Rail for 10.3" barrel

[rxer311]

I have a 10.3" ballistic advantage hanson profile barrel coming in for my pistol/SBR build.

What is the best length rail for this application? I think a 10" rail will be too long. FYI, I will be using a Silencerco Saker Flash hider.

I was thinking may going with a 9.7" SLR Ion hybrid. Thoughts?

Any other suggestions?

[UWone77]

9.5" work the best for me on a 10.3.

DD RIS II
Geissele MK4/8
Cross Machine Tool

[UWone77]

Mocked up a 10.3 DD Barrel on my 9.188" SMOS Quad. Close, but a 9.5" would be right up to the shoulder.

[alamo5000]

I have a 10.3" ballistic advantage hanson profile barrel coming in for my pistol/SBR build.

What is the best length rail for this application? I think a 10" rail will be too long. FYI, I will be using a Silencerco Saker Flash hider.

I was thinking may going with a 9.7" SLR Ion hybrid. Thoughts?

Any other suggestions?

The 9.7 SLR rail is custom built to fit 10.5 barrels. Don't even bother putting one on a 10.3. You will get interference if you run a suppressor.

FYI I got Todd at SLR to dimple my barrel for me so I've been running that set up with their rail ever since I got into the whole SBR thing.

If you run a 10.3 barrel get a 9.5 rail.

[rxer311]

The 9.7 SLR rail is custom built to fit 10.5 barrels. Don't even bother putting one on a 10.3. You will get interference if you run a suppressor.

FYI I got Todd at SLR to dimple my barrel for me so I've been running that set up with their rail ever since I got into the whole SBR thing.

If you run a 10.3 barrel get a 9.5 rail.

Thank you for the heads up.

[rxer311]

Right now I think I have it narrowed down to an SLR Ion, Mega Wedgelock, and Fortis switch.

Which way to go...

[alamo5000]

The good thing about SLR is their advertised lengths are what they say they are (especially in the lengths we are talking about).

The downside is if you get M-Lok you will want to run one of their gas blocks too. The inner diameter of the rail mixed with the dimensions of standard (even low profile) gas blocks and the dimensions of M-lok T-nuts will cause interference.

I am sure there might be other gas blocks that work too but the SLR one is for sure.

[rxer311]

Well, like I said I am using a Ballistic advantage barrel with a pinned gas block. I was going to with M-lok, just because I really like the magpul AFG. It is a major design flaw in M-lok, however, to have these issues.

A few other options out there that are lower on my list that I have briefly considered...

Seekins NOX Mlok
MI G3 Mlok
CMT Mlok

Are you sure about the 10.3 working with a 9.5"?

[alamo5000]

I definitely would not overlook the Cross Machine Tool ones right now either.

The barrel nut for theirs and the SLR ones for sure are kind of no brainers and very easy to work with.

[alamo5000]

Are you sure about the 10.3 working with a 9.5"?

Yes.

Again though you will have to be choosy with the gas block if you get an ultra slim rail though. I think several manufacturers have started making gas blocks that don't interfere.

I measured my old one vs the SLR to figure out why the old one would bind up and the SLR one is way shorter length wise than a standard gas block. You can put accessories where ever you want with it, but not with the other gas block I was using. Several people here also had some issues like I did.

[rxer311]

I did have a Seekins NOX rail at one time and ended up selling it off. I had it installed on a FSB middy. I really liked it but I am really unsure of its ultimate durability. That barrel nut was also a no brainer.

Let me ask you a question...

If you were deciding between all of these options for your SBR...what would you go with and why?

[rxer311]

I did have a Seekins NOX rail at one time and ended up selling it off. I had it installed on a FSB middy. I really liked it but I am really unsure of its ultimate durability. That barrel nut was also a no brainer.

Let me ask you a question...

If you were deciding between all of these options for your SBR...what would you go with and why?

P.S. Geissele might be an option as well.

[alamo5000]

I did have to choose

I built a 10.5" SBR and as everybody knows I hate uncertainty and not really knowing about products. The good thing is I have a substantial amount of trust in UWone, Slippers, Stickman, and a bunch of others here. When they say 'good stuff' especially if more than one person here says so...time to pay attention and take notes. Lots and lots of people here are very knowledgeable.

For me I chose SLR because they took the guess work out of it for me. My pockets aren't deep so I don't have a bunch of money for uppers and spare rails or barrels and stuff so I have to be more picky.

Basically I went with a sure bet and to me SLR (because I use them on my other AR) are definitely a known quality. I told Todd at SLR that I wanted a tight fit and he recommended a barrel that was also recommended here so I ran with it. He picked up a barrel for me, dimpled it and sent it in the same box with the rail.

And I knew about the gas block from previous trial and error.

[alamo5000]

The good thing about uppers is you can swap them around. Once you get a lower SBR'ed the rest can be swapped out as you need or want.

If it was me I would solicit folks here and ask which combinations work and ask if they've had any issues (like I did when I mixed and matched gas blocks and rails)... if you get positive feed back then after that it's a matter of looks after that.

[alamo5000]

Also for me at least the lengths and quality control aren't as big of an issue with SLR. I say 'quality control' but I don't mean that as in others are 'junk' but SLR when they tell you the length, it's the length.

If I'm not mistaken they are doing the machine work for CMT as well so you could expect the same thing from them.