[english kanigit]

If you look at the link in my sigline, you'll know I have a problem.
Well, after today, it's on the way to being fixed. I ordered a current production GI style slide from Sarco (http://www.sarcoinc.com).
For those interested it's in the pistol parts area (PN- C45160), $84.95 with GI sights. I'll be sure to let you guys know how it turns out. :)

[mattw]

wow that sucks about your slide, how did it crack?

[english kanigit]

wow that sucks about your slide, how did it crack?
Well, it was made in 1943.... :rolleyes:

[Black Majik]

I think matt was just wondering whether it cracked during a range session while being shot, or what "action" caused it to crack.

Obviously it didn't sit in the safe and all of a sudden crack.

Good luck with the new slide. Hope things turn out alrite, let us know how things go. Unfortunately, I take it that this will lower the value of your pistol?

[1911Tuner]

Cracked USGI slides aren't uncommon. After decades of use and literally hundreds of thousands of rounds, somethin' eventually has to give. I've busted my share...Usually around the ejection port.

Might wanna check the specs on that Sarco slide as per Kuhnhausen Volume 2. I've heard that those are hit and miss. It's a casting...not milled barstock.
Castings can experience core shift, and that can make'em suitable for paperweights, but not much else. Not that a casting can't be a pretty decent part, but unless QC is on top of their game, problems can occur.

If you do have a problem with it, and can get your money back, and you want to keep costs down...have a look at Essex Arms. For about 110 bucks, they'll send a finished slide that's a near dead ringer for the GI slide, and
of the half-dozen that I've used over the last 3 years or so...3 on my own guns... all have been within spec and have proven to be durable.

Understand that cast slides don't live long and happy lives on a hard-use beater. 30-35,000 rounds or so is about the life expectancy...YMMV of course.

Luck!

[Jim Watson]

Keep a fresh recoil spring - I'd use standard 16 lb - and a buffer in the gun when you have replaced the slide. That old frame is soft by modern standards, no need to beat it to death, too.

Bear in mind that the original frame and parts are worth a bit to a collector who would find a period slide and have a GI looking gun.

[mattw]

Does anyone make current production milled frames or slides?

[english kanigit]

D'oh!
I'm sorry matt. It cracked through usage. I was at the range one day and looked down whilst making a reload. I noticed the crack and was trying to figure out how a hair got stuck to the slide... :scrutiny:

Bear in mind that the original frame and parts are worth a bit to a collector who would find a period slide and have a GI looking gun.
Yeah, perhaps. But it's a mixed parts gun and I bought it for my dad to shoot. With him in kuwait, I need to help keep it warm. :D

[Jim Watson]

Les Baer will sell his milled slides and frames.
I think Chip McCormick, he is or was in bed with Wilson and Kimber and his parts are very similar if not identical.
Caspian slides are milled but their frames are cast, they concluded there was no reason for them to keep making milled frames.
Colt and Springfield, but they don't sell loose parts, though SA used to.

[english kanigit]

Might wanna check the specs on that Sarco slide as per Kuhnhausen Volume 2.
1911Tuner, could you elaborate? :confused:

[Dr.Rob]

I bought a complete Colt 1991A1 upper (from Hoplite or RPB... can't remember which) years back for just under $200 Slight, sights, barrel, bushing extractor, firing pin, spring everything ... told that to the gunsmith building my FrankenColt that and he about passed out.

Forged ain't cheap.


Hope it works out.

[1911Tuner]

Surely English K,

Visually check to see that the rails are parallel and true. Core shifts sometimes allow one rail to sit lower than the other.

The location of the disconnect timing slot is another potential problem area. Fairly simple to correct if the mislocation is front to rear...More involved if it's side to side. Depth is another simple one if it's too shallow. Not an issue if it's a little too deep as long as the angle at the front radius is correct.

Location of the extractor tunnel. See if the flat inside edge of the extractor sits flush with the slide when installed. If it's a little too far to the right, the extractor won't stay squared up as the gun functions, leading to extraction problems. If it's only a little...say .010 inch or less...it can be corrected most of the time by fitting an oversized firing pin stop to a press-fit. If it's too far to the left, correction is done with a little fitting of the stop to the extractor.
Avoid filing in the extractor's slot unless you have a safe-sided square file that will fit. if you remove a little too much material from the sides instead of the bottom of the slot, the extractor can mislocate fore and aft, leading to feeding and extraction problems in some instances. Extractor orientation too far forward is easier to correct for than too far rearward. Usually lets the nose of the extractor to contact the side of the barrel, and relieving a little on both parts at that point usually clears it up. Careful though...

Location of the lugs and slots in the slide is another place to beware of. If you use a "Fitting Required" barrel with an overlength hood, you can waltz around this one by simply fitting to the first locking lug and letting the other two hang in the air. Not an optimum fit, but adequate in the .45 using standard-pressure ammo and a limited amount of the hot-rod +p stuff.

In extremely out-of-spec slide lug locations may find that you have to set one of the two forward lugs back a few thousandths to get solid horizontal
engagement on the first one. Use a safe-sided squaring file for this operation.
In this, you may even be able to get two lugs in contact, but if you take more than just a little...say about .005 inch or so...be sure to keep a check on the headspace as you go. Easy to set the lugs too far back, increasing the barrel fore/aft play and create an attendant excessive headspace condition unless the barrel is short-chambered to allow for finish reaming. Requires a set of gauges, or a case of known length and a set of feeler gauges to check headspace.

Hope ya get lucky and get a slide that's close enough to spec to forego these things...but be aware that it can get a little involved at times.

[1911Ron]

A "little involved" :scrutiny: durn near made mah head hurt :D

[english kanigit]

Heh, well, I'm not exactly a smith. If everything fits and lines up was going to be my test... :o

I'll do my best to inspect it
as per Kuhnhausen Volume 2. :uhoh:

[1911Tuner]

English K,

If you don't have Volume 2, I'll sit down sometime this week and write up the critical specs for ya. To figure the distances from breechface to the lug load-bearing faces, you need a way to gauge it. There's a makeshift way that will involve a little fabrication with common items. Not as precise as a gauge block, but it'll getcha close enough to determine whether it will work out okay.
Chances are that it will...It won't provide a custom barrel fit in the slide, but it'll do to ride the river with. ;)

[english kanigit]

*Update*
I would post pictures but I have no camera. :(

Received this slide from UPS, it appears to be cast, I'm not entirely sure however. The slide is an eighth of an inch shorter than the original but it fits securely on the rails, all of the internals from my old slide will fit with the exception of the extractor. The recess for the extractor is too small for the old one to fit. I will be calling Sarco back to see if I can arrange an exchange for one of the Brazilian's before they're all gone.

With all due respect to Art's Gram-maw, Life's a... well, I think you know the rest. :cuss:

[1911Tuner]

Howdy kanigit,

It's cast. The extractor channel probably isn't too small. More likely that your extractor has a little too much bend in it. If you'll push it in until it stops, and push the butt-end to the right as you push in, it'll probably flex and go home. You may need to straighten it a little. When they do that, they sometimes have a little too much tension, or the front pad needs to be reduced just a hair to let the hook move closer to the breechface centerline.

Don't cut anything just yet...Get it in first and check the tension on a case rim.