Apparently there is a gap, around .040", when my slide is locked into battery, between the rear of the slide and frame. The ends aren't flush in other words.
Any idea on how to fix it?
The fit is pretty tight in there and I am using a link I believe to be a long link from a Wilson Group Gripper.
Dressing down the frame to match the slide or the other way around is not uncommon. What you need to ensure before you do this is that your barrel is servicable and it has not been overcut in the lower lugs area. The lower lugs being overcut would allow the slide to be to far forward as per your photo. Also if you think you will in the near future replace your barrel I would wait until it is fit before blending the two as the barrels lower lugs dictates where the slide stops.
quote:
any idea on how to fix it?
Files and a Dremel or Foredom with a sandpaper roll. At least that's how I do it.
It seems in the interim before your reply I examined the bottom feet in relationship to the slide stop pin and there is a space that about equates the amount the slide is forward.
Being this is a Wilson's drop in barrel from years back I have no idea if I have ever messed about that area.
I don't think so.
When I use that barrel with the Group Gripper the slide/frame gap rests where it should be, and lockup is tight, even though i narrowed the hood for a Gold Cup.
What barrel currently available has the correct feet to slidestop pin relationship already cut into it or close to it?
Would link changing help any instead of the new barrel?
Is this a new barrel?
If you took the link out and placed the barrel back in (without the springs), would the barrel go into battery and the slide even up or get close to even up?
I would re-measure the lugs for link size difference.
Then re-measure battery in/out clearence to make sure I got .050
quote:
what barrel currently available has the correct feet to slidestop pin
relationship already cut into it or close to it
Any drop in barrel will have the lower lugs cut to spec. Any match barrel will come oversize needing to be trimmed by a smith. Any barrel tinkered with by someone not knowing what they are doing can display the characterics yours displays. All I am saying is do not alter frame or slide until you have the barrel in it that will be in it for a long long time. A Kart drop in barrel would be my choice if I were looking for a new barrel. Below is a pic of me measuring the lower lugs. They should not be smaller than .100 as per photo also I do not recommend long linking a barrel or using a group gripper.
Using my Ciener 22 conversion slide as a gauge, it sits perfectly where it should on this frame.
Ditto with my Gold Cup top end.
Ditto with the Wilson barrel in question, installed in a different slide.
I believe the Rock Island Armory slide is out of spec somewhere allowing it to do this. It also does it with the Gold Cup barrel installed.
A couple of lessons learned [maybe]
1] You get what you pay for...
2] Don`t buy any parts from Sarco
The last thing I want to do is grind fit the frame to this slide and have it being not able to swap any other [quality] slide. If I did this every other slide would be too long!
Blindhogg
Sep. 15 2002
Yep it sounds like through the power of deduction you have a out of spec slide. Rock Island Armory is not necessarily known for their quality control. You could always just use it for building a beater later on though.
Yeah, I also calipered the sizes of the barrel in question, the R.I.A. slide and the Gold Cup slide off of the Springfield Armory prints and the sizes are all good, but when you stand the two slides on end you can see the Colt slide is longer by... you guessed it, .040"
I am going to use the R.I.A. on an aluminum 80pct. It will be easier to blend that way, for a truck gun.
Does the .040 look blendable? Seems like it would take a bit of a radius to even up.
Never mind, the thumb safety cutout would still be out a country mile!
Sure its blendable, I am sure if you take your time and a sandpaper roll on a Dremel or Foredom you could make it look right. Now the gap in the thumb safety is another story. But you can't have it all.