How important to you is an accessory rail on a handgun?

[Ugly]

Must have to mount the Glock bayonet  :rofl:

 

I've got a light but don't use it. Mainly for the same reason Runco stated.

 

I could certainly live with out them and don't think I'd buy a 1911 with one.

[swim615]

I guess I'll go with the don't care crowd. I have never given any thought to weather a handgun has it or not. I have never had anything or needed anything to mount on the rail, so either way is fine with me.

[cch2a]

I carry both on duty and off duty with a weapon light. Use a Raven Concealment Phantom light bearing holster and a TLR-3 IWB on Glock 19. I'm only 5'10" 165lbs and notice no difference in concealability. The TLR-3 though not super bright is lightweight. On duty either have a TLR-1 HL or Surefire X300. My 1911s have rails as well but waiting on my IWB holster to ship. In short I like rails and lights. Probably cause I worked midnights for years I have it instilled to always have a light.

[dats82]

I have had them on most pistols I've owned, but I've never mounted anything to the rail of a handgun.  For me, I would not even call them nice to have, but I certainly would not avoid a purchase because the presence or absence of a rail.  That being said, I prefer the look of no rail on a 1911, but that is purely aesthetics. 

[BJB]

I appreciate a light on both of my home defense guns. If I feel there is a reason to check my house mainly because my alarm is going off (aka- dogs barking) I leave the lights off and just use the light to see by. I practice a lot with both and feel comfortable having different guns for home defense and CC. My CC does not have a light

[tnhawk]

None of my 1911 have a rail.  Most of my other pistols have a rail.  I don't use it.

[RED333]

Our house pistol is a Glock 35 with a light. Carry pistols are G22 and G23, no light or laser, I do have a laser but it just shows how much you shake.

I voted "Nice to have".

[TGO David]

I have always thought if I'm coming down the hallway with my pistol I really don't want to be seen with my light on ; your mileage may vary .....

 

No one says you have to leave the light on continuously.  Both of the low-light classes I have taken and everything else I've read from respectable instructors has taught to momentarily toggle the light, not walk around with it on.  Leaving it on doesn't just give away your position, it harms your night vision.

 

 

 

!st thing I ever learned during our Academy shooting classes was a light is something to aim and shoot at. 

...

 

The last thing I want to put on my gun is a target.

 

There's a lot wrong with that tactic in an offensive situation.   Completely different considerations come into play in a home defense situation.  If you're the guy with the light and you're defending your own house, there are a lot of advantages to having the light.

 

 Fodder for another thread.

 

 

Doesn't a light also conflict with "don't point your gun at something you don't want to destroy"? If you need your light to identify, you don't know what it is. You basically have to assume that whatever that noise was, it's fair game. Which may be valid 98% of the time...

 

Does your gun shoot things on its own?  

 

And don't you want to know whether what you're covering with your muzzle is a friend or foe and know who/what is behind them before you pull the trigger?

[gregintenn]

I wouldn't consider buying a handgun with a rail on it. A handgun is meant to be carried. A rail would be like a cheese grater to a holster; one more thing to get hung up and cause trouble right when you don't need anymore.

[TGO David]

I wouldn't consider buying a handgun with a rail on it. A handgun is meant to be carried. A rail would be like a cheese grater to a holster; one more thing to get hung up and cause trouble right when you don't need anymore.

 

I just have to ask because I've seen at least one other statement in this thread about rails somehow turning a handgun into something that can't be holstered easily or without destroying a holster... but have you ever actually had experience with this or is it entirely supposition?

My experience with it shows that these concerns are both completely baseless.  I just doesn't work like that.  Holsters designed to accommodate a firearm with an accessory rail aren't torn up by them, and the rail no more snags on the holster than anything else on the firearm does.

 

Maybe you guys are forcing holsters not designed for the firearm to work with them, or Murphy's Law just really really has you on speed-dial and hates you.  :lol:

[DaveTN]

Like most others; I don't care one way or the other.

I don't want a light on a weapon. I too was trained a light is a target. But I also am bringing the bad guy to me (if I am sure someone is there); I'm not going hunting. Like everything though its personal preference and how you were trained and is based on the situation/layout of your home. Our requirements will vary.

[Grand Torino]

Nice to have.....especially it I am using it for home defense. I want to have that option available to me.

[gregintenn]

I just have to ask because I've seen at least one other statement in this thread about rails somehow turning a handgun into something that can't be holstered easily or without destroying a holster... but have you ever actually had experience with this or is it entirely supposition?

My experience with it shows that these concerns are both completely baseless.  I just doesn't work like that.  Holsters designed to accommodate a firearm with an accessory rail aren't torn up by them, and the rail no more snags on the holster than anything else on the firearm does.

 

Maybe you guys are forcing holsters not designed for the firearm to work with them, or Murphy's Law just really really has you on speed-dial and hates you.   :lol:

Purely supposition on my part. I am simply repulsed by the sight of a rail on a handgun. I'm not a fan of the forward grip serrations either.

[TGO David]

Purely supposition on my part. I am simply repulsed by the sight of a rail on a handgun. I'm not a fan of the forward grip serrations either.

 

Fair enough.  :)

[Jonnin]

I have no use for under rails.  I really like a top rail for target/range guns so I can red-dot them if I want.   But lights and doo-dads don't fit me. 

IMHO they should just drill it for a rail to be put on after, rather than build the ugly things onto the frame.  Make it easy to add if wanted, and not there if not wanted.

[Garufa]

Nice to have on the home defense weapon system (uh, Glock with a light).  Totally useless on a carry gun.

[tnguy]

Does your gun shoot things on its own?  

 

And don't you want to know whether what you're covering with your muzzle is a friend or foe and know who/what is behind them before you pull the trigger?

 

Shit happens. I don't want to be covering my friend with a muzzle. Be sure of your target.

[hlb14]

I voted nice to have, on my HD gun it's a must have though, it always has a light attached. I want to know what im shooting at.

Haven't got around to buying "fun" guns yet, I suppose it wouldn't matter one way or the other though. Edited January 5, 2015 by hlb14

[TGO David]

#### happens. I don't want to be covering my friend with a muzzle. Be sure of your target.

 

You just proved my point with the last statement.   :)

 

As for not covering your friend with a muzzle, have you used a flashlight?  You don't have to aim them directly at something to illuminate it.  ;)

[miller_man]

Poll needs another option - don't care.

 

I don't care either way, except a rail on a 1911 is hideous.

[TGO David]

Poll needs another option - don't care.

 

I don't care either way, except a rail on a 1911 is hideous.

 

Thanks for caring enough to stop in and tell us you don't care.  :wave:

[TrickyNicky]

I put down nice to have. It doesn't put into words exactly how I feel, but it's close enough. ;)

I've never yet based a purchasing decision off the matter, but at the end if the day I'd say it's really not a positive or a negative, it's a feature.

The only real exception I can think of are with smaller CCW where you might not want one due to width/ shape.

I haven't jumped on my first 1911 yet, but I suspect when I do it will be a more traditional looking example without a rail, but then again I have to admit that I wouldn't let one be a deal breaker either under the right circumstance.


I see the value in a weapon light, but I've never felt like I personally needed one. :shrug:

[Dustbuster]

I like the rail,but it's a bitch finding holsters that fit a 1911 w a rail.. Only holster that works on my railed 1911 is a wild bill concealment holster

[Capbyrd]

Where is the "doesn't matter one way or the other" option.  


Its not that I "Don't want."  Its simply that I just don't care...