Great for a wide variety of accessories, from scopes to sling mounts Government standard results in compatibility and interchangeability Used for both for scope mounts, and for accessories such as extra sling mounts, vertical grips, bipods, etc. Here are some bullet points to be aware of when using the rails.Ī NATO rail is backwards compatible with the MIL-STD-1913 railĪ Mil-STD-1913 rail MAY be within the NATO specifications, but no guaranteeĪny MIL-STD-1913 accessory will work on either rail systemĪ NATO accessory will work on either rail, BUT to get the full advantages of the NATO upgrades a NATO rail should be used. But identification between a MIL-STD-1913 and a NATO rail would be impossible by the naked eye. Identification of a Picatinny/NATO rail is easy enough by the unique shape and size of the rail. The results being a more consistent and repeatable mounting for accessories like scope mounts. The main changes for the NATO rail are the conversion to metric dimensioning, a tightening of certain tolerances, and a change to the preferred mounting contact surfaces for the attachments. NATO Rail - A metric upgraded version of the Picatinny rail, the STANAG 4694 NATO Accessory Rail, was designed in conjunction with weapon manufacturers like Aimpoint, Beretta, Colt, FN Herstal and Heckler & Koch, and was approved by the NATO Army Armaments Group (NAAG) in 2009. The new rail design was adopted as a standard in 1995 with the designation Mil-STD-1913. The Howitzer rail design was scaled down and co-opted for production and inspection procedures. The Picatinny Arsenal factory recognized the similarity of the new design to the existing rail design on a 105 mm Howitzer.

Taking measurements from a variety of Weaver rail products, an average set of dimensions was recorded for the new rail design. The design was an adaptation of the Weaver style rails that were on the market at the time.

Named after the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, which was tasked in 1992 to develop a standardized mounting system for the U.S. Far from a comprehensive list, hopefully it will help those unfamiliar with the multitude of options educate themselves on what is available. Or even which one you have on your firearm? Below is a list of the most popular options and how to identify them. With the numerous options for attaching accessories to your firearm, it is often difficult to decipher which is the best.

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