I intend to update/customize/accurize/reliability(ize) a MetroArms American Classic II. Before I invest any time/effort/money in this pistol I want to check to see if the slide was properly heat treated from the factory.
I read the through "DRAWINGS OF THE 1911-A1 MODEL GOVERNMENT PISTOL" to see that the slide is locally heat treated at the bottom of the slide rails and at the impact point of the slides: slide stop notch, assembly notch, safety notch and ejector port (breachface?).
I am trying to decide the best place to hardness test the slide because the Rockwell test leave a small indentation after the test.
Has anyone check their slides hardness?
If so, what surface did you check?
Quote:
...the slide is locally heat treated at the bottom of the slide rails and
at the impact point of the slides: slide stop notch, assembly notch, safety
notch and ejector port (breachface?).
The slide's not locally heat treated, it's uniformly heat treated - at least according to Note 3.B. on the drawing. It's just tested locally for hardness.
If what you're looking for is places to test that won't leave a dent on the normally visible parts of the slide, there's the one at the front part of the disconnector rail. Other than that all I can suggest is take the slide to your local test facility and see where the indenter will fit. Maybe the back of the slide in the area hidden by the firing pin stop? The rear sight dovetail cut?
Wherever you decide, insure the slide is adequately supported. While the load sum for the Rockwell C scale is only 150kg (about 330lbs), it could bend/break thinner sections.
Oh. Never had it done. Just some idle thoughts.
I must have misread/understood the prints because one hardness zone requires HRC 33-46 whereas another zone requires HRC 40-46. Then I drew the conclusion that the slide was induction heated in localized regions so not to through hardened other areas that may become too brittle and crack. Then I thought that a $450 pistol slide might not go through such an elaborate heat treat. I have a bad habit of over thinking.
If they heat treated the entire slide then it is probably good to go. I originally was asking how to check only the few areas of the slide that have the HRC 40-46 and HRC 33-46 without raising a burr on those surfaces of the slide.
Considering that the hard barrel is burnishing the locking lugs then the hardness is probably OK. I still may take the slide to work to measure actual hardness values.
It looks like the update/customize/accurize/reliability(ize) project is "A Go".
I intend to hard fit a barrel first then a trigger group.
Just as a guess, maybe the HRC 33 - 46 area (front of disconnector rail) is allowed to be a bit softer than the other areas just because it's thicker? And might not get quite as hard? And the thinner areas along the rails are expected to get harder - just cuz they're thinner?
Yeah, that sounds good - I'm stickin' with it!
I think that the WWII pistols were heat-treated at the front of the slide and the area around the slide stop notch, hence the different color. Later slides though, I believe they are heat-treared all over. Not sure.
I got to check the slide hardness today. It checked in between Rockwell 40-43 as shown in the pictures below. I checked a two places twice. The dings just add character I already polished out the inside dings so they won't drag across the barrel hood. They are all within print spec.....yippee...
Man, I would never do that!
Yep... but I just had to know if I was going to build on rock or sand....
Next order of business is:
1. Kart Easy Fit barrel.
2. Cylinder & Slide 24/7 trigger group.
3. Home stipple front strap.
4. Coal Creak Armory ceramic filled matte black on top of Parkerize.
4. a Coal Creek Armory Parkerize Kart barrel.
No one at the range will notice the dings... they will be too distracted by the big ragged hole in the center of my targets.