What about chroming slides?

[Snaps]

Anybody have info on this? I was looking over some old threads and saw a pic of a Glock with a chromed slide that looked damn good. Not sure about it though, ideas like how long it will stay, if it will effect the action start to come to mind.

 

[Sven]

I've been thinking a lot about this, but can't bring myself to 'pimp' out any of my guns. Virgil Tripp of Tripp Research got back to me on Jan 28, 2003 and said:

Cost to hardchrome a complete pistol is $150 without barrel or $175 with barrel. Allow $35 for next day return shipping with insurance. We do Visa, Mastercard, cod or personal check or m.o. for prepay with pistol. Current turnaround is about 10 shop days.

Here's an H&K M7M8 in Tripp's satin hard-chrome finish called Cobra Chrome (tm).



Hard chrome is pretty and apparently easy to maintain, but if you have a high polish on there, be ready to wipe off your fingerprints every time you fondle the gun (not that that is bad!).

I've thought about chroming the Glock 17, because it SO needs a personality enhancement. One woman, exposed to my Glock (it sounds so dirty) for the first time, told me, "It's great, I like it, but you should put a sticker on there or something to give it personality".

I don't know about stickers, but this DOES have more personality:

The finish doesn't 'wear off' as I believe a new metal is actually chemically fused/impregnated into the steel.

Again as in previous threads, others with more information and knowledge will chime in shortly...

 

[Snaps]

that looks pretty good. I'm not really looking ot pimp it out. I just don't like all black on my guns and I'm thinking obout an HK so I gotta check out all the options.

 

[mr. e]

Here's another example of Virgil's work.

 

[mr. e]

Try again...

 

[Sven]

mr. e,

Did the slide/frame fit get tighter?

-s

 

[WESHOOT2]

By less than .001"?

 

[mr. e]

Sven,

I didn't notice any difference in the slide to frame fit of the pistol. I know the slide was bead blasted before the finish was applied, and I would guess that the hard chrome might even be a little thinner than the parkerized finish that was removed.

Without a microscopic examination, I'd say that things are exactly the same as they were before I finished the slide sizewise, but she sure is much better looking now.

Virgil at Tripp did a great job, and the turn-around was just over a week from when I sent it to when I got it back.

 

[HSMITH]

If slide to frame fit is VERY tight it will get noticeably tighter. Another "break-in" will be needed. Most guns are sufficiently loose that you will not notice a difference.

 

[stevec]

I've thought about chroming the Glock 17, because it SO needs a personality enhancement. One woman, exposed to my Glock (it sounds so dirty) for the first time, told me, "It's great, I like it, but you should put a sticker on there or something to give it personality".

You could buy those little cutesy Sanrio "Hello Kitty" Japanese cartoon character stickers and put a few on your Glock. Nothing like a little pink kitten face sticker on a Glock to make things surreal.
Or maybe if you have a laser pointer on your Glock, you can get one of the lenses for the front that projects a smiley face or something.

Steve

 

[bassman]

Tripp is the way to go-

He did my p229 and p239 and have been very happy with the results.

 

[Snaps]

damn those both look good.

 

[incursion]

hard chromed by Ford's

 

[CWL]

Among the pistols Virgil Tripp has done for me is a Paraordnance P13. In my case, the addition thousandth's of an inch difference helped this gun, it shoots better groups and feels tighter somehow.

 

[Sven]

Some of the areas look flat or bead-blasted, while others are shiny.

Does this reflect the condition of the pistol when you sent it in, or does Tripp actually do this as part of their work?

 

[Snaps]

I think it's more the light than anything

 

[CWL]

You will need to have the flats repolished after HC'ing, even if they were shiney before.

HC is satin colored, exactly like liquid mercury. It will shine-up only by abrasion on a wheel or belt. Those two Sigs look like they've had their 'flats' polished after HC'ing.

 

[mr. e]

Sven,

Once the slide is hard chromed, Virgil polishes the raised surfaces (the "flats") giving the slide a contrasting polished vs. matte finish. It looks very classy to me.

e

 

[incursion]

My P7 has brushed flats.