[simonp]

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

 

[wrmiller]

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.

 

[simonp]

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

 

[wrmiller]

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.

 

[simonp]

Nope - 9mm or 45 acp

 

[Chanly83]

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

 

[Uncle Bob]

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.

All of our IPSC ammo back in the day was basically +P

 

[Rex]

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?

 

[Uncle Bob]

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

 

[Rex]

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.

 

[Uncle Bob]

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.

 

[Rex]

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.

 

[Uncle Bob]

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! 😅

 

[Tenalpha10FL]

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.

 

[Tokarev]

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.

 

[Tokarev]

Getting closer.

 

[Tokarev]

The frame and slide in the lapping fixture.

 

[Tokarev]

More pics from Doug Jr.

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

 

[Tokarev]

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

 

[random84]

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.