XD9 rails are plastic?

[Otony]

About a week or so back, I caught part of a response in a thread that made mention of the XD9 having plastic (hokay, polymer) rails. Naturally, I cannot find that particular thread again, but the writer mentioned something to the effect that XD9 accuracy would be better if the rail/slide fit were better, but this seemed to be the limiting factor in that regard. izzat true?

Anyway, I am under the impression that the polymer Rugers also have plastic rails. Any other pistols built this way?

I suppose it must be durable enough, the P series Rugers have certainly been around long enough to demonstrate longevity, but am I the only one that questions this method of construction?

This isn't meant as a plastic gun flame, mind you. I am considering buying an XD9 and was just a bit surprised to read this. I imagine that a steel rail insert ala Glock would be more, well, strong?

 

[George Hill]

The rear rails are made of plastic, and are made really beefy. This has no ill effects to performance, longevity, or accuracy compaired to the shorter and thinner rails of other popular polyframed guns.

First time I heard about plastic rails, I was skeptical. After I saw them for myself, and fired the XD guns... I'm a believer.

 

[45R]

Yep the rear rails are plastic but the gun shoots like a champ. I've put just under 500 rounds into my XD Sub compact and no shiney spots or wear issues on any of the rails.

 

[Brigrat]

OK, I obviously misread the question. Please disregard.

 

[Roger Williams]

If you are considering getting an XD, get one. NOW. Before they go up $50 every time the gun show comes around...

Seriously, I am VERY skeptical of "plasic" guns, and I recently bought an XD after I played with one, and field stripped it at a local gun show. It has 2 sets of frame rails. The front set is one huge single piece made of metal that absorbs the recoil. The rear set is the plastic one... it took me a while to tell that they were part of the frame... Anyway, I have NO doubts about the longevity of the XD. It is bulit like a brick sh*thouse. One gentleman running a booth at the gun show (who had nothing to gain either way) told me that Glocks are fragile toys compared to the XD. He said "sure, the Glock is a tough gun, but the XD is made from basically the same materials, and is twice as tough. .. It is what the Glock should have been."

Now, I like Glocks too, so I won't "go there"... but I will say the XD definitely is one hell of a pistol. Buy with confidence!

 

[SapperLeader]

Its not plastic its "polymer", plastic is cheap, polymer is not . Anyway, Ive had both my xd for 18 months, and its going strong. The rails along wit hthe entire pistol make it really robust. Ive never experimented with one of the match barrel pistols, but the standard pistol is accuracte enough for my needs, shooting a 3-4 inches at 25 meters.

 

[Marko Kloos]

If the plastic rear rails bug you, remind yourself that the polymer Rugers have no metal rails at all. I've never heard of a Ruger breaking its plastic rails.

 

[Son of John]

POLYMER Rails

I might have brought this up. When the HS2000/XD first came out, some of the gun writers "suggested" the pistol had a tendency to throw the first round fired and thought it may have something to do with the rear rails not being made of metal. Anyone else heard of this?

Any feedback over whether this piece really does throw the first round compared to the ones after that? It looks like polymer or not, the design is very rigid.

Don't get me wrong, I like this pistol...

 

[TheFederalistWeasel]

Its not plastic its "polymer", plastic is cheap, polymer is not

POLYMER = /A high-molecular-weight organic compound, natural or synthetic, whose structure can be represented by a repeated small unit, the monomer (e.g., polyethylene, rubber, cellulose). Synthetic polymers are formed by addition or condensation polymerization of monomer. If two or more different monomers are involved, a copolymer is obtained. Some polymers are elastomers, but most are plastics. (Plastics Engineering Handbook of the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., edited by Michael L. Berins, 1991).

 

[lee n. field]

Anyway, I am under the impression that the polymer Rugers also have plastic rails. Any other pistols built this way?

The CZ-100's rails are plastic. They go the full length of the frame with a 1.25" gap at the ejection port. I haven't had mine long enough to comment on longevity.

 

[Frenchy]

My HS2000 is 3 years old and has well over 10,000 rounds through it, of which a good portion is Federal 124gr. "Hydra-Shok".
No visible wear on either the front or rear rails.

 

[Otony]

This is why I really enjoy this forum. Lots of answers (and opinions ) that truly assist. Now see, I didn't have any clue that the front rails were metal, and heavy duty from the sounds of it. That, combined with the plastic/polymer/plastique rear rails makes me feel pretty good about the piece.

Not that I need one mind you, but it would be nice to have a larger 9mm around to fill in that particular gap.

BTW, just how do those Ruger with NO rails work exacitactily?

 

[Frenchy]

One other nice feature about the HS/XD front rails, is that they are not molded into the frame like the Glock's, and are therefore replaceable.

 

[BrokenArrow]

Some do not throw flyers and are as accurate as ya could expect from a service handgun.

I doubt anybody could prove the composition and fit of the rear rails have much to do with it.

There is plenty of slide to front frame rail engagement, and the locking block/bbl/slde fit is probably what matters most.

Somebody should just file down/off their rear rails and tell us what difference it makes as they go?

 

[NevadaPistolero]

Ive never heard of the XD rails being a problem, they were on Glocks because they tried to save a few pennies and made them very narrow. The XDs are a very reliable tuff gun.....
XD Talk ....heres a lot of info by XD owners.

 

[mrapathy2000]

no need for alarm. not all rugers have polymer rails just the P95 and P97. the Republic Arms and now Cobra Patriot 45 also has polymer rails and no bad reports have been posted on them as far as I know. I have looked too. I would worry only if you got sand in the gun. while back a gun rag did a torture test on the XD and they did it in the southwest US with sand and dirt. it passed the test with flying colors. they also put a glock through the same test.

not sure but I believe cz100 might have polymer rear rail as well.