Ladder Rail Cover Question...

AR/M4 AR Technical Discussion
1

How do you guys install your ladder rail covers on your Mil Std rails???
I have noticed that on my DD Lite Rail, there are TWO ways to install these santoprene ladder rail covers:

  1. I can install the santoprene ladder rail cover with the rubber slats IN BETWEEN the aluminum rail slats, thus leaving NO way to see through the rail and read the white lettering such as “T27, T31, etc”. This method allows the rubber ladder cover to set down a little further than the method below.

OR,

  1. I can install the rubber ladder rail covers with the slats ON TOP of the aluminum rails, therefore NOT covering up the white lettering such as “T27, T31, etc”… This method of course, keeps the rubber ladder cover from setting down in between the grooves/slats of the Mil Std rail…

Either way seems like it would work well actually. I think #1 MIGHT be a LITTLE more secure, but I doubt either method would ever allow the rubber ladder cover to slide around on me.

WHICH method do you guys use?

Also, are all ladder covers created with about the same quality or what? Is Magpul probably the best choice? I only have a couple black ones from DD, that my buddy gave me…
Would like to experiment with a couple other brands.
Thanks guys…

2

I install them with the slats in the slots. If you have a ladder panel on, theres no need to see the #'s…if you’re going to put something on the rail, you’ll be pulling the panel off anyway.

The Magpul panels seem to be the standard, the only ones I’ve handled that are markedly different are the black panels that come with Surefire rails. They are much more rubbery feeling. I don’t think you can get them in colors or in any way other than buying a Surefire rail though. I’d get the Magpuls to just to be sure I was getting quality and not some off-brand ripoff.

3

+1 on everything Loknlod said

I have one made by Ergo Grip and it’s serving me well

4

This was the original intent of their design.

5

Both rail ladders that I’ve purchased from Magpul and from Daniel Defense have both been Ergogrips products.

6

Really? So the Daniel Defense black-rubberish panels I’ve got, are the SAME exact panels that Magpul offers?

7

As in they came in Ergo or Falcon packaging?

8

Yes, they are the same.

9


Magpul ladder rail protectors

+1 What everyone said.

I prefer using regular panels on the sides and bottom of the rails only and ladder protectors on the top rails and any exposed rails.

10

That’s a TangoDown rail cover on the side of your upper.

11

I don’t recall what packaging either came in, to be honest.

If they say ergogrips.net on the underside, then yeah. I know mine do.

12

The whole point is to protect the rail slots–that is what you want to cover…

13

Good job!

He’s talking about the bottom ones…

:wink:

ETA: and top in black…

What’s Magpul’s name for the bottom one? I like the FDE(?) TDs…

14

Magpul calls it FDE (flat dark earth). I’ve noticed that the color of it varies quite a bit from generation to generation too.

15

I actually called Magpul and talked to Rich because some Magpul covers I ordered had an Ergo Grip logo on the bottom and I wanted to see if I got ripped off. He said that they have a patent on their rail panels and so they make them for everyone. So yes, they are all an ErgoGrip product. I’ve also noticed the color variations in FDE.

16

I picked up a few sets of the “Falcon” ones some time ago for considerably less than the other brands. They work great but am surprised to learn that they are pretty much one and the same.