P-90 , Remove Metal ?
- Thread starter HoBoBum
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HoBoBum, When these guns are engineered, the size and strength of the components are a "critical" consideration. To "melt" means "only" to smooth out (round slightly) the sharp edges! It usually is ok to take a little off the back of the grip frame but taking metal off the slide is a definite "NO-NO" in this man's opinion. The slide is a "critical" strength area and anything removed from it could definitely effect "safety" issues!................................Dick :idea:
wellsir, I would tend to think the same thing , except I see custom working models with holes drilled in the slide as big around as a cigarette, slots cut all the way thru on both sides in rows of two or three, and then there are the cocking-serrations both on rear and front of slides that are cut at least half-way thru......all these would dispell your theory.....that's why I asked
Flash
Buckeye
I've been thinking about this for a few days now and I'm writing with my P-89 by my side. I have to say that there is a few ounces, at least that can be scraped off the frame and slide. Of course the frame would have to be stripped and refinished but the current bake-on finishes would work if one is satisfied with the look. There would have to be an 1/8" here and 1/16" there but it's definately possible. It looks to me that all the sharp edges can be smoothed to equal the thickness of the remaining area and still function fine. However, these ribs could offer strength and without them, the frame could possibly flex and grow under recoil. The slide could be skeletonized with small holes and still remain strong but it would be ugly, in my opinion. There is a seller on gunbroker who sells chopped guns, I'm assuming from police confiscations that would be a good avenue for spare slides, in the event you go too far. I might have a go at it myself.
Here is the problem with removing metal from slides and frames. Sure, a lot of people do it but there are very strict "guidelines" if you do it. When you significantly reduce the "weight" of the slide, you must as a bare minimum, put a stronger recoil spring in the gun to offset the "battering" that will take place with the "factory" loads the gun was engineered for. Forces can "triple" with just a few ounces of metal removed! That slide is going to come back a lot faster than it was designed for. This is only the "start" of considerations. Remember that "timing" is a large part of the operation of a semi-auto pistol! Extraction, ejection and reliable feeding are all on an engineered "timed" operation. The stresses that the "frame" and "slide" endure, come into play when you "change" any of the above factors I have mentioned. That's why I strongly recommend the amateur or layman not attempt this type of modification. That leads me to the famous 8 words I used to hear from a lot of "shadetree" gunsmithing customers. "Somebody screwed this up, can you fix it"????????.......................Dick :idea:
I have actually researched this same idea for my P95. I found a company in michigan that does the kind of custom work you are talking about. But, they have engineered the porting of the slide and barrel. They make sure your firearm is balanced and will function properly before it leaves their shop. I just don't have the $$$ to get it done.
Check it out. http://www.magnaport.com/
Check it out. http://www.magnaport.com/
azrugershooter
Single-Sixer
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- Feb 10, 2009
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HoBoBum":y0n0ejsa said:
HoBoBum listen to the advice that Pinecone is giving you. I have personally seen what happens when this type of work is done by "home gunsmiths". I worked with someone who decided to lighten the slide on his Springfield 1911 like he had seen on a race gun done by well known 1911 smith . He was a machinist by trade and used very high tech equipment to do the work and was going by pictures and measurements of the well known 1911 smiths work. He thought he could improve on the well known 1911 smiths work and went a little further. When done the he had to use a much heavier recoil spring combo to keep the slide from beat the living hell out of the frame due to the greatly increased slide speed. His gun worked fine for most of a year. It was shot at least 4 times a month @ 500-1000 rounds per month (do the math here). The back in dec 08 the 2 of us and 5 others who all worked together with went out to shoot on a sat. afternoon. My co worker pulled out his "home gunsmithed" 1911 and started shooting he was half way through the 2nd magazine when the slide let go just behind the ejection port and went straight back into his forehead and killed him right their and then.
I'm not saying that your gun is guaranteed to do the same thing. But how do you know it won't?
