Adding Pic rail - polymer or aluminum?

[2thdrglock]

When adding short sections of picatinny rail for mounting a light source on your AR handguard, do you prefer polymer or aluminum?

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[gunnoob75]

Whichever is available at the time.

 

[titsonritz]

Which handguard are you using?

Pic rails get chewed up through use, polymer doesn't hold up as well as aluminum. If the light is mounted in close proximity to the gas block a plastic rail could potentially melt. Direct attach Mlok is a good way to go.

 

[Stomper]

Never go full polymer pic-rail....

 

[Tony617]

I have M-LOK hand guards and I always use aluminum picatinny rails for my light.

 

[Nosferatu]

Depends on what you're putting on it and how often you'll be removing and replacing the object attached to it.

Generally, for a mostly permanently attached light, polymer is fine.

For a laser, go with a good aluminum rail.

 

[2thdrglock]

Thanks for all the input. This particular firearm is a CMMG Banshee 300 in 10mm, so no gas block. I was going to mount an Olight or similar on the right side of the Mlok handguard pretty close to the muzzle, but I'll need to make sure it's not too close since it came with a brake mounted. Next question is a remote switch for the light a good thing on a PDW with only an 8" barrel?

 

[Member 34319]

Inforce on the top rail.

 

[Member 34319]