Magwedge full length SKS picatinny "Kwik-Rail". (Initial impressions/pix)

bowzy

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Received my Magwedge SKS "Kwik-Rail" today, thought I'd share some initial impressions and a few pictures. Hopefully I can make it to the range this weekend, weather permitting. Sorry for the crappy pictures, only have my iPhone handy.

Right, left, top and bottom views:
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If any part of this rail is going to fail, its probably with the connection of the top piece, and the part that attaches on the sides. Not sure how its held together, but I would of liked to have seen this as one single piece instead of two.
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My old BC Tactical Scout Mount. It was a pain in the ass to install. I guess my SKS was a bit out of spec on the insides, because I had to grind down the front right bottom portion of the Scout Mount to make it fit. Looked fine when it was installed though.
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Not the case with the Kwik Rail, the front end was much thinner, thankfully for me.
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Be sure to replace the leaf spring floor plate before installing the Magwedge Kwik-Rail if you're coming from a BC Tactical Scout mount!
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Pretty easy to install. Only thing that took any time was cutting the old receiver retaining pin out with my dremel (you'll need to buy a replacement retaining pin if you want to go back to the old sights). The rail is held in at the back with a threaded tube on both ends and two hex screws. I used blue Loctite on them just to be safe. Front mount uses a rollpin. Pivots up at the front when you remove the back tube for cleaning. Really looks nice with my Bushnell TRS-25.
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What it looks like from the rear (don't mind the off center dot, its not sighted in)
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You can still see through to the front sight. Not sure how practical this will be, but its nice. When the red dot isn't attached its much better, and just like regular iron sights.
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A few optic comparisons. (Rail/Sightmark Ultrashot/NC Star 3-9x/Bushnell TRS-25).
I noticed the mounts on the ncstar and sight mark were kinda loose. Seems like the kwik-rail is thinner than most picatinny rails, just have to adjust the width on the bottom of the sights, no big deal.
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The instructions for installation were pretty vague, I was fine with that, but Im sure some people would like step by steps with pictures/video. Also, it comes with a strip of velcro to put on the bottom of the rail so it doesn't get dinged by ejecting bullets. I didn't do that, I've done the ejection port mod, so I'll see how it holds up after ~50 rounds through it. Overall it seems very solid, I have no doubt it will hold a zero. Can't wait to try it out... also, can't wait for Archangel to friggin start shipping their SKS stocks. I think this would look bad ass with it!
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Thanks for the detailed review.

Please be sure to update us after you have spent some time at the range with it.

I'm curious to see if this causes any stovepipe malfunctions or not.
 
Very nice! I'm considering picking up an SKS for myself, but the thought of having to buy one of those side-mount picatinny rails just wasn't doing it for me... Nice to see that someone's come up with a full-length (more-or-less) option. Would certainly make for a much nicer setup, especially with a tactical stock like the Archangel...

How do you find working the action on it? It looks like you've got enough room to grab the bolt, but do you find the rail interferes with it at all? I would hate to grab the bolt to load a round into the chamber, only to have my knuckles scrape along the rail the whole way back. Only other concern would be the inability to use stripper clips, but I guess if you've got a few magazines there's not much issue. I'm also curious how the rear mount is attached... I wonder if it's welded on, or if it's just glued.

Just out of curiosity: Do you mind if I ask what the cost was, or who you got it through?
 
Please be sure to update us after you have spent some time at the range with it.
I'm curious to see if this causes any stovepipe malfunctions or not.

Will do! I'll be going Saturday as long as there is no thunderstorms.
Yea, that will be the main thing to look out for I believe - stovepipes. I previously did the ejection mod, and they were ejecting out to the side at 2 o'clock... so hopefully I should be good - depends if it hits the top of the rail or not.

How do you find working the action on it? It looks like you've got enough room to grab the bolt, but do you find the rail interferes with it at all? Only other concern would be the inability to use stripper clips, but I guess if you've got a few magazines there's not much issue.

Just out of curiosity: Do you mind if I ask what the cost was, or who you got it through?

Working the action seems fine. Doesn't feel like I need to be mindful not to hurt myself or anything. I think the type of optic and where it's placed will be more of the deciding factor on hitting your hand. Here's a quick example:

Plenty of room for the hand. As I mentioned earlier, it seems the width of the picatinny rail is slightly smaller that my other rails too.
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Stripper clips are a no go, but I didn't use them anyways... only 5 rounds. I order a 5/20 tapco magazine to hold me over until the Archangel stuff is out. I paid $119 ($134.95 after shipping) about a week ago from http://magwedge.com/products/rifle-accessories/sks/ Seems like the price went up $10.
 
I love this rail (don't own one) but don't want to give up stripper clip feeding.

Guess that can easily be solved with removable mags but don't want to do that either.

Thanks for the review, this rail looks like the best solution going.
 
I agree the price is steep I could machine one on my mill from a single piece of steel for that price. This looks like a 10$ rail welded to a U bent piece of metal. Probably couple hours work of work. But I'm lazy as hell like most people so when the price point drops to 50$ it will start looking interesting.
 
I agree the price is steep I could machine one on my mill from a single piece of steel for that price. This looks like a 10$ rail welded to a U bent piece of metal. Probably couple hours work of work. But I'm lazy as hell like most people so when the price point drops to 50$ it will start looking interesting.
A couple hours of machine time and skilled labour gets us to this retail price, in Canada.
 
Yes I believe you. This is the reason we bough our own milling equipement for the shop. It was cheaper to do it ourselves then farm out the work.
 
Hopefully you're not firing corrosive and having to take her down after every range trip. Wonder about the likeliness of retaining zero with this puppy???
 
Hopefully you're not firing corrosive and having to take her down after every range trip. Wonder about the likeliness of retaining zero with this puppy???

I'm not shooting corrosive. Using MFS brand ammo. It's just the back receiver pin to remove and the rail pivots from the front roll pin for cleaning. I don't see why it wouldn't hold 0, everything is very tight. Time will tell after things get some range use.
 
Are you sure about replacing the leaf?

I skipped that

Edit: I popped the leaf back in there - seems to add a bit more tension to the front mount.

I really think they should have added some tension screws onto the receiver cover just rear of the ejection port. A-la the M14 Casm.

There is a lot of up and down flex in the aluminum rail itself, I wouldn't bother with a scope personally, I don't think it's going to be a tack-driver. Red dot for me..
 
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