U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- When I first picked up my Steiner MPS in the Spring of 2022, I knew I’d need to buy a plate to mount it on my Glock 19 MOS. With OEM plates being problematic at best, an aftermarket solution was in order. Having already had good luck with C&H Precision, it was time to try one of their biggest competitors for comparison. This led me to Forward Controls Design (FCD), and their Aimpoint ACRO plate. With alleged compatibility with the Steiner MPS, my hopes were high. How did the Forward Controls Design ACRO plate fare after several months of use?
Forward Controls Design OPF-G ACRO Plate Construction & Design
The first thing worth mentioning is that the OPF-G ACRO plate is actually a rebranded Tango Down AAM-01 ACRO plate. This isn’t a sneaky industry secret, as Forward Controls Design mentions it directly on the product page for the OPF-G ACRO, but is worth clarifying here. Their stated reasoning is that Forward Controls wouldn’t have done it any differently than Tango Down, so instead of recreating the wheel, they went this route. I’ll take that level of rationality, as it saves everyone time and money. The plate itself is made from 4140 steel, then melonite coated to reduce corrosion. Thanks to higher-quality materials, the plate is a bit thinner than OEM options, helping to keep the optic lower on the slide while keeping everything more secure.
Although the Steiner MPS uses an ACRO footprint, the two optics have some minor differences. Due to this, OPF-G ACRO plates made after May 2022 have been slightly modified to accommodate the MPS better. Newer models feature a slightly wider recoil lug slot (0.002″) to fit the MPS better. Having been made before the wide release of the Steiner, my plate does not have this modification. I’m not aware of any method of differentiating the two variations, but I also am not particularly concerned about the previous generation plates.
Mounting the Forward Controls Design MOS Plate
As with virtually all MOS plates, this one is held in place by two screws provided by FCD. These are mounted straight through the plate into the slide to help hold it in place. The company includes a small amount of Vibratite VC3 thread locker to help keep the plate in place. I applied VC3 to the screw threads and let them dry before mounting.
Even with minor differences between the Aimpoint ACRO and Steiner MPS, combined with my plate being the legacy version, I’ve had no issues mounting my MPS. If you do run into fitment issues with the previous generation of plate, Forward Controls Design recommends firmly pressing or gently tapping your optic into place until it is fully seated. With these subtle differences, how does the plate hold up in live fire?
Round Count and Class Time
During the course of my MPS review, I ended up having to be sent a second example by Steiner thanks to a failure of the optic. The OPF-G ACRO plate has been used continuously with both MPS samples. In total, I’ve fired 1,199 rounds with the Forward Controls Design plate mounted on my gun. Below is a breakdown of all rounds fired during the course of this review.
- 50x Remington UMC 115gr FMJ
- 50x On Target 115gr FMJ
- 50x Aguila 124gr FMJ
- 75x Winchester White Box 115gr FMJ
- 90x Blazer Brass 115gr FMJ
- 390x Speer Lawman 115gr FMJ
- 135x Federal American Eagle 124gr FMJ
- 300x Magtech 124gr FMJ
- 50x Winchester 124gr NATO FMJ
- 9x Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P JHP
To date, I’ve had zero issues with the Forward Controls Design OPF-G ACRO plate. It has stayed firm on the slide through recoil and manual slide manipulation during multiple classes, matches, and regular range time. As part of the review, I’ve been intentionally using the optic as a charging handle to see how that impacts the plate connection. So far, there have been no ill effects. It has proven to be compatible with all of my IWB concealment holsters, along with duty holsters such as the Alien Gear Rapid Force, Safariland 6360RDS for RMR, and Blackhawk L2C.
Final Thoughts on the Forward Controls Design OPF-G ACRO Plate
Overall, the OPF-G ACRO plate from Forward Controls Design has been fantastic. FCD is known for very high-quality products, and this optics plate is no different. If you’re looking for an aftermarket solution for mounting an optic to your pistol, give Forward Controls Design a serious look. I know I plan on giving them business again in the future.
MSRP on the OPF-G ACRO plate is $71.00 (cheaper $$ online) as of the time of this writing. You can pick yours up on the Forward Controls Design website.
About Dan Reedy
Dan is an Air Force veteran, avid shooter, and dog dad. With a passion for teaching, he holds instructor certifications from Rangemaster, Agile Training & Consulting, and the NRA. He has trained with Darryl Bolke, Mike Pannone, Craig Douglas, among several other instructors, amassing over 400 hours of professional instruction thus far. In his spare time you’ll find him teaching handgun, shotgun, and less lethal classes.
Dan’s work has been published by Primer Peak, and The Kommando Blog, and he has been featured as a guest on Primary & Secondary.
C&H Precision now has a specific mounting plate marked for the S&W 10mm 2.0/Steiner MPS. It’s probably the same as the ACRO plate, which was the recommend previously. It may have to do with cutting down the the “question” traffic on compatibility. It took about 10 min. to install and everything is a perfect fit.