List of Manufacturers Adopting Magpul's New M-LOK

[GOST]

http://soldiersystems.net/2014/04/26...-m-lok-system/

[UWone77]

[GOST]

Thanks UW.

[DMViergever]

Impact Weapons Components is in as well per their FB page

[UWone77]

I'm thinking out loud here, so take it with a grain of salt...

I wonder if there will be a looming "Format" war between M-LOK and KeyMod. KeyMod has a big head start and some big companies behind it like BCM and Noveske. M-LOK however also has an impressive list of manufacturers behind it and of course a juggernaut like Magpul behind it. New shooters and novices, will they be confused what works with what? I see a HD-DVD vs BluRay in the works.

On a side note, Gear Sector with their many delays looks like a genius now, and the delays warranted if they were partially waiting for the M-LOK to be released. Now I'm even more interested than I was in the GS rail.

Should be an interesting rest of the year.

[Deckard]

GS did say it would work with Daniel Defense's MFR. Does that mean Daniel Defense is going with M-LOK also or did GS scrap that idea?

[FortTom]

I'm thinking out loud here, so take it with a grain of salt...

I wonder if there will be a looming "Format" war between M-LOK and KeyMod. KeyMod has a big head start and some big companies behind it like BCM and Noveske. M-LOK however also has an impressive list of manufacturers behind it and of course a juggernaut like Magpul behind it. New shooters and novices, will they be confused what works with what? I see a HD-DVD vs BluRay in the works.

On a side note, Gear Sector with their many delays looks like a genius now, and the delays warranted if they were partially waiting for the M-LOK to be released. Now I'm even more interested than I was in the GS rail.

Should be an interesting rest of the year.

That's exactly what I thought too, after seeing the list of companies working with Magpul. I don't really see the sense in any of it. KeyMod is an open format, like open software. Why does Magpul want to enter into a pissing contest over format. My guess is that Magpul's long term goal is to cooperate with these other companies at first, until they can make it a dominating "preferred" format, and then flood the market with their own accessories, then undercut and dump the companies that are backing them now. Could it be a monumental, but oft repeated, case of corporations betting on the wrong horse, and swirling down the drain for their efforts?

I would like to try out a M-LOK equipped gun, just to see what's up with it. Maybe it will be the death knell for the KeyMod "format".?

FT

[UWone77]

M-LOK in essence is also open source.

The big thing you hear people complaining about KeyMod is, it's more expensive to machine. Fortunately or Unfortunately, no one makes more accessories than Magpul, which has so far in my opinion been the weakness of KeyMod, the big lack of accessories. (which recently has been better) It's been redundant to install a piece of picatinny rail to your KeyMod rail to attach accessories.

[Slippers]

I think it's especially interesting that Noveske is on the m-lok list.

[FortTom]

M-LOK in essence is also open source.

The big thing you hear people complaining about KeyMod is, it's more expensive to machine. Fortunately or Unfortunately, no one makes more accessories than Magpul, which has so far in my opinion been the weakness of KeyMod, the big lack of accessories. (which recently has been better) It's been redundant to install a piece of picatinny rail to your KeyMod rail to attach accessories.

Yes, you're right. It has been the chicken or egg thing with KeyMod. No one wanted to invest in tooling up for KM accessories, until they could gauge the real interest and sales of KM rails, and the rail makers were depending on the accessories makers to support their sales with accessories.

I just hope that Magpul doesn't become another Microsoft, and dominate the field to the point where everything rotates around the whims and wishes of Magpul. We have several choices, now, and that makes for more competition and innovation, to my way of thinking. I mean, hell, for years it was picatiny or a standard hand guard.

Nothing against Magpul, they definitely have had a major positive impact on the market with accessories, magazines, etc, but I'd still hate to see other choices die off by being stifled by a huge force like Magpul. When things like that happen, sometimes companies quit listening to their customers, and start dictating, instead, based on bean counters and insiders.

No matter what, it will probably take a few years to see what happens. I don't see any advantage of one over the other, except for the number of accessories, and prices being competitive, with so many people announcing their alliances with Magpul's M-LOK. I'm wondering how hand guard makers are going to make it a priority to start making M-LOK guards. I also wonder, upon this news, if those making KeyMod hand guards will cease, and switch to M-LOK? Guess we'll have to wait and see.

FT

[UWone77]

I know there has been a big movement towards lighter forearms, but all the M-LOK, Keymod talk makes me appreciate my quad rails. Something to be said for not having to find Keymod/M-LOK accessories, if I need rails, I don't have to attach them, they're already there. The Centurion Arms C4 rails are still probably one of my favorite rails. Maybe when it comes to forearms, KISS is the way I want to go, quad rails or MOE.

[GOST]

I think that the biggest thing that hurts keymod is that all the keymod rails look pretty much the same.

[FortTom]

I know there has been a big movement towards lighter forearms, but all the M-LOK, Keymod talk makes me appreciate my quad rails. Something to be said for not having to find Keymod/M-LOK accessories, if I need rails, I don't have to attach them, they're already there. The Centurion Arms C4 rails are still probably one of my favorite rails. Maybe when it comes to forearms, KISS is the way I want to go, quad rails or MOE.

UWone77,
I have Centurion C4 rails on two guns. I thought they were THE thing, until I got a KeyMod hand guard. Adding rail pieces weren't really an issue, I did add one short piece for an Inforce Light. But when I got my hands on a skinny and lightweight rail that I didn't have to insert a billion LaRue clips into, so I could move around freely, I vowed to never turn back until something better came out. I bought a MI SSK for the current rifle I'm building, and this might really be the last one. So, for me, the future might be pretty moot, as far as hand guards and accessories go.

FT

[Slippers]

I know there has been a big movement towards lighter forearms, but all the M-LOK, Keymod talk makes me appreciate my quad rails. Something to be said for not having to find Keymod/M-LOK accessories, if I need rails, I don't have to attach them, they're already there. The Centurion Arms C4 rails are still probably one of my favorite rails. Maybe when it comes to forearms, KISS is the way I want to go, quad rails or MOE.

Considering you have just about every handguard on the market, I'm glad you expressed your feelings on the alternative mounting systems.

Most people get tied up in the quest for the latest and greatest, and don't want to own an item viewed as inferior or abandoned a few years down the road.

[Pyzik]

That's exactly what I thought too, after seeing the list of companies working with Magpul. I don't really see the sense in any of it. KeyMod is an open format, like open software. Why does Magpul want to enter into a pissing contest over format. My guess is that Magpul's long term goal is to cooperate with these other companies at first, until they can make it a dominating "preferred" format, and then flood the market with their own accessories, then undercut and dump the companies that are backing them now. Could it be a monumental, but oft repeated, case of corporations betting on the wrong horse, and swirling down the drain for their efforts?

I would like to try out a M-LOK equipped gun, just to see what's up with it. Maybe it will be the death knell for the KeyMod "format".?

FT

Magpul made a statement that the reason for a new standard was that KeyMod slots were weak when used in polymer.
I think it's unfortunate that we can't stick with a standard like 1913 rails have.

I wanted to like KeyMod when it first came out, I just don't.

I do wish I would have waiting just another week before ordering my Samson rail as Magpul made the statement just days after I received my rail.