Picatinny rails. WTF?

#2
Ten different pic rails from ten different companies could all be “different” but in spec. Look up the MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny spec for yourself. Dimensional tolerances allow for machining variations, all while being in spec so that mounts/attachments will still function properly.

Why would AI care if your ADM bipod lever mounts on a Desert Tech without having to adjust the tension? And if you’re worried about scope mounts, buy a Spuhr. They have only one recoil lug, so any variations in rail slot spacing will have no effect like it would with two separate rings.
 
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#4
Why would I care? Because the point of qd is quick.
When I move a lra/atlas/Larue bipod from one gun to another t would be nice if you didn’t have to take time to adjust them. None are made to
He adjusted quickly.
And yeah I run NF mounts and have no problem with them but I have a few gdi, Bobro and Larue mounts and it is a pain to adjust.

Granted you aren’t moving scopes from gun to gun very much at all but the bipods are another story. Might run a fat lra one day at the range then switch to a atlas or 6-9 Harris when doing a lot of shorter range in and out of vehicles stuff. Then you might go preadator hunting that night and want to use a 13-25 Harris.

Guess I should have $1000+ bipods for each rifle. Or they could. Idk make the rails the same.
 
#5
Ai rails aren’t in spec there’s a user here that went back and forth with them about it. They are the right size prior to factory cerakote but the coating makes them bigger
 
#8
Its sucks I know as I have a Larue qd bipod mount that I have to adjust a ton to go from an AI rail to the rail on my ar10.
Just get a rrs BTC-pro clamp and be headache free
 
#10
Jeez dude. Did you look at the drawings? Do you understand how 10 different companies using 10 different machine shops could all manufacture a rail that’s IN SPEC but not identical to each other?

Please measure YOUR rails and tell me which ones do not meet spec. Don’t just say “that one guy on that one old thread had one AI rail out of spec.”

Buy a BTC-Pro clamp for your one bipod, buy more bipods to have one for each rifle, or machine your own perfectly matched pic rails. Don’t know what else to tell you.
 
#12
ballistic1 said:
Deersniper...

This is why I have lots of bipods..

I hate adjusting them.. mostly I hate moving bipods.. period.. lol
Click to expand...

Yea, thought it the norm to have one bipod, one scope for each rifle that takes a bipod/scope.

Pic rails being different never gave me issues with mounts or other accessories, except one ARMS aimpoint comp M2 mount I used to have...would literally have to tap the lever to full close on every rail I tried it on and pry it off with a screw driver lol.
 
#14
Car tire sizes vary from brand to brand too. The tires may have the exact same indicated dimensions (example: 285/75R16) but the overall diameters are different between brands. Varying 0.25-0.75" diameter in size different.
 
#19
not to mention the rails that aren't built to spec!!! I use a lot of quick release mounts to move things from 5.56 to 22lr to 308 AR's, and back around (yeah I know, just be a good consumer and buy more sh!t, right!). Even something like M-Lok you would think would be in spec but not all are. My M-Lok bipod QR didn't fit on a buddy's (cheap) rail.
 
#20
QD = Quick Detatch. It says nothing about attach. But, I feel your pain. I recently upgraded my bipods with RRS adapters. They mount to ARCA and Pic via a thumb screw. Slower and a touch more fiddly to attach than the throw lever on the previous adapters, but No need to adjust; just tighten the screw until it snugs up on the rail.

For switching optics from one rifle to another- mounted via a pic rail- my feeling is a NF Unimount is faster than throw lever based mounts. Sure you might find two rifles that require the same tension on the levers to secure the mount, but the amount of back and forth and effort- my experience has shown to be- necessary, is much greater than; loosening the nuts, moving the scope, retightening the nuts with a torque wrench...
 
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#22
Oh, and...

Within spec =/= held to tight tolerances.

Within spec merely means that the part conforms to the specified dimensions. The reason your QD mount has an adjustment for tension is because the tolerances for Pic rails are pretty big. The tolerances on Pic rails don't need to be that precise because, when it was developed, everything that mounted to it did so via a clamping screw. If the rail is a bit on the narrow side of the tolerance, screw it down a bit more. If on the wide side, don't screw it down as much.

On that note, Mil Spec =/= the f'n best it could ever be. It would be better described as "described by engineers that do not use the equipment, approved by accountants that do not buy the equipment, and delivered to the lowest bidder so that they can produce a metric shit ton of stuff that works together for as little cost as possible..."
 
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