So, how often do you upgrade your kit to the latest and greatest? I have several ar’s with larue rails which is still a solid rail but a bit antiquated today. I’m thinking about adding a couple new uppers to the stable and looking at the BCM KMR. Is keymod the future? Is the new standard a 1913 picatiny top rail and key mod on the rest of the rails? Will it be a passing fad? I see Most of the top instructors (LAV, Defoor, EAG, have sported the bcm KMR on their rifles.
So how often do you change out lights, sights, rails, etc…?
I don’t run to the most recent fad. One reason is I like to see the bugs and issues worked out, and see all the pros and cons of an item evolve. Also, if I wait 6 months to a year or better I can generally pick the item up for less, though at the moment prices are pretty rock bottom. That said, I will upgrade items when something comes along that offers me a decided advantage over my current rig, item, or set up. Now, even if the latest gen comes out with small upgrades I don’t ditch my current, perfectly fine working item for that item(A la what a lot did with T1s waiting for the T2s.) I will run it until I break it, or decide that the next gen is priced to where it is worth the expensive of buying it and then selling the old gen or moving it to back up, training, second line gear.The benefits for some things are pretty subjective from time to time. Grip size and angle, light mount, even lights to a degree, though I do have a rpeference for Surefire Scouts and would like to buy at least one or two more, can only gain you so much. A lot of times i am truly convinced that most shooters don’t shoot or train enough to gain the small fraction of benefit that they get from the latest and greatest and would be better off spending hte money on ammo and training. That said, if you feel the cost/benefit is in your favor rock on.
I know BCM, DD, etc are ran by good people that I want to see do well, but what you’re describing is “Effective Marketing”. Sure, LAV, Defoor, EAG, etc run the stuff because it’s good, but BCM puts pictures and quotes up on their website so you will buy.
I upgrade when something breaks or I buy something new. I can’t ever see myself having a rifle with a perfectly functioning, quality rail system (and the LT Rails are just that) and selling them for 1/2 what I bought them for to buy a new rail (and all new mounts for accessories) just because it’s the latest and greatest.
I’m keeping the current rifles I have with larue rails. I just have the bug to get a new upper and to be honest I have been on a bit of ar15 hiatus for the last couple years. In that time the key mod has come out along with advancements in white lights (more lumes). So when looking at new rails is the keymod the next evolution or is it a passing fad? I havent been following the trends as much as I used too.
I would only upgrade for a real game-changer. I suggest the KMRs for new buyers, just based on what I’ve seen here(my buddy just bought one, hope to test it out soon), and I’d buy one if I was in the market, but I’m not selling my current rail for one. That said, my urxiii isn’t THAT much heavier.
In the last year ive only “upgraded” my rifle from a Noveske keymod hand stop to the Knight’s keymod hand stop. Wasnt really an “upgrade” the KAC keymod hand stop leaves much to be desired compared to their older aluminum hand stop.
I generally keep my stuff the same. If something comes along that is worthwhile or meets a particular need then I will look at making change. For example going from a heavy(ier) rail to a lighter rail.
In some cases I will reconfigure a weapon with a new barrel.
I’m running the LaRue 9.0 and 12.0 (EAG Carbine/Stealth) rails, and even though they are seriously ‘old school’, I’m sticking with them. Any new floated uppers will most likely have something lighter on them, most likely the KMR as I’m growing more partial to all things BCM as of late.
What I do replace often are inexpensive items like grips for example, I just ordered a couple of BCM grips to try, getting tired the MOE and wanted to try something else. At $12.95 each, how could I go wrong?
I still have ARs that I built back in 2007 and 2008 that are still the same as they were then. I do not upgrade any of my weapons after they are built to where I want them. I will use up-to-date stuff on some newer builds, but they will remain that way and not get changed. That is the way I want them and that is the way they stay.
I agree with everything Kain said as those are pretty much my thoughts exactly. I’ve seen real life examples of guys that really need to just shoot some more and get to know their rifles better instead of seeking hardware solutions to software problems. I’ve been running the same NF 2.5-10X24 on one of my rifles for years now because even though some really great scopes have come out I haven’t found one yet that has made me want to ditch that scope. I used to have gear ADD kind of bad but now that I’m older, married, and have less money I find myself making due just fine lol but I did just recently upgrade two of my guns with BCM KMR’s. Mainly for the weight savings.
Same philosophy here. I spend entirely too much time reading and researching a product before I buy it to just get rid of it and get the new hotness. I put the time and research in to make sure I get what I want.
It seems that if you chase the latest fad, you lose time and money in the pursuit and there will always be something new to replace it and deliver the item into obsolescence. Once something works I generally stick with it and fore go the new stuff until I purchase a new AR. Still running my Larue with the original 12" rail and I don’t intend to change it out. Working out more often makes the “heavy rail systems” more palatable.
My DD M4 sits the same basically as when I bought it save for the scope I have on it now. Only thing I want to change out is the Magpul ASAP sling mount which I want to put a normal QD socket on it as the Magpul single point sling setup wasnt all that and a slice of cheese like it was billed to be when it first came out.
I would like to put some type of free float setup on my 10.5" SBR, but I have been running the Magpul handguards since I got everything in 2012 and they really are ok.
I dont tend to jump on the latest fad’s until I see them work and get to run them a little myself and see if they work for me. I have actually stepped away from some of the fads like the Magpul BAD and the AFG(although I still have one on my DD M4 because the rail system eats my hands up). I understand the concepts associated with both, they just didnt work well for me.
I have a buddy who seems to jump on every fad and wants to rebuild his gun weekly. I have so far kept him from doing this as what he has works for his purposes and instead gotten him to shoot a lot more, which in reality, is what he(and most everybody really) needs.
My first BCM is essentially a 16" EAG carbine, with a 9" Larue rail and FSP. I love it, but it’s definitely a little heavy compared to my second BCM, a pinned 14.5" with 13" KMR. I agree that fitness plays an important role in weapons handling. I took a civilian friend of mine to the range with the Larue-equipped carbine, and he commented that his arms were a little tired after firing a few magazines while standing. I’m not the strongest guy, but I think I’m more used to handling weapons and gear, so there’s definitely a conditioning aspect to it.
I’m still acquiring accessories for my 14.5" KMR carbine, but I can tell it’s going to quickly become my primary carbine just because of ease of handling. I don’t feel a strong need to change out the Larue rail on the 16" - as other mentioned, it’s still a quality handguard, and I have a lot of money invested in it. I think I may eventually go the route of acquiring an ACOG and bipod for it to turn it into more of a heavier, semi-precision rifle.
I think we all reach a point where we “want” new cool stuff. The difference is how long most of us take to reach that point. Very few AR’s are ever wore out by shooting. I have been the newest, coolest guy before and pretty much am the opposite now. About 3 years ago I upgraded 3 and still have them the same as they were set up. I’ve been looking hard at the new KMR LW barreled uppers from BCM but the reality is the Centurions are light, robust, and very much up to task as far as rails go. Just a thought, we know the rails are going to be around and used for along time. The keymod may or may not be the latest and greatest. Weight seems to be the key, within reason. If working out were the answer I would be happy with 12lb. AR’s instead of 8lbs(loaded and ready to go) but the reality is that I am not.
