One of the last things we’re adding to the DPMS A3 Lite we’ve been customizing with Blackhawk! long rifle accessories are low-profile rail ladders.

Blackhawk! Low-Profile Rail Ladders installed and cut to size.

These polymer inserts attach to rail segments by snapping into place on both sides via the groove in between. They hardly add any thickness as the polymer only sits a millimeter or so above the rail itself, but they make all the difference. These rail inserts are designed to do several things:

• Protect your rails from dings, scratches and dents
• Provide a non-slip grip to the rail area
• Protect your hands from sharp edges of the rails

I just left an event at Blackhawk! where professional shooter and instructor Todd Jarrett ran us through a condensed black rifle class. It was a great opportunity to try the rail ladders out. During the session, we did enough shooting for the barrel, gas block and aluminum rail to get hot – and that’s where I really noticed the value of the rail ladders. Even though they’re low-profile, they made a noticeable difference in terms of insulating my hands from heat. Providing additional comfort and grip security was a given – you could feel the difference right away. I was just not expecting them to make a difference with heat control.

This is a nice, and very simple, add-on to most any rifle with a railed front end. The ladders come in 18 slot segments and you can easily cut them to the exact length you want with a pocket knife. I put them on all four sides. If I ever decide to add other rail accessories, I can just pop off that segment and trim to fit the unused rail area.

It’s a nifty little upgrade and you can get them for about ten bucks.