My personal issue with my Larue quad rail doesn’t have anything to do with the quality of the material, the fit or finish, its the basic design works on my hands about as well as a cheese grater.

we all know that guy, we just don’t want to admit it This percentage of the shooting world just can’t say no to the latest gizmo to let dangle from their gun, and quickly a 7lb AR15 turned into a 11 lb AR15 full of add ons.

The problem with a lot of rails is that some people will try to attach every gadget known to man to them and fill all the space with “needed” gear. The first problem with quad rails is the end user, and that may sound harsh but follow my logic. While quad rails were revolutionary in 1995 things were not to remain so as the rails hit the shooting market and military units across the globe. Top: Key Mod from BCM Middle: Geissle M -Lok Bottom: Larue Tactical Quad Rail The Late 1990’s was an amazing time for gun owners, it was the first time that red dot style optics could be purchased on a working mans wage and people began to use their AR-15’s as the Barbie doll of the gun world, all via the Picatinny style quad rail. Some of our readers may not remember a time in history before red dot optics and AR-15’s downloaded with accessories and laser designators on them, but I assure you there was a time. The modern quad rail that we are use to seeing started it’s life in 1995 when the design was sent to the Picatinny Arsenal for a lengthy test and evaluation period and would later come to be known as Mil-STD 1913. The quad rail was not perfect but it was the best available option at a time of great transition and change in the world of firearms. While no one will deny the positive features that the quad rail offered over the standard round two piece AR15 hand guards they replaced, many will argue it was a waypoint in a progression towards a better overall design that was waiting to replace it. Larue, Daniel Defense, Yankee Hill and Machine, Knights Armament and Midwest Industries all fought for rail supremacy and military contracts. It seemed like every week a new manufacturer was coming out with a new length rail system or a new fastening system to make their quad rail unique and different. In the not so recent past the rise of quad rail systems was stunning to see. Is the quad rail obsolete? The answer to that question is a resounding YES.

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