Tag Archives | M-LOK

Sneak Peek: Galil ACE Extended M-LOK Handguards from MI

Midwest Industries will release their Galil ACE Extended M-LOK Handguards soon. The handguards extend past the front sight tower and provide acres of M-LOK compatible real estate to attach your slings, lights, and similar items. The handguards will be available for .556, .308, and 7.62×39 variants and the Galil ACE pistols. Stay tuned for release date and pricing.

Galil ACE Handguards at Midwest Industries

Angstadt Arms Releases Branded M-LOK Handguards

Angstadt Arms just released a new 5.5″ UDP Series Handguard. It is available for purchase separately or you can expect to see it as standard equipment on many UDP-9 Pistol and SBR builds going forward.

The new 5.5″ M-LOK UDP Series Handguard features a full length top rail and M-LOK compatible slots around the rest of its circumference. It also has QD sling swivel sockets on both the left and right sides of the handguard. The last ¾” of the handguard is bored out to 1.405”, allowing most aftermarket sound suppressors 1.39″ in diameter and smaller to tuck inside of the handguard when used with an exact length 6” barrel.

Check out AngstadtArms.com

Gunstruction on Rail Attachment Method

As the KeyMod vs. M-LOK debate continues, it is easy to forget about good old Picatinny rails. Gunstruction mined the data from their virtual AR-15 building tools to see what attachment system their users preferred over the last month and the results are a bit surprising. It is basically a dead heat with M-LOK, KeyMod, and good ol’ 1913 rails each being used in about a quarter of the builds. The remaining quarter was taken up by rails with no attachment method or an alternate method.

gunstruction-attachment-type

M-LOK Versus KeyMod: What Do the Sales Say?

KeyMod versus M-LOK has largely been hashed out from the end user opinion and engineering perspective yet both systems still have their proponents. Both systems seem to have their share of high profile manufacturing backers which equates to staying power. End user opinions, engineering, and support are one thing but none of those take into count the actual numbers that will likely decide this debate – sales.

MLOK VS KEYMOD

I reached out to a number of manufacturers and retailers who make/sell accessories for both KeyMod and M-LOK and asked them two simple questions: Can you give me a ratio of many KeyMod and M-LOK accessories you sell directly to consumers and does that ratio change on dealer orders?

The only manufacturer that reported that they sell more KeyMod than M-LOK items was Arisaka. They reported that they sell KeyMod over M-LOK at a rate of about 2.5-3 to 1. That ratio holds true for their dealer sales as well.

Arisaka Light Mounts and Finger Stops on both attachment systems

Arisaka Light Mounts and Finger Stops on both attachment systems

Arson Machine reported that their end users order M-LOK over KeyMod at a rate of about 3 or 4 to 1. However, dealer orders are typically more like 1 to 1 in the interest of offering a wide selection to their customers.

Midwest Industries makes several hand guards for both attachment systems. They are a big player in this ongoing battle between the two attachment systems. They reported that they are selling M-LOK over KeyMod at a rate of 3 to 1. Interestingly, they added that both KeyMod and M-LOK have “crushed” their sales of traditional quad rails.

Parallax Tactical also makes hand guard for both systems and they report they sell M-LOK over KeyMod at a rate of 2.5 to 1. They also added that they prefer M-LOK from a manufacturing standpoint.

parallax tactical ffssr rails keymod and mlok

Parallax Tactical offers a full line of hand guards with both KeyMod and M-LOK option for retail and OEM.

I heard from several others manufacturers who had more anecdotal information (all pointed to M-LOK as the better seller) or that didn’t really want to share their numbers. It was interesting that two small retailers that I spoke to shared the sentiment that they tended to order heavy (or exclusively) M-LOK because they have limited cash for inventory and that is what sold better for them.

This certainly won’t end the debate and it shouldn’t because sales numbers don’t mean that one is truly better than the other. There are other factors that can drive sales like ease of manufacturing (and cost), marketing, and more. Sales numbers alone can’t tell the whole story but they can obviously play a huge role in manufacturers and retailers deciding which system to continue supporting. While M-LOK is clearly outselling KeyMod among those who were willing to share, none of the manufacturers indicated that they intended to discontinue sales of one system or the other any time soon.

What about you? Do you have a preference? Hit the comments below.

KDG Releases Kinect MLOK Universal Offset Mount

Kinetic Development Group just released their new Kinect MLOK Universal Offset Mount. It features an offset, 3 slot section of picatinny rail that is also machined to direct-connect with Surefire Scout light bodies. This mount will allow users to offset mount a wide variety of weapon lights to MLOK compatible hand guards.

UOS #1

The MLOK Universal Offset Mount uses their Kinect technology to act as a quick-detach interface between the mount and MLOK compatible slots. To mount the offset rail, you simply press the mount into place which automatically triggers the Kinect mechanism and locks the mount in place. Removing the mount is as easy as depressing the buttons found at each end of the mount.

Check out the Kinect MLOK Universal Offset Mount at Kinetic Development Group.

UOS #2 UOS #4

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