Daniel Defense Lite Rail Handguard Installed

AR/M4 AR Technical Discussion
1

One of the final additions to my AR 6.5 Grendel rifle.

I installed a 9 inch Daniel Defense (DD) Lite rail on my AR Carbine (mid-length gas system) yesterday, pretty much went without a hitch.

I used this armorer’s wrench to remove the OEM barrel nut and delta ring. I had to use a 12 inch cheater (cast iron pipe) on the wrench to break the OEM nut free. I also used a Brownell’s upper receiver action block to hold the upper in my vise.

And this special crowfoot wrench from DD was used to torque the new barrel nut to specs (75 ft. lbs.). The small machined clamping piece goes on before the new barrel nut, but remains loose until the free floating handguard is bolted to it via six Allen-headed cap screws.

I did have to remove the flash hider and YHM front sight base and reinstalled both without issues.

The DD Lite 9 inch rail handguard.

Actual weight of the DD handguard with all fasteners…12.85 ounces
Actual weight of OEM (mil-spec) components removed…10.35 ounces
Net weight gain on rifle…2.50 ounces
Weighed on Ohaus CS2000 digital scale after zero.

All in all, I think this is the best, certainly one of the best, rail systems out there. I think it is one of the lightest too.

I’ll post photos of the handguard on the rifle later.

2

Here’s the completed hand guard project photo’s.

This shows that the clearance between the YHM front sight when folded is more than adequate, a little more than 1/8 inch.

Sights up, buttstock extended. I detached the single point sling for clarity.

3

i really love their rails, very nice

4

Thanks, I looked at just about every rail hand guard currently made. I couldn’t find one as strong with the light weight of the Daniel Defense Lite Rail.

Essentially, it chose itself from the specs.

5

hey FP, are you spanning the gap between upper and rail with that EOtech?

6

I moved the EoTech forward from its position with the OEM hand guard, but didn’t really document that.

The position of the EoTech is tenative based on what a PVS-14 will require for space. I’m assuming that the rear BUIS will have to be removed to use the PVS-14 in a reasonable position.

I can remove the EoTech and photo the alignment of the rail with the top of the receiver if that will help.

7

I like that rail. I have three of them two on a couple of 16" middies, one on a 24" rifle. On a new build I do not think there is any that is easier to install. The big plus in my view is no groove on barrel nut to line up for gas tube.

I used my detachable carry handle to bridge from receiver to the rail to get a good line up before tightening the allen screws securing the rail, and then did same thing to align gas block to the rail in turn.