just my opinion.