How much is "too much money"? I have a KAC rail system, rifle length, military issue. New surplus. The bottom is KAC, but the top is P&W (you can't tell the difference though except one says KAC and the other P&W --the army owns the contract now so they can have whoever they want to build it). At any rate, you can look for the P&W version, as it is identical as KAC but may not have the brand name attached to it.
I have this one listed for $270 shipped. They go new for $350. Are they worth that? No. Are they better than the rest? Maybe. They certainly make a good rail system, and they never failed me in the army, neither the regular rails for rifle and carbine, and the free float rail I have on my .50 Beowulf ex-army test mule. All the well made accessories fit the KAC rails too. I can't say the same for everyone else, Oly for instance, who failed to heed my advice about changing the way their FF rail attaches, thus costing them a huge order for rail systems in '03 for all the SDM rifles in one or two brigades (had one bought them, the other would have followed, that is the army for 'ya) has a design that allows the rail to come loose and revolve around the barrel, not to mention the fact that many accessories just won't fit the rail! Is that worth $100? No. So really, we are back where we started.
Junk rails will affect accuracy (well, non free floating one will too...). Just because you don't have the sights on there doesn't mean it can't affect accuracy. They put weight on the barrel, that affects accuracy. They affect harmonics, and that affects accuracy. They "move" (tolerances, etc., may not be perceptible) and this affects accuracy. Bottom line, a free float handguard will shoot tighter groups at distance than will the non free floating type. The KAC mounts tightly to the weapon, it has a "claw" that grips under the ring and a cam that locks onto gas tube. It doesn't just clip on. But it still doesn't perform as well as a free floating tube.
There are so many makers today it is hard to keep up. My advice is to find a free floating one. It is worth it in the end, they cost the same to make essentially, and the markup isn't that much considering. It used to be, but not so much today. Stick to a reputable maker, not some new tactijunk maker. Right now, I've been eyeing the J&P V-Tac (about $170 I think). It is a free floating tube with slots cut at 8 different angles. This way you can mount that light between 12 and 3 o'clock, which feels better. You can mount the rails where you want them, and not have a chunky handguard overall. You said you were only mounting a few things... This might be up your alley.
If I don't go with the V-Tac, if I don't sell the KAC rail, then I will probably install a free float tube, NM type, perforate it, and modify these KAC rails to fit over that. No point in wasting such a fine piece of equipment.
Anyway, if you find you want to cough up a little more for KAC and/or have something to trade or partial trade, PM me. I'll even throw in extra rails for it, the ones they charge $20 apiece for.
