1911: Rail or Not?

[Tactical Jackalope]

Constantine: why do you not like a light on a 1911 but it's okay on other pistols?

Personal reasons. It's like putting a Toyota Supra factory rear spoiler on a 1969 Mustang.

I also do not conceal carry or use any 1911's for defense at this time.

[Mr. Hill]

A rail ruins the smooth contour of the pistol, which is why I don't like them (especially on a 1911), but that's an aesthetic matter. To each his own.

[christian812]

In the US, you have a 1911 culture.
In Belgium, it is all about BHP.

I can't imagine a rail on my 1978 BHP

[Lee6113]

No rail on 1911. It just looks.... Wrong. If I want a rail it'll be on a different polymer gun.

[rodfac]

Personally, I've got a cpl Sigs with rails...plus one Glock...my night stand gun A P226 Mk25 in 9mm has a light on it plus tritium type night sights per Sig. For a night stand gun a light is very useful in my opinion. But for general carry, it's just too much for a citizen. Too, I find that P226 tends to hang up on the leather holster I use...it's the notches that bind it up.

Since I don't have a 1911 with a rail, and do carry it often day to day, I'd say, "no rail". If you're using it for night stand use and that's all, rail on!

I can't imagine a rail on my 1978 BHP

Now that WOULD BE an abomination!! Well said my friend!

Rod

[Hawg]

FWIW a pistol is not my go to home defense weapon. It is a short barreled pump shotgun(no light). IF there's so many intruders that 7 rounds of 00 buck won't take care of them I'll use the 1911 to fight my way to the next shotgun....Which basically means I'll be firing it with one hand while reaching for the shotgun with the other.

[TunnelRat]

A useless affectation. It's the latest gimmick du jour.

It's been a really long day I guess... I forgot sometimes that people have been around twice as long as I've been alive. What's a fad to some people is pretty well established to others.

[Model12Win]

Thanks gangs.

So I learned that the cross arms flashlight is the "harry method"

Is it better than a weapon mounted light?

PS: Nightstand use for HD duty will be the pistols #1 job, but will get plenty of range time for training and fun not to mention it will perform in the doings of the plinkings.

[TunnelRat]

So I learned that the cross arms flashlight is the "harry method"

Is it better than a weapon mounted light?

"I've heard this bedtime story before."

My point here is now you're basically asking handheld versus weaponlight and it really isn't 1911 specific. We have debated this so many times here, and you'll find articles both in magazines and online by trainers from today and in the past. Really, a Google search is in order. You're also more into a tactics and training question when you go there, imo.

My only comment on the Harries method is that your light holding hand is below the pistol. If you're searching with the light it sort of forces you to aim the pistol at the same spot, which as many people have noted is probably the biggest downside to weapon mounted lights. If you want to lower the pistol to the low ready the light is pointed at your feet. Like I mentioned before the spill of many lights can illuminate a room by itself, but I feel in doing that you're sort of losing the benefit of a handheld light and some handheld lights aren't as powerful as the weapon mounted options so the spill is less (though that's not always the case). You could have the light up by itself, just make sure that when you bring the pistol up that you go around your arm instead of sweeping yourself with the muzzle. I like the Rogers a bit better for those reasons. I also like the neck line over the "FBI" hold, but that's another topic in and of itself.

[Tucker 1371]

If it's a handgun for looking at, no. If it's for shooting yes. I prefer options over aesthetics. If you think a flashlight on your handgun is useless try clearing rooms and opening doors with a flashlight in one hand and a handgun in the other, it's very, ah, fumbley. If it's not your home defense gun or you don't keep any doors closed in your house, or your HD plan doesn't require you to secure other member of the family in other rooms, then disregard.

One advantage a rail offers to a shooter vs a non-railed 1911 is that it adds about 3 oz to a steel frame gun, a little less than 10% of the overall weight of a full size gun, which can provide a slight advantage in absorbing recoil.

[turkeestalker]

I voted no rail because I think that there are enough 'Tupperware' handguns out there with rails molded into them already, why bastardize the classic perfection of a 1911 with one? It just seems sort of sac religious to me... but then when someone asks me how I'm doing, I usually tend to respond, "old and grumpy".

[JDBerg]

No rail yo

A universal rail looks OK on my Glocks and an HK P2000 and USP, a picatinny rail looks bad on everything especially my HK P30!

[buckmt1]

Well, I'm not a rail fan nor a light on the weapon guy. I really don't intend on going into dark room\areas..some posts touch base on key words "Proper Training" if your properly trained and You are comfortable in using a light system....use it!! Right? Wrong? There is no "Right" answer.




Artillery King of The Battle Field.

[Rogervzv]

I have done a 180 on this issue. At first, the idea of a rail was appealing. But I don't like the idea of a light mounted on a rail -- just not the right place for it. And if I want a laser I will do a Crimson Trace grip, which works great.

[lamarw]

Lot of pistols I do not mind a rail on, but not a 1911. It could be just me and all the years I have carried and seen it without a rail, an extended beaver tail, a skeletonized trigger and etc.

Just doesn't seem right. All the above are just a blasphemy to us older ex-soldiers.

[CajunBass]

I don't want one, but if you do, it's OK with me.

[claydoctor]

I personally detest rails and front cocking serrations. Whenever there is a poll on either , the overwhelming results agree with me , yet on many model 1911's , it's hard to avoid them .
It would seem to me that the manufacturers would get the message but I guess they sell enough of them to make it worthwhile .

[ProjectCamaro]

It depends on what you use the firearm for. I agree they look better without a rail but all of my firearms have a light attached and my 1911's are no different.

I carry a 1911 as a duty weapon every day so it just makes sense for them to have a light. Remember, a weapon light doesn't add much weight so my reasoning is why wouldn't you want to have it if you happened to need it? Just like carrying a firearm, you hope you won't need to use it but you'd rather have it and not need it.

Off duty I carry my full sized 1911 with a TLR-1 HL in a Raven Concealment IWB holster.

[Guv]

Like a camper shell on a 1969 El Camino SS396 Not cool!

[Rob228]

I have one with and one without, the only real difficulty is finding a nice holster for the one with a rail.

[Model12Win]

Seems like some are tied up in the looks department. Looks don't so much matter methinks. I'm more worried about performance, and defensive usage in the home and for open carry.