Gettin ready to give my 16" carbine a makeover. I’m looking for a rifle length free float to put over a lowpro gas block.
The two I am currently considering are the YHM Diamond Rifle length and the Midwest Free Float Rifle length.
The pro of the YHM is that it is lighter (about 16oz, not bad for a rifle length) and the pro of the MI is the off chance that I decide to convert to piston (probably not likely), there is enough clearance.
Anyone have any experience with these rails? I’m open to other suggestions, but I’d like to stay around the $150 mark(got to get IDPA gear for a new handgun and some other gear for 3gun, not to mention just buying an EOtech XPS). The only requirements I have are Free Float (I sling-shoot) and Rifle length (my carbine length is just too small for my monkey-arms).
I have a LaRue rail on my Sabre and it’s the cat’s azz–quick install with common AR tools, dead-nuts stable even when I was really trying to torque it around, and slim enough that rail covers didn’t make it uncomfortably large to hold.
What’s the big advantage over the other two? Does the YHM or MI flex? I run a little 3gun, but this is in no way gonna be a duty rifle. I searched around to find the advantage of more expensive rails, and the consensus is that cheaper rails are heavier, but 16 ounces for a rifle length rail seems pretty light.
I’m the type of person who doesn’t mind spending the extra money on quality, but there is a lot of equipment that I just can’t justify (the night vision model of my EOtech I just couldn’t find a reason to spring the extra cash for since I will probably never use NV). I look at it as my rail doesn’t need to survive being dropped from a helicopter if i’m never gonna jump from one.
That being said, if there are some real advantages, I’ll stock up on Ramen tomorrow;) . I couldn’t find any negative reviews about either rail on any of the major part vendors websites. The difficulty of installation is a non-issue. I built the rifle from the ground up and have a carbine length free float on there currently.
Not trying to offend anyone, that’s why I asked on here, but if the advantages of an LT or DD are slim to none (i know the DD Omega is only about 2ounces lighter vs the YHM), I just can’t justify it for my uses. I’d rather see the extra cash go towards a nice FTS EOtech magnifier.
Anyways, please give me the heads up on the free floats. I’d rather do it right the 2nd time (knew i shouldn’t have bought a carbine length:mad:). Thanks bros…
Anyone have any experience with the DD Omega 12" with the front sight post cut out? It would save a lot of hassle and money by not having to dump my current flip front sight / gas block combo for a lowpro and rail mounted sight. I found it on sale for $180, which seems really low for a DD rail.
This price has me excited. I used a lot of DD parts on my build, including the Barrel and BCG, and I’m at about 500 rounds with it and zero malfunctions. I’ve ran mostly M193 and most people don’t believe me when I tell them I’m still waiting for any sort of FTF.
I run that Omega X FSP rail on my Colt 6920. No complaints at all. It is a LOT of rail for the money. You get a solid lock up system that is compatible with the DD Lite rails, integrated QD cups with rotation limiters, and 3 free ladder rail covers.
Appreciate the feedback, amigo. Looks like thats the way to go, since I can keep my gasblock and flip front sight. Kinda wanted a longer sight radius, but I haven’t touched the irons since I got the EOtech.
I’m still interested in the difference between LT, DD, KAC rails vs. YHM, MI, etc. rails so I can pass the word along, so my original questions are still up in the air.
I’m gettin ready to order the DD Omega X 12" FSP rail, but Midway is out of the wrenches for the install. Is it true that the CAR stock wrench will work?
Went ahead and ordered the DD Omega X FSP rail, still curious about the wrench. For $190, it’s unbeatable, especially considering I don’t have to mess with my current sight/gas block set up.
Also, I’m still interested in what seperates LaRue, KAC, DD, etc. from companies like YHM & MI rails. I run into a lot of AR gunners and would like to be able to pass along the information. I could clearly give reasons why a Corvette is better than a Camaro…
I know the LaRue uses a special lock-up system, but the ones I’ve seen aren’t monolithic, which seems a bit dated IMO.
Anyways, still waiting on what justifies the double price tag. I want a reason to drink the Kool-Aid…
Ive read lots of posts by people with out of spec rails on those cheaper brands. None by people with LT, DD, or KAC rails.
Mono rails don’t add much. Something like an LMT MRP, Vltor, etc. That you can mount an optic, and retain zero. Its not a good idea to mount an optic on a non-mono rail. You might be able to mount an optic a little more forward with something like a DD but you still want the lever contact surface on the upper.
Im not sure how you shoot but I found the FSP rails to put the FSB right where I want to put my left hand, and my fingers were coming into the very hot FSB during shooting. It was an issue for me. Others its not. Ive not seen anything that would mean a front BUIS is more unreliable than a FSB, and in certain circumstances I think a FSB is more prone to damage. For instance this past Sun I went shooting, and I always put to guns in my pelican case. I took my BCM middy out, and discovered the FSB sight pin was bent. Its very unlikely for a folding BUIS to have that happen but an actually FSB sticking out in the breeze is ripe for damage. I like the idea of shaved FSB under a rail, and a fold down front buis. Yours being a flip down sight gas block combo negates some of the damage possibilities but you still have a sight sticking out of the rail that gets very hot.
Gotcha, so it’s a QC issue on the cheaper stuff. Makes sense. I’m running an EOtech XPS currently, so the mono isn’t really needed. As far as hand placement, thats my reason for the rifle length. I’ve got a 9" rail on another rifle, and my VFG is mounted far enough forward to get a split finger grip, and still feels a little short to “point” the gun well while in motion.
I do agree about the front sight. I originally wanted to get a rifle length and get a Troy front sight mounted way forward for “He-Man” matches that are irons only. But then i found the $180 deal on the Daniel Defense. By the time I got a lowpro gas block, new front sight, and a different high end rail that isn’t on an amazing sale, it just added up to about $500 which I just can’t pull off. So this rail is kind of a blessing.
I can’t say that I won’t cover up the gap for the FS and just keep the sight flipped down and put a Troy way up front for the longer sight plane, but I’ll try it out as-is for now. Or there’s always the idea of instead of getting a base for lower 1/3 cowitness of my EOtech, just raise the complete top rail/flattop rail a 1/2" and bridge the gap. I think it would look great, but the extra weight scares me.
Thanks for the feedback, boss. Nothing beats hands on experience…
You can get by without the DD wrench but it makes life a lot easier. It is not worth investing in if you don’t plan on using it more than once. I’ve had several lite rails and an omega X so I thought it was justified. You can get by with a modified carbine stock wrench in a pinch.
Hey! I seen your rifles earlier today while doing a google image search. It was either when i was searching for a 12oclock mounted light on the DD rail or when i was looking up images of the Tango Down rail covers in FDE. How do you like them? Any comparison to the Magpul covers? I’ve got the XTM 2 piece covers, but need a lot more due to the new rail real estate.
My point is that a piece sticking through the rail that gets very hot very quickly may be an issue to some people. I had a Noveske 14.5" Lite with a DD RIS II FSP, and the FSB sticking up through the rail got in the way of my left hand. That FSB also got burning hot quite quick.
A lot of people use MI and other bargain rails without issue but a lot of people also report out of spec rails. For most people they run fine but Im not the type of person to go chintzy on a rail that has a much higher probability of having a flaw. I appreciate well made things be it boots, ammo, optics, rails, guns, etc.
A 1/2" riser would raise the sight above 1/3rd. It would be awkward.
Yea I got what you meant on the FSB sticking out. What’s the height that an EOtech riser uses? I’ve looked at the LaRue but never bothered to check the dimensions. Always assumed it was 1/2" since that’s what I’ve always typically seen, but they could have been for scopes.
I just put an 11" Troy TRX free float rail (not the Extreme) on a 16" carbine build for my wife. Pretty good deal, $185 shipped with the wrench and barrel nut included. Not a fan of FSB so I mounted a shaved unit under the HG.
The lock up mechanism is different but the barrel nut is the same. You can take the bottom rail off the RIS without upsetting the mounting of the upper rail. The omega does not really have the same security without the bottom rail. if you never have to mount an m203, you’ll never need the RIS.
