I'm in the process of building an AR-15 pistol with a 12.5" barrel. It's my first AR I've owned in several years. Use will be recreational (otherwise I'd buy a pre-made gun/upper), with the caveats that I appreciate quality parts and that it's possible it might see anadventure campcarbine class or two. I'm looking at a rail length of between 10" and ~11.5".
Use-wise:
- It will have a front BUIS mounted
- It will have a rifle light mounted probably at the 11 o'clock position
- It will have a handstop of some sort mounted
- It should be MLOK and reasonably lightweight (i.e. does not have to be the lightest rail on the market)
- It will likely never see an IR laser and has no need to maintain zero with such a device
- It will likely never be attached to anything or anybody falling out of an airplane
First, the wedge lock stuff... what is it and why do I need it? Of the wedge lock offerings:
- Hodge seems to be vaporware unless I want to pay the equipment exchange markup, but they offer two lengths in my range.
- ZEV appears to have the older MEGA design with some material change, but not in a length I'd want.
- SOLGW has a new offering and comes in a length I'd want, but I'd be going off reputation only as it's a new entrant to the market.
All three offerings are stretching what I think is a reasonable price for an aluminum tube with some milling, but I am willing to pay that. Is there anything else I should consider?
Of the non-wedge lock stuff... I like Geissele as a business and I think their $750 Super Duty guns are a great service to that community, but they unfortunately bracket my chosen length (9.5" and 13" offerings) unless I find a MK4 FBI rail.
Blog post aside, for somebody who's been out of the AR game since ~2014 what are the best-of options?