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Today I’d like to talk about the recently introduced Fortis LE end plate and castle nut. I have the K1 model, which is the only available model at this time. The K1 model uses friction to lock the castle nut into the end plate by means of a tapered bevel in the castle nut.
This is supposed to lock it in reliably tight without the need to stake the nut down. If you’re like me, and nothing stays on your AR for terribly long, this might be a nice addition for your next build. Fortis is ironing out the K2 still, and might release it at the upcoming 2020 SHOT show. The K2 design will incorporate a C-clip that will lock into specific slots in the nut and plate, which presumably will be easier to install and remove (my personal guess is that it’ll also prevent wear on the finish of the nut, which for some guys is important but for myself is not) as well as be more reliably locked down.
Installation is the same as any other end plate, very simple, just be sure not to lose your fire selector spring when removing your end plate. If you look at the photo above you will notice how the flat edge of my upper receiver doesn’t align centered with the flat upper edge of the end plate. I’m not sure why this is, but obviously I would prefer it to be more perfect. Everything on the bottom edges appears even.
It features a nice deep well QD socket, which is essentially today’s industry standard. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet tested this socket for strength and movement, so I can’t review that for you today.
I’d like to add a note about QDs here. I was able to train last June at Predator Security and Defense in Kalispell, MT, and while on the range there I experienced a failure with my sling coming out of its socket. Up until them I’d had confidence in QDs, but since then I have wanted to use snap hooks for the extra secure attachment. But I’ll be honest… I simply liked the good looks of this Fortis setup, and so I resigned myself to try again. I will most certainly let everyone know if I experience a let down with this mount.
The finish is very rich in color and gloss, and would probably look great on a space gun race gun, and it looks really nice but it outshines my receiver and all but the BAD magazine release button I have on it. It’s not a bad thing, but the sheen and luster is high on the scale.
I can’t remember how much it cost, but it was pretty affordable.
So I’ll be doing some more of these reviews just to get them on the internet. There are a lot of parts that I have been interested in or have purchased that I simply couldn’t find directly reviewed online, so I want to highlight some of them for others looking for these things. Thanks guys.
