[Austin_TX]

Happy to see this discussion for I am trying to decide whether to purchase a1911 with a rail. Have a few and none have a rail. Just bought a commander size1911 and looking at the same model with a full length slide. Only reason thinking about a rail is so the two look a little different except for the size. Hmmm decisions, decisions!!

So you would have no intended practical use for the rail? In that case, getting something ugly just for the sake of looking different doesn’t make much sense to me, but to each his own, of course. How about a different finish on the second one? Or setting the two pistols apart with contrasting grips?

 

[Brian74]

I keep a light mounted on my home defense gun. I feel I need to keep a free hand to operate my phone or should I need to grab ahold of one my kids .

 

[ieathollows357]

i like them on certain guns....
i dont like them on certain guns...

 

[tedsallie]

So you would have no intended practical use for the rail? In that case, getting something ugly just for the sake of looking different doesn’t make much sense to me, but to each his own, of course. How about a different finish on the second one? Or setting the two pistols apart with contrasting grips?

You are right I do not plan on using the rail and I had the option of the rail when I bought the commander and went without because I didn't like the looks of it with the rail. The whole reason for this is when I brought the commander home my wife really likes it and wants it. It's chambered in 9mm and I didn't have a 1911 in 9mm or a commander size pistol . They don't make the commander in 9mm and stainless finish so you sir have convinced me to go with out rail full size and different colored grips. Thank You.

 

[Old Dog]

Over 20 years active duty military and another 20 in law enforcement. Weapon mounted lights are nothing I use these days except on a couple dedicated (never holstered) home defense pistols. Rule #2 always applies. Yeah, I know that the "splash" from today's hight-lumen lights bounces off the ceilings and walls and light up the whole room. BTDT. Rule #2 still applies. Still firmly believe in a hand-held light if you've got other folks in your household or those (teenager or college student?) who might come home at 2 or 3 a.m. WMLs are great if you've gotta hold a phone in one hand, but hopefully, the wife (girlfriend or SO) is there for that. As far as long guns go, really? How many of you guys are gonna take an AR outside the house and require the use of an IR illuminator or a WML?

You gotta have a plan. Rails on personal firearms? Let your conscience be your guide.

 

[YVK]

Over 20 years active duty military and another 20 in law enforcement. Weapon mounted lights are nothing I use these days except on a couple dedicated (never holstered) home defense pistols.

Bad idea. Grabbing an unholstered gun in darkness can lead to bad consequences.

 

[Old Dog]

Bad idea. Grabbing an unholstered gun in darkness can lead to bad consequences.

Guessin' that you don't have dogs in the house that'll have you already alerted and oriented.

 

[YVK]

Guessin' that you don't have dogs in the house that'll have you already alerted and oriented.

Doesn't matter. Those are your nighttime weapons that you keep loaded yet unholstered in conditions where you can't immediately see them. You can grab them by accident reaching for something else, without any intruders present. You may have a nightmare and reach by mistake. You may have a medical emergency where you may not be able to recognize what and where. If gun is loaded, holster becomes a part of a gun unless the gun is in your hand. Especially when you don't have the immediate visual control over your weapon, like at night.



Now, the goal of my commenting was not to teach you what to do, or debate the crap of it. I honestly don't care what anyone here does . I only used this opportunity to show how everyone here is quick to critique others' choices when everyone's choices can very easily subjected to a meritorious criticism.

 

[Hawg1]

Bad idea. Grabbing an unholstered gun in darkness can lead to bad consequences.

It's hard to put a shotgun in a holster, just sayin.

 

[trashy]

Home defense Only ,for those things that go bump in the night …
Not on my carry weapon

Same here. For home defense pistols the rail with a mounted light is real handy, especially for bedside. I don't like the looks of them, but they do have a place.

 

[IPSCGuy]

What's wrong with them? . I retrofited my SD high end AK with them. My higher end AR had them from the factory. And they are not military. For an SD long arm they are pretty much a must. I need a light on that rifle and I need aimpoint on it as well. picattiny is an easy solution to mount those. Hunting rifle same thing easier to have it on the rail vs playing around with semi permanent ring attachments and what nots. Rail on an SD handgun for laser or light? Works for quite a few people, I'm not one of those people but I can certainly see practical utility.

View attachment 666748

What's wrong with them? . I retrofited my SD high end AK with them. My higher end AR had them from the factory. And they are not military. For an SD long arm they are pretty much a must. I need a light on that rifle and I need aimpoint on it as well. picattiny is an easy solution to mount those. Hunting rifle same thing easier to have it on the rail vs playing around with semi permanent ring attachments and what nots. Rail on an SD handgun for laser or light? Works for quite a few people, I'm not one of those people but I can certainly see practical utility.

View attachment 666748

First, this is not my firearm nor will it ever be unless to sell parts to fund something useful.

 

[YVK]

It's hard to put a shotgun in a holster, just sayin.

Harder than seeing that I was replying to a post picturing these, or about as hard?

View attachment 667280

 

[Old Dog]

Now, the goal of my commenting was not to teach you what to do, or debate the crap of it.

And yet, here you are.

My nightstand pistols are in biometric safes, which would be problematic to access if the wife or I woke up in some confused state, or were dreaming or sleep-walking...

I only used this opportunity to show how everyone here is quick to critique others' choices when everyone's choices can very easily subjected to a meritorious criticism.

So are you implying that this is what I was doing -- critiquing the choices of others or subjecting them to criticism? Really, just say what you mean, don't dance around it and obscure your message with excess verbiage.

 

[TimTheGrim]

When I have too much time on my hands I do off the wall things in my little home shop.
My Destroyer Carbine had its original sights but I wasn’t enjoying it with them. So…
Without making any permanent changes to the firearm, I machined a mount with a short pic rail to fix a red dot sight. Kind of looks a bit whacky on the old milsurp carbine but sure tightens up the groups and really lengthens the little 9mm Largo gun effective range.





If you can’t see the Picatinny rail is it really there ?

 

[YVK]

So are you implying that this is what I was doing -- critiquing the choices of others or subjecting them to criticism?

Of course you were. Rail is the spawn of the devil, just like FCS? Was that meant to be an expression of approval in the eyes of those who happen to utilize both, or implied criticism? To me reads just barely better than passive aggressive musings expressed by others, to the tunes of people who hang "the gadgets" not being able to do without them.

Biometric safes effectively do the same as holsters for safety purposes, so no argument then from me anymore.

Now, if you've nothing better to do, count the number of handhelds on my nightstand. No, I didn't stage this photo shoot, this exactly how the things are there daily/nighly. I still use WMLs when the the gun on my nightstand can take one. Maybe I need to ask my conscience to guide me better.

 

[Old Dog]

Of course you were. Rail is the spawn of the devil, just like FCS? Was that meant to be an expression of approval in the eyes of those who happen to utilize both, or implied criticism? To me reads just barely better than passive aggressive musings expressed by others, to the tunes of people who hang "the gadgets" not being able to do without them.

Life is so much easier when one maintains a sense of humor. And tries to understand irony.'

I get it, though. It's so much easier to confront folks on the internet when you take everything that's said literally.

 

[YVK]

Life is so much easier when one maintains a sense of humor. And tries to understand irony.'

I get it, though. It's so much easier to confront folks on the internet when you take everything that's said literally.

I feel mildly consoled that your ironic post received approval from members who had spoken against rails etc here without any evidence of humor. It seems like I'm not the only one who missed your drift.
I promise I'll do better next time. Sorry for engaging you on this.

 

[BloodyThumb]

I just love how forums allow folks to engage in cat fights regardless of what sex they are or “identify as”. People are so brave when they can’t smell the garlic on your breath, or you theirs.

It’s very entertaining!

Myself, I use rails on my duty gun and one of my two off duty guns. On the one that I do use it on, the light is attached / removed as needed depending on the circumstance.

As for others I like the idea of having one to use if the need arises and do not get my panties in a bunch if there is one on a gun when I don’t need it immediately. For instance, I am still after many years, somewhat attached to the 1911 and Hi-Power. None of mine have rails because they are somewhat old school models, purchased in my younger days. There have been a few occasions where I could have used one of them and certainly would have, except for the fact that there was no rail to attach a light. There CAN be times when you know in advance you may need the light and a free hand for entry doors/mic’s/car door handles, etc. Heck, I even have found use for a rail on a lever gun! Came in very handy!

Like a spare tire. I may not plan to use it, but I want it with me just in case. Others may agree or disagree. I give that less thought than I do putting garlic on my scrambled eggs!

 

[cadillacmike]

Obviously you haven't used a pistol or rifle with a weapon mounted light. Inside my house my pistol and rifle mounted lights work very well to light up any room that I am in without pointing the muzzle at anyone. If you use proper technique, you do not need (and the basic rules of safety dictate that you do not point the muzzle toward anything that you do not intend to destroy) to point the light directly at a suspected threat. You simply keep the muzzle pointed at a 45 degree angle downward position at the floor keeping the pistol close to your chest to prevent someone from grabbing your pistol. Of course, you should keep your trigger finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard. It's called "low ready" and is a tactical method of carrying your pistol ready for engagements. The pistol/rifle mounted light reflects off of the floor and walls (as well as peripheral spillage) to light up the area of a room. I also have various flashlights that I keep handy in case I need to go outside to light up much longer distances.

I do not understand why so many people seem to be so ignorant of proper gun/light handling tactics. Since you apparently don't have a weapon mounted light of any kind, try this. Use your flashlight, walking around your house with all the house lights off at night and keep the flashlight pointed 45 degrees downward toward the floor and see just how much the light lights up any room enough to maneuver around the house and easily identify any threats or friendly personnel. Unless your flashlight is a pocket penlight that only produces 200 lumens of light, it should easily light up any room in your house enough to identify things. I hope you try this, because it will open your eyes to the fact that you do not need to point your weapon mounted light/pistol muzzle at any suspected threats, to identify threats or maneuver around your house in the dark. My standard pistol weapon light is the Streamlight TLR 2 HL G that produces 800 lumens. On my rifles my standard light is the Surefire M600 Scout DF that produces 1,500 lumens.

We have a couple of low intensity night lights that light up about 2/3 of the house. They are for the yorkshire terrorizer to see his way to his pp pad but I can see nearly everything except a closed bedroom. No need for a flashlight or rail mounted light. We do have flashlights in several places for when power outages occur because then it gets really dark.

 

[Gator22]

For a "bump in the night" I want a free hand, so a home defense gun with a WML works for me.