parallel rail

[moulton]

I am looking for a rail to mount a red dot on for my a2 handguards. I see most rails are not parallel to the barrel. So I am looking for some rails that look like this:

anyone got any leads?

[brando]

First off, red dot sights shouldn't be placed there for a number of issues. Move it back to the upper receiver. If you REALLY want it out forward over the handguard, then get a co-witness mount. It attaches via the upper receiver carry handle and places a pic rail forward, over the A2 handguards.

[brando]

This is what I'm talking about

http://www.btitactical.com/m1cacomo.html

[maxicon]

Yep, rails mounted on the plastic handguards aren't really good for optics, but are used for lights and other non-precision gear.

The mount brando's linked is called a gooseneck mount or A2 cantilever mount, and there are a number of them available. How well they hold zero depends a lot on how well they fit the carry handle channel and tighten down, and some have screws from below and the front of the carry handle to help this.

The most flexible is the Bennie Cooley BC-CAM mount, which allows you to adjust the co-witness height, which RRA and MI are also selling versions of:

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=5037&title=AR-15+BC-CAM+OPTICAL+SIGHT+MOUNT

http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=326

http://www.midwestindustriesinc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=98

ARMS also makes the un-adjustable #39, which has the double mount screws:

http://www.armsmounts.com/catalog.php?action=124&item_id=41

Another option is to mount it on top of the carry handle, which is too high for many people, but some like it for CQB type stuff, as it allows you to keep your head up and still have a good sight picture. If you put on solid railed handguards, you could mount it there as well, and it would be accurate enough for gov't work...

[moulton]

I have it mounted to the carry handle already but it is not comfortable at all .
For some of those prices I might as well get a railed handguard like this

http://www.shootforless.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=34&zenid=eaa9c6560adc880059f91d1ab594562b

Anyone have one of these? Does it fit a triangle handguard cap from an A1 upper?

[ocabj]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but that railed handguard is not a free floating unit.

You do not want to mount any optics to a railed handguard if it's not a free float unit (has an integrated barrel nut which threads to the receiver/barrel shank). A free float unit will have minimal to no movement or flex while a railed handguard that simply replaces the standard shell handguards will be just as unstable as your initially proposed idea of having a rail on the A2 shell handguards.

Just mount your optic to the receiver. Even if you have an A1/A2 receiver with a carry handle, you can to this with a forward mount. That's how I've had my Aimpoint rigged up since the late 90s.

[maxicon]

Yeah, a FF unit would be best, no doubt.

I've got an Aimpoint look-alike mounted on non-FF plastic(!) railed handguards on a .22 A2 upper, and it actually holds zero pretty durn well, but I'm mostly shooting it shorter ranges, and if it's shifting, I don't see it. It won't cycle premium ammo, so it's not like I get tiny groups anyway.

My MI 17X non-FF handguards are stable enough until you give them a good whack or pull - then they'll shift, since it's only the spring tension of the delta ring holding them in place. At .223 ranges, you'll have a harder time holding zero.

In any case, most 2 piece non-FF handguards don't fit the triangular A1 front cap, as far as I know - someone correct me if I'm wrong!

If you watch the EE over at arfcom, you can get great deals on gooseneck mounts. My BC-CAM was $75 there (though they don't show up too often), and other brands are often less, if you're not in a big hurry.

[aplinker]

For the price of a free float rail I'd say sell your upper and get a flat-top. You'll end up with a much better solution.

[moulton]

For the price of a free float rail I'd say sell your upper and get a flat-top. You'll end up with a much better solution.

yeah, but I love the retro look.....may end up buying a new upper when I get the funds together