[Guest]

So I think I'm going with the MI FF Extended Carbine length rails. I've heard a lot of good things about MI, especially for the price, and the only negative is that they're a little heavier than other brands. I simply can't afford a DD, Troy, Larue, etc. I've heard hit and miss things with YHM, so I'm excluding them, which sucks because their prices are nice.

Anyway, I like the looks of the extended length Carbine, so for $30 more, is the extended a good choice over the standard FF Carbine length? Practically speaking, I'm probably only going to have a light and maybe a vertical grip at some point, so I doubt I'd really need the length. Maybe down the road I'll want more, who knows. I just like the covered look that the extended provides. Any other Pros vs Cons, other than added weight, that I should be concerned with?

 

[Guest]

Well .. since I've been in a Railed FF kinda mood I'll share my current shopping mentality.

Here's what I've been looking at and what I have.

Have 2 MI FF rails. One is Rifle length the other is mid-length. The best part was they were easy as all get out to install. The bad, they are heavy. They are locked up tight to the barrel nut and even with a VFG I have no movement or twist. They present a monolithic rail from the upper to the front. You don't have to even pull the front cup. They are absolute quality.

Lately though, I've had a jonez for a VLTOR CASV-EL (thanks to Mike) and am getting that setup in the next week. For my 9mm Carbine I'm going with the YHM Specter light weight rail kit. (http://www.yankeehillmachine.com/store/forearmkits.html) and that's because I like the idea of the rifle length rails on a carbine 16" barrel... it's tacticool .. but the kit ($209 from brightflashlights.com, you'll have to call Calvin for that price though) is everything you need, rail, gas block, flipup front sight ect.. it's light weight and honeslty more for looks than use. It's going on a 9mm AR so it isn't like it is going to be really needed for anything I use my other practical carbines for.

I've stayed away from LaRue, Danial Defense and Troy because I didn't want to dicker with pulling the barrel off to mount a friggen rail. The YHM is just a screaming deal for the total setup.

Conclusions... well for me, variety is king. Well kinda I've settled on some things I have found that work and that I like. Things like my preference in BUIS, optics and basic configurations. Rails are something that I've been shopping for a lot in the last month and I've decided to expand my horizons and try out some of the other options.

In the mean time, peek at the for sale post I just put up I'm selling off my SureFire M73 rails and for non free float rails, they are really the best thing going.

 

[Guest]

I was kinda of set on the MI extended FF which installs over a low profile gas block until Badshot said how heavy they are.

No I am looking at the YHM Specter Customizable XL Kit.

The MI monolithic rails do look badass though.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the detailed write-up fellas! I went ahead and ordered those MI rails, but I have to admit, I looked at those YHM kits for quite a while over the past several days. Badshot, you'll have to let me know how those YHM rails work. I was also thinking of going with that Specter kit and getting rid of my fixed front site because, as you said, it looks VERY tacticool! LOL! The reason I went with MI over YHM was because I read about some YHM quality control issues on ARFCOM, but that those had probably been fixed recently. If you have success with your buy, that may sway me to buy that kit and sell off these MI rails once I see how heavy they really are, lmao. :mrgreen:

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the detailed write-up fellas! I went ahead and ordered those MI rails, but I have to admit, I looked at those YHM kits for quite a while over the past several days. Badshot, you'll have to let me know how those YHM rails work. I was also thinking of going with that Specter kit and getting rid of my fixed front site because, as you said, it looks VERY tacticool! LOL! The reason I went with MI over YHM was because I read about some YHM quality control issues on ARFCOM, but that those had probably been fixed recently. If you have success with your buy, that may sway me to buy that kit and sell off these MI rails once I see how heavy they really are, lmao. :mrgreen:

As I told you in the other thread KingAir, I just got the carbine length MI FF rails and I think they are awesome. I think you made a great choice. As far as weight goes, I really don't feel the rifle is really all that heavy with them installed.

 

[Guest]

Lately though, I've had a jonez for a VLTOR CASV-EL (thanks to Mike) and am getting that setup in the next week.

who me ?

I've stayed away from LaRue, Danial Defense and Troy because I didn't want to dicker with pulling the barrel off to mount a friggen rail. The YHM is just a screaming deal for the total setup.

In the mean time, peek at the for sale post I just put up I'm selling off my SureFire M73 rails and for non free float rails, they are really the best thing going.

you can always just dremel off the delta ring

somebody should snatch up those M73's....great drop-in setup !

 

[Guest]

sorry guys I was kinda toasty last night when I wrote that. The MI's are noticeably heavier than the Surefire rails, but they aren't the same sizes.. I have the mid length and rifle length rails so there's a fair amount more aluminum there just based on that.

I did pull my scope, grippod and BUIS off of my 20" AR the other night and goofed around with it just to see the difference and there was enough to notice. Then again all of my AR's are kinda heavy when you compare them against a stock no toys/rails AR and that's OK, I just want to see what the difference is really going to be on the 9mm AR. After running and gunning with the middy, picking up the 9mm is like picking up a pistol

KingAirDriver.. you won't be disappointed. I love the monolithic rail and the ease of installation for the MI's. Hope you got a good deal for yours. And soon you will owe us pictures!

And yeah, the SF rails are the shiznit, they've rotated across three of my rifles now but FF is the way I'm going.

Mike are you saying I can just cut the Delta ring and slide the YHM on?

 

[Guest]

Oh yeah, I'll definitely put some pics up when I get them! It may be a lil while though...this is my Christmas present from the Missus, and she may or may not make me wait until the 25th...who knows!

 

[Guest]

just remember while you're cutting the Delta ring and spring out to take up everything that the shavings could get into.. didn't do the greatest job of that on the first rifle and ended up spending many hours getting all of the shaving out of the chamber.

 

[Guest]

Mike are you saying I can just cut the Delta ring and slide the YHM on?

my bad....one piece FF NO, 2 piece FF that clamps to the barrel nut YES

 

[Guest]

just remember while you're cutting the Delta ring and spring out to take up everything that the shavings could get into.. didn't do the greatest job of that on the first rifle and ended up spending many hours getting all of the shaving out of the chamber.

Well, all along I was going to install them myself, but I think I'm going to have my buddy at the gun shop put them on, since there will be cutting involved. I just don't want to take the chance on cutting something I shouldn't!! As much as I love tinkering with this thing [AR], I don't wanna mar my baby up! BTW, I did just put a Badger Ordinance Tac Latch on the charging handle and I like it a lot! Any of you guys have 'em?

 

[Guest]

Dude if you have a Dremel and a few cutting wheels it's super easy, just take your time, tape off around the area you're working on and every crevice and you'll be more than fine. I've done three of these now and only had a small slip and mark on the barrel nut, can't even see it now that the rail is on

 

[Guest]

Yeah, got a Dremmel! I guess you're right...maybe I'll give it a shot after all.

 

[Guest]

Badger Ordinance Tac Latch on the charging handle and I like it a lot! Any of you guys have 'em?

Got one sitting here in a baggie that I nedd to install

 

[Guest]

For my 9mm Carbine I'm going with the YHM Specter light weight rail kit. (http://www.yankeehillmachine.com/store/forearmkits.html) and that's because I like the idea of the rifle length rails on a carbine 16" barrel... it's tacticool .. but the kit ($209 from brightflashlights.com, you'll have to call Calvin for that price though) is everything you need, rail, gas block, flipup front sight ect.. it's light weight and honeslty more for looks than use. It's going on a 9mm AR so it isn't like it is going to be really needed for anything I use my other practical carbines for.

Have you still got this in the works?

I'm considering doing something similar with my carbine; I like the look, but I'd also like to be able to get my forward hand out a bit farther.

I keep going between the Troy 13.5" MRF-RX Rifle Extended, and YHM Specter XL Lightweight.

Of the 2 the YHM kit is certainly the cheaper route, and comes with everything needed....... Hmmmm think I may have made up my mind.

 

[Guest]

actually here's what has happened in the last few weeks. A few friends and I have decided that shooting this coming year will all be centered around practical use and training. To that end, the much better half shoots the 9mm AR better than the 5.56 ones. She is going to decide how she wants it configured and that's what it will end up with. Most likely that means no VFG, but a light for sure. That means at best the railed forend will be the configurable one rather than the full rail set. Not to mention it won't happen until a few other things are paid for (Masada, SCAR and other surgical adjustments) so I can't say for sure when, but it will be YHM's kit.

 

[Guest]

Ahhh, I see.

I had looked at the customizable ones myself. For me the only real bonus I saw on that route was a very slight drop in weight, and it looks like a smaller overall circumference. The only real cons were, I'd need to buy the rails at extra cost, and buy the proprietary wrench (any YHM FF).

I've got some time to wrack my brain on which route to take, as it stands now I'm really leaning toward one of the YHM kits.

I'm sure you'll do it up right no matter what route you wind up taking.

 

[Guest]

I wasn't all that impressed with systems that weren't fully railed until I picked up the CASV, changed my perspective pretty significantly.

 

[Guest]

Yep,I think the CASV is partly what started me looking into the customizable rail platform, It's got a sweet look. I decided against that route because I run either a Eotech or a Millet DMS-1 (once it arrives) on my carbine, and didn't want to bother with a riser for the EO to allow quick easy switches between the 2 optics, and I'd prefer the added OAL of some of the other options out there.

 

[Guest]

Millet DMS-1 on a Vltor CASV-EL