New 10-22 rails (lots of pics)

[22Short_Improved]

I just started my 10-22 winter builds and I was looking for some parts I need. i liked the new 10-22 rails from Dlask that people are talking about.
For my scope diameter and the height of the rings I will need , i bought the rail that is 1/2” for my first and immediate build ( a shorty with 12” barrel).
For my second build - a target gun, I will need the 3/8” rail probably, but i have to do more measurements just to make sure.

Having a closer look and understanding how they work , i was amazed and i had to start a picture thread . i hi-jacked the pictures from Lector as I broke in his computer and his photobucket account

They have some undercuts to make them light without compromising the strength.
First feature to see on these rails is the 6 holes instead of 4 like in the other 10-22 rails and that is because of a feature i didn't see before : the rails are reversible.
Lately, I heard a lot of people complaining that they want the scope set further back because most of the rails on the market are set too much forward. But the Dlask rails can be reversed (assembled backwards) so they cover the whole length of the receiver and the scope can be set further back.

This is the rail set forward – the way most people set their rails on the receiver::

This is the same rail but set backward – for those who need the scope set further back.

In the past i striped a couple of threads in my receiver because they are awefull small (#6-48) , and i can tell you to repair them is even more awefull. So, the extra holes in these rails come very handy when one needs to restore the strength of the setup. If one hole is stripped, then all you have to do is drill and tap the closest empty (unused) hole and you have the rail solid in place.
Even more than that, I know I will not wait to strip a thread and I will drill and tap the 2 extra holes right from the beginning just to make sure I have a solid setup.
They even come with all 6 screws provided in the package .
And if all six screws are installed then the reversibility of the rail will not get affected.


The rail can be reversed both on factory receivers ( bottom of pictures) and on receivers that were D+T for extra holes ( top of the pictures).
If you don't want to, you don't have to drill and tap your receiver , and you will still be able to mount the rail in reverse.

Rail Forward ( or normal position):

Rail Backward ( or reversed):

I forgot to say they come in 3 different heights : 3/8”, ½”, 3/4”.

3/8” high rail

1/2” high rail

The 3/4” is quite tall rail and you can mount it for large scopes.
It has see-tru capabilities so you can use the factory iron ights. But it's very interesting the mount it is not drilled lengthwise, but instead the see-tru channel is made by a series of ingenious cuts that intersect their ends at 90 degrees.


3/4” high rail:

anyway, i love to steal lector's pictures

 

[Polar Man]

I wish all guns were as easy to mod as the 10/22.

 

[adrian84]

Is there any flex in the rail where it hangs over?

 

[swift81]

Yep, these sure are things of beauty! It made my latest build that much more exciting, being able to find some high quality rails made close to home.

 

[swift81]

There is no flex in the rail where it hangs over. I was speaking with Joe and crew when I purchased it and I asked the same questions, they told me that they had tried many different ways to collapse, bend and twist the rails in prototyping and this was the strongest design they came up with that matched what they were looking for. It has been through some pretty extreme testing and I guess now out in the field time will tell.

 

[22Short_Improved]

i tried to flex ( bend) the rail with my hands and it wouldn't move , it is rock solid

 

[adrian84]

Looks killer! Should have thought about this mod before cutting up my tapco stock to integrate my volquartsen aluminum rail. Oh well still looks great! IMO

 

[Wham-O]

I use these rails also.
I have bought others and been so disappointed in the quality and cheapness of them.
These rails ooze quality and IMPO look great! (and I also like supporting a Canadian company)

 

[Camj]

Just ordered my set 3/4 inch. I can hardly wait to get them mounted.

 

[Until the Angels Fall]

How to you enjoy the see-through rail? I LOVE using my irons but with the rail on I no longer can.....if I could use my irons when I wanted and SEE them well and then use a scope when I wanted I would be one happy camper!

 

[swift81]

Have a look at the pictures of Lectors that were stolen from 22 short. You will see the picture looking from the muzzle of the barrel towards the receiver. Notice the front blade sight is centre and level with the rear sight, and behind that you can see the square hole of light, all that is missing is your eye behind it. This may have the potential to make you a happy camper!

 

[22Short_Improved]

Here is how you can use the 2 extra holes of these rails and the 2 extra screws.
i know that my first post could be a little bit confusing , so there it is:

Let's say you just blew a thread in your receiver.
Or maybe you want to drill the receiver so you can use 6 screws intead of 4.

then , you will need:
1. a garage drill-press with the table reasonably squared with the spindle (90 deg),
2. two drill bits (.136” and .120”),
3. #6-48tpi tap (about $2.50 from Brownell's or few other places),

you have to do this :

1.assemble the rail ( either in normal position or in reverse, it really doesn't matter) using 3 screws in the 3 remaining good threads, or in case all threads are good, then use 4 screws.
Use only gentle reasonable force when torquing the screws.
Now you have some un-used holes in the rail:
if you have to repair a stripped thread, then one of them is above the stripped thread,
but two of them are above the non-drilled (fresh) receiver.





2.use a #29 drill bit ( that is .136”) that fits perfectly through the the 2 holes in the rails that are un-used.
DO NOT DRILL THE RECEIVER WITH THIS DRILL SIZE.
You only have to make a dimple (like the mark left by a center-punch) on top of the receiver.
You have to use this drill (.136”) because it fits perfectly through the holes in the rail (it centers in the holes of the rail) and it will mark the center of the hole that you will drill later using a SMALLER SIZE drill bit..

So, let me say this again, with the .136” drill bit you make a DIMPLE, but DO NOT DRILL.

3. undo the screws and take the rail off.
Use a #31 drill bit (.120”) and using the 2 dimples you already made for centering ( the way you use the mark left by a center-punch ), drill the extra 2 holes (.120” in size) on top of the receiver.

4.use a #6-48tpi tap to thread the new holes in the receiver and you're done.

If you had a stripped hole, now you can use 5 threaded holes to hold the rail on the receiver.
The extra screws are supplied with the rail.
If all original 4 holes were good, now you have 6 holes that will hold your rail more secure on the rceceiver.

That's it .





now, if you want to repair that specific thread that got stripped, you can use these oversized screws, like many of you know ( i learned this from RFC): http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=795/Product/_146__48_X_1_2___OVERSIZE__6_48_SCREWS (but you also have to buy the special oversized tap - $36). Both the screws and the tap are available from Brownells only .
Before proceeding with the drilling and taping of the receiver, decide if you want to use the rail in the normal or in the reversed position and only at the location of that specific hole that you want the thread to be repaired you have to drill the rail only (not the receiver) with a #27 drill bit (.147”) so that the oversize screw can pass through the rail.


but if you didn't stripped any thread ( yet), and you simply want to increase the hold strength between the rail and the receiver just for rigidity purposes, you can go ahead and drill and tap the 2 extra holes like i did and use the 2 extra screws that come in the package .

 

[Kaiser_Sose]

Nice tutorial, kiddo. I think I'll buy me one of these.