G&G L85 AFV dovetail rail removal

[TommoThomson]

Are there any G&G L85 AVF owners who have replaced the dovetail rail, which G&G fit?

 

I've been hunting all over the place and just can't find stock of the G&G rail converter so that's a none starter.

 

As G&G fitted a 20mm dovetail I can't buy any of the rail converters you see listed online, as these are all 11mm which is the correct width for a dovetail rail. 

 

So if there is anyone out there, who might have unbolted the stock G&G rail and fitted a good old fashioned picatiny rail could you please let me know and what you used. As I really want to off this rail and fit a picatiny rail. 

[Badgerlicious]

If you're not too bothered about looks... I used a couple of layers of a black matt cloth tape over my ICS rail, then put a picatinny riser on top for sights. Works until you can find a proper solution. 

[TheFull9]

I've done this to my ICS, but can't exactly recall how..

 

First thing is to establish how it's attached, then figure out how to break that bond without wrecking the body; real ones are spot welded.  After that, you can just just any piece of pic rail, drill holes in it and the body then thread the body holes and as long as you only use nice light optics that little bit of thread engagement will be enough.

[TommoThomson]

  On 17/12/2021 at 13:44, Badgerlicious said:

If you're not too bothered about looks... I used a couple of layers of a black matt cloth tape over my ICS rail, then put a picatinny riser on top for sights. Works until you can find a proper solution. 

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How wide is the ICS rail, I've also got the L86 but its with the tech as I broke it and can get the ICS rail 🤦‍♂️

 

  On 17/12/2021 at 16:46, TheFull9 said:

I've done this to my ICS, but can't exactly recall how..

 

First thing is to establish how it's attached, then figure out how to break that bond without wrecking the body; real ones are spot welded.  After that, you can just just any piece of pic rail, drill holes in it and the body then thread the body holes and as long as you only use nice light optics that little bit of thread engagement will be enough.

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I think its got two fixed threaded screw on the under side of the rail, which push three two holes in the upper receiver and these are kept in place with a couple of nuts. I had to tighten it up a few years ago, but since its been rebuilt I've not wanted to take it apart, as well it's working 😂

[TheFull9]

I'd suggest scrounging up any cheap piece of pic rail you can that, like an unused KeyMod segment or something someone's removed from a G36 handguard or KC-02, anything like that.  Use one of the holes, then, given that the other probably won't align, just drill the rail segment then counter-sink and bolt it on.  Easy tools to get/find, if you don't have them.

[TommoThomson]

  On 17/12/2021 at 19:11, TheFull9 said:

I'd suggest scrounging up any cheap piece of pic rail you can that, like an unused KeyMod segment or something someone's removed from a G36 handguard or KC-02, anything like that.  Use one of the holes, then, given that the other probably won't align, just drill the rail segment then counter-sink and bolt it on.  Easy tools to get/find, if you don't have them.

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I had a feeling some fetterling of some kind might be the way forward, I think the ICS rail would even need this due to the position of those screw points. 

 

So I guess its time to put one's big boy pants on and take that upper off and see what's what 

[Zigey]

I have an L85 Afv that I picked up second hand and while going through the process of repainting I removed that rail.

The removed rail can be seen in the middle of this mess, it has two locating studs that are held in by two screws. 

 

Hope this helps, I don't really have any experience converting the rail to anything else but with a drill and tap I'm sure it can be done. 

[Badgerlicious]

  On 17/12/2021 at 18:27, TommoThomson said:

How wide is the ICS rail

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It's 19mm dovetail, true to the original sa80. 

[TommoThomson]

  On 18/12/2021 at 19:08, Badgerlicious said:

It's 19mm dovetail, true to the original sa80. 

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Its just a tad annoying as I got an Ares Susat, which I can't use as it has an 11mm rail on the bottom of it and all the dove tail rail converters that I can find are all 11mm so again I can't even get one of them 🤦‍♂️