Has anyone used the MI#20X Carbine Length Free Float?
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/Midwest-Industries-MCTAR-20X-p/mctar-20x.htm
I am thinking about getting it, but wonder about the quality of it.
thanks
I have the 20” FF MI rail. Quality is excellent. Nothing negative to report.
how do MI rails attach?
For the free floating ones, cut off the delta ring assembly and the rails clamp onto the barrel nut.
I have a MI 7" rail on a carbine, and it is a good rail for the price. You do have to cut off the delta ring delta ring to install.
My only word of caution is that it is thicker than most rails so if you have small hands it my not work well for you. Use rail ladders instead of rail cover as the rails too fat for almost everyone.
hmm… so it’s an Omega-esque attachment with set-screws…? whats keeping MI rails from taking off? Quib says his is machined well, they’re the same weight (i’m sure not including the weight of the barrel nut) as the Lites, and they don’t seem to require removal of FSB/MD, and they’re cheaper. do they have a record of breaking/coming lose/bending/etc?
Compliments of Stickman…http://www.weaponevolution.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3
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The Troy MRF-C is a similar design that installs the same way as the MI 20. Not very expensive, either.
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Well, like I said the have a larger diameter than most rails. It is noticeable. Aside from that I think MI rails are good gear.
Also if it not DD, LaRue, or other high dollar gear it seem to not get much respect.
Sounds like its a pretty good, or at least no one has any complaints.
You have to earn the reputation you get. Daniel Defense and Larue have earned their reputations from pioneering after-market weapon components, both expanding into really well made complete systems. They weren’t born with silver-spoons in their figurative butts. SWS, Vltor, and Viking Tactics have similar records for hard-use, quality products.
Why do these 5 stand out?
Troy and MI both produce pretty popular handguards- Troy produces rails for SW, and IIRC MI makes rails for a few other lower-tier manufacturers. they don’t have the reputations of the above- i’m happy enough with the above 5 that i don’t really care all that much, so i’m probably not going to do a shit ton of research on the the issue… just wondering if anyone had any opinions as to why
Nope, they’re nearly identical to Troy except they are definitely much larger in diameter.
whats keeping MI rails from taking off?
As noted above, the same thing that keeps Troy’s from taking off.
do they have a record of breaking/coming lose/bending/etc?
I’m not aware of a lot of complaints of rails bending for any manufacturer, so I am not in a position to say. I personally purchased a set of the MI’s and didn’t like the diameter, so I sold them. I found the machining and finish to be of good quality. However, I personally use Troy’s on all my AR’s.
by “taking off,” i meant sales- why dont troy and MI rails have a lot of sales, have the reputation of some others, etc…
I’m not questioning DD’s or LaRue’s quality or well deserved reputation. I’m just saying some people Poopoo anything that isn’t from a top tier name and/or have the price to match.
Though I like my MI rail my next rail will be a DD Omega, for two reasons:
- Want something a little thinner than my MI rail
- Don’t want to cut off the delta ring so I can take the rail off if I so decided.
What makes you think they don’t? The problem with the M4C crowd is that they tend to be blinded by their own snobbery. It reminds me of a bunch of yuppies with their BMW’s and Mercede’s all dissin’ Ford’s or Chev’s as if they weren’t viable transportation. It’s exactly why M4C has lost alot of credibility with me. Frankly, anymore I get more useable info over at Lightfigther.
wow… you’ll call M4 people “snobs” and say lightfighter is the alternative? that place is the ultimate expression of unfounded elitism. I’ve never seen a body of people with stronger feelings based on less substantiated information anywhere on the internet.
MI and Troy do not sell as many rails as Larue and DD- that’s a fact. I don’t have sale numbers, but i am an active member of the AR community, here, in the physical world, and elsewhere- and the only time I ever see MI or Troy rails is the every once in a while I see someone at the range with a S&W or other build. I see at least 10 DDs and probably 5 larues for every one MI or Troy.
This doesn’t mean they’re inferior- SWS doesn’t have nearly the sales of MI or Troy, I’d wager- but they still produce possibly the finest production rails on the market. So my question was: Are Troy and MI as good as anyone else, and why or why not? But I don’t want to further derail somebody elses’ thread, so never mind.
Careful there.
I don’t have sale numbers, but i am an active member of the AR community, here, in the physical world, and elsewhere- and the only time I ever see MI or Troy rails is the every once in a while I see someone at the range with a S&W or other build. I see at least 10 DDs and probably 5 larues for every one MI or Troy.
If I based my opinion on who sells the most rails strictly on the numbers I see at dealers, gun shows, and the range, then YHM wins hands down.
Are Troy and MI as good as anyone else, and why or why not?
I use Troy exclusively because they offer the best blend of quality and price for a non-FSB/barrel removing FF rail. Samson costs more than DD and MI’s width are just to large for my hands, but their quality is good. The cut on the Troy rails meets the 1913 spec, which I didn’t find with SF’s DI rails. The mounting system is solid and the finish is as good as any I have encountered. The material and finish are the same as DD’s, if their marketing is to be believed. DD’s Omega does not offer any more in quality, from what I have seen, although it does not require removing the delta ring, which can be a huge plus and may be worth the extra cost to those who aren’t authorized to modify their weapon. The other differences I see between DD and Troy are the weight (DD is slightly lighter) and DD’s limited rotation QD mount point. Frankly, the 20% difference in price between the Troy MRF and the DD Omega may be solely due to the fact that DD is a smaller and newer company. I don’t know that for certain, but the fact is that the Troy’s run about 20% less than DD’s for what I see as the same quality. Just one man’s observation.
dd is a younger company? I don’t know how long troy has been around, but I would have guessed less than 10 years. dd has been in the business for almost 15 years, I think- daniel started DD in 94, IIRC…
don’t give up on M4C- this place isn’t what it started out to be, but with all these new people all over the place, the brand-snobbish elitism is getting drowned out a bit. just the other day I saw a thread on YHM come and go without a single elistist rip thrown.
I’ve only been a member for less than a year, but I lurked for a couple years before… back when M4C was a place for long, in-depth discussions about highly technical details and specifics, with a really high ratio of platform engineers and unit armorers and manufacturers and so forth. those days are long gone, and aint ever coming back… but this is still the best place on the net for AR/M4 info and discussion.