1911 Slide Advice

[mkonops]

I have an older 1911 with a Brazilian army slide. The slide is pretty well beat after many years of use. The front sight post is worn down and white dots once located in the rear sights have now fallen out.

I feel most comfortable with three dot sights, preferably night sights, but I would need my slide machined to accept such upgrades from what I understand. My question to you is what the best course of action is here. I want new sights, but it seems for the cost of machining, I can just pick up a pre cut slide like this one on gunbroker for around $140.

Where can I get my current slide cut for standard sights at a reasonable price? Or is it wiser to just replace it with a new one thats already cut?

 

[redneckrepairs]

I suspect you can get a front dovetail cut and night sights installed for less than 140 . Realize also that a new slide will have to be fit to the frame , and the barrel fit to the slide ( if possible ) . You may well get into a new barrel , link , ect to properly fit and time the pistol if you replace slide .

 

[Just_a_dude_with_a_gun]

I don't know much about that brand, but any new slide n that state may need to be fitted to the frame, I would think. Putting your old extractor, firing pin, etc, in a new slide could cause additional issues with fitment as well.

you CAN get new nightsights for a older .gov 1911's that have stake-on fronts.

But, getting it dovetailed and installed by, say, Novak would yield great results for less than
you think.

 

[redneckrepairs]

Send it to a big name smith if you want , but anyone who knows how to square up a mill and has the proper tooling can cut the dovetil , Its not rocket science, and about any local smith will likely do a fine job for less time and money .

 

[bannockburn]

When you say the slide is pretty well beat, what exactly is wrong with it? Is it just the sights, does it need to be refinished (which someone would do if they had to mill out your slide for new sights anyways), is really loose/sloppy on the frame, etc? Because as the other two members posted, it will take some work to find and fit a new slide to your old frame, and then some more work to get all the internals working together again. If there's nothing mechanically wrong with the old slide, maybe get some price quotes on installing a new set of sights for it first.

 

[mkonops]

But, getting it dovetailed and installed by, say, Novak would yield great results for less than you think.

Great idea. I'm going to check with them and see what it will cost to have them install what I need.

Thanks for the advice all around. My current slide is mechanically sound, just looks like its been to hell and back. I was under a false assumption that the machining work would be more than getting a new slide. But I didn't account for all the fitting and possible incompatibility of the internals. If Novak's website is correct and their turnaround is within a week, I will be one happy camper! Have any of you sent your slides/pistols into them before?

 

[SoCalShooter]

I have a sistema colt also. I plan to put a marvel on it. I was going to put a colt national match barrel and slide on the frame but between the fitting and gunsmithing work it was going to be more effective to put the marvel 22 on it so I can use it in 22 matches thus my colt national match series 70 has a little brother. You may want to look at a pt1911 instead. 1911 tuning can get expensive unless you can find a slide with the sights already installed. If it were me and I were going to replace the slide I would probably put a KART or KKM barrel in it anyways and the new slide, new barrel and fitting and finish would be about the price of a new gun.

 

[mkonops]

Well, You guys were right - as usual. On 11/26 I emailed Novak to get a price quote: $185 + shipping for the whole deal; cutting, sights, and installation. I mailed in my worn old slide on the 27th with a work order. On 12/4 I got a phone call asking me if I wanted my slide bead blasted and blued, so I said sure - I didn't even know they offered the service. I forgot to ask what it cost, but it really needed the work either way. Well its 12/6 and the slide was at my doorstep when I got home. They did a truly fantastic job - and the refinish was free. I couldn't be happier with the speed, service, and work of Novak. All said the project cost me $194, well under what it would have cost me to replace it, just like you guys said. Now my old workhorse has a new look and I haven't been so excited to shoot it since the day I got it - Thanks to THR and Novak!