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Old October 2, 2001, 03:50 AM   #1
AndABeer
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Milling out 1911 front cocking serrations?

I think I have seen one or two full size 1911s where the front of the slide has been milled to it it sort of a HP contour (kinda like the Wilson Sentinel but full size). I have come to despise front cocking serrations, but have several 1911s with them as it is the style these days. Is there a smith that offers milling them away as a service along with hard chroming?
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Old October 2, 2001, 11:12 AM   #2
George Stringer
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Andabeer, you aren't the first to ask for that. I've done it to about 1/2 a dozen so far. Some prefer to have the serrations filled instead of milled off. If you mill them it adds sort of a Browning HP look to the front of the slide. I'd be happy to do it for you just e-mail me. George
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Old October 2, 2001, 12:15 PM   #3
Quartus
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What does the end result look like, George?
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Old October 3, 2001, 08:34 AM   #4
George Stringer
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Captain, it depends on how you do it. If you fill the serrations then the slide can be shaped to look normal. If you mill them out then you have a narrowed area that looks somewhat like the slide on a Browning HP. George
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Old October 3, 2001, 10:28 PM   #5
James K
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George and Andabeer,

I don't know if you saw it or not, but there is a posting on the semi-auto forum (with pics) about Springfield Armory stainless slides that have broken in that area. So milling one of those down would weaken it still further and maybe lead to breakage and possible injury, since it looks like the rear part of the slide could come back into the shooter's face.

Jim
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Old October 4, 2001, 08:26 AM   #6
George Stringer
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Jim, I'd probably agree with that if the serrations weren't already there. The "lands" of the serrations don't add any strength to the steel. It's only going to be as strong as it's weakest or in this case thinnest point which in this case would be the "groove" of the serrations. I wouldn't recommend anyone take them down any farther than that. George
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Old October 4, 2001, 11:28 AM   #7
Quartus
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George, if you fill it in, how? Weld it up? How's the strength in that case?

BTW, this is just curiosity on my part. Neither of mine have serationsn on the front, and I have no plans to put them there!
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Last edited by Quartus; October 4, 2001 at 10:40 PM.
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Old October 4, 2001, 05:13 PM   #8
James K
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Hi, George,

I agree that there would be no problem if milling involved only the serrations. But the picture shows the slide broken right at the rear of the bushing tunnel and about 1/8 inch behind the last serration. I don't know how you do the work, but I would think the milling would start at or just behind that critical area.

I have no doubt that there is something wrong with those slides. Still, if a gunsmith were to do a mill job on one of them and it later broke, I'll bet at least a coffee that the smith would get the blame, not the gun maker.

Jim
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