The most advanced, mechanically intelligent and ideal optic mount ever devised is launching here on Soldier Systems. You don’t have to believe this claim by Kinetic Development Group. You can listen to the reasons why and try it for yourself or simply watch the Internet for the positive reviews. The guys at KDG have developed a mounting system called the SIDELOK™. What’s the big deal? Where do we start?

Prior to discussing the SIDELOK™, lets rap about why Kinetic thought they should develop a mounting system for Optics.

The first reason is repeatability. Generally optics mounts have two attachment points with separate levers. Some are adjustable so you can tighten or loosen them for the particular tolerance picatinny rail you may be mounting to. One may be tighter, one slightly looser. This is recipe for disaster in the repeatability department when installing or removing an optical accessory. The other problem is you may like you optic so tight you actually damage the pic rail. That is why the Government Issue XXX mounts for the Aimpoint actually limit the torque you can apply to the installation knob.

There is a religion when it comes to military members about putting on an optic, zeroing it, and leaving it there for fear they may lose zero between missions, and for good reason. Lets say you wanted to remove your long-range optic and put on your red dot. You would be absolutely incompetent if you did not confirm zero. Why? There are so many variables between installing, removing and reinstalling an optic you NEED to reconfirm, even if you reinstall in the same slots on the picatinny rail.

Now here comes the SIDELOK™. The SIDELOK™ takes the incompetence out of mounting optics. What do we mean by that? You have no input as a human being on how your optic mounts to your pic rail. What do we mean? You can’t screw it up!

With SIDELOK™, simply roll the optic (attached to your SIDELOK™ mount) to your picatinny railed weapon and “click!!” the mount automatically deploys the locking bars to the 45-degree angles of the picatinny rail (which hold the tightest tolerance concerning the picatinny rail specification). The locking bars snap in at the exact same time making the mounting completely repeatable. The spring cams apply the exact same amount of pressure between the two bars. The system works on spring pressure with a cam that supplies exponentially more mechanical advantage than the button that is used to release it from the weapon.

Removal and installation is extremely fast. Does that make you nervous? The only way this is coming off is if it is deliberate and by the user (YOU!). Not a sling hung up in the works. Not being jammed up on gear. Not being dropped from a first story roof in Iraq onto concrete. Yet, you can peel it off sooner than you can open your Copenhagen. The reason is there is a safety lock. You have to push the button with a human fingertip. That releases recessed “Glock like” secondary safety lock that allows the user to overcome the mechanical advantage of the cam lock and roll off the weapon. Firing a weapon with a heavy optic? The SIDELOK™ gets tighter if it needs to. This is pure mechanics; not a photographer’s quick detaching clamp like the other offerings on the market. The SIDELOK™ is also one of the slimmest mounts on the market. There is nothing in the way to snag on you, or interfere with your charging handle on a side-charging weapon platform.

This may not mean much to you if you are a user with 4 uppers for various mission profiles or uses. However, many of us and even many local LE agencies do not have the budget for mission specific uppers set up to go. With the SIDELOK™, you literally can pick and choose your mission, install your accessory in less than a second, and if installed in the same place it was zeroed, it will be on the mark.

1. The first of the SIDELOK™ to be released is the SIDELOK™ specifically for the Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic (PRO); which is also compatible with the Aimpoint Comp M4 and the C3 models. The second is the universal picatinny SIDELOK™ Scope Riser. Don’t worry, the Aimpoint T1, T2, H1, and H2 model SIDELOK™ is on the way soon…. Stay tuned.

Please visit kineticdg.com for more information or email info@kineticdg.com for questions.