[FNBlack]

Does anyone else find it amusing that with the release of MLock, keymod, etc, that Picatinny rails are now constantly referred to in a derogatory manner as "cheese graters?" The term has become all the rage now that Picatinny alternatives are being released en mass. Apparently, victims of this epidemic have been suffering in the shadows for years, too afraid to speak out...until now. Wow, who knew it was this bad?!

In an effort to combat the new onslaught of criticism, Picatinny product manufacturers are in the process of developing Picatinny-based attachments that actually soak your hands in a mild detergent while you shoot.

Not busting on anyone here, so please don't take offense. Literally, it's everywhere now.

 

[Rattyxj00]

Sales talk, me thinks. This is just my opinion, but I think Picatinny is much, much superior on the top rail of any weapon, or anywhere-where repeatedly indexing the sight(or other accessory) at the same place and steadfast attachment is 'function or failure' only. In addition, Thats one reason why I love the SCAR--the top rail also , being an integral part, and not an attachable piece, means its not a second thought nor another place where something can be off or go wrong.

I kind of like the Cheezegrater feel--does that make me weird?:?:

 

[KameronTKelly]

These things were invented at some point. Called....

gloves.

The Pic rails actually provide damned good grip.

however, I certainly dont mind different manufacturers coming out with different products and different attachment methods. I do get your point of - why bash a previous method if you think your method is better-? If it's better it should sell itself and you shouldn't have to trash an older method. We have to keep in mind though that this is standard practice in the industry. Hell just the word "best" simply insults competitors products by stating that they are inferior in some way. Everything simply comes down to preference. Do what you like and buy what you like. That is the bottom line.

Now if we could just get manufacturers to stop slapping "tactical" on everything and anything. That would be a treat :biggrin:

 

[akitainu]

Picatinny rails are terrible for grating cheese. There's no uniformity in the cheese texture and it makes for an all around awful taco.

 

[FNBlack]

Good points all and thanks for keeping the discussion light-hearted.

 

[obiwan]

Marketing hype to separate you from your money.

 

[Fröman]

I am not a huge fan of pic rails where they will never be used but I am still going to buy the new Branham 2" rail with the QD sling mounting holes when it finally comes out.

Perfect? No but not so unpleasant that it can't be solved with some rail covers or a pair of gloves

 

[ATL_Matt]

I have to admit I'm probably one of the apparently notorious "cheese grater" dudes - at least in terms of my SCAR H configuration. Early in the pic rail revolution, I installed quad rails on most of my rifles and enjoyed the options they opened up - maybe not as much as Magpul and 100 other accessory providers did but I liked the evolution.

After 4-5 years though, I've come to recognize that I shoot better, especially with multiple targets or fast acquisition, with a thinner fore-ends - this is just based on how I grip the my long guns today. I know I can use gloves but I shoot primarily indoors and honestly, I just have an image of the tacticool mall ninja dude replete with gloves and camo undies that makes me cringe a bit.

One of the few complaints of the SCAR that remain (thank you Giselle) is the width of the fore-end; something I exacerbated by adding rail covers to protect my obviously soft, "lotiony" hands. I don't use lights, lasers, et el so I'll eventually spring for a solution that eliminated the side pic rails and gives me some coverage over that scorching gas block... I fully agree with the above poster's view that pic rails are ideal as a top (and probably bottom) rail - that's the one I use always and they are exactly what I want. Best, Parmesan Hands...

 

[lefthanded7]

I find it ironic that the first thing that everyone does with the Keymod's is to buy PIC rails and bolt them on. Uhhhh? Ok? Pic rails have never bothered me one way or the other. Although I pretty much have a somewhat of a desk job, I find that going to the gym for years will make your hands pretty tough if you lift without gloves. That being said - - I think I'm going to ask my gym owners to get some weight training equipment with some Pic rails on them just so I and my friends will feel more at home. :lol:

 

[CPTdaz]

Marketed hype or not, one advantage of the fancy mounting systems have over traditional picatinny rails is the weight.

 

[SubOrbital]

I find it ironic that the first thing that everyone does with the Keymod's is to buy PIC rails and bolt them o

This is a failure of the market - if you get MLOK or KeyMod handguards, then you should be getting direct attach accessories. There were none on the market when KeyMod launched and the market was slow to produce accessories such that there's a good bit available only now, rather than 2 years ago. MLOK already matches the number of accessories of KeyMod, it's startling really. At the end of the day, if you don't swap all your accessories over to the direct attach method that matches your handguard, you've lost almost all of the weight benefit to that handguard. For most of us that's a lot of money in accessories, so is it worth it?

 

[Umassot50]

If I got a hand guard that had too much or undesired or located picitinny rails I would mill them off and have before. Saves more weight. Keeps from having to buy all new gear.

 

[DrToyHoarder]

Us old school plastic wrapped forend guys don't need a damn quad rail for lights, lasers and other ninja ****. I'm not big on wearing gloves like a tactidork either, but I don't like getting my hands toasted . I put PMM keymod rails on my 16 and they are much lower profile and easier on the hands than the plastic rails. I'm adding low profile MI keymod handguards. It's frickin hot in TX during the summer, and gloves suck. The heat off the forend has been my only complaint against the SCAR platform. I have other quad rail guns that are lower profile, and don't radiate as much heat. Some ergo rail covers and they were good to go.

 

[SONYtec]

lol!!!

 

[JonM]

Us old school plastic wrapped forend guys don't need a damn quad rail for lights, lasers and other ninja ****. I'm not big on wearing gloves like a tactidork either, but I don't like getting my hands toasted . I put PMM keymod rails on my 16 and they are much lower profile and easier on the hands than the plastic rails. I'm adding low profile MI keymod handguards. It's frickin hot in TX during the summer, and gloves suck. The heat off the forend has been my only complaint against the SCAR platform. I have other quad rail guns that are lower profile, and don't radiate as much heat. Some ergo rail covers and they were good to go.

Come spend some sub zero time on the range with me in wisconsin. i bet you put on ninja gloves snappy quick

 

[wbeatty]

Two words "Squid Grips"
ugly as sin but oh so comfortable

 

[Mr_X]

Lol, it's a cyclic thing that comes with technological advancements. Old school "wood is superior" types b*tched when polymer handguards took the market by storm. Then the first picatinny rails hit the market and it practically revolutionized the industry. But don't forget that we were all bolting something onto those same picatinny rails once (and still do): rail covers for one.

Now we have Keymod, M-Lok, and a few other lesser designs that do away with the need for picatinny rails and in some cases, rail covers too. The advantages are much slimmer grips, lighter weight, and direct-mount accessories doing away with intermediate items, such as picatinny rails or adapters. Compare today's rails with the heavy and clunky picatinny rails of yesteryear (A.R.M.S. SIR System, anyone?). These systems are still evolving - and getting better with each new iteration.

It is highly likely that in the future we will see further evolution of these designs - possibly completely tool-less installations even. Say, a "Magna-Lok" setup that uses indexable magnetic accessories that seamlessly attach and even are powered via the handguard which has a built in power source for lights, lasers, and so forth.

 

[GlocksInMySocks]

Nothing new at all, people have been calling them cheese graters for years. Picatinny rails were the best option at the time, so no one *****ed too hard. They just put rail covers on instead. That's the only reason why the rail cover was even invented