It seems that recently the trend of stylizing AR’s is to use a very long handgaurd on mostly midlength gas sytem uppers using either the Magpul AFG or no hand grip at all. On top of that, most of the time they are topped with Aimpoint T-1’s.
This makes me kind of feel left out, since I use a 7in carbine length Troy rail with the ol’ VFG and a Aimpoint C3… Is anybody still using this platform and is still usefull? I think I read the trend to longer handrails is to help have better control over the recoil of the rifle, along with the extended grip of the hand on the rail close to the muzzle.
Well it’s still useful if it fits you well and meets your requirements. That’s the trend, for sure, but it doesn’t invalidate carbine length with a VFG. Proven configuration.
And the T1 is just smaller and lighter. People like me that have no money still use C3s. Nothing wrong with them.
I am running a 7" omega rail on my colt 6920 because I wanted a drop in free float rail that didn’t require removing the fsb and bbl nut for installation. I use this as a general purpose carbine and have never regreted only having a 7" rail. I don’t use any foward grip of any kind either.
just because there is an en-vogue movement does not mean its right. give it time to work the bugs out. but past that, we know what has worked in the past, and 99.9% might be good enough. If you want 99.999%, that might take some mods or other actions.
To the OP. Your set up is just fine. To make you feel better, my carbine is even more dated. It consist of a 16" carbine with M4 handguards and the aimpoint Comp C3 with BUIS. I thought about getting rails and still may purchase them in the future but it does everything that I need it to do.
It’s just like anything else, things evolve and change.
… People found that they shoot better when they put their hand (VFG, AFG, handstop, or nothing) farther out towards the muzzle instead of right next to their magwell (i.e. the need for a longer rail).
… People found that a midlength system has a slight advantage over the carbine system.
So when it’s time to buy a new rifle, people are buying today’s technologies, not yesterday’s.
Does it make your rifle useless? Certainly not, as long as it still goes bang.
I somewhat agree…at least about the AFG. But there’s certainly a quantifiable increase in control with getting your weak hand out farther than a 7" rail allows. Rather carbine length rails give me as much length as a I need for my hand, but another 2" lets me put my light where I want it and still be able to run my hand out that far.
I actually think the AFG is ideal…for shooting standing up. But it limits you like a MF when kneeling or prone, unless you decide to bring your hand behind it.
I’m really really wanting to buy a couple of Gear Sector hand stops.
I prefer on saving weight by going carbine length. I think full length rails are nice if it fits you. I personally prefer a close to the mag well grip rather than a foreward grip. I seem to get tired less this way which helps prevent with my rifle moving around on me. I found, at least for my self that a fore ward grip is good for burst/full auto, as far as controlled semi-auto shots, the closer I keep my arms to my body the less I get tired and the more acurate I become.
I don’t think longer rails and running your support arm farther out is any more of a “fad” than running a thumbs forward grip with a handgun. There’s sound principles grounded in basic physics supporting its continued use.
nothing wrong with it at all.
I’m using carbine rails too (kac ras) and dont feel the need for a longer one since all I mount on it is a flash light and the recoil of 556 is not a big issue for me.
While chances are I will upgrade my two carbines two midlength at some point down the road after a lot more shooting and rebuilding comes up, I still run a carbine length rail on one (the other is a DDM4 with the full rail).
I like the AFG and its, to me, more comfortable grip angle. I was never really happy with the VFG’s and the KAC handstop I tried didn’t suit me either.
As for T-1’s, I’ve paid $425 each for my two H-1’s. I don’t have NVG’s in my bag of tricks so I don’t pay for the option.
I dont know if its a fad or what have not. I think for the majority of users, its trying something new to see if it works for them. All of my rifles except 1 are set up with carbine length rails. Most of my guys run carbine lenght rails. For me, its a matter of having enough rail to put whatever mission specific items I need on it and nothing more. As for the mid length gas system, when one of my uppers shit the bed, I will probably try one. Not because its fad’ish, but if it provides me more service life for my rifle, then its worth it.
I’ve never seen much point in the 7.0 rail for me, and never have owned one. I can shoot just fine with the standard plastic handguards, and the 7.0 is too short for attaching lights, etc. IMHO. I prefer an FSB mount on carbine-length gas systems.
From the beginning with my first AR I’ve been looking for ways to get more length. First no-ban carbine was an LMT 14.5" with Larue 12.0 rail, next one was a Colt 6520 with a 9.0 and then 10.0 DD, then 6933 with the 9.0 that was on the 6520, etc. If I’m going to go through the trouble and expense of buying and installing a rail, I’m going to get as much rail estate as I can without getting nuts.
Down the road, we’ll have Vietnam Retro AR15’s, early 90’s retro AR’s, and then OIF era retro AR’s that use 7" rail systems, M68CCO’s or ACOGs, KAC VFG’s, and SF Millenium weaponlights.
I see these as the Toyota Camry’s of the AR world - the most simple, reliable, practical setup, but one that gucci-tards will always look down on as uncool.
No rails at all on either of my guns, just standard round plastic handguards and iron sights. The BCM may get a T1 eventually and a small add-on piece of rail for my SureFire Scout light, otherwise they’re very stock in configuration. I like my guns LIGHT and sleek, not dangling with a bunch of odds n ends. For my needs they do just fine.
If you like your rifle and it suits your requirements then it’s a perfect set-up for you.
