New AR-15 Rail

[rightisright]

So I bought the 11" version of this for an inexpensive lightweight mid length build and to dip my toes into the Keymod waters: http://www.joeboboutfitters.com/Matrix_ ... viewHeader

Finish is a bit dull (don't really care as I will rattle can it), but otherwise it's fairly well made (in the USA). My concern is with the way the rail is attached to their proprietary barrel nut. To keep the profile slim and to save $$ on machining costs, their barrel nut has no teeth. The rail is held simply by the tension of three allen screws at the bottom of the rail. Pic of nut and screws: https://www.matrix-arms.com/wp-content/ ... /hg-hw.jpg

Now, I am no door kicker, but I am still a bit concerned the three screws will prevent rotation of the rail. I guess if it is a problem, I could always drill and tap in some set screws on the sides of the rail into the nut. There is enough meat on the unthreaded part to get a screw in there.

Would putting some blue Loctite on the barrel nut exterior prior to sliding the rail over it help? I've never tried to Loctite anything unthreaded...

[JAG2955]

MidwestIndustries has you Loctite their rail to their barrel nut, which is textured. Hit the barrel nut with some coarse sandpaper or light file to give it something to grab onto.

So the screws act as setscrews?

[rightisright]

MidwestIndustries has you Loctite their rail to their barrel nut, which is textured. Hit the barrel nut with some coarse sandpaper or light file to give it something to grab onto.

So the screws act as setscrews?

I have an MI rail on another AR. SS series, I believe. That proprietary nut had teeth (splines).


The screws on the Matrix rail go in under the barrel nut. When I was referring to "set screws" I meant drilling and threading my own hexhead screws through the rail and into the barrel nut.

I may be using the term "set screws" incorrectly in a machinist's world.

[JustinR]

Yea, Loctite sounds like a good idea. I also have an MI handguard that uses the tension bolts plus their version of Loctite that came with the rail, and I've never had an inkling that it's going to move at all.

[Netpackrat]

Since getting into the AR game a little, I haven't heard much good about keymod in general.

[Aesop]

It's basically another way to skin a cat, made for people with an affinity for solutions in search of a problem.

[rightisright]

It's basically another way to skin a cat, made for people with an affinity for solutions in search of a problem.

Not sold on the Keymodiness of it just yet. But it was only available in that setup.

If there is another lightweight, well-reviewed, made in 'Merica free-floater for ~$65 out there, I can't find it.

[JAG2955]

If every keymod accessory was as great as the BCM vertical grip, they'd have a winner. It's a tool less attach, no screws, and almost infinetely adjustable. As it stands, most hand guards would be better off with threaded inserts.

[Netpackrat]

I have no complaints about the M-Lok rail on my SBR. It's easy enough to use, and once mounted, the attachments stay mounted. Which is apparently not always the case with keymod.

[Darrell]

I would be leery of using blue Loctite (242?) in such an application--it's a threadlocker, not an adhesive. A retaining compound might work better, if not TOO much better:

http://na.henkel-adhesives.com/industri ... -14963.htm

These are generally high strength compounds. Like red (262) Loctite, you'd probably need heat for them to release. If you went this route, I would clean/degrease mating parts, and use it sparingly. Heck, if I understand what you're trying to do, super glue would probably work.