1911: Rail or Not?

[orionengnr]

No, thank you.

"The Gospel According To John (Moses Browning)" was great.
Thank you for sharing.

 

[tuckerdog1]

Nope, doesn't look right.

Tuckerdog1

 

[Bobson]

If the purpose of a rail had existed in 1911, JMB would have put a rail on it, and all you guys who say you don't like em wouldn't be caught dead without it. Fanboy nonsense and nothing more. Refusing to accept a rail on the gun now makes as much sense as refusing to put airbags in your car because the Ford Model T didn't have them.

No rail on my 1911, btw. Damn thing don't look right. jk.

 

[FL-NC]

I'm not an authority on all such matters, but I'm fairly certain that in 1911 the concept of CQB, hostage rescue, etc. in low light conditions wasn't really a consideration for anything, like the design requirements of handguns for military use . Nor the idea that a light the size of your thumb would be so bright. These were the days of leather flap holsters, and body armor was something worn by the knights of yore to protect them from lances and the like. So, what happened is technology and changes in requirements in modern warfare, and rails started growing from pistols- Sigs, Berettas, and just about everything else.... including the 1911. Witness the evolution from the M16 rifles of LZ Xray to the M4 variants used today by our best troops in combat. Its all about utility.

 

[RA40]

My take is that the evolution of handgun use has promoted these changes given the technology available. The thought that the 1911 platform continues is a big thumbs up. Same can be said for the military aircraft that is updated with new tech to keep the air frames in service. The 1911 is adaptable for sure.

 

[TomJ]

I picked up a Springfield Lightweight Operator not too long ago, yes with a rail. I liked the rail until I read The Gospel According to John Browning. Now I feel like I need absolution from someone

 

[Panzerschwein]

Thanks gents. So I hear that the rail adds about 5 oz to the pistol... too much weight? Not good balance?

The devil dogs are now going the the M45A1 CQB model and it's railed. A bad choice for the dogs?

 

[Skribs]

Personally, I think it depends on what you want out of it. I'm utilitarian, so on the one hand I see the purpose for a rail, and see a rail as better than no rail (one gives you more options than the other). On the other hand, I have no need for a manual safety, so I don't have a 1911, and I don't have to think about it.

If you absolutely know you won't be mounting a light, then no rail can be good. If you *might* want to mount a light, only one option really works for that.

 

[FL-NC]

cooldill- as far as weight is concerned. we always joked about our 100 lbs of high speed lightweight equipment. When our radios got smaller and lighter, the next comment was something to the effect of "Gosh, now I can carry more (insert item here) in my ruck. So for the pistol user who thinks he may need a light on his gun (especially a gun with 8 rounds of 45 that weighs as much as 15 rounds of 9mm, then add the light and 2 123 batteries) weight probably isn't a consideration. Regarding the MARSOC decision, its what they asked for and what they got. I wasn't in MARSOC, so I can't speak for them. But if I felt that I needed a 45 to get the job done, and I had a say in the matter, I would have picked a more modern design. After all, once a bullet hits a target, does it really matter how "cool or iconic" the gun is that sent it there?

 

[Panzerschwein]

cooldill- as far as weight is concerned. we always joked about our 100 lbs of high speed lightweight equipment. When our radios got smaller and lighter, the next comment was something to the effect of "Gosh, now I can carry more (insert item here) in my ruck. So for the pistol user who thinks he may need a light on his gun (especially a gun with 8 rounds of 45 that weighs as much as 15 rounds of 9mm, then add the light and 2 123 batteries) weight probably isn't a consideration. Regarding the MARSOC decision, its what they asked for and what they got. I wasn't in MARSOC, so I can't speak for them. But if I felt that I needed a 45 to get the job done, and I had a say in the matter, I would have picked a more modern design. After all, once a bullet hits a target, does it really matter how "cool or iconic" the gun is that sent it there?

Thanks for the input.

I am concerned that the extra weight (without lighti) might throw off the balance of the gun and make it ungainly.

I will come clean, and say that I plan to make this my primary home defense gun (Colt Rail Gun) to replace the .38 revolver I currently have for the job. It will also see a bunch of range and training use, I plan to take classes.

 

[Sergei Mosin]

MARSOC chose the 1911 because it's part of their identity. I'm sure it will get the job done, but so would any number of pistols.

As for me, I don't hang things on pistols so I don't need a rail. (I'm more of a high-drag, low-speed operator...) If I ever get a railed 1911 it'll be to have one as an example of that evolution of the 1911 in my collection, not because of any need for the rail.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Thanks gang.

Anybody ever handle a 1911 with and without a rail? Is the balance bad on the one with the rail?

 

[Old Dog]

No rail.

And no front cocking serrations, either.

I prefer the classic 1911 look.

 

[mgmorden]

No rail. Personally I have no need for them on ANYTHING, but on a 1911 specifically it just looks out of place and ruins the lines.

 

[SigP229R]

To me there are two guns that if they have a rail they are NOT the same gun, 1 is the 1911 an 2 is the Beretta 92fs. Either one with a rail is not the same gun to me.

 

[OilyPablo]

No rail. Rails are not natural on a 1911. Not good for carry either. Colt Rail gun, the rail was cut your hand razor sharp.



That said, I bought one, dehorned and Cerakoted it. I love this gun. It's the one I shoot the most.

 

[bannockburn]

OilyPablo

Very nice looking Colt Government! You did a great job with the Cerakote finish.

 

[entropy]

I voted yes with $650 when I bought my Taurus PT1911AR. Downside with that one is it doesn't fit most holsters that say 'for 1911 Govt. Model with or without rail'.

 

[FL-NC]

Cooldill- I've shot a SA operator. It didn't seem to make a difference to me and the gun shot really well. See if you can put your hands on one and maybe you will notice a difference. Probably better if it had a full mag in it though- 7 or 8 rds of 45 has some weight too.

 

[X-Rap]

I wouldn't get to wrapped up about what the Marines are carrying, pretty sure MARSOC is also cleared to carry the Tupperware gun as of about a year ago.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Zerodefect]

Get both and get some low light training.

Sometimes I have a Surefire Executive Defender light and the XC1 on my G23, sometimes just the XC1. But the XC1 is for fighting, the handheld suits other purposes.

Just because you have a rail mounted light, doesn't mean you need to use it. Getting your light as far away from your COM as possible, might be wise.

 

[WestKentucky]

I see only 1 reason for a rail, and that reason only makes sense on a 22 pistol. Coon hunting. If your not coon hunting then you don't need a bunch of other crap hooked to your gun making it heavy and awkward. If you are coon hunting you need a light pointed the same place the gun is. Similar setups would be OK as well, provided you are hunting at night. Otherwise your sidearm is a quick response tool. You don't want your gun to do anything other than what you tell it to do with your hands. You don't want extra stuff for folks to grab in a fight, for wind to catch and move the gun around more. No rails.

 

[FL-NC]

West Kentucky- I respectfully disagree. Since coon hunting is done at night, you are saying a light is required to identify your target and engage it accurately. But since darkness covers the planet roughly 50% of the time, and bad things like break ins and such often tend to happen during this time, doesn't it make sense to be prepared to address threats 100% of the time? Having a light on a firearm (and knowing how to employ it) enables the shooter to not only identify and accurately engage his/her target, it also prevents the shooter from engaging the WRONG target. After all, the military (and to a lesser extent LE) have spent many millions of dollars developing, testing, and procuring various devices in order to make our people effective 24/7. "Recon by fire" is probably not a good idea in any scenario. Also, modern weapon lights aren't much bigger than a big man's thumb, and with side-by-side battery arrangements, lights like the surefire x series and the ITI M3 and M6 don't extend the overall length much it at all from the majority of common handguns- in fact, on a full size 1911 they are somewhat set back, so the potential for them to cause the gun to be snatched is somewhere between non-existent to negligible.

 

[stoky]

Someone should make em with quad rails, so's there's room for a coffee press and an I phone. They could be made of plastic, to keep the weight down.

 

[guyfromohio]

As with many replies....I personally don't care for them, but it's totally a personal choice. I have five 1911s of various sizes. When I decide on a sixth, it may or may not have a rail.