This thread has some good grist for the mill: https://www.1911addicts.com/threads/accurails.163860/

As for lifespan, the rails can be replaced with larger ones if wear sets in; sounds like that'd take a lot of shooting. Apparently once your pistol's cut for the rails, it'll always need some version of them -- there's no undoing the mod.

What kind of build are you planning and why are you considering the rails?

 

I have a couple of 1911’s that have been sitting in the safe untouched so I was thinking about having them built up so they would be something special to hand down to my son. I don’t anticipate it being a carry pistol but rather a nicely finished, reliable and accurate pistol with a more traditional aesthetic. Thank you for your post, I appreciate the input.

 

Most shooters won’t wear a set out & if you do they can be replaced

 

Thank you. I kinda thought they would outlast a normal lifetime of shooting. Hopefully there are enough gunsmiths with Accu Rail experience that they would be able to service them even if the Accu Rail company went away.

 

I have them, I love them. I sent the entire pistol and Mr. Jones went over the entire pistol for function, at the same price! the rods are hardened, you can get a replacement set, but I don't know anyone who needs them. your choice for slide to frame fit is, the rails or someone squeezing the slide (cheap method) or welding up the frame and recutting the grooves (very expensive) my vote is for the RAILS!

 

I've never had them done but would. I've heard of breakage but the only thing I can see is someone trying to pry them back out of the frame just being a gorilla. If you get it done send the gun and not just frame and slide so they can readjust the barrel if need be. The slide will be lowered on the frame so.....

 

I had them on a LW Colt build and they were ok and only issue I had was mag not locking back on a few mags because of the radius cut on the left Accurail. They are just set into frame so are easily removable just don’t lose one or drop it and roll over it with a chair I almost did and that wouldn’t have been good.

If it is a steel gun I would get it welded and not use Accurails.

Good luck and let us know what you end up doing.

 

Will do. Might end up doing one build with rails and the other with a more traditional (non-rail) build. Any suggestions for smiths on the traditional build? Thanks again, BDK

 

I've had them on a uspsa limited gun and an open gun
Both guns went well into 60-70K on them with no significant wear.
Both guns sold to local shooters who are still using them.

Smoothest guns I've owned.

 

Nice way to fit two slides to one frame.

 

If I am able to build another pistol, it will be a railed 2011. In my experiences with them, they just run forever.

 

accu rails on a steel gun as opposed to welding the frame? Curious to hear more why the preference

 

Because every 1911/2011 I have owned eventually shot loose, and I don't care for the sporadic temper left by welding. A friend's railed 1911 has junked at least two barrels that I know of and who knows how many bushings and other parts, but the slide to frame fit is still tight. (he estimates that the pistol has shot somewhere between 40 and 50 thousand rounds, but I can't verify)

For a low-volume shooter or a safe queen I wouldn't do it.

Oh, and if it's a normal build (9mm/45) I wouldn't bother either. The 10mm is just harder on these pistols.

 

Interesting…. Haven’t shot a gun with a welded frame loose yet myself but perhaps one day. I’m liking the rails on the aluminum gun so far & id be curious to try them on a steel gun

 

Are you shooting full power 10mm?

Rails may be overkill for most, but I would do it for any 10mm I build that will potentially see a higher than average round count of full power loads. But that's just me.

 

Nope - 9mm or 45 acp

 

Do most competition guns go with rails or welded frames after they end up loosening up?

 

YEARS ago refit old-school swaging and squeezing shooting with IPSC and USPSA guys in the 38super and 9x21 and 23 days, never saw rails. I never shot the volume they do but if I were to keep running the gun after getting loose I would go rails, if you think you will wear it before it pukes get a set of extra rails to tighten it back up. That extra set of rails is cheaper than laying the gun up to be welded and refit again. How much do you shoot though, 50 cases or 10?

 

Only swaged 1911 I've ever owned is my Colt1911A1NM built during Vietnam. During my IPSC days we were burning 3000 rounds a month

 

Damn, I had a wife and 4 kids(not all mine) but that wasn't doable. Our club was kind of in the middle of IPSC but quite a few within 45 miles would come because we set up "scenarios" more on IDPA as they were coming to be here. Basically a 30rnd course on 50yds and you may end up at the end of the range for your last set after opening a door, going prone,low cover for basically only 3 targets and get up and haul ass to the next set to be revolver neutral. Supers and 9x21 when they came to be. I **** major,minor and revolver on that but you could do more than 1 run,maybe 4k on that but I shot pins 45 and 22, combat shotgun on 10 steel falling lollipops and 100yd silhouette with a 22. Not near what you digest in a year.

Damn I rambled again but your fault. I have peened 1918 Colt Cassavant built long ago for bullseye, I grew up within an hour of him as a kid in ... NY (but redneck country) but was never into handguns there. My father came to FL and brought it to trade for a Smith 29 he gave me years ago, works for me because I. don't like 29's with heavy loads over a Ruger SA.

 

Damn, I had a wife and 4 kids(not all mine) but that wasn't doable. Our club was kind of in the middle of IPSC but quite a few within 45 miles would come because we set up "scenarios" more on IDPA as they were coming to be here. Basically a 30rnd course on 50yds and you may end up at the end of the range for your last set after opening a door, going prone,low cover for basically only 3 targets and get up and haul ass to the next set to be revolver neutral. Supers and 9x21 when they came to be. I **** major,minor and revolver on that but you could do more than 1 run,maybe 4k on that but I shot pins 45 and 22, combat shotgun on 10 steel falling lollipops and 100yd silhouette with a 22. Not near what you digest in a year.

Damn I rambled again but your fault. I have peened 1918 Colt Cassavant built long ago for bullseye, I grew up within an hour of him as a kid in ... NY (but redneck country) but was never into handguns there. My father came to FL and brought it to trade for a Smith 29 he gave me years ago, works for me because I. don't like 29's with heavy loads over a Ruger SA.

Watched the top ends of 2 Model 29s blow off, First one was at a SWPL match.

 

Ouch. Saw a 357 about 30yrs ago in a friend's shop with the barrel pointing about 45 degrees down,backstrap staring you in the eyes and the top of the cylender from the pin went into orbit, that had to be special. They said decflagration and plausable , never saw a doublecharge do that carnage.

 

First model 29 was an XMAS presant to HG from his wife on a non match range. I was standing talking with Larry Gray (funniest CHP officer I've ever known). Ka whoof the top end (including roughly 45%of the cylinder were gone. Larry Gray said to Henry, " I believe that's called a double charge". Henry wondered if he could send it back under warrantee... I don't think I need to post the responses! 😅

 

I have them on a series 80 Colt and like them a lot. The slide to frame fit is tight but unbelievably smooth. It hasn’t loosened in a moderate amount of shooting. One drawback is you can’t go back once you accu-rail, but you can send the gun back for replacement rails. I think it would take a ton of shooting to loosen the fit up. Highly recommended.

 

Here are two pictures Doug Jr sent me. The frame and slide have been machined for the Acc-U-Rails. Up next is the lapping process. I'll share some pics of that when I can.

 

Getting closer.

 

The frame and slide in the lapping fixture.

 

More pics from Doug Jr.

Here's the assortment of rail pieces separated by diameter.

 

My Girsan "perfumed pig" with rail work completed. More as soon as I have the gun back. Doug says it will ship Monday.

 

I wanted to do that on my last semi-custom build, mostly for shits and giggles. The gunsmith (one on this forum) talked me out of it as basically being unnecessary on a production Colt that was better than average - but still a Colt. He used normal old school peening magic IIRC.

I am very happy nonetheless and trust the judgment of experts. So id say it's a niche thing that 99% of us won't need. But it's still a neat product.

 

Yeah it probably isn't needed on the Girsan but I'm hoping it will achieve two things:

1 it will prolong the life of the aluminum frame by changing the gun from steel on aluminum contact to steel on steel contact. With that said it seems most 1911 frames crack at the church window cut or at the recoil spring seat area. So maybe no real benefit here.

2 it will hopefully improve barrel fit at the lower lugs. The gun previously had no contact between the lugs and slide stop pin and ran 110% on the link. As I understand the Acc-U-Rail process, the barrel often needs a shorter link once the rails are installed.

The pistol functioned properly so there no benefit to be expected here. I suppose there's an off chance the gun will be more prone to malfunction now if it gets fouled with sand or dirt?

 

Tracking received. Work has me away from home now until Friday. I'll hopefully share additional pics and overall thoughts Saturday.

 

I've received the pistol. I haven't done anything yet other than take it apart, wipe everything off, and re-oil it.

The frame to slide fit was terrible on this particular pistol prior to railing. Barrel fit was also very loose and the gun usually strung vertically. Sometimes horizontally as well.

Now the frame and slide are essentially an interference fit. Parts move back and forth easily but will not move under their own weight. I assume this is, at least partially, caused by a sort of outward spring pressure from the rods themselves.

One added benefit is that the barrel is much tighter even though it is still riding on the link. Blacking the slide stop axle and lower lugs and running the slide back and forth doesn't rub any color off. But I'm still pretty certain the gun will shoot much better than it did.

Is the work worth $300? Proof will be in how it now works and shoots. I'll hopefully have some info on that tomorrow.

 

I've received the pistol. I haven't done anything yet other than take it apart, wipe everything off, and re-oil it.

The frame to slide fit was terrible on this particular pistol prior to railing. Barrel fit was also very loose and the gun usually strung vertically. Sometimes horizontally as well.

Now the frame and slide are essentially an interference fit. Parts move back and forth easily but will not move under their own weight. I assume this is, at least partially, caused by a sort of outward spring pressure from the rods themselves.

One added benefit is that the barrel is much tighter even though it is still riding on the link. Blacking the slide stop axle and lower lugs and running the slide back and forth doesn't rub any color off. But I'm still pretty certain the gun will shoot much better than it did.

Is the work worth $300? Proof will be in how it now works and shoots. I'll hopefully have some info on that tomorrow.

Thank you for sharing. I will be sending one of my older 1911s out for some work including the installation of Accu Rails.

 

After purchasing a ColtHawk I investigated Accurail. Had a great chat with Doug. I am not a competitor, after the conversation it seemed to me this is more in line for that purpose. If you are going to have these built by a reputable smith. Have the rails done at the time. For the purpose of you just wanting tight slide to frame fit it seems a waste of time and money. With the barrel properly fit, my ColtHawk is more accurate than me. Its just a great campfire tale.... A Nighthawk Colt resto-mod that rattles just like a factory Colt.