[00stormbringer]

I reduced the side rails by approximately 2.5", just short of the spring detent for the barrel extension bolts. Additionally, I trimmed 3.5mm off the rear rail bolts so that they sit flush with the receiver. I'm running Larue Tactical Indexing clips on the bottom rail to keep the hand of the "heat sink" while providing the slimmest possible fore grip area. I will take them to the range tomorrow to see how it fairs.

 

[Talhoffer]

Looks different :wink:
I have a spare set of side rails and have been toying with modifying them by removing some of the slots for a thinner profile.

 

[vertigosol]

I like it . I dont know why FN would not offer a shorter rail set

 

[McCrapper]

I like it too. Well done!

 

[KD85]

Looks different :wink:
I have a spare set of side rails and have been toying with modifying them by removing some of the slots for a thinner profile.

Jarod over at parker mountain machine is working on a keymod rail that will be nice and thin. that might be something you want to look into

 

[Talhoffer]

Jarod over at parker mountain machine is working on a keymod rail that will be nice and thin. that might be something you want to look into

Thanks but no thanks, I have no love for the keymod thing.

 

[KD85]

Thanks but no thanks, I have no love for the keymod thing.

agreed that keymod might not be for everyone but it is the slimmest solution for the side rails. think of it less as a keypad rail and more of a retaining panel for the 3 required screws! its just another option for the folks who don't want to cut there rail and had massive chunks of rail at the very end of the weapon.

 

[farmerted]

Jarod over at parker mountain machine is working on a keymod rail that will be nice and thin. that might be something you want to look into

Cool, will have to keep an eye out for these. More options are great and hate seeing other manufacturers trying to stifle innovation.

 

[00stormbringer]

its just another option for the folks who don't want to cut there rail and had massive chunks of rail at the very end of the weapon.

Better to have useful "massive chunks of rail at the very end of the weapon" then to have additional useless key mod extending rearward toward the charging handle instead of forward toward the gas block.

 

[DaveConn]

Ran the MI keymod extension for awhile, and really liked the thinner profile, but I have since gone back to the OE setup.

Great idea, 00...

 

[00stormbringer]

hate seeing other manufacturers trying to stifle innovation.

:th_confused0024:

 

[Smurky]

Really like the looks of the short rails 00, :welldoneif4:

 

[KD85]

Better to have useful "massive chunks of rail at the very end of the weapon" then to have additional useless key mod extending rearward toward the charging handle instead of forward toward the gas block.

I was in no way knocking what you did with your rails. there will be a version of the keymod that extend out a bit covering the gas block. the rearward keymods are not useless as the can be for rail covers or qd mounts that go in the area if someone chooses.

If those pieces of 1913 at the end of your weapon (that don't extend towards the gas block ) is exactly what you want or need then thats great! not everyone runs a weapon system the same.

"useful" really depends on your needs and the role that the specific tool is filling.

 

[KD85]

hell, what about a section of keymod that was the same length as your cut rail and you ran the keymod thorntail light mount. that would be as lo-pro and out of the way as it gets what still having useful piece at the front to attach stuff to as you have to have something for those screws!

 

[meatwaggon]

I reduced the side rails by approximately 2.5", just short of the spring detent for the barrel extension bolts. Additionally, I trimmed 3.5mm off the rear rail bolts so that they sit flush with the receiver. I'm running Larue Tactical Indexing clips on the bottom rail to keep the hand of the "heat sink" while providing the slimmest possible fore grip area. I will take them to the range tomorrow to see how it fairs.

I've actually been thinking about doing the same exact thing. Did you use the same screw that came with the back of the plastic side rail to plug that exposed screw hole, or some other shorter screw?

 

[00stormbringer]

I've actually been thinking about doing the same exact thing. Did you use the same screw that came with the back of the plastic side rail to plug that exposed screw hole, or some other shorter screw?

I used the same bolts. I measured 3.5mm with a dial caliper and used white out to mark the length of threads to remove; locked the bolt in a vise and cut with a dremel cutting wheel. I could have gone one notch shorter on the rail sections, but I wanted retain the detent clip that seats in the notched area of the OEM TORX barrel triune bolts.