Pet Peeve: T-Marked

The longer I'm around guns, the more I find things that annoy me because they've become misunderstood and misused. One of those is the term "T-Marked", especially when applied to railed fore ends. "T Marked" used to refer to the flat top upper's modular interface, but as rails were designed to make the area where the rail and upper receiver meet more seamlessly, the term expanded to be used with rails, too. The purpose was so that things attached to the rail could be removed and replaced in the same location easily. That most couldn't be expected to retain zero in most cases is kind of beside the point.

The thing is-and if you've been reading my blog for a little while, you know there's always "a thing"-that those markings only apply to a quarter of the rail. T Marks refer to the letter "T" and a number. The number starts at 1, and proceeds from the rear of the receiver forward to the muzzle. "T" stands for...wait for it, it's very complicated...Top. There's a Left, Right, and Bottom, too, with the numbers corresponding to those on all sides.

I know, stupidly simple. However, I just saw a photo in what's supposed to be the preeminent gun magazine showing the right side of the rail with it's clear R Marks, saying that it's T Marked. It's a pet peeve...what am I gonna do except blog about it, and on my birthday? I shoulda stayed on the range today, I think.