TFB Review: Strike Industries Vector Handguard

The Kriss Vector is a contentious firearm for many however throughout its many iterations the platform has continued to garner a following for a few major reasons, the first being its unique looks which have always invoked a sci-fi vibe akin to Stargate or Cyberpunk 2077. The second is its Super V system that imparts its signature recoil impulse and makes the Vector a blast to shoot. Unfortunately, due to how the Vector has to be built around the Super V, there have always been ergonomic problems with the shorter pistol and SBR variants. Kriss has sold their own solutions and rails for quite a while but now Strike Industries has thrown their hat into the ring.

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TFB Review: Strike Industries Vector Handguard

One of the multiple ergonomic gripes I have always had with the Vector was you are really limited in both mounting and hand space especially when you have a SBR or pistol. Where your hand naturally wants to sit on the rifle puts your thumb in a position where it's easy to accidentally activate the bolt lock and your palm directly over the magazine release which can lead to dropping the magazine mid string of fire. For the longest time mounting a VFG was the solution but that led to other ergonomic issues and running the platform fast just would not feel as smooth or fast. Another issue is that from the factory there is really no good way to mount a light or any other accessory. You have one location on each side of the Vector to bolt on Picatinny rails but those are both in the way of the controls and are seated in an awkward position on the off side.

Cue Strike Industries' new rail offering. Strike Industries has long been known for their visually striking accessories for other platforms like the AR 15 and P365. For the Vector, I think Strike Industries' particular aesthetic matches perfectly. The Vector has always garnered looks at the range for looking like it was pulled out of a sci-fi flick and the rail system only accentuates that while providing legitimate ergonomic improvements over the stock configuration. The lines on the rail match up nearly perfectly with the receiver and the rail has managed to stay tight and straight through everything from being thrown into a truck bed and ripping through the backwoods of Oregon to banging around in a UTV at night shooting at steel.

Installation and durability

The rail ships with four screws with thread lock pre-applied and installing the rail is a simple matter of torquing all four screws onto the rifle's Picatinny rail installation slots. Over the course of about 700 rounds of 9mm and multiple accessory installations, the rail has not bent nor come loose at all. I have run the rifle with SureFire, Cloud Defense, and Modlite lights and have not had issues with the lights coming loose during use. During one particularly rough range session, it bounced in the back of a truck bed for 3 hours up into the mountains and still held up perfectly. Additionally, I would purposely bang it against my kit and use it to brace against barricades and it has always stayed straight.

Ergonomic Improvements

The SI rail feels great in the hand, the width allows your support hand to comfortably sit beneath it while still being open enough to allow most suppressors to sit comfortably underneath. The length is enough to get your hand far enough forward that accidental activation of the controls is no longer an issue. The rail also kicks out just a hair which allows you to tuck cables and keeps the light off the body of the rifle. The Vector is such a short overall platform that being able to get your hand another few inches out makes the shooting experience much more comfortable.

The M-LOK slots are in a comfortable position to keep lights out of the way of both the charging handle and the controls as well as allowing you to mount a foregrip on the 6 o'clock or an additional accessory on the other side of the rifle. Throughout the review, I tried different switches mounted to both the top rail and the M-LOK slots and had no issues with getting any of the lights to feel comfortable, even longer lights like the Surefire Turbo 640 DFT.

Suppressor Compatibility

One of the cooler features of this handguard is that with a 5.5-inch barrel, you can countersink a suppressor into the handguard fairly easily. With a wide 1.9-inch diameter many commercially available suppressors will fit snugly into the handguard. Strike also sent me their Oppressor universal blast forwarding device as I did not have a 9mm suppressor in inventory. With my 5.5-inch barrel SBR it tucks perfectly into the handguard with the venting just past the end of the rail. Going forward I think a Huxwrx Ca$h 9K would fit perfectly with this rifle. The Vector has always been particular with lubrication and maintenance so the Hux would be a perfect choice for it. The flow-through technology would not only lessen the already minimal recoil but also reduce the ingress of carbon and fouling significantly. Additionally, you see nearly no bolt velocity increase with Huxwrx suppressors which on a platform like the Vector where the bolt is already moving incredibly fast is a blessing in and of itself.

The Ca$h 9K is fairly short and lightweight for a 9mm suppressor which is great for what is already a fairly heavy platform. With an MSRP of $662, it's also fairly affordable given the technology that goes into a flow-through suppressor. The Flow-Baffle® design in the suppressor directs expanding gas outward away from the bore line and away from the shooter allowing for a safer shooting experience in both sound and chemical exposure. I have significant range time with the 5.56 version of Huxwrx’s suppressor and love the experience. Having shot a buddy's Ca$h 9K on an MP5 during a range session, I think it would be the perfect pairing with the Kriss Vector.

Final Thoughts

The Vector has always been a hard gun to accessorize for, its unique appearance and recoil system have always made bolt-on additions seem out of place. Even the factory rail options never sat right with many Vector owners. The Strike Industries rail not only matches the lines and vibe of the Kriss but the added benefits of extended hand space and M-LOK slots are a Godsend. I have been thoroughly impressed with my time with the rail and will most likely continue with a suppressor tucked under for a nice PDW setup. It has not only held up to all the abuse I have put it through but it has generally made my shooting experience much more comfortable. I think of the available options for Vector rails you would be hard-pressed to find a better option.