Novack sight slide cuts on a 1911.

[Darkside]

My next question.

How hard is it to cut the slots for Novack style sights in a 1911 slide using files? I have cut sight dovetails in rifle barrels before but remember someone saying that 1911 slides are hardened or harder than barrel steel.

Thanks

Darkside

 

[Dave Sample]

Almost impossible.

 

[Darkside]

Dave would you please expand on your comment. Is it because most people cannot file a flat surface, or sneak up that last couple thous or make a perfect 90 deg. cut. Or, is the metal on Colt slides much harder than others? I am not trying to ruffle any feathers, I would just like to know.

Several(20ish) years ago I did inlet a sight that looked very much like a Novack style into an Essex slide. I just do not know if Colt slides are harder.

I bought this pistol at a very good price with the intentions of completing most of the work myself. The previous owner had the commander hammer and beaver tail grip safety put on already. The pistol was in sad shape. Looks like someone left the pistol in a holster after it had gotten wet and pitted the slide. My plans are to cut(if I can) or have the Novack style sight cut made(reluctantly, buy someone else), install the sights, a little tweaking for reliablity and maybe stipple the front strap. I have already cut the commander hammer from the round hole style to the newer "teardrop" style(I think that is what they call it now) because I liked the look. I have a friend who will coat it for me after I make all the changes.

As you may be able to tell I do not want to put much money in this project since I bought it with the intention of it becoming a "tacklebox" gun. A side benifit is I enjoy doing the work my self.

Thanks

Darkside

 

[Bill Z]

To properly cut the sight it needs to be slightly tapered, this is nearly impossible to do by hand, and if you go too far then welding is in order. Nothing is more irritating than a sight that constanly loosens up or has a gap in the dovetail. Your actually having to cut depth, and then width at an angle, plus maintain the dovetail. And yes, the Colt slide is hard, I would say second only to Kimber's.
I would reccomend you get in touch with Don Williams at www.theactionworks.com and let him cut it for you. He has the equipment, and mailing just the slide back and forth is cheap. He has done nearly 50 for our students flawlessly, and I'm sure hundreds if not thousands for his customers. He also likes to help home smith's with this kind of machine work and is extremely reasonable. Let me also give a plug for Chuck Rogers, www.rogersprecision.com , either one of these men will do perfect work, let their workload and your timeschedule decide which one to use.
Save your labors for polishing, doing the carry bevel, fitting a NM bushing, checkering, etc...

 

[Darkside]

Hammer mod pics.

Here is a pic. of the hammer I cut from the "round hole style" to the "tear drop style"

Darkside

 

[Darkside]

Pitting Pic.

Just to let you know what I am working with here is a very poor pic. of the pitting.

Darkside

 

[Dave Sample]

Bill Z took care of what I would have told you. These cuts have to made on a good mill by a competent machinist. Either of these men we mentioned can do it. I have been building 1911's for 20 years and would not even think of doing a Novack sight cut by hand. If it could be done it would take several hours and at $ 75.00 per, I could not afforid it. If it is a "Tackle Box Gun" then I would not waste much time and money on it. I believe that Colt 1911's are a fairly good builder platform, but it's not my thing, so perhaps you get some opinions from others that would be more favorable than mine. I do not work on 80 series 1911's and have referred all that came my way to others. I did one many years ago and my son has it now and has had it for many years. I gutted it and replaced the lawyer parts with a shim and turned the clock back on it and made a shooter out of it and then gave it to Billy. It came in a 70 series box and may be the first one they made. The serial number was FG 19000.