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Picatinny vs KeyMod vs M-Lok

B

BoomingHedgie

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What are the main advantages/disadvantages between the following types of rails?

  1. Picatinny
  2. KeyMod
  3. M-Lok
 
You can attach picatinny rails to the second two, so am assuming you mean a rail with picatinny permanently attached.

The below is my assessment, others may disagree or have additions.

Cheers

G

1.  Picatinny

Pros

- Loads of rail space out of the box

- loads of attachments to fit all budgets

- cheap if gun comes with this as standard.

Cons

- Less flexible

- heavier

- less comfortable to hold the handguard as it is covered in rails

2 Keymod

Pros

- More flexible vs Picatinny

- lighter

- most common current airsoft option

- cheaper than M-lok

- lots of lower cost attachments

- attachments can attach directly to keymod meaning you don't need to add a rail making it lighter

- more comfortable to hold the handguard if it isn't covered in rails

- cheap if gun comes with this as standard.

Cons

- no longer the standard for real steel US military, which will filter down into airsoft

- less sturdy than M-lok based on miltary assessment tests

- Less rail space out of the box

- real steel and airsoft spec may differ so need to be careful when buyiing handguards, might need shimming

3 M-lok

Pros

- More flexible vs Picatinny

- lighter

- newer technology and is now the recommended solution for real steel

- more comfortable to hold the handguard if it isn't covered in rails

Cons

- currently more expensive than Keymod

- not seen any guns with this as stardard, so will be an additional cost  -I don't know every gun out there, so there may be some ?

- less lower cost attachments

- Less rail space out of the box

- attachments can attach directly to M-lok meaning you don't need to add a rail making it lighter

- real steel and airsoft spec may differ so need to be careful when buyiing handguards, might need shimming (assumpption on my part, based on Key Mod)

 
Last edited by a moderator:
MisterG said:
M-lok

Pros

- more comfortable to hold the handguard if it isn't covered in rails

Cons

- not seen any guns with this as stardard, so will be an additional cost  -I don't know every gun out there, so there may be some ?

- less lower cost attachments

- Less rail space out of the box

- real steel and airsoft spec may differ so need to be careful when buyiing handguards, might need shimming (assumpption on my part, based on Key Mod)
Click to expand...


Can give my opinion on the M-Lok side of G's comments that I've quoted as my Avalon Saber has M-Lok...

Pros:

  • It is very comfortable to hold, holding it with my AFG in a "C-clamp" is very easy as it's much smoother than picatinny and without any attachments it's quite a slender rail system too so it's easy to get your hand the best part of the way round it even if you've got smaller hands which in theory should make for better stability in most cases.
Cons:

  • The Avalon Sabers do  :D
  • Can't give a very educated opinion on this as I've only bought/seen a very select few M-Lok attachments so far but from what I've seen there's not been a huge difference in price and buying the rail conversion kits on top of your picatinny attachments isn't gonna break the bank anyways so either way you're only gonna be spending a little bit extra!
  • Technically yes, unless you're prepared with M-Lok attachments/conversions kits
  • As I said, I've bought a few M-Lok attachments so far one of which was the Magpul M-Lok AFG and that went straight on with no problem as you would expect/hope for from Magpul. I've also bought a cheap M-Lok sling QD mount from Amazon and that went on fine too so for the moment I've not had a problem with mounting anything. However, as the Avalon is a bit more on the higher end as AEGs go I would expect it to be more to spec with real steel. Problems might arise more with cheaper AEGs with M-Lok systems perhaps, just an observation though!

 
BibbsOnTour said:
Can give my opinion on the M-Lok side of G's comments that I've quoted as my Avalon Saber has M-Lok...

Pros:

  • It is very comfortable to hold, holding it with my AFG in a "C-clamp" is very easy as it's much smoother than picatinny and without any attachments it's quite a slender rail system too so it's easy to get your hand the best part of the way round it even if you've got smaller hands which in theory should make for better stability in most cases.
Cons:

  • The Avalon Sabers do  :D
  • Can't give a very educated opinion on this as I've only bought/seen a very select few M-Lok attachments so far but from what I've seen there's not been a huge difference in price and buying the rail conversion kits on top of your picatinny attachments isn't gonna break the bank anyways so either way you're only gonna be spending a little bit extra!
  • Technically yes, unless you're prepared with M-Lok attachments/conversions kits
  • As I said, I've bought a few M-Lok attachments so far one of which was the Magpul M-Lok AFG and that went straight on with no problem as you would expect/hope for from Magpul. I've also bought a cheap M-Lok sling QD mount from Amazon and that went on fine too so for the moment I've not had a problem with mounting anything. However, as the Avalon is a bit more on the higher end as AEGs go I would expect it to be more to spec with real steel. Problems might arise more with cheaper AEGs with M-Lok systems perhaps, just an observation though!
Click to expand...


Where is a good place to buy M-Lok attachments? I'm struggling to find anything other than a stubby vertical grip.

EDIT - Also how easy is it to attach M-Lok attachments?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I've found picatinny attachments cheapest of the 3. But agree with comfort.. 

Scorpion comes with m lock around aides and bottom, picatinny up top

 
Same. So I've been getting the Mlok picatinny rails and then getting the picatinny attachments.

Try Amazon 

 
BoomingHedgie said:
Where is a good place to buy M-Lok attachments? I'm struggling to find anything other than a stubby vertical grip.

EDIT - Also how easy is it to attach M-Lok attachments?
Click to expand...
I got my AFG from wolf armouries and the QD sling mount from Amazon.

As far as sights go I never really had to look as my top rail is picatinny and the gun came with a 2 inch M-Lok to picatinny adapter so might taclight is mounted on that.

I reckon the majority of the time you'll just have to get adapters where you see fit but you shouldn't need too many otherwise with all those attachments you'll be very front heavy!  :lol:

 
BibbsOnTour said:
I got my AFG from wolf armouries and the QD sling mount from Amazon.

As far as sights go I never really had to look as my top rail is picatinny and the gun came with a 2 inch M-Lok to picatinny adapter so might taclight is mounted on that.

I reckon the majority of the time you'll just have to get adapters where you see fit but you shouldn't need too many otherwise with all those attachments you'll be very front heavy!  :lol:
Click to expand...


I'll be using a standard red dot sight on the top rail which is picatinny but I'm struggling to find a angled foregrip or a vertical foregrip for a M-Lok rail :(

At some point I'll probably get an adapter to put a torch on the side of the rail but other than that, that will be it!

 
 
Of the 3 I’d say currently the keymod is the one to have, followed by m-lok (these 2 may swap places in the future as more people start producing m-lok attachments), then picatinny which is pretty outdated now. 

You can buy picatinny segments that attach to m-lok or keymod and opens up all the attachments your could ever want. 

 
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