Choosing what goes where on your gun can be a challenge. Do you want a vertical foregrip on your gun, or a bipod? How about a flashlight, or would you rather have a laser? What about some offset iron sights? How about the ability to move your bipod to the side for “urban prone?” Normally, shooters would need to pick a configuration and stick with it. But thanks to Ballista Tactical’s new product, shooters can change their gun’s configuration on the fly…

From their press release:

Ballista Tactical Systems has announced the release of its latest innovation – the Nautilus Rotating Rail. This unique rail system is designed to give shooters an option they’ve never had before – the ability to reconfigure their firearm accessories without removing them from the rails. By eliminating the unnecessary chore of disconnecting accessories, the Nautilus Rotating Rail delivers unprecedented versatility to any standard AR platform carbine rifle.

The Nautilus Rotating Rail is seven inches in length and is a single unit that contains a total of eight individual 1913 Picatinny rails. There are two identical sections that are each comprised of four rails. Each section can be rotated 360 degrees in either direction. Two easily accessible buttons, one for each direction, allow users to rotate the Nautilus Rotating Rail in 45-degree increments.

Constructed of aircraft grade, 6061 T6 hard-anodized aluminum, the Nautilus Rotating Rail is built to withstand the wear and tear of real-world use. Precision stainless steel grade 25 ball bearings ensure a tight fit and are designed to perform against even the worst conditions – including exposure to water, sand and mud. Because of the precise bearings on the Nautilus Rotating Rail, all optical systems maintain zero after rail rotation.

Ballista Tactical offers the Nautilus Rotating Rail in four different color variations including dark earth, matte black, coyote tan and olive drab. The MSRP for the Nautilus Rotating Rail is $549.

Ballista Tactical Systems was founded on the principle of aggressively pursuing innovative solutions for the firearms industry. Ballista Tactical Systems takes pride in the fact that all parts and components are manufactured in the USA. For more information about new products, including demonstration and installation videos, please visit www.BallistaTactical.com.

I can see some limited use cases for rotating rails, but as a guy who has learned that running slick is usually the best option its not something that I would think about dropping $550 on. That’s new gun money right there.

Needless to say we’ll be asking for a T&E sample. We’ll let you know if its any good.

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15 COMMENTS

  1. My interest was peaked… Until I saw the price tag. For that much money, I could put a NICE Eotech on my rifle. Given the choice, I’ll give my money to the scope people and deal with stationary rails.

  2. I’ve had a sample for awhile now… Been trying to come up with uses.The company is seeking feedback from a variety of resources to identify ways that this device could be employed.
    The fact is, no one has ever really thought about how something like this could help in a Mil/LE/security or home defense situation. I’m expecting that we’ll see some people build tactics and techniques around it… It remains to be seen whether or not they will actually be good ideas or simply justifications for its existence.

    Expect more soon…

    • The company is seeking feedback from a variety of resources to identify ways that this device could be employed.

      So they develop a product, and then ask people what it could possibly be used for. Sounds like a recipe for success.

  3. Here’s my feedback: it’s a cool idea, but not worth $550. Lots of AR rail parts are quick – release anyways. I also have a hard time envisioning a tactical situation where this new toy would be useful.

  4. (Tongue firmly in cheek)
    How about stop hanging all that stuff off a .22 caliber rifle anyway ? If I want or need to carry a 9+ lb. rifle, I pick up one of my FALs, and have something that can really reach out and punch through things. I have gone back to a relatively simple AR platform, with an Aimpoint T-1, back up sights, and that’s all. I could see using a very short piece of rail to mount a QD white light.

  5. This gizmo will tempt some fool to trick out (read: clutter up and weigh down) his rifle with every imaginable accessory. Lights, lasers, multiple optics, slings, bipods, foregrips, rangefinders; you name it.

    The miserable result will be a rifle that’s ‘perfect for every imaginable scenario’ and completely useless. And the damned thing will be the size and weight of a bench lathe.

  6. Well, if one was a Rubic’s Cube fanatic I suppose it would be entertaining while one waited for the next wave of Zombies to appear

  7. Between this and the NSN, I’m gonna be known as a tactical hero!

    Ridiculously overpriced…without really any significant application I can think of. No thank you.

  8. I run QD attachments on all of my gizmos, anyway, because I own lots of guns with rails and only a few gadgets to attach them to.

    I disagree with a lot of people here. If you need a rail, put a rail on. If you’re running a rifle with out modern optics, with out a light, and with out a sling, I think you’re behind the curve, not ahead of it.

  9. I can see having a bipod and a vertical grip on 2 sides and have it being the bipod for distance shooting and then rotating it to the vertical grip for close quarter room clearing. I had a design similiar to this all drawn up on ProE, but I scrapped it for the exact reason you guys are all bashing it. It does everything pretty average and nothing above average.

  12. My thought was for the ability to place the foregrip at any position comfortable, if you need to change it, its as simple as pushing a button and twist. This allows you to stop the foregrip in an ergonomicly perfect position as opposed to 12, 3, 6 and 9. While I cannot see spending over 500.00 on it, the introductory offer of 199.00 is not too bad.

  13. I bought one back in Sept ’13 for the $199 price they advertised it at (and searching their site again, still the same). Thing is, it wouldn’t install on my Colt HBAR nor my Intacto Battle Tac for some reason. Luckily, they refunded the order return. Not one for mounting flashlights on anything, as the ‘bad guys’ shoot at the light. I was looking for something to mount a regular scope as well as a night vision scope, separate laser & possibly a pistol grip to it. Very well made indeed but again, gunsmiths at intacto couldn’t get it to mount.

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