Rail Integration System

Rail interface system or rail integration system (RIS for short, sometimes also referred to as rail accessory system, RAS) is a generic term for a standardized rail system for attaching accessories to small firearms such as pistols, rifles and light machine guns. Such accessories commonly include tactical lights, laser aiming modules, forward hand grips for improving weapon handling, telescopic sights for long-range targets, and reflex sights/red-dot sights for short/medium-ranged targets, back-up iron sight, bipods/tripods, and bayonets.

KeyMod and M-LOK handguards from various manufacturers. The tops of these handguards feature Picatinny rails. These handguards were used in a KeyMod™ vs. M-LOK™ Modular Rail System comparison in 2017 by the US Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division.

Type

Most RIS equipment is compatible with one or more of the most common rail systems, all of which are broadly similar:

These are used primarily in the military and by firearm enthusiasts to improve the usability of the weapon, being accessorized quickly and efficiently without requiring the operator to field-strip the weapon. Basic systems such as small rails (20mm is standard) with holes machined in them to be screwed onto the existing hand-guard of a rifle and can cost as little as US$25 to US$40. More advanced systems allow for numerous accessories to be mounted simultaneously and can cost upwards of US$200.

See also
  • UIT rail, an older standard used for mounting slings particularly on competition firearms
  • Sling swivel, older standard used for mounting slings, particularly on hunting firearms
  • Zeiss rail, a ringless scope mounting standard introduced by Carl Zeiss AG

References
  1. Curtis, Rob. "VLTOR gives the keymod tdp to you". Militarytimes.com. Archived from the original on 2014-02-26. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
  2. Magpul Industries - M-LOK DESCRIPTION AND FAQ DOCUMENT
  3. KeyMod vs. M-Lok: The Next AR Rail Standard by Chris Baker, November, 19, 2014
  4. KeyMod vs. M-LOK Modular Rail System Comparison, Presented by Caleb McGee, Naval Special Warfare Center Crane Division, 4 May 2017 full pdf on page
  5. Slowik, Max. "New Open-Source KeyMod Universal Mounting System by Vltor". Guns.com. Retrieved 3 August 2015.


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