Re-installing the rail on 3913TSW

0849 · #1 07-21-2016, 10:56 PM

Greetings All,

I recently acquired a 3913TSW, had one several years back and traded it off, which I was later sorry I had done, so looked around the last few months and found another. However, as it seems so popular to do, the previous owner removed the rail, but fortunately for me the rail was still in the box. Since I wanted to re-install the rail to get the pistol back to original set up, I contacted S&W and evidently they no longer do rail installations or maintain parts for it.

So, in case there is anyone else that wants to install the rail, I am sharing what I did (with some helpful advice of a fellow forum member). I took a look at the McMaster-Carr catalog on-line, that forum member BMCM had referenced in one of his posts, and ordered some rivets, first box of rivets were a little too short, second box I ordered was just perfect, 1/8 x 5/16 CSK solid aluminum rivets, so I have a few hundred extra rivets now, but the box of 250 was only approx $4 so no big deal.

To set the rivets, I ordered a 'motorcycle chain breaker and rivet set tool' on the big auction site, also relatively inexpensive, $20, and that worked great to set the rivets, no scuffs or scratches on the pistol, really worked out great, and the rail looks just as it should.

0849

BLUEDOT37 · #2 07-22-2016, 12:58 AM

Good to know. Got any pictures to share?

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0849 · #3 07-22-2016, 01:57 AM

Sure, here we go.

stormyone · #4 07-22-2016, 02:47 AM

That's good info. I have a new 3953tsw and was wondering how to remove the rail. It's cool that's it's reversible.

0849 · #5 07-22-2016, 12:53 PM

Yes, definitely reversible. I only used 2 rivets out of my box of 250, no trial and error here, which surprised me, usually when you do a process for the first time there is a bit of a learning curve, but this was easy the first time. Once I had the rivets and tool, was less than 5 minutes to install.

Those inexpensive chain rivet tools are, I think, actually designed for the steel rivets on motorcycle and ATV chains, so it had no problem at all squishing over (technical term

) the rivet ends on the aluminum rivets. The other thing I liked about the particular tool I used was that all of the edges on it were nice and rounded so less of a chance of causing any scratches. Hope this info is helpful.

WTN1271 · #6 07-22-2016, 02:36 PM

Great info, thanks for the posts and pictures, looks good. I was considering removing the rail from my 3913 for ease of locating a mid priced holster. Ended up with the latest version of Alien gear (cloak 3.0) which does accommodate the rail. I'll see how it works out but I forsee a real leather holster eventually. Many more holster choices for non railed 3913's.

stormyone · #7 07-23-2016, 04:59 AM

Thank you, 0849. Excellent info.

josywales · #8 07-23-2016, 08:53 AM

How did the rail get removed? Just drill out the rivets?

Fastbolt · #9 07-23-2016, 05:43 PM

Nicely done.

One of the other 3rd gen armorers has a large plastic bag stashed of new rivets sent to him by S&W (we had some rail breakage on some guns).

I only own 2 guns that have the accessory rails, and I've been thinking about removing the rail from at least one of them (to broaden holster availability among my collection).

0849 · #10 07-23-2016, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josywales

How did the rail get removed? Just drill out the rivets?

Yes, I believe that is probably what the previous owner of this particular 3913TSW did. A few years back, I had a different 3913TSW and I did drill out the rivets on that one, very slowly and carefully, so as to be sure not to cut away any of the aluminum frame.