Rail system (firearms)
Encyclopedia
Rail systems are small pieces of metal put on any given surface on a gun
to allow attachment of some sort of accessory. On them you can attach everything from laser sights to scopes and R.I.S systems. They make the mounting and dismounting of these artifacts significantly easier. Rail systems usually are based on the handguard
of a weapon or the Upper receiver.
Two types of rail systems for firearms are the Picatinny rail
and the Weaver rail.
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
to allow attachment of some sort of accessory. On them you can attach everything from laser sights to scopes and R.I.S systems. They make the mounting and dismounting of these artifacts significantly easier. Rail systems usually are based on the handguard
Handguard
A handguard on firearms is a guard attached to the front of a firearm to grip the weapon from the front. It allows the user protection from the barrel, which may become very hot when firing...
of a weapon or the Upper receiver.
Two types of rail systems for firearms are the Picatinny rail
Picatinny rail
The Picatinny rail or MIL-STD-1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail or a "Tactical Rail" is a bracket used on some firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform. A similar system is the Weaver rail mount.-Description:...
and the Weaver rail.