One of the challenges in adding some space-level features to a revolver is the lack of attachable surfaces. Modern rifles and pistols come standard with Picatinny rails, M-LOK hand guards, slides cut for an optic, etc. Revolvers do not.
With a few exceptions - looking at you Korth and Chiappa.
There are some aftermarket optic rails for revolvers, but they aren't available for all models and many are only a couple inches long, rather than extending the length of the barrel. It was important to pick a revolver for the build that had a rail we could use without too much modification.
The combo selected for the build is Ruger's GP100 (more on the revolver coming soon) and Weigand Machine & Design's Weig-a-tinny 6" no drill scope mount.
The Weig-a-tinny rail attaches to the revolver via a bolt in the back that slots into where the factory rear sight sits and two bolts in the front that attach to an insert that replaces the front sight. No drilling or tapping required so if you don't like it, you can just undo three screws. Bonus that you don't need to have a gunsmith install it or risk ruining your revolver on your hand-me-down drill press while your cousin Dale holds it "rul steady."
The plan is for this rail to be the anchor of all the other components of the build. In addition to holding the scope, the plan is for it to hold offset iron sights and be the primary mounting point for the M-LOK handguard that will drop below the revolver's barrel.
Securing the handguard to this rail will take some machining (dremeling). More details to follow, but the plan at this point is to slide the top of the handguard between the Weig-a-tinny rail and the barrel and then fasten it with a couple of bolts. Depending on the stability of this connection, we may reinforce it with a cut-to-fit Delrin brackets.
At this point, it's all pipe dreams and a Powerpoint sketch, so who knows what the final hookup will entail.
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