Chaps 0 Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 So I've been trying to find a forearm with rails that just drops on and wasn't too bulky. Couple of months ago noticed a new one at Gilbert's that wasn't yet available but they were taking pre-orders. Finally showed up today and I must say that it was worth the wait (as Jason promised). Anyway, fit is perfect with the one screw Saiga mount. Plastic is very hard, almost feels like a metal casting but pretty light. Three rails for hanging stuff . . . and they are actually shipping (I got one anyway). Kind of crummy pics but enough to get the idea: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KySoldier 2 Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 All the backorders should be getting them. They've been selling well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wakal 10 Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 A customer sent me one to use on his custom build...dropped right on a Saiga 12 this afternoon, no problems. Pretty neat stuff! Alex Quote Link to post Share on other sites
komblockid 0 Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 Looks great!!! I've never got anything from Gilberts, I guess now it's time too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paladin 37 Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 Looks great!!! I've never got anything from Gilberts, I guess now it's time too. I've purchased a couple of guns from them, always good transactions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyRumore 1,332 Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 Don't take pics of black shit on a white background. The camera pics up the bright white light and darkens the pic to compensate for it. Then you end up with a black blob in the foreground. Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jrentfrow 0 Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 (edited) Here's a quick pic of my otherwise stock (for now) .308 with the surefire forearm. Several goodies are on the way. Edited November 27, 2008 by jammer72 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
macross40k 0 Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Got one for my shotgun and love the way it looks (though I'm considering cutting it back due to the shorter gas block), and really thinking about picking one up for my 308. Great pics! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Floyd9 30 Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Man, I really like the way this thing looks, dunno if I'm gonna shell out 80$ plus shipping on one though... Could you guys post some more pictures of your entire rifles from different angles? Id really like to get a better idea of what it looks like mounted on the rifle. Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fast911ray 0 Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Great looking! How much? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fast911ray 0 Posted November 29, 2008 Report Share Posted November 29, 2008 Neve mind..Floyd posted the answer before I finished typing. I think I'd go 80 bucks just for the look.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick_a 13 Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 I like it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MD_Willington 11 Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 Be nice if it was cheaper, I can get a chunk of rail for ~$6, throw in some nuts and bolt from the "whatever" bin in the shed and I'm all done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chaps 0 Posted December 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 Be nice if it was cheaper, I can get a chunk of rail for ~$6, throw in some nuts and bolt from the "whatever" bin in the shed and I'm all done. When I ordered it I had that same thought . . . "damn, seems kind of expensive for a chunk of plastic". After getting it and seeing how it's made, which, for me, as someone who has been involved in manufacturing all my life I was forced to reconsider my initial complaint. The tooling to make this thing is pretty involved particularly when you realize the part has a fairly hefty steel stamping imbedded into it. So they've obviously dropped quite a chunk of change into a mold and stamping dies for an item that they might sell what . . . a few thousand pieces if they are lucky? I'm OK with the price, I think its a good value and it provides a solution. It looks better on the rifle than it does in the photos too if that's any consolation for someone thinking about it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Crawdaddy 0 Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 So I've been trying to find a forearm with rails that just drops on and wasn't too bulky. Couple of months ago noticed a new one at Gilbert's that wasn't yet available but they were taking pre-orders. Finally showed up today and I must say that it was worth the wait (as Jason promised). Anyway, fit is perfect with the one screw Saiga mount. Plastic is very hard, almost feels like a metal casting but pretty light. Three rails for hanging stuff . . . and they are actually shipping (I got one anyway). Kind of crummy pics but enough to get the idea: Hey, It looks pretty sweet. I am interested in doing a few things to my 308 and am unsure which direction I want to go and may be interested in this option but first I do have a couple of questions though. First, is there any wobble or anything in the grip and forearm or is it solid? And lastly, I see that you have your grip slid all they way back on the forearm rail. Is that a comfortable position or do you think that it should be further back? Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chaps 0 Posted December 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 Hey, It looks pretty sweet. I am interested in doing a few things to my 308 and am unsure which direction I want to go and may be interested in this option but first I do have a couple of questions though. First, is there any wobble or anything in the grip and forearm or is it solid? And lastly, I see that you have your grip slid all they way back on the forearm rail. Is that a comfortable position or do you think that it should be further back? Thanks There is a slight amount of vertical movement out on the forward end of this piece that I'm going to investigate, like maybe 1/16 of an inch of up/down wiggle if you squeeze it towards the barrel. I'll post up what I find. Otherwise the unit is very solid. When you slide it into position it seems to lock-in tight and the keeper screw hardly even seems necessary. I'll figure out my preferred spot for the vertical grip when I get to the range, I just stuck it on randomly for the pic though it doesn't feel too bad in that spot. Welcome to the forum! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chaps 0 Posted December 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 (edited) Ok, referencing my last post where I indicated there was a small amount of up & down movement (slop) in the SGM Tri-Rail forearm at its forward end once it was installed . . . The nose of the forearm has two small metal inserts molded into the part that are intended to capture on the gas block retaining pin in a manner similar to other Saiga forearms. On my rifle (and I would assume others as well) the metal inserts did not wedge tight against the GB pin thus allowing the slight up & down slop. The metal inserts are barely visible inside the forearm in the below pic. Also notice the retaining pin (at this point) is straight. I determined that the forearm would likely tighten up if the GB retaining pin was bent up on it's ends so that the metal inserts in the forearm would engage against the pin tightly. I put the rifle in my vise and applied some persuasion to the ends of the pin with a big punch After several trial fits as I bent the ends of the pin, this is the point at which the forearm fit solid & snug when installed. I wanted to get it to where I had to tap the forearm into position with my soft rubber mallet. A quick pic of the entire rifle with the forearm installed. So in the final analysis, even though I had to tweak something on the gun to get a satisfactory install it wasn't anything major and I still think it was a good purchase and a welcome addition to the rifle. And a fix to something I said in a prior post, I thought there was a large stamping inserted in this part because initially I saw metal inserts at both ends so I assumed it was one large piece but in actuality there are three small inserts instead of one large one. Not that it makes any difference in the part, I just want to correct an earlier statement. Edited December 1, 2008 by Chaps Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cellsworth 21 Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 I have inspected an SGM Saiga rifle tri-rail handguard myself, and they appear to be very strongly built. The price may seem a bit high, but I think it is worth it if you want the rails when you consider the quality of the unit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Crawdaddy 0 Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 Ok, referencing my last post where I indicated there was a small amount of up & down movement (slop) in the SGM Tri-Rail forearm at its forward end once it was installed . . . The nose of the forearm has two small metal inserts molded into the part that are intended to capture on the gas block retaining pin in a manner similar to other Saiga forearms. On my rifle (and I would assume others as well) the metal inserts did not wedge tight against the GB pin thus allowing the slight up & down slop. The metal inserts are barely visible inside the forearm in the below pic. Also notice the retaining pin (at this point) is straight. I determined that the forearm would likely tighten up if the GB retaining pin was bent up on it's ends so that the metal inserts in the forearm would engage against the pin tightly. I put the rifle in my vise and applied some persuasion to the ends of the pin with a big punch After several trial fits as I bent the ends of the pin, this is the point at which the forearm fit solid & snug when installed. I wanted to get it to where I had to tap the forearm into position with my soft rubber mallet. A quick pic of the entire rifle with the forearm installed. So in the final analysis, even though I had to tweak something on the gun to get a satisfactory install it wasn't anything major and I still think it was a good purchase and a welcome addition to the rifle. And a fix to something I said in a prior post, I thought there was a large stamping inserted in this part because initially I saw metal inserts at both ends so I assumed it was one large piece but in actuality there are three small inserts instead of one large one. Not that it makes any difference in the part, I just want to correct an earlier statement. Hey Chaps, Thank you for the information. This piece will suit my needs perfectly. [i]"The truth,.... who the hell knows......The truth is in us, not them. They are masters of illusion and producers of propaganda. Don't be fooled. Open your eyes and stop up your ears" -CRD508[/i] Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MD_Willington 11 Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 Hey it is cool if you can afford it.. ATM I can't.. my minivan shit out its water pump... I'm just jealous and having a shitty week. Sorry! MD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paulry 50 Posted December 3, 2008 Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 Thanks for the good info! One question I have is that it looks like the upper part has molded vents. Is this correct? Does it look like a standard (maybe a Choate upper black plastic hand guard) upper hand guard would fit? I don't know about the steel front retainer. If so, consider this for $75 at Gilberts compaired to the price of the Tapco or modded adapter from Dinzag (not to knock Brian, he rocks!) Just compairing price and it would be all 922 compliant. Be pretty unique in looks as well. Frosty Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chaps 0 Posted December 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2008 (edited) One question I have is that it looks like the upper part has molded vents. Is this correct? Does it look like a standard (maybe a Choate upper black plastic hand guard) upper hand guard would fit? I don't know about the steel front retainer. If so, consider this for $75 at Gilberts compaired to the price of the Tapco or modded adapter from Dinzag (not to knock Brian, he rocks!) Just compairing price and it would be all 922 compliant. Be pretty unique in looks as well. Frosty I don't know, I don't have any other parts I could try that with. I suppose if you installed a gas tube with the retainer and did some plastic trimming an upper could be made to work? This lower has a deeper slot than an AK type lower so the top of it might have to be trimmed off . . . or the upper trimmed . . . Someone will try it I'm sure Edited December 3, 2008 by Chaps Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KySoldier 2 Posted December 4, 2008 Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 Looks great!!! I've never got anything from Gilberts, I guess now it's time too. Gilberts is also shipping the 12ga version too. I'm good on shotgun hanguards but I'd be willing to get one for the 308 to provide a good bipod mount. I don't care for the weird Russian thread that the sling mounts too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gpqueen 545 Posted December 4, 2008 Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 These are incredible forearms. We will have them available for purchase on Monday. Even a better item at $74.95 http://store.carolinashooterssupply.com/servlet/StoreFront Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cobra 76 two 2,677 Posted December 4, 2008 Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 Looks great!!! I've never got anything from Gilberts, I guess now it's time too. Gilberts is also shipping the 12ga version too. I'm good on shotgun hanguards but I'd be willing to get one for the 308 to provide a good bipod mount. I don't care for the weird Russian thread that the sling mounts too. Not picking on you KySoldier, and not trying to make a public spectacle here but, we have Paying Vendors here who are carrying these same products as Gilbert's, and it is unfair to them if you or anyone else is here advertising for them, especially with clickable links to their site. Like I was telling you in a PM the other day, we are interested in bringing Gilbert's Guns on board with us here. I am in the process of speaking with them about this now. Until they decide that they would like to come on board though, I must ask you to kindly remove their link from your profile and sig line til we do start negotiations. It is unfair to our other Business Members if they are getting that kind of free advertising. This kind of thing has recently been a big problem with more than a few Vendors and potential ones. I am only posting this here in public so that everyone who has been voicing their concerns about the issue, will know for sure that something is in the works, and hopefully can relax before another shitstorm brews up about it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ibrewbeer 0 Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 I just installed my handguard not more than 10 minutes ago and I am impressed with the fit. No wobble at all on mine. Also, now I can take out my surefire mags (gotta stay legal!) and try them out too now that I am compliant! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chaps 0 Posted December 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 I just installed my handguard not more than 10 minutes ago and I am impressed with the fit. No wobble at all on mine. Interesting that yours fit tight with no mod needed to the gas block retaining pin. Looks like there must be some variation in either rifles or forearms. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gpqueen 545 Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 I just installed my handguard not more than 10 minutes ago and I am impressed with the fit. No wobble at all on mine. Interesting that yours fit tight with no mod needed to the gas block retaining pin. Looks like there must be some variation in either rifles or forearms. The variation is in the firearms. When Surefire is making thier mags and forearms, they use measurements from 6 to 10 rifles or shotguns and use the middle specs. They are not far apart, but enough that one may be a few thousandth's smaller and another few thousandth's larger. Greg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cellsworth 21 Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 It seems to me that if there is slight movement at the front, an easy fix would be to stick (glue, etc.) thin shims to the undersides of the the molded tabs. Once the handguard is put on snugly, they will certainly stay put. I doubt that this would usually be necessary though. Also, while I got mine in the pre-order with Gilbert's, I now refer all interested parties to CSS. I think we should support the forum business members when we can. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SOPMOD 254 Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 (edited) Are these made of the same type of plastic as the Surefire mags? Edited December 10, 2008 by SOPMOD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.