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LAPCO Dual Angled Sight Rail
Story By Bill Mills
Photos by Dawn Mills
Sept 2004

While sights are not commonly used in tournament paintball, they are more popular amongst big game, recreational and scenario players who concentrate on playing wooded fields.  In the woods, where concealment is a part of the game, making the first shot count can make the difference.

Tippmann’s Model 98, 98 Custom and A5 feature not only their built in iron sights, but also 3/8 inch dovetail and Weaver style sight rails nested one atop of the other.  Three quarter inch dovetail sight rails are a size on many airguns and paintball guns, while weaver rails are found more commonly on rifles and military firearms. 

Unfortunately with all three of these models of paintgun, the hopper is placed rather low and close to the receiver in a position that can prevent some larger sights from being used.

LAPCO is a name that has been in the paintball industry since the pump days and company owner Colin Thompson is credited as having developed the “bottom line” style CO2/HPA mounting system that has become an accepted standard configuration.  Out in Southern California, Colin continues to produce new accessory products for paintball, one of which is the LAPCO’s new angled dual side site rail.

This sight rail uses a pair of clamping blocks which grip onto both the 3/8 inch and Weaver rails of the 98 and A5, placing a 3/8 inch rail at a 45 degree angle on the left side of the receiver, and a Weaver rail on the side of the receiver.  In testing the rail for review, it was found to fit not only on the Tippmanns for which it was designed but also a number of other paintguns as well, including older Autocockers, a Shocker Sport, Z-Body Automag and others.  Some paintguns had parts which prevented it from mounting, and these included a Blazer and Automag RT.

The angled 3/8 inch dovetail rail was moved enough to the side that sights like the ADCO Square Shooter which were simply too bulky to fit on the A5’s standard sight rail fit the angled mount with no problems.  The same held true for a Tasco airgun scope.  Dialing in a sight on the angled rail was a little different than usual as the vertical and horizontal adjustments became re-oriented to diagonal adjustments.  For the airgun scope, which mounts with scope rings, it could be rotated most easily to an orientation upside-down to its normal position.  This put the right side horizontal adjustment out on the left, and the vertical adjustment on the bottom.

Shooting with the Square Shooter on the angled rail, another benefit of the LAPCO accessory was quickly discovered.  By placing the sighting dot above and to the left of the receiver, shooting the A5 shouldered with a JCS stock became much more natural.  The sighting dot was now in a position where it could be used without tilting the head or neck.  This left the shooting stance more comfortable, and decreased the time needed to draw a bead on target.

The side mounted weaver rail, being vertical places any accessories, like a larger rifle scope, night vision scope, or flashlight completely out of the way of the way of the hopper.

LAPCO’s dual angled rail for Tippmanns is a simple bolt on accessory that provides solid mounting points, increasing the number of accessories available to M98 and A5 owners.
 

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