I'm looking to trim some fat off my RRA midlength A4 which has a Surefire M85 rail on it.  Who makes the lightest, quality rail?

DD lite?

It depends on how short you want to go.  Most LaRue is lighter than DD Lite even...  I'd go with LaRue anyways.

Quoted: It depends on how short you want to go.  Most LaRue is lighter than DD Lite even...  I'd go with LaRue anyways.

I'd like to stick with the same length as the M85 (9"?)

Quoted: Quoted: It depends on how short you want to go.  Most LaRue is lighter than DD Lite even...  I'd go with LaRue anyways. I'd like to stick with the same length as the M85 (9"?)

LaRue.  It's a tad cooler (as in temperature) too.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: It depends on how short you want to go.  Most LaRue is lighter than DD Lite even...  I'd go with LaRue anyways. I'd like to stick with the same length as the M85 (9"?) LaRue.  It's a tad cooler (as in temperature) too.

Thanks; any idea what the M85 weighs?  I've tried googling it but to no avail.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: It depends on how short you want to go.  Most LaRue is lighter than DD Lite even...  I'd go with LaRue anyways. I'd like to stick with the same length as the M85 (9"?) LaRue.  It's a tad cooler (as in temperature) too. Thanks; any idea what the M85 weighs?  I've tried googling it but to no avail.

The Surefire M85 is 22 oz. if I'm not mistaken.

DD 7.0 is ligher than a pair of regular Colt M4 handguards.  Couple ounces lighter than Larue as well.

also factor in the fact that not all quad rail handguards are created equal...   to me stability, reliability and durability is what gets the ticket when it comes to a rail...  

Old skool DD.

DD Lite is pretty damned stable on my rifle. Plus, with the DD lite, you get a mono-upper, whereas the LaRue has the space between the rail and upper.

Not bagging on LaRue, I love their stuff, but my DD Lite is a nice piece too.

Quoted: DD 7.0 is ligher than a pair of regular Colt M4 handguards.  Couple ounces lighter than Larue as well.

Actually, if you put the LaRue and DD next to each other, they're a half-ounce difference in weight... and the Daniel rail is the heavier of the two.

Quoted: DD Lite is pretty damned stable on my rifle. Plus, with the DD lite, you get a mono-upper, whereas the LaRue has the space between the rail and upper. Not bagging on LaRue, I love their stuff, but my DD Lite is a nice piece too.

A monolithic upper is just that... monolithic, one piece.  Simply because there is no gap for a locking ring does not make it a monolithic upper receiver.  
I would not treat it as such either, your optics certainly won't.

Quoted: Quoted: DD 7.0 is ligher than a pair of regular Colt M4 handguards.  Couple ounces lighter than Larue as well. Actually, if you put the LaRue and DD next to each other, they're a half-ounce difference in weight... and the Daniel rail is the heavier of the two.

But because the DD rail uses an aluminum barrel nut it is still the lighter rail system.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: DD 7.0 is ligher than a pair of regular Colt M4 handguards.  Couple ounces lighter than Larue as well. Actually, if you put the LaRue and DD next to each other, they're a half-ounce difference in weight... and the Daniel rail is the heavier of the two. But because the DD rail uses an aluminum barrel nut it is still the lighter rail system.

Yeah, if they got rid of the hardened steel barrel nuts on the DD Lite 7.0, 9.0, 12 FSP and 12 FSPM they might actually be "lite".

None of the DD rails are lighter than the same size LaRue rails.  Even the old-school ones.

ETA: The only non-aluminum pieces on any of the LaRue rails is the spacer ring and the hex-bolts for the anti-rotation piece.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: DD 7.0 is ligher than a pair of regular Colt M4 handguards.  Couple ounces lighter than Larue as well. Actually, if you put the LaRue and DD next to each other, they're a half-ounce difference in weight... and the Daniel rail is the heavier of the two. But because the DD rail uses an aluminum barrel nut it is still the lighter rail system. Yeah, if they got rid of the hardened steel barrel nuts on the DD Lite 7.0, 9.0, 12 FSP and 12 FSPM they might actually be "lite". None of the DD rails are lighter than the same size LaRue rails.  Even the old-school ones. ETA: The only non-aluminum pieces on any of the LaRue rails is the spacer ring and the hex-bolts for the anti-rotation piece.

Your info is all wrong guy. DD offers aluminum and steel nuts. LaRue barrel nuts are stainless steel.

Do a little more research before contradicting those who know better.

BTW, DD 7.0 with aluminum nut is lighter.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: DD 7.0 is ligher than a pair of regular Colt M4 handguards.  Couple ounces lighter than Larue as well. Actually, if you put the LaRue and DD next to each other, they're a half-ounce difference in weight... and the Daniel rail is the heavier of the two. But because the DD rail uses an aluminum barrel nut it is still the lighter rail system. Yeah, if they got rid of the hardened steel barrel nuts on the DD Lite 7.0, 9.0, 12 FSP and 12 FSPM they might actually be "lite". None of the DD rails are lighter than the same size LaRue rails.  Even the old-school ones. ETA: The only non-aluminum pieces on any of the LaRue rails is the spacer ring and the hex-bolts for the anti-rotation piece. Your info is all wrong guy. DD offers aluminum and steel nuts. LaRue barrel nuts are stainless steel. Do a little more research before contradicting those who know better. BTW, DD 7.0 with aluminum nut is lighter.

Roger, whatever...

The websites for both of those companies are wrong about their own products.  I got all of the information involed straight from their sites.  That's not all I'm gonna say about that.

ETA: After reading a few threads on both companies, it seems neither can make up their mind about whether or not to put up weights with or without mounting hardware.  LaRue has the greater number of discrepancies in this area actually.  They don't put up weights on their website with the barrel nut included... which is pretty fucking misleading, seeing how it's replacing the original barrel nut with it's own.

DD says that they're proud that they make rails with hardened steel lock rings on their Lite rails, then someone who says they know better says they're aluminum...

Pardon me if my give-a-damn broke.  This shit is starting to sound a lot like the "I'm-quieter-than-you" arguments that suppressor company's have.  This is why I don't usually give advice in tech forums.

OP: You're shit outta luck dude.  You can't trust the numbers put up by the company's in question.  You can't really trust any answer you get from the internet, especially since these things just spiral into arguments.  Go ask dealers that you trust to weigh them for you.

One day, someone's gonna hafta make a real chart instead of that abomination tacked at the beginning of the forum.  
Dealers? you guys have access to all of these systems, someone put up some real numbers for crying out loud.

These are the numbers that I JUST weighed on a digital scale:

LT AR15 handguards total weight. (Includes the 17-4
SS barrel nut)

7.0 rail  =     .742lb total
8.2 rail  =     .812lb
9.0 rail  =     .854lb
10.0 rail  =   .92lb
11.0 SBRS  = .912lb
11.0 FL  =  .992lb
12.0      =    1.05lb
13.2      =    1.132lb

FYI, The LT AR-15 barrel nut itself weights .114lb



LT AR10 handguards total weight. (Includes the 17-4
SS barrel nut)

9.0 rail     =  .908lb
11.0 rail   =   1.068lb
13.2 rail   =   1.228lb

FYI,  The LT AR-10 bbl nut weighs .144lb

Thanks
Austin

Website is updated. The total weight on the website was minus bbl nut, which was inadvertently left out by the webmaster. Sorry for the trouble.

Austin.

Quoted: Quoted: ETA: After reading a few threads on both companies, it seems neither can make up their mind about whether or not to put up weights with or without mounting hardware.  LaRue has the greater number of discrepancies in this area actually.  They don't put up weights on their website with the barrel nut included... which is pretty fucking misleading, seeing how it's replacing the original barrel nut with it's own. Nothing sinister going on, and we don't mean to mislead. Anyhow, I'm gonna have Austin weigh each and every one of our different HGs,  on our digital scale, barrel nut and all, and post the with and without BN numbers here. LaRue ETA - We are not trying to be the lightest.

You know what?  It's my own damned fault for just trying to infer shit on my own.  I could have done some work and actually called you guys before I started bad-mouthing you... even a little.

I apologize.

Fact of the matter is: I am slowly being talked into getting a forend from you guys after some XXX-types started to show off some of your other wares.  I really want a 13-inch rail now after they showed me how to put my reach to good use.  I want something lighter though and that led me to looking at Daniel Defense, I don't want to take the chance of buying an oval handguard though and find out later on that the cuts aren't deep enough to mount accessories properly.  Oh well.

Honestly, it was the very professional opinion of others that led me to choose your stuff.  Word of mouth from them is about as high praise as you can get.

Quoted: Quoted: Fact of the matter is: I am slowly being talked into getting a forend from you guys after some XXX-types started to show off some of your other wares.   Honestly, it was the very professional opinion of others that led me to choose your stuff.  Word of mouth from them is about as high praise as you can get. "Sir, I am unaware of any such activity or ... "

LOL

I dunno anymore if LaRue is lighter than DD or what, but I do know that DD might spin, and LaRues almost never spin.

I know of FOUR failures of LaRue rails. These involved use by Army Rangers. If there ever was an activity that should not be covered under warranty, it is use by Army Rangers.