Popular 1911 Rail Adapters

Looking for the Right Rail Adapter?

There are many different types of rail adapters on the accessories market. Here are just a few for different pistols and needs.

TRG EZ-Rail

This 1911 rail adapter is available from Gunner Security. It’s made from Delrin, which is a very resilient high tech plastic used to make replacement body parts and other industrial products. It has a high tensile strength, does not crack or chip and resists moisture absorption and can take a lot of abuse.

To install the rail adapter, you need to break down the pistol, remove the Slide Stop Pin (SSP) and replace it with the elongated SSP that’s included with the adapter. The elongated SSP helps hold the adapter in place. Slide the adapter down the guns frame and over the elongated SSP. The SSP protrudes through the hole in the adapter to ensure a snug fit. Simply press the adapter down the guns frame until you hear a click.

Screw down the Teflon screw that’s in front of the trigger guard until it just makes contact with the 1911 and you are done. This accessory rail adapter has been tested and approved by Colt, M1911.Org, Navy Seals, US Special Forces, and Military Police around the world.

Pro: Will not scratch or mar the pistol’s finish, its length provides 3 notches which allows mounting of many types of accessories. It can be set up for easy on/off or permanent attachment, the lightest weight on the market. Retail price $58.00

Con: The adapter is a little thick but it’s built very well and should last a lifetime.

Surefire MR07 Rail Adapter

The bulk of the Surefire rail adapter is made from 7000 series aluminum and attaches to the 1911 using a modified slide stop and pin assembly.

This adapter incorporates a small “anti-chafing” pad to reduce scratching the 1911’s dust cover. It’s thin and doesn’t weight much.

Pro: The thinnest rail adapter on the market and can be removed and reinstalled easily.

Con: The single notch on the rail limits you to only a handful of Surefire products. The $90.00 to $120.00 price tag makes it the most expensive adapter I found.

Railtac Rt-1 Rail Adapter

The RailTac RT-1 is constructed from 6061 aircraft grade aluminum and black anodize. The adapter attaches to your pistol using 3M VHB alloy adhesive tape, which the manufacturer claims its incredibly strong and provides a permanent attachment to alloys.

If you decide to remove the “permanent” adapter, you have to insert small screw driver between the adapter and the 1911’s dust cover and pry between the adhesive tape and the adapter through a special recessed area found on both sides of the adapter. Then the adhesive tape must be removed from the adapter and firearm.

To reinstall, RailTac recommends you purchase the Loctite brand superglue gel. If you want to remove the rail adapter after using the Loctite gel, you have to apply direct heat to the rail using a heat gun and carefully pry off the heated rail using an oven mitt.

Pros: The shortest and most compact of the 1911 rail adapters.

Cons: The short length may limit what accessories you can attach. The adapter must be attached using adhesive tape and removal can be difficult. You can mar the 1911’se dust cover, the adapter can be mounted slightly off center and is advertised to only fit the 1911 Government and 1911 Commander. Retail is $49.00.

Conclusion: My favorite is the TRG adapter. It is affordable, allows for many accessories, has fit every full sized 1911 pistol to date, easy to install and it will not damage the pistol’s finish.