Alloy frame repair

[jojosdad]

I just discovered a crack in the frame of my beloved Star PD, right above the square hole for the slide stop. Can this be repaired, or will I be forced to part out my old friend?

 

[JoeHatley]

I used a kit from these folks www.durafix.com to "aluma-weld" the cracked frame on this RMT 1911 alloy frame. It's basically brazing with aluminum rods.



It actually worked quite well (I was surprised), but I didn't trust my fix for .45 acp, so I use it as a dedicated .22 frame now.

Good Luck...

Joe

 

[Jim Watson]

Colt took care of that problem by cutting out the whole area above the slide stop lug hole. There is nothing there TO crack. I'm not telling you to keep shooting it, but I would.

 

[HSMITH]

I agree with Jim, but I would also stop drill the crack before shooting it again.

 

[Harold Mayo]

Give the guys at Evolution Gun Works a call.

 

[jojosdad]

Thanks for all the advice.
I looked at it again under a magnifying glass, (which I should have done in the first place), and it looks like it's a machined cut. I think I'll spend a few bucks with my local gunsmith and get his opinion.
One question - what's stop drilling?

 

[HSMITH]

Stop drilling is drilling a hole at the end of the crack. The stresses that caused the crack will keep cracking the frame if allowed to continue, stop drilling gives a round smooth surface for the stresses to disapate and be re-directed in different directions. It works like trying to smash an egg in your hand, then smash one with a cracked shell, way less than scientific description but you get the idea.

 

[jojosdad]

Thanks,
That's what I thought it meant. In this case, the rack runs completely through the frame, just above the slot the slide runs on, from one side to the other.

 

[jojosdad]

Just did a web search and found this site on the PD. http://www.alpharubicon.com/leo/starpdserger.htm
The pictures clearly show that the slide cut is machined.
Thanks for all the help anyway.