Accessory rail: good or bad idea?

[CZattorneyFL]

I've read a lot of posts from people who wished that CZ would make a 97b with an accessory rail.  I think the 97b is a more attractive gun for not having an accessory rail.  Tell me if there's something wrong with my logic, but aren't these gun rails just another silly gun trend?  Accessory rails are typically used for two purposes: gun-mounted white lights or lasers.  Those gun-mounted white lights are virtually useless for most handguns because holding a flashlight in the other hand is safer and more useful (you don't always want to point a gun at something you want to light up).  Granted, they're certainly a good idea for rifles, k-9 units, etc. who don't have a free hand.  While I've never used one, I'm also curious to know if there's any potential for mixing up a trigger pull with a light actuation.  As far as the lasers go, many people I've spoken with say that the lasers often used on accessory rails tend to prevent shooters from focusing on the totality of the situation surrounding them.  Maybe this would change with some training, but I'm always hesitant to rely on "acquired taste" when I don't need to, especially when it comes to most safety issues.  Any holes in that thinking?

[viking442]

Lights and lasers are tools just like anything else... They have their uses and may or may not be useful in a given situation.

Lasers, for example, can be an excellent aid at the range to evaluate the accuracy of a new hand load.  From a rest, one can quickly verify that the gun is pointing back to the exact same spot on the target after each round.

Weapon mounted lights can also be useful depending on the situation.  Hand held lights being safer could be debated. In a home defense situation, it is really not a good idea to use a light as a "search" tool.   Better to set up a defensive point, talk to the 911 operator and wait for the bad guy to come to you.  The light may, however, come in very handy at your defense point.  It can be used to blind the target with a quick on/off (the brighter the light the better)... resulting in a nice floating after glow he will have to deal with while you move and engage from a different location.  To find out just how easy it is to get whacked while trying to clear your home... have one or two people with rubber band guns hide somewhere in the dark... now set out to find them with your own rubber band gun.  

[tipoc]

Since we are talking opinions I'll add mine.

Esthetically they would detract from the 97.  They might help with sales though.  The latter because light rails are in vogue now.  

Light mounting system are popular with some of the gun buying public because both SWAT teams and various special forces units have found them to be very useful.  What is seen on TV and film and in the gun mags, looks good and dramatic and so folks want them even if they have no practical need for them or training in their proper use.  They look "bad ass" so if I have one I'll look "bad ass" as well.  Folks may disagree, but that is a big part of it.

What guns and gear the military and police use always becomes popular, whether calibers or guns.

Laser devices can be useful tools on the range, as mentioned above.  They can be helpful in learning fast accurate shooting so long as the shooter doesn't become dependant on them.  They are not so useful in the world outside the range.

Rail mounted lights are useful for folks operating in teams wearing body armor entering into hazardous situations where they bring overwhelming firepower and little or no need for concealment once they go into action.

For most of us, who don't operate in teams kicking in doors and coming through windows the lights are bulky things.  They have the pumped up shooter pointing a loaded gun hither and yon, at children, the dog, the neighbors drunk kid cutting across the backyard at 2 a.m., etc.  I try not to point my firearm at anything I'm not ready to shoot.

Besidea I tried duct taping one to my flat top Ruger Blackhawk and it just looked silly.

Just my opinion.

tipoc

[viking442]

All very good comments.

While I agree that most people who buy tactic-cool stuff are buying it simply because it is what they see on TV and in the movies, there are also those who get training and learn to employ such tools properly.  Situations where these tools are useful are not restricted to guys wearing black BDUs.  Another use for a rail mounted light might be as a bed side gun.  If we awake to a tall dark figure already in the bedroom, a rail mounted light could be an advantage in that situation.  The choice between a light and no light could mean the difference between good or bad hits.  Surely we don't want to open fire on a dark figure before we've identified that it really is a bad guy.  In a situation like this, time is not on our side...  we need to get the gun on target quickly, identify and shoot.

We should train with whatever gear we select...  otherwise, it is not likely that we will use it properly when called upon.

Finally, coolness factor aside, if we found ourselves in a situation like those created by Katrina... we might wish we had miltary style weapons at our disposal... because the black BDU guys would not be there to protect us (they rarely are anyway)...

[Otto N Sure]

Howdy!

I've thought about tac rails and came up with an idea that would solve the "ugly all the time" problem.  It would be a removeable tac rail that is magnetically attached to the underside of the firearm.

I know that there are some small powerful magnets that could be used and the rail itself could be molded out of a strong poly or milled out of aluminum.  

When the fad passes, just remove the rail.

Yep, always thinkin'!!

Otto N. Sure

[BRASMAN]

I want the rail foe a dedicated house pistol and camp out pistol. The rails do not matter for me on a carry pistol because it is just one more thing to snag. After having a light on my pistol I probably will never go back to a flash light in one hand and a pistol in the other. There is still a flash light next to my bed though as well as the pistol with the light on it. A full leangth rail to me would make the 97B look that much meaner and even more like a tank. Looks are secondary to me though when it comes to function. Thats probably why I like Glocks so much. I think the rail would be a good useful idea but to each his own.

[tipoc]

Up at the top of the page is a popup for JackAsh Custom, they among others might be able to figure out a secure way to mount a light rail.  The gunsmithing section may also be of help.

I agree with some of what's been said above.  We all have our preferences and experience teaches if we let it.  

I encourage folks to get proper training.  Most folks who have firearms in their homes receive no training at all.  Most regular shooters get a little training.  Most folks who have and use light mounts on guns receive no training in their use.  I agree that the proper use of these rail mounted systems requires special training if for no other reason than that they violate one of the four basic rules of handgun safety, not to point a gun at something you are not willing to destroy.

I use a handheld light.  I'm used to it.  I find it more flexible than a rail mounted system.

Finally, if you had to fight a person in the dark who was after you and you had no light and they did would it be easier to fight a person who had a handheld light or a rail mounted light? Where is your foe in relationship to the light?

tipoc

[viking442]

tipoc:
Good question.

If your foe has a light and you don't then he may have a distinct advantage.  However, his light may also be a liability if he does not employ it correctly.

Unlike the typical box shaped range, the real world is 360 degrees and that in itself tends to complicate things greatly.

As far as which one would be easier to fight... the guy with a handheld light or a guy with the rail mounted light... that would really depend on the actual situation and how he is using his light.

If you are able to set up an ambush that brings him through a bottle neck (like a doorway), then it likely won't matter what he is using... you'll have the drop on him.

On the other hand, if we are in a face to face engagement... we are likely in some very deep poo...  especially if he knows how to use his gear.  

For a head on situation, we may try for a shot below the light (to cover the rail mounted technique and the over hand or Rogers/Surefire technique) and another just to the left (to cover a right handed shooter holding his light out to the side in his left hand).   Who knows, we might get lucky.

A few principles we can put to good use in a low light situation...

Stay in the dark -- Move out of the light and into dark spots

Watch your backlighting -- Don't stop in doorways and never allow yourself to be backlit (the #1 mistake)

Light and move -- Use brief flashes to search dark spots or find your way to a new location

Randomize -- Strobe the light on/off and move it randomly... high/low and side-to-side of your centerline

Of course there is no substitute for good training.

[Otto N Sure]

Wow!  I thought someone would have jumped all over my "magnetic tac rail" solution.  

I think it would work.  If I only had a little machine shop (and some talent) I'd whip one up just to show how cool this would be.

Otto N. Sure

[BRASMAN]

We do not normaly do that around here. Thats why this forum is so great.