Exposed Picatinny Rail?

[Alllen Bundy]

Am I the only person that has an issue with an exposed Picatinny rail on a self defense carry pistol? It just seems like it's asking to be caught on something.

It would seem prudent to have some sort of cover over the Picatinny rail when it is not in use.

 

[CajunBass]

I just think they're ugly, and since I've never used one anyway, I no longer have a gun with one. But I never worried about it snagging when I did have them.

I also freely admit to being an old curmudgeon.

 

[Destructo6]

Been carrying a pistol with a picatinny light rail for 15+ years, 10+ hours a day, 5-7 days a week and have never had a snag attributed to the rail.

The sights get caught on stuff all the time. Maybe get rid of those?

 

[AlexanderA]

It seems that attaching lights or lasers to handguns is all the rage. Hence the rail. But loading the gun with such accessories works against handiness and portability.

Modern, molded holsters often are designed with the rail in mind. In such holsters, instead of snagging, the rail actually helps to guide and secure the gun.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Rails Cover if it bothers you! but rails bother me because I want to put something on it

 

[AlexanderA]

Rails Cover if it bothers you! but rails bother me because I want to put something on it

A rail cover would interfere with the holster (see above). But I agree with you that rails are superfluous if you don't put something on them.

The latest iterations of the Beretta or Taurus 92's have rails. Considering the original vintage of these guns, the rails don't look like they belong. No more than on a 1911. Right now, I'm looking for an older Taurus PT92 (without the rail but with the decocker, fine slide serrations, and lanyard loop), and I'm finding that such a thing rarely comes up in the market. I guess the owners are hanging on to them.

 

[JTQ]

I'm not much of a fan of rails on pistols, and I'll probably never attach a light or laser to a pistol, but I'm less of a fan of rail covers.

Beretta included a rail cover with their 90-Two. It wasn't a popular model, or popular feature. The 90-Two was replaced by the 92A1, but the cover was not part of the 92A1.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta_90two

 

[Ethan Verity]

Many fast draw repetitions with my M&P M2.0 Compact, and have never had a snag issue on the small section of unused pic rail... I think it's a non-issue.

 

[Mark_Mark]

A rail cover would interfere with the holster (see above). But I agree with you that rails are superfluous if you don't put something on them.

The latest iterations of the Beretta or Taurus 92's have rails. Considering the original vintage of these guns, the rails don't look like they belong. No more than on a 1911. Right now, I'm looking for an older Taurus PT92 (without the rail but with the decocker, fine slide serrations, and lanyard loop), and I'm finding that such a thing rarely comes up in the market. I guess the owners are hanging on to them.

strips of wood, hamer it in

 

[Old Dog]

I have a couple railed pistols (FNX 45, SIG P-226) that I use with WMLs. These are relegated to home defense (the ol' "nightstand gun" mostly). I have quite a few more pistols with rails in the collection (mostly SIGs and a couple M&Ps and Glocks) but alas, they're mostly range toys...

But for carry pistols, I find the rails superfluous as I don't typically carry with a WML The rail just adds bulk and weight, so if you don't use it, it's unnecessary. I confess that a favorite carry pistol is a SIG P-229 Legion, which sadly isn't made without a rail.

Call me shallow, it's basically a cosmetic issue for me. My main objection is simply my preference for aesthetics. The rail ruins classic lines of many pistols (1911s, Berettas, CZ-75s, SIG P-series pistols). On 1911s specifically, adding a rail is heresy. No, I don't worry so much about the rail getting caught on anything or affecting the draw or re-holstering.

Right now, I'm looking for an older Taurus PT92 (without the rail but with the decocker, fine slide serrations, and lanyard loop), and I'm finding that such a thing rarely comes up in the market. I guess the owners are hanging on to them.

Yep. They're fine pistols (and I'm a guy with several Berettas, too).

 

[herrwalther]

Based on just the shape of a handgun, a rail is not going to snag on anything. You have a larger slide to trigger guard footprint that has more chance of snagging. A rail is a minor and very small part in comparison. Even when I have a WML attached, I don't get snags.

 

[Mizar]

Rails don't snag, but I do find them ugly. Then again, I do find most of the modern polymer pistols rather ugly, as if Kanye West designed them...

 

[21H40]

This is what rails are really for. Lights and lasers are just crutches.

 

[halfmoonclip]

Concur on the esthetics of rails on handguns, and really don't like the notion of a light on a pistol. Realize the notion is to flood the room, but the natural instinct is to point, and thus muzzle what you're looking for. On a carbine, requiring two hands, is another matter. At least the P365s non-standard rail doesn't get in the way.
Back to carbines; the Picatinny rail feels a lot like a cheese grater, and the ladder-like poly covers solve the problem.
Moon

 

[Bcwitt]

I dislike rails. I want a fast pointer, devoid of anything not nessesary.

 

[Offhand McFlan]

I have a massive quad rail fore grip my AK. Initially the corners were sharp enough that they'd irritate my hand or fingers. I simply took a file to it a rounded them off, and put dabs of black engine enamel on the corners to blend them in. Problem solved. Now I know in AK isn't a handgun, and you're not going to be carrying it in your coat pocket....but maybe that same approach could work for you.

 

[AlexanderA]

I simply took a file to it a rounded them off,

The latest Taurus PT92 has a rounded front on the rail, ostensibly to prevent holster snag. That makes it look even uglier.

 

[Offhand McFlan]

This is what rails are really for. Lights and lasers are just crutches.View attachment 1125220

Lights on guns tell assailants exactly where to shoot.

 

[FL-NC]

I've never had an issue with them. I could see a possibility of this using a cheap nylon holster though.

 

[shoobe01]

No exposed rails on my modern guns, metal or polymer. They are neatly covered with lights so I can see targets, when it is dark.

 

[Riomouse911]

On a handgun, no. The rails are just a part of the frame so they never seem to be an issue. Now the new Canik has more angles and large grasping grooves on the slide than any gun I own, but even these wouldn’t be too bad. (Maybe if I was “slicing the pie” through a beaded doorway curtain searching Huggy Bears crash pad with one I would be extra careful!)



Now an original style quad-rail on an AR? Thats a different beast altogether. The Marquis de Sade could not have designed a sharper, snaggier, “raspier on the hands” device himself.



Stay safe.

 

[kwb377]

It seems that attaching lights or lasers to handguns is all the rage. Hence the rail. But loading the gun with such accessories works against handiness and portability.

Shoot a night combat course for qualification with a handheld light versus a weaponlight, and you'll quickly discover (like I did) that a weapon-mounted light is the epitome of "handiness" in that situation.

 

[Riomouse911]

Shoot a night combat course for qualification with a handheld light versus a weaponlight, and you'll quickly discover (like I did) that a weapon-mounted light is the epitome of "handiness" in that situation.

Only done that 2x a year for the last 31 years!

That flashlight gets to be a PITA, especially when its raining on the range and you have to deal with a reload wearing rain gear.

Stay safe.

 

[Old Dog]

(Maybe if I was “slicing the pie” through a beaded doorway curtain searching Huggy Bears crash pad with one I would be extra careful!)

Ha! Wondering if there's enough of us left on the forum who get the Huggy Bear reference?

That flashlight gets to be a PITA, especially when its raining on the range and you have to deal with a reload wearing rain gear.

Well, when I started and we used five or six cell MagLites, it truly sucked. But with the SureFire and Streamlight "tactical lights," it's not as bad. Geez, we stopped doing night shoots/low light shoots during the alleged pandemic and then I retired... all before the planned switch to a new pistol and mandating WMLs, thankfully. But I will get in my plug for Safariland, who makes the best duty holsters ever which totally resolve a lot of the issues we used to have.

 

[JTQ]

Ha! Wondering if there's enough of us left on the forum who get the Huggy Bear reference?

Played by Antonio Fargas, and I didn't even have to look that up.