These days many firearms already come with a rail system, which means the kinds of scopes and accessories available to you will be dependent on that corresponding rail design.
The Picatinny and Weaver rails are still two of the most popular rail mount systems. They may look similar at first glance, but each rail makes for very different experiences.
Read more to find out who wins this matchup!
Contents
Weaver Rail Mount
At that period of time, scopes were actually the ONLY ACCESSORIES people could mount on their guns that existed — which is what the Weaver rails were made for.
Originally, its main niche was to assembling optics.
Over time, the Weaver rails were slow to adapt to a market where manufacturers are constantly looking to improve their products.
Since its invention, the brand has both been able and unable to keep up with the many changes and advancements in the market.
Weaver Co. in Today’s Era
Presently, although Weaver Co. still exists (known as Weaver Optics), they’ve stopped selling the Weaver rifle scope.
However, it’s still possible to find a new or second-hand Weaver rifle scope in some marketplaces.
Weaver Optics also continues to offer the following:
- Weaver-style base rail mount
- Scope rings
- A few Weaver accessories
Characteristics
There’s no set number of recoil grooves (usually 2-4) on Weaver rails, and the spaces between the recoil grooves can also vary.
The Weaver rail slot width is 0.180 in (4.57 mm) wide with rounded recoil grooves.
An older model of the Weaver rail mount may make use of a 2-piece system, which might cause some problems.
- Proper alignment issues
- Easy cartridge insertion
There’s no standard for the spacing so that you can get varying distances between the grooves within the same rail due to unevenly spaced grooves.
- Good price for the quality
- Varying distances
- More scope surface contact area
- 2-piece system leaves bolt opening exposed
- Varying distances
- Not as durable as its more high-end counterparts
The difference in distances between one recoil groove from another is BOTH a PRO and a CON because once the rail mount is set, you’d have limited options on where you could place a scope.
However, this also means MORE DISTANCE between scope mounts, creating an increased contact surface area.
This helped stabilize many Weaver accessories that originally didn’t have a locking bar in place — a defunct point now for more modern guns and mounting systems.
Picatinny Rail Mount
As we already mentioned earlier, the Picatinny rails were designed to make up for what the Weaver-style rails lacked.
Also known as the MIL-STD-1913 or Pic rail for short, Picatinny rails were made to be a standardized version of the Weaver rails and can even be thought of as the Weaver Rail 2.0.
History of Picatinny
It is named after the Picatinny Arsenal U.S. Army base in New Jersey, where it was invented in 1995, becoming the military standard (thus the MIL-STD-1913).
Some get the MIL-STD-1913 name confused, thinking 1913 refers to the year it was invented.
Believe it or not, the name actually refers to the military document stating the standard dimensions for the Picatinny rail system design.
And although it was invented to become the military standard, Picatinny rails quickly grew MORE POPULAR than the Weaver rails and are made by manufacturers around the world.
What is Its Reputation in the Rail Industry?
Since Picatinny rails were made to fit many accessories other than scopes, the Picatinny rail style base has become perhaps one of the most popular and well-known scope mounting systems in the world.
It is especially known as the Tried and True accessory rail system used on AR-15s and other rifles.
Most guns and mounts are made with the Picatinny-style scope mount and mounting system in mind, making them compatible with semi-automatic pistol frames.
Their utilitarian qualities have led them to be used even in paintball and airsoft guns.
They’ve also become THE STANDARD in many official sporting competitions.
Characteristics
Although the profile of Picatinny and Weaver rails are identical (thus, the confusion and beginning of this Picatinny and Weaver system debate), they are completely different upon closer inspection.
You can find the main difference between Picatinny and Weaver rails in their recoil groove width and spacing.
- Picatinny rails have a set number of rail slots along the entire length of their mounts with EQUAL SPACING.
- Picatinny rails have a rail slot width of 0.206 in (5.23 mm), with the spaces between rail slots being 0.394 in (10.01 mm).
One notable difference between the Picatinny and Weaver rails is that the Picatinny accessory rail will have square-shaped recoil grooves with a set depth for the slots at 0.118 inches (3.00 mm).
This would be best for newer users or those looking for a rail system compatible with many Picatinny accessories.
- Standard style base for almost all modern rifles
- Durability
- Many accessory products are made to fit Picatinny rails
- Scope mounting system style with arguably the most mount placement options
- The Picatinny rail mount may obstruct the ejection port more
- Picatinny rails will typically be heavier in weight compared to Weaver rails
The advantages of a Picatinny rail mounting system and mounting platform easily outweigh its disadvantages but might be more than what one may need on an average hunting trip.
Moreover, the difference in weight is a matter of price difference— if you’re willing to spend a few more bucks, there are Picatinny rails available that are both lightweight and durable.
Picatinny and Weaver: New vs. Old
For the average firearms owner, choosing between a Picatinny rail or a Weaver rail will really come down to a matter of PREFERENCE.
The Picatinny design came years after the original Weaver, so it’s no surprise that the Picatinny would easily win it over in competition.
It’s a matter of preference in terms of these two criteria:
- New vs. old design
- Nostalgia vs. technological improvements.
Weaver Rail System: An Oldie but Goldie
Many grew up using guns with the Weave