These certainly seem expensive, especially if you paid 400 bucks for the rifle but I guess you get what you pay for.
For just the upper handguard plus the 4" rail, plus shipping ($18.80) I get $121.81 USD
For the upper and lower set plus the 4" and one 2" rail plus shipping I get $244.04 USD
The Bonesteel aren't that much cheaper for just the upper but for the set I guess how much cheaper Bonesteel is depends on how many rails you'd need on the NEA lower. The big question is how long would you need to wait for them, if you can get them at all.
For the upper alone it's $102.95 shipped
For the upper and lower set it's $172.95 shipped.
Personally, I prefer the NEA lower design but only because I feel it follows the original lines more. The Bonesteel lowers change the look of the gun too much for my taste.
Bottom, only the small rail will fit. And the small rail is sufficient to mount an AFG or other grip.
Support hand side, I like the long rail for heat deflection as well as a continuous surface for my hand being mounted against.
Opposite side, I have a small rail for flashlight mount or other accessory if needed. Better to have and not need, than not have and need...
Also, NEA does sit slightly higher than bonesteel. But it is a much more substantial rail in pretty much every respect. And its design is also such that it prevents things from falling into the handguard, unlike Bonesteel. Whether NEA is "overbuilt" or that extra bulk is critical is quite fairly up for discussion. But that's my primary takeaway.
Lowers Bonesteel is better ventilated and has much more rail space -- for NEA, more rails means less ventilation. Also, Bonesteel, you don't have to worry about rails working themselves loose.
But, for Bonesteel in hand, the lower is almost too wide. Wider than AR quad rails. And I haven't mounted it yet to try, but I also don't think the bonesteel will be friendly to the gogun gas pedal, which it and the AFG make a pretty much perfect forehand grip w/ my Troy/NEA, and do a very good job of minimizing heat on the support hand. Without the Gas pedal on bonesteel, support hand thumb ends up on top rail right next to where the pistol in exhausting the gas (point of greatest heat). Not ideal.
My Daniels Defense Omega rail: 1.9", 48.3mm.
Bonesteel: 2.15", 54.5mm.
In comparison my Midwest Industries Galil Quad Rail is 2.25"/57.3mm, but feels much narrower -- I think it has to be something to do with the wide rail sitting so low to the palm of the hand, but not certain...
**PAUSE**
So ran through these again. Bonesteel the meat of thumb ends up atop the side rail. NEA is about 2/3 on and 1/3 off the rail and the Midwest and Daniels both run palm entirely on the rail. That's the hangup with bonesteel. I can rotate my palm more under the barrel , but then I'm not using the same grip on the afg as I"m used too... Not sure if I'm describing correctly, but the meat of the thumb, portion of palm connected to thumb is what I'm describing...
Bottom line, bonesteel is high enough that my thumb sits atop the side rail and is the only quad rail I have where a c-clamp grip would be described as natural. It'd be hot, but natural... Without an AFG that grip would probably be worse...
Looks like I've gone and convinced myself to spend more $ on upgrading my 2nd tacticool VZ2008 to an NEA fore-end at some point...
