Tactical Rail for Revolvers?

**Hobbs4421** · March 17th, 2019, 08:36 PM

Thanks Buxbandit, I did see that one. The problem with that is it looks like a 8 3/8 inch barrel. I don’t want one that large. Preferably 5.5 or under.

**ray h** · March 17th, 2019, 08:37 PM

Check out www.railtac.com
They have rails that fit S&W 44 and Ruger 357s.

**Hobbs4421** · March 17th, 2019, 08:56 PM

Thanks Ray H. I just checked that website out and I may go that route!

**Xringshooter** · March 18th, 2019, 02:19 PM

One big reason many don't want a rail or anything under the barrel of a revolver is the burning gasses & powder expelling from around the cylinder when shooting. Messy, dirty to clean, and could damage stuff.
And the subject of pointing a light at something while it's on a gun has been a serious discussion for as long as lights have been put on firearms.

Gun Safety Rule; "Never point a firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy."

The arguments are that in the home, you SHOULD know where the people/things are you do NOT want to destroy. But accidents & mistakes have happened. Son/Daughter slipping in late at night when she wasn't supposed to be out at all. Shot & killed.

Many, many self defense classes teach how to use a light when checking out the unknown. All w/o a mounted light.
And as we all know,,, many semi-auto handguns have rails & lights, as do rifles & shotguns.

The choice of adding & using a light is a personal preference.
But I'd hesitate about putting one on a revolver, simply because of the cylinder gasses.

**Palerider** · March 19th, 2019, 07:17 AM

You’ll probably need to go the custom holster route if you put a rail/light under the barrel.

I go into the woods, in black bear country before sunrise and after sunset for archery and find the headlamp works great. if you haven’t done this give it a try. I’d also play around a bit with a light on whatever 44 you have to see how it affects balance and aiming before I put a rail on it. You could tape the light to it to see if you’re ok with it.

**Ronin** · March 19th, 2019, 10:04 AM

Railtac makes a picatinny rail for full lug S&W revolvers and the Ruger GP100. It's held on by epoxy, but it's removable with a heat gun.

**Ronin** · March 19th, 2019, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by DucatiRon

My S&W 325 45 ACP has a removable tac rail. Never seen one on a conventional revolver before.

The rail on the 325TR was one of the selling points for the gun for me. But not because I thought it would be useful for a light or laser, but because it reminded me of the wave motion gun on the bow of the Space Battleship Yamoto...

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**Hobbs4421** · March 19th, 2019, 10:13 AM

Thanks for the advice Xringshooter. Just in response to your concerns regarding a tac light being potentially unsafe... I would be using this as a sidearm while walking too and from my archery stand during the dark. My primary light would be a headlamp, and I would only draw the gun in the event that an animal was posing a threat to myself. Under those circumstances, I couldn’t see it being an issue of safety. It would not be used as a home defense gun. But thanks for your input!

**icp4life162005** · March 19th, 2019, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by Hobbs4421

Thanks for the advice Xringshooter. Just in response to your concerns regarding a tac light being potentially unsafe... I would be using this as a sidearm while walking too and from my archery stand during the dark. My primary light would be a headlamp, and I would only draw the gun in the event that an animal was posing a threat to myself. Under those circumstances, I couldn’t see it being an issue of safety. It would not be used as a home defense gun. But thanks for your input!

The Chiappa Rhino has a tac rail and also shoots out of the bottom of the cylinder rather than the top for better recoil control. I know they come in 357, not sure what other calibers.