PMA is a spin off that grew out of the side folding backup sights project (think Bren Gun offset sights). Side folding offsets sights would be costly to produce, a modern RDS would be faster and easier to use, and the parallel mount was created to do just that.
LPVO version of the Parallel Mount is
PML, it is lower and does not have a Picatinny rail to reduce mounted MRDS height.
The red dot mounting, 5 slot Picatinny interface runs parallel to the rails on the handguard and upper, and is elevated to provide clearance for red dot mounts, and bring the red dot to eye level of the shooter.
PMA can be mounted on the upper receiver, or a railed hand guard with available Picatinny rails at 12 o'clock, it can be mounted with the cantilevered Picatinny rails on the left or right of the weapon. PMA's MRDS mounting Picatinny rails have 5 slots, sufficient for almost all MRDS Picatinny mounts.
A MRDS thus mounted is fast to use that takes but a slight shift (less than an inch) of the user's head to acquire the dot. Optionally, the user can choose to rotate a carbine or rifle with MRDS mounted on PMA, but no longer is necessary to rotate the weapon 45 degrees, PMA only needs 10 degrees of rotation.
Do note that PMA isn't a 45 degrees offset mount, the way it's mounted and used is different. A red dot sight mounted on the PMA should be INBOARD, not OUTBOARD like a 45 degrees offset mount.
When mounted on the outboard side of the handguard, PMA behaves like an angled offset mount, but does not require as much canting as a 45 degrees mount.
ELCAN DR Spectre shown with the PMA and Aimpoint P2 mounted on the right side.
For instance:
If you're a right hand shooter, PMA should be mounted with the offset/cantilevered red dot sight on the left side.
If you're a left hand shooter, PMA should be mounted with the offset/cantilevered red dot sight on the right side.
PMA is over built in the way of strength, it is machined from a solid block of 7075 aluminum and Type III hard coat anodized, its Picatinny clamp is machined in 4140 steel and black zinc coated, its screw holes have helical lining. If a rifle with PMA and MRDS installed is dropped on the side where PMA is mounted, PMA (not the MRDS) takes the brunt of the impact, and distributes the force to the hand guard.. PMA doesn't solely rely on energy transfer to survive drops, it has thicker walls than any known hand guard and offset mounts, it.
Be sure to choose a duty rated MRDS. While your MRDS is far more likely to survive a drop when mounted on PMA, the optic itself has to be robust.
In testing with a SWAT team in TX for close to a year, we can offer the following observations:
1. If you're used to a 45 degree offset mount, PMA will take a bit of getting used to, as it's faster than a 45 degree mount, and more intuitive in use.
2. If you're not used a 45 degree offset mount, PMA feels natural and is fast to deploy.
3. Users hit the target faster and more accurately with a PMA mounted MRDS than with one mounted on top of an ACOG.
4. Because PMA isn't a 45 degree mount, it has minimal lateral protrusion from the rifle to which it's mounted, and has a slimmer profile than a 45 degree offset mount.
Notice the minimal lateral protrusion of PMA.
PMA will clear top mounted PEQ-15, as well as less bulky NGAL and RAID X.
Tested and compatible with following MRDS:
Aimpoint T1/T2
Aimpoint ACRO P1/P2
Trijicon RMR
Leupold Delta Point Pro
The height of the sight is determined by the MRDS mount. We recommend very low mounts if possible.
Weight: 2.16 oz
Length of base: 1.25", occupies 3 Picatinny rails on the handguard.
Length of PMA cantilevered Picatinny base:2.16", 5 slots
Overall height: 0.90"
Center of the PMA to center of the handguard: 1.125"
Top of the hand guard rail to top of PMA's rail: 0.65"
NOTE: PMA is compatible with TA02 due to its large brightness adjustment turret on the left, the dot is still visible, but only on top of the MRDS's window, less of the window is blocked with a taller MRDS mount.
Proudly designed and made in the USA.
A brief video that shows transition from a TA31ECOS to an Aimpoint ACRO P2 mounted on PMA. This is set up for a right hand shooter.
In the video, the camera has to move less than an inch from TA31ECOS to ACRO P1. In practice, the user's head only needs 0.5" of movement to transition.
PMA also works with many thermal sights as an offset red dot mount. NOX 35 shown with an Aimpoint P1 mounted on PMA:
