Improving non-1911 Semi-Auto Pistol Mechanical Accuracy

[tomrkba]

The purpose of this thread is to talk about improving a non-1911 semi-automatic pistol's mechanical accuracy. In particular, I am thinking of "service grade" guns such as the SIG P220/226, Glock 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 etc, HK, S&W M&P, and similar guns. Please leave out discussions about the 1911 since I am familiar with the process done on 1911's. I have not ever contemplated modifying my Glocks and SIGs for accuracy; I thought it was never done.

This is not a discussion regarding why we would shoot at 25-50 yards. Please refrain from polluting the thread in that way. If you need justification, read the story of Vic Stacy in Texas. He shot an active shooter five times at 65 yards. However, please keep that discussion in another thread.

The impetus for this thread came from reading after action reports (AAR's) of Kyle Defoor's 2 Day Handgun course and videos. One of the comments I saw in one of the AAR's was a compact gun does well with a score of 75/100 or so at 25 yard targets, but could be improved upon with a more accurate gun. It seems like the most common modification is to install a match grade barrel.

What more can be done to service grade handguns to improve mechanical accuracy besides adding a custom barrel and tuning ammunition to the gun?

 

[rockhopper46038]

Anything that positions the muzzle in as closely repeatable position as possible at lockup will improve the mechanical accuracy of a pistol.

You could perhaps cone a barrel and mill a nice bearing surface at the slide end. Some/many of the 1911 techniques can be applied to other makes of pistols, such as slide to frame tightening and providing line to line clearances where it doesn't impede the action.

And as you said, slugging your barrel and sizing/tuning your projectiles is a pretty easy way to improve any pistol's accuracy.

For practical "shooter" accuracy with iron sights you can move the sights as far apart as possible to give you a larger sight radius, even going so far as to hang the front or rear sight off the slide on an extended rib.

 

[tarosean]

Sig? I am sure can be accurized. As evident by the X-5, X-6,
Glock?? There is a reason the term "combat accurate" was coined.... (I own3 so lay off it fanboys)
There are a couple places manufacturing metal/alloy frames that could improve the repeatability.. Then you need to mill a tighter slide...but really what's the point? You would loose the reliability that supposedly makes G famous and dump a lot of hard earned cash.

Me? I'd rather start with a precision instrument than be a test mule...

 

[BCRider]

Some time back I found an article on accurizing a Beretta 92fs. It took much of the same steps as listed above and I believe it introduced a barrel bushing to the slide to better hold the muzzle end supported. As I recall this work was done by army smiths to guns used by army personnel in precision shooting matches.

Since much of the work on accurizing a semi auto handgun revolves around tightening up the fit between parts it pretty much leaves out the idea of accurizing any of the plastic frame guns unless ALL the peening to fit can be done in the slide itself.

 

[Jim K]

Improving the slide to frame fit is not really possible with a Glock, but improving the more important slide to barrel fit is certainly possible and has been done. No bushing but there are ways to solve that problem, and barrel to frame fit is usually pretty good.

Jim

 

[YZ]

All I can think of is the ammo. The rest is custom gunsmithing, above my pay grade. At the Sauer factory they fit each X5 slide to the barrel. Either way, a uber-accurate P226 will cost you.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I've seen some very accurate SIG 220/226 pistols...it is all about the quality of the barrel and how well it is fitted to the slide.

The most accurate 226 I've ever shot was built up on a stainless steel frame and had a gunsmith fit Bar-Sto barrel that had its chamber exterior, breachface and muzzle end fitted much as you would do with a 1911. While the SIG doesn't use a barrel bushing for this lockup, the way it locks into the muzzle end of the slide can be just as tight (the hole is drilled at an angle)

 

[Jim Watson]

I don't know of much being done on aftermarket accurizing of guns other than 1911 and Beretta 92 which are shot in "conventional" (bullseye) matches.

The Sig-Sauer X guns are company custom shop guns that just happen to look like their service pistols. Smith & Wesson did some like that, too; the PPC 9 is a very accurate gun that just happens to look somewhat like a 5906.

I question how much accurizing is really needed. I sent a P226 CPO off to Bruce Gray for every improvement allowed in IDPA. But it was all ergonomic, mostly trigger and sights. The gun did not need a new barrel or refitting for accuracy, it was fine as it stood. M Ayoob once wrote that a Barsto barrel could be had for a P220 but would not improve accuracy a whole lot over the factory barrel.

As far as shooting a compact pistol at a 25 yard bullseye with a qualification score of 83%, I expect most of the guns are mechanically accurate enough, the shortcomings are the short sight radius and the user's ability. Also considering the ammunition. Factory ammo is wildly variable in accuracy even from a target pistol. And the bulk stuff you would take to a high volume defensive weapon class is at the low end of that.

 

[rockhopper46038]

Bruce Gray worked on an X-5 and a P228 for me, and I had the same experience as Jim - no "accurizing" was needed, just some wonderful trigger slide and frame work to make them far better pistols than I'm capable taking full advantage of.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Bruce is the one who tightened up the 226 I mentioned above...for use in Bianchi Cup competition...he also welded and recut the rear sight notch

The gun shot a 1.1" rested group at 50 yards and they were getting about 3" standing groups at the same range

 

[JTQ]

I don't know of much being done on aftermarket accurizing of guns other than 1911 and Beretta 92 which are shot in "conventional" (bullseye) matches.

Jim Watson's comment reminded me of this Beretta bullseye thread. There are some very good pictures of what was done to the Beretta to improve the accuracy of the gun.

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=426755

 

[Pete D.]

Accuracy

The gun shot a 1.1" rested group at 50 yards and they were getting about 3" standing groups at the same range

That is quite nice. Someone who can shoot that well standing should go to Camp Perry and win the National Championship.
Pete

 

[9mmepiphany]

I don't think they have any interest in that sport...they are both USPSA Grand Masters...they both started in Bullseye and got bored

An interesting observation was that they both believed that the ultimate handgun challenge was the Air Pistol as it required the most consistent follow through

 

[Pete D.]

An interesting observation was that they both believed that the ultimate handgun challenge was the Air Pistol as it required the most consistent follow through

+1 about air pistol.....a game of tens.
Pete

 

[Teachu2]

Many "combat-accurate" handguns can achieve better functional accuracy with improved triggers - and more trigger time.