Work-in-progress- The Latter-Day Detonics

Some time back I had a thought: If I were making a Detonics Combat Master today, what would I do? This year I got the chance to answer that question. I started with a Hellfire Armory alloy frame and an RIA Officer's Model slide and bull-barrel.


I added an EGW flat-wire recoil spring and guide rod and various bits for the internal parts, some from EGW and some from Klonimus and Wilson Combat. I wound up going with an Officer's-length handle for technical reasons; it's about 3/8" longer than the Detonics but still significantly shorter than a full-size frame. Not a disaster; after I undercut the trigger-guard I can get four fingers on the grip.

I ground the signature Combat Master cut in the back of the slide, made a custom reverse-recoil plug and cut the barrel, slide and guide-rod to length. I cut the dust-cover to match. I modified a checkered aluminum mainspring housing and long-trigger with an overtravel stop. After all the cutting, grinding and fitting and modifying parts I was ready to test-fire it.



That went pretty much as expected; low-power range ammo (Blazer Brass and Magtech) doesn't quite have enough poop to eject reliably, but hotter 115gr JHPs, 124gr. and my handloaded 115gr. ball cycled it perfectly.

I added hand-cut 20 lpi. checkering to the front-strap and under the trigger-guard to improve the grip. The grip safety looks pinned in, but it's still functional.



It still needs sights, to have the mag-well funnel modified and installed and to have the frame coated and the slide stripped and re-blued, so there's still a fair amount of work yet to be done.

I love the way this gun shoots. The light, fast-cycling slide and 9mm caliber bring the gun back on target instantly. Despite the lack of sights I had no trouble keeping rounds on-target at 5 yards, even rapid-fire and double-taps. Really looking forward to finishing this, and shooting it when it has sights.

BreechFace said:

That slide looks like it could use a date on the mill. With your skillset and eye for things I think you could come up with some artistic flair and weight savings.

Would help with reciprocating mass on low powered 9mm or the weight of an optic if you so choose to do.

I always like your build posts such as this

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I was considering weight removal, but the gun shoots so well it seems unnecessary... unless I want to shoot cheap range ammo... hmmm... Of course I'd need a working mill to mill it, and that's a bit of an issue.

Today I modified and fitted the Mag-well funnel and made a bumper-pad for the magazine from a leftover piece of the micarta I used for the grips. Sunday I'll take the slide over to a buddies and have him cut the dovetails for the sights in the slide. I usually file them in by hand, but that's tedious and nerve-wracking and he's set up for it. Once that's done and the sights are mounted the gun will be ready for Gunkote.

nofendertom said:

Any thoughts about removing the light, laser, bayonet (?) rail as it is to be a carry piece ?

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A light is a definite possibility.

I had a buddy mill the sight grooves today. The front sight is a Sig Fiber Optic, the rear sight is a place-holder (it was the right size for a GI dovetail.) I'll be fabricating a rear sight for this, get the sights adjusted then it will be time to coat the frame.

sevt_chevelle said:

Out of curiosity, what's the idea or thinking behind flat topping the rear of the slide and moving the rear sight so far forward?

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The original designer, Pat Yates, did not believe in carrying cocked-and-locked. The prototype had this feature so he could put his thumb there so that he could cock the gun as he drew; the cut out is literally the length of Pat's thumb. Detonics retained it for that reason and, I've no doubt, to give the gun a signature look. I used it for the same purpose- the signature look of the Combat Master.

silicosys4 said:

How close to the original is your version? Measured and matched, customized, eyeballs?
Nice work by the way. I've had to opportunity to see a few collections from people with your inclinations and skills, and one-off oddballs like this are so fun to examine.

I have always loved the Detonics thing, and I like your updated version quiet a bit.

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The grip is about 3/8" longer, more Officer's Model length. Other than that the dimensions are pretty similar but I did not precisely copy the original. For example the recoil system uses a flat-wire spring, so it can use a conventional guide-rod.