AR-15 Question #1: LaRue vs DD Rails

[Coronach]

If you need light weight, why are you looking at anything other than PRI?

How durable is it? How well does it handle being knocked around?

Mike

 

[Conqueror]

It was the standard issue forearm on the Mark 12 SPR before they switched to a heavier Knights unit, so I would guesstimate that it can take some serious abuse.

 

[Conqueror]

http://www.ar15.com/lite/topic.html?b=3&f=12&t=172238

There's a good resource for you. All weights might not be up to date but it's a good starting point. Note that many of the PRI weights are with all the rails attached.

 

[Coronach]

Thanks! Looks like its about a year out of date, but still a good reference.

Mike

 

[Pat_Rogers]

Reading one of the online forums, one of the more respected trainers (I believe it was Pat Rogers; but I am going from memory and could be wrong), reported several of the YHM rails failing and advising against their use in Iraq and Afghanistan.

No, I DID NOT say that. I have no experience with YHM rails and have no opinion on them.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Thanks for clearing that up Pat. This why I should stick to keeping my mouth shut when I cannot remember the details well enough to find the post.

 

[Pat_Rogers]

Thanks!
I try hard not to comment about those things that i have no direct knowledge about.
I have never used any YHM rails, so i have nothing more then then those very few i see at class and what i read on the dramanet- and i discount most of the latter.

 

[Coronach]

Pat-

What about DD and Larue? Do you share the opinion that they are the top of the heap- of the ones you have seen, of course- and do you think that one is significantly better than the other, and why?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Pat_Rogers]

I use the Larue rail because i strongly believe it is the best.
It also requires that you remove the front sight base to install it, something that some won't/ can't do.

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

I prefer LaRue, but you really cannot go wrong with either of these companies, IMO.

 

[aloharover]

I sell a lot of YHM and like their forearms BUT there is no way that their LW rail is lighter then the LaRue. I have never stuck either on a digital scale, but the YHM is physically thicker and you can feel the weight difference in your hand. If I had a scale (mine only goes to 12oz) I would weigh the YHM and DD after work (those ar ehte only ones I have on hand atm)
I like DD's. I 'feel' that they are the lightest of the three when just holding in your hand. This is the 7" versions I am talking of.
The DD lite rail uses pins in the barrel nut to lock the forearm from rotating.

I think all three are great rails. Never found an issue with any of them having out of spec mountings.

As far as the lightest free floated forarm, get a CF tube. Index it in a lathe and mark the locations for where you want some rail. Do you really need full length sections down both sides and on the bottom? Figure out what you want and where and get some short 3" sections. Mount useing small (4/40 maybe) nuts and bolts and some acrglass.

 

[H2O MAN]

LaRue kit is probably the best quality available. I have used many items from LaRue.
My new Colt LE 6920 now wears a LaRue Tactical 7.0 inch free-floating handguard LT15-7 with LaRue Locking System.

 

[moshbucket]

Larue antirotation v/s others

I've been researching these different handguards lately.
Larue is the ONLY one that secures the handguard from rotating by 'holding onto' the upper receiver.

All the other hanguards have 'anti-rotation' screws, pins, etc., that keep the hanguard from rotating on the BARREL NUT. But nothing that would keep the barrel nut from turning (I would proabbly rather have the handguard come loose than the barrel nut .

 

[Conqueror]

^^^FYI, Troy handguards have tabs that hold the upper. However, they're not super-tight against the upper and will allow a few degrees of rotation. How tightly does the LaRue hold the upper?

 

[flip180]

I have a Larue 7.0 rail on my Stag. A friend of mine has a DD ten inch rail on his RRA. He helped me install mine. He was so impressed with mine that he's throwing around the idea of replacing his DD rail for a Larue piece. I think they're both nice but I liked my rail better because it seemed smaller in diameter and more rounded than the DD rail did.

Flip.

 

[rbernie]

All the other hanguards have 'anti-rotation' screws, pins, etc., that keep the hanguard from rotating on the BARREL NUT. But nothing that would keep the barrel nut from turning (I would proabbly rather have the handguard come loose than the barrel nut

In order for the barrel nut to turn any appreciable amount, the gas tube would have to shear off. If that occured, you'd have more important problems than a mis-indexed forearm.

 

[MaterDei]

What makes Larue better? The logo! Long live Texas!