Wilcox Industries Develops "Electric Rail" For ARs

posted on May 19, 2011
ii2015_fs.jpg (1)

The Holy Grail of tactical-grade M4 rifles (including the military’s M4) is a chalice of electrons, a way to power any and all accessories from a single battery source—wirelessly. Wilcox Industries, a New Hampshire-basedproducer of a wide range of military and commercialproducts, has finally found the sacred cup and solved this age-old problem.

It’s called the Fusion Rail, an M1913 rail fore-end with integral “electric rails” that carry power from either a small battery pack or a Wilcox Universal Control Grip, a vertical grip with dual thumb-switches and batteries inside.

Onto the Fusion Rail can go a white light or a laser targeting module, the two most commonly used tactical accessories that normally require their own separate batteries. That adds weight and bulk, two big negatives on a tactical rifle.

Wilcox teamed with SureFire to develop a small “head” that fits onto the Fusion Rail and ispowered from the rail itself.

Then, Wilcox developed its own visible and infrared laser “head” which also self-powers from the Fusion Rail.

Down the road, I wouldn’t be surprised to see optical sight modules, night vision viewers and even miniature cameras all running from a Fusion Rail.

As noted, Wilcox also offers a Universal Control Grip with dual thumb-switches into which the “heads” from lasers, lights or other devices can be plugged. Press the switch for momentary-on or double-tap it for constant-on.

Wilcox has alsodeveloped other highly clever and innovative products for the military and tactical markets. There’s a helmet mount for NODs (night vision devices like the PVS-14) that features a “break-loose” safety to release the NOD in case it becomes snagged or stuck. The current military helmet mount is permanent, so a snagged NOD is like face-masking in football—it jerks the wearer’s head and neck dangerously.

Then there’s the Wilcox Patriot System, a breathing system for chemical-biological environments that runs foreight hours. Competing products are good for 45 minutes. Let's see… eight hours versus less thanone hour. That's a pretty significant improvement!

Another cool item is a camera about the size of a No. 2 pencil eraser that fits on a military helmet and records everything the wearer sees or hears onto a disk. Given that the President and his national security team were reported in the news to have watched the SEAL’s raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound, the Insider has a pretty strong hunch they were watching through a Wilcox Mission Recording Helmet System. Wilcox will never tell and neither will the SEALs, but that’s my guess.

Look for the Wilcox Fusion Rail to become commerciallyavailable soon. And remember, the Insider brought you the first word.

Latest

Model 1841 Mississippi rifle closeup right-side view sidelock hammer brass trigger guard wood stock AMERICAN RIFLEMAN text bottom right
Model 1841 Mississippi rifle closeup right-side view sidelock hammer brass trigger guard wood stock AMERICAN RIFLEMAN text bottom right

I Have This Old Gun: Model 1841 Mississippi Rifle

Of all the U.S. military arms of the mid-19th century, one of the most interesting, effective and well-built was the Model 1841 rifle, often called simply the "Mississippi rifle."

New For 2025: Springfield Armory 2020 Heatseeker

A new Model 2020 rifle from Springfield Armory, the Heatseeker, will come wrapped in an aluminum Coyote Brown-colored chassis from Sharps Brothers featuring M-Lok modularity and more.

I Have This Old Gun: Forehand & Wadsworth British Bull-Dog

Many eagle-eyed NRA members viewing the 1993 Western “Tombstone” no doubt recognized the Forehand & Wadsworth British Bull-Dog so deftly welded by actress Joanna Pacula, portraying Big Nose Kate, during a contemptuous card game between Doc Holliday and Ed Bailey.

Medal Of Honor Marine Receives Henry Repeating Arms Tribute

Henry Repeating Arms presented a Spirit of the Corps 250th Anniversary Tribute Edition rifle to Maj. Gen. Livingston for going above and beyond the call of duty on May 2, 1968, during the Battle of Dai Do in Vietnam.

Preview: Duramag 1911 DS Magazines

Duramag’s 1911 DS Magazines are compatible with numerous 9 mm Luger-chambered 2011-style handguns on the market.

Colt Monitor: The FBI’s “Fighting Rifle”

In the years between the World Wars, a rare variation of the Browning Automatic Rifle proved its reputation as an effective, devastating automatic rifle for combat between the country’s lawmen and its outlaws.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.