I got another call from Mike at Ergo Grips. He had some new KeyMod stuff he wanted me to check out before they premier at SHOT. And not only did I get to see the new items, I got some inventory to test and evaluate…

There were a number of picatinny rail sections, a quick disconnect port, an angled grip, some of the WedgeLok rail covers (that I had highlighted in a previous article), and one of the mini vertical forward grips.

All of the new components are made with 6060-T6 aluminum, have a Black Type 3 Hard Anodized coating, and come with the required hardware for KeyMod mounting. The picatinny rail sections all have a slanted back and rounded front (which is helpful to keep the edge from snagging on things). The cantilevered rail gives about a 2.5 inch standoff to clear forward obstacles on hand guards or to hang forward of free float hand guards.

I had the opportunity to install and run all of these products on my Primary Weapons Systems Modern Musket at a 3-Gun match.

5 and 8 slot Picatinny Rails

 

I ran the 5 Slot on my rifle at the match as a place to mount the Grip Pod that I reviewed a few weeks back (and have grown to appreciate when I have to go prone).

There is not really a lot I can say about the rail segments. They work as intended and it is nice to be able to put on exactly as much rail as you need. The one point that I really want to highlight is the attention to detail regarding the rounding of the edge. That one feature makes these rails superior to other rail segments, in my opinion. I actually wish my PWS had come with these instead of the sections that it did (though Ergo had not yet manufactured them).

• Overall length: 2.75″/4.7″

5 and 10 slot Cantilever Picatinny Rails

This component is interesting in that the slots are machined forward of the mount (hence “cantilever”). Their specs discuss clearing forward obstacles on hand guards (though I’m not sure what that would be). The biggest use case I could come up with is allowing a mount forward of the hand guard (for a short hand guard). Something like this would work well on the Electronic Arms Bullpup if they went to KeyMod (rather than integral picatinny).

5 slot

• Overall length 4.4”
• All five Picatinny Slots are cantilevered forward of the low profile mounting section
• Front of Rail cantilevers forward to clear forward obstacles on hand guards or to hang forward of free float hand guards

10 slot

• Overall length ~5.4”
• Six Picatinny Slots are cantilevered forward of the low profile mounting section
• Front of Rail cantilevers forward to clear forward obstacles on hand guards or to hang forward of free float hand guards

WedgeLok Rail Covers

Let me say that I love these rail covers–they are one of my favorite Ergo Grip products. They are small and unobtrusive. The grip is amazing. Wet or dry it doesn’t matter.

Installing them is pretty easy. You can cut them down to fit whatever rail length you need to cover. I would recommend running a little bit on lube on the tapered section that goes into the rail as it makes them much easier to install. Removing is just as easy–just pull up from one of the ends and they pull right out. I installed and removed a section about 50 times one night (while mindlessly zoning in front of the TV) and there was no major wear; no tearing of the rubber, etc.

• Constructed of strong and durable Santoprene rubber
• Heat resistant to 300+ degrees Fahrenheit
• Overall length of 5.5”
• Securely covers 7 Keymod mounting features
• Tapered wedge locking feature allows for easy, tool-free, installation while providing a secure fit.
• Aggressive texture pattern increases comfort and weapon control
• Can be mounted with texture facing forward or backwards (bi-directional)

KeyMod QD Sling Mount

I normally run a single point sling (when I actually use a sling) and mount it just forward of the butt stock. So the Ergo Grip doesn’t fit how I normally run my gun. That said, I have a buddy that extolls the virtues of a full sling as a shooting aid and has been trying to get me to use one for years. The Ergo Grip KeyMod QD Sling Mount would actually allow me to experiment with this a lot more readily. I have a cheap swivel push-button sling loop and the Ergo Grip holds it solid. I tied some 550 cord on it and did some drops from a couple of feet. I would reasonably expect the push button to fail before the KeyMod mount. In any case, it held fine.

Specs

• Bi-directional KeyMod mounting
• Light-weight and durable
• Low profile with beveled edges to reduce obstruction and snagging

Mini Max Vertical Forward Grip (VFG)

As I’ve said in previous articles, I’m not a super big fan of a “broomstick” grip. The Ergo Grip VFG is a bit too small to fit that category I think. It is only tall enough for me to get about 3 fingers on it–so I really couldn’t use it as a full handle. Like all of the Ergo Products I was given to evaluate, it was superbly machined. The whole product was very smooth, and the texture was cut just enough to give a good grip, but not so absent that was just a decoration.

Specs

• Height: 2.5″
• Weight: 2.6 oz

Enhanced Angle Grip

The Enhanced Angle Grip is a tie for my first place Ergo Grip product. I have run the MagPul AFG for a couple of years now, and while I appreciated it, I always found it a bit bulky. The Ergo Grip is slim and svelte. No wasted space. It allowed me to get a much more positive “C”-grip on the fore end of my rifle, and provided just enough of an offset to allow my wrist to rest in a more natural position.

 

The version I was given for testing and evaluation was the most aggressive pattern they make, and aggressive is a loose term. It is not even remotely uncomfortable. All of the edges are rounded and smoothed, so I found nothing uncomfortable with it–and nothing to snag on.

 

The Enhanced Angle Grip should be premiering at SHOT Show this year. If you use/like angled fore grips, I would highly recommend you give this a try.

Specs

• Provides angled gripping area to KeyMod rail systems
• Offered in 4 textures varying from smooth to aggressive
• Contoured to also serve the function of a hand stop, if alternative method of holding weapon is needed.

Conclusion

My biggest complaint with most KeyMod components is getting them installed–especially ones machined with tight tolerances. I invariably end up playing the “loosen/tighten” game to get the component to seat in the terminal location. And sometimes I even have the fun of having the mounting lug coming all the way off because I loosened it a bit too much. In this, the Ergo Grip components were neither better nor worse.

I am a fan of Ergo Grip and am happy that they are here in my own backyard. I definitely believe in supporting local manufacturers, and the closer to your home the better. All of the guys I have met from Ergo are extremely approachable and they come out with some great products.

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