Manticore Arms Tavor ARClight Rail
Manticore produces after-market parts for the Steyr AUG and MSAR rifles. It just so happens that they also make a few accessories for the Tavor, too.
If you are like me, you never leave anything stock. Call it a flaw, call it what you want, but stock is boring and often leaves a lot to be desired. So when I recently bought an IWI Tavor, I realized there was very little real estate for accessories. Wanting to add my Elzetta Bravo light to the Tavor was going to be challenging since the built-in rail section at the 2 o’clock position would add to the bulk and profile of the Tavor and using the top rail at the 12 o’clock position would render the front sight useless, I started looking for alternative options.
After some research and asking my buddy Steve Coulston, a long time Tavor enthusiast for ideas, I found Manticore Arms. Manticore has been around for a few years and has been producing after-market parts primarily for the Steyr AUG and MSAR rifles. It just so happens that they also make a few accessories for the Tavor right here in the good old USA. In fact, they are 100% committed to USA manufacturing, which is kind of ironic considering the firearms they make accessories for.
Enter the ARClight rail and light mounting system. ARClight stands for Advanced Rail Chassis and is a lightweight (4 oz.) direct replacement for the factory Tavor polymer forend. To achieve such a light part, they have machined it out of 6061-T6 Aluminum and then anodized in type III hardcoat.
The rail comes in two versions, a naked version ($165), that is the rail only with NO rail sections or light mount and the loaded version ($225), which comes with a light ring mount for your standard 1” light and a few rail sections. For those of you who do not want to run an internal light with a tape switch, the naked version will work with most common rail sections including the Magpul MOE polymer rail sections. Manticore also offers the accessories such as the lightmount ring and rail sections separately in case you want to customize your order rather than order it all together.
The ARClight rail sections included in the loaded version are fully lugged with a steel backer which is important for those mounting a laser or other items that may need to retain zero.
If you have an FDE Tavor, Manticore offers a Cerakoted version custom matched in FDE that matches the Tavor quite well.
First Impressions
Right out of the box you notice the ARClight rail is very lightweight and comparing it to the factory polymer rail, it is only 2 oz. more. It is very rigid in design and offers much better ventilation than the factory rail.
Although the ARClight is not as ergonomic as the factory rail, I didn’t mind the trade-off of having my light tucked away at the 6 o’clock position and the added benefit of mounting a vertical grip. Even without the vertical grip, the rail is surprisingly comfortable.
Installation took less than 10-minutes and was super easy because I had taken the time to watch Manticore’s installation video on Youtube.
Installation Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rILsuxQic8A&feature=youtu.be
Mounting the Elzetta tape switch was a bit of a challenge since it would not fit through one of the slots, so I choose to run it out the front, not a big deal but I spent a few minutes considering my options. After securing the two screws that hold the rail in place, Steve and I headed out to the range to give it a go. Right off the bat I have to say I love the rail and the added features it adds to the Tavor. In my opinion it is a must have accessory for any Tavor owner. A lot of times I see guys adding crap to their rifle that is neither functional nor practical, but this is one of those items that offers both.
I will also note that Manticore Arms offers an aluminum safety to replace the factory polymer safety. Made from 6061, the LUMA safety is ambi in nature, meaning you can use it on either side of the gun. Installation took literally 10 seconds as the safety just slides on and off with the push of the center detent button.
For those of you who might want an extended version of the rail, I have it on good authority that Manitcore will be releasing their XTL version soon as well as some new and exciting new Tavor parts. Stay tuned for that review!
For more information on the ARClight Rail, visit http://www.manticorearms.com/ARClight-Tavor-Rail-MA-5400.htm. For the LUMA safety, visit http://www.manticorearms.com/LUMA-safety-for-Tavor-MA-5700.htm.
