A New Breed of AR Free Float Rails

ByJody Lewis

Fortis Manufacturing has anted up in the AR platform game with their new offering dubbed the “Switch” rail.

Currently only available for the DPMS high profile 308 platform, the Switch rail has a patent pending quick release lever that serves to secure the rail to the provided barrel nut.

What in the world was Fortis thinking when they designed this rail? For one, it is really easy to install. The barrel nut is not timed, so simply tighten it to mil-spec, slide the rail on and lock it in place by closing the lever, easy! Another use for the quick locking system is the ability to have multiple rail setups on one gun. Last time I checked, AR10’s were not a commodity like its little brother the AR15, so having 3 different AR10’s for different purposes is unobtainable for most. Having the ability to quickly switch rails for the desired mission or competition setup is simple, painless and relatively inexpensive.

The Fortis Switch is a beautiful piece of hardware and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. It is available in 12-inch and 14-inch versions. One of its best features is weight, coming in at a mere 10 ounces for the long version. Fortis choose the industry standard material for its rails by using 6061-T6 extruded aluminum, however opted for 7075-T6 on the locking handle since it will see more action.

The Switch features a continuous top rail, front and rear rotation limited QD points on both sides and keymod accessory attachment points at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions. The rail is finished with a standard mil-spec hard coat anodize. Best of all, it is made in the USA.

I truly hope Fortis considers adding a larger diameter version to accommodate a suppressor and how cool would it be if they made a QD upper receiver that allowed the system to be a true takedown/breakdown package.

Like all great innovations, they have a life cycle and often start as one thing and morph into another. Take Apple for instance; do you remember the first iPod? Totally innovative yet probably a joke if you showed it to a teenager today. It is only a matter of time before the Switch evolves into bigger and better things.

We installed the rail on our test gun and installation took about 5 minutes. The lockup was very tight and our attempts to move the rail failed once locked in place.

The Switch is a definite winner and an option worth looking at if you are building an AR10. I expect the 556 version to be out by summer.

Switch 308 Rail System – 14: http://fortismfg.com/ar10-forits-swtich-308-rail-system-14

Switch 308 Rail System – 12: http://fortismfg.com/ar10-forits-swtich-308-rail-system-12

Be sure to check out Fortis Manufacturing on Facebook, too!

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Jody Lewis
Written by Jody Lewis

Jody Lewis

Jody has been involved in firearms one way or the other for the past 20+ years. Jody holds multiple professional certifications including the NRA basic firearm instructor and RO training. When he isn’t teaching or training, he writes and photographs regularly for a number of online and print publications. Jody is an NRA Member as well as a certified S&W M&P Armorer as well as a part-time 3-gun competitor. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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