Cutting TangoDown rail covers

[AR-10]

I've seen cut covers before, and I've even seen them with a little bit of both ends chopped off.

I was wondering how these attach to the rail, and what prevents them from sliding back and forth?

I'm about to order some and I'm gonna have to trim the rear of the left panel so I can use my QD socket.

I'm also gonna have to cut off a little bit of my right panel to make room for my light mount up front.

This should be fine, yes?

[montgomerygentryFan]

There are various ways you can trim off TD covers, for me I just use a hobby shears (it's obviously not precise but I don't have a dremel with various saw heads) and just file it down which after it can looks pretty even. Not sure if you're going for the regular or the SCAR panels, but the SCAR ones are easier to trim and file down in my opinion.

As for how the covers lock, there is a notch on the end of whatever cover you get (regular or SCAR), this is how it latches onto the rail so it locks in. All you have to do is make sure you cut the opposite end of the latch and you'll be good.


Below is a link for the SCAR panel, see the top where there is that tab (separation between the two edges), that's what locks it to the rail:

http://www.skdtac.com/TangoDown_SCAR_Panel_p/tng.210.htm


Likewise for the regular covers, the left end is what secures/locks it to the rail, all you have to do is trim the opposite end of that (in this case the right side):

http://www.skdtac.com/TangoDown_Rail_Grip_p/tng.202.htm

[Paulo_Santos]

You just have to cut the opposite end that doesn't have the locking part. You can't cut both ends. I used one of the things to cut molding from home depot and it works great.

[AR-10]

Great! Thanks for the info guys.

The SCAR panels look good, I like how they are fully-textured.

[Ripcode]

Great! Thanks for the info guys.

The SCAR panels look good, I like how they are fully-textured.

They are also thinner than the the standard rail covers.

[Stickman]

A chop saw/ power mitre makes for a nice easy cut with clean edges.

[m249saw]

A chop saw/ power mitre makes for a nice easy cut with clean edges.

Im going to try that. I was wondering if that would work well.

[AR-10]

We shall see, my rail covers showed up in the mailbox this morning and I just ordered them Monday afternoon - thanks Rainier!

Looks like I'm going to be cutting both ends off of the left panel after all since I don't need the locktab - the panel will be captured between two mounts so it's not going anywhere.

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/9927/img0824za.jpg

You can see here that the SCAR panels are indeed slimmer, but they still match up well with Gear Sector's mounts.

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/4265/img0825ji.jpg

I'm going to chop them with a die grinder and a cut-off wheel, since I don't have access to a chop saw.

Editing to add the after pic:

http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/1563/img0827o.jpg

[JTrusty]

AR-10,

Well done sir. Very clean setup and nice job on cutting the TD panels! [:)]

[AR-10]

Thanks!

Your mounts make it easy to look like a pro - the edges aren't exactly perfect but I don't mind.

I'm building a beater here, not a safe queen!

[m249saw]

Looks good AR10!

You using an MS2 sling (hence the reason for the looped sling mount)?

I love my Gear Sector single point sling, I just wish I could transition it to 2 point like the MS2