milling slides?

.50cal packer · October 7, 2015, 09:00 AM

So, I'm looking into a S&W SD40VE. Anyone, familiar with the S&W line, know it's not a C.O.R.E. firearm. But instead, of getting a rail that mounts from the underside, I'm wanting to mill the slide, so the optic (Burris FastFire II), can sit directly on the slide. My question is, can this be done on this pistol or most pistols? Is there a minimum slide thickness a pistol must have, or a slide with required specs for milling to take place? Further note, I will not be performing the milling, as a qualified gunsmith will be. But wanted to know if anyone has done milling to set an optic, and found that it couldn't be done.

g.willikers · October 7, 2015, 01:09 PM

Your qualified gunsmith should know if and where the slide can be safely machined.
Plenty of pistols are milled where the rear sight originally is located.

BoogieMan · October 9, 2015, 04:36 AM

I am not familiar with that particular slide. Most slides that do not have a safety or decocker built in (like a beretta 92) can be milled to accept a red dot. However, most gunsmith don't have a cnc mill to cut the slide. It can't be cut practically without a cnc mill because a proper fit requires threaded bosses to be milled in. There is a member on here that has done many. I think his website is hunter customs.

T. O'Heir · October 9, 2015, 12:36 PM

"...Is there a minimum slide thickness..." Yep. There may not be enough SS to mill the slide flat and D&T for screws.
Suspect you may have issues with there being enough room for an optical sight on that little thing though. It's only 7.2" long with the ejection port in the middle and the sights at either end.

October 7, 2015, 09:00 AM	#1
.50cal packer Senior Member Join Date: January 11, 2006 Posts: 154	milling slides? So, I'm looking into a S&W SD40VE. Anyone, familiar with the S&W line, know it's not a C.O.R.E. firearm. But instead, of getting a rail that mounts from the underside, I'm wanting to mill the slide, so the optic (Burris FastFire II), can sit directly on the slide. My question is, can this be done on this pistol or most pistols? Is there a minimum slide thickness a pistol must have, or a slide with required specs for milling to take place? Further note, I will not be performing the milling, as a qualified gunsmith will be. But wanted to know if anyone has done milling to set an optic, and found that it couldn't be done. __________________ { Ceteris Paribus } You know that your ignorance is stupidity, when you're getting responses to your post starting with, *IT SEEMS TO ME, LIKE ALL THESE NEW GUYS THINK...* Last edited by .50cal packer; October 7, 2015 at 10:12 AM.

October 7, 2015, 01:09 PM	#2
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Your qualified gunsmith should know if and where the slide can be safely machined. Plenty of pistols are milled where the rear sight originally is located. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

October 9, 2015, 04:36 AM	#3
BoogieMan Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2012 Location: South Jersey Posts: 2,217	I am not familiar with that particular slide. Most slides that do not have a safety or decocker built in (like a beretta 92) can be milled to accept a red dot. However, most gunsmith don't have a cnc mill to cut the slide. It can't be cut practically without a cnc mill because a proper fit requires threaded bosses to be milled in. There is a member on here that has done many. I think his website is hunter customs. __________________ Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it. Milton Freidman "If you find yourself in a fair fight,,, Your tactics suck"- Unknown

October 9, 2015, 12:36 PM	#4
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...Is there a minimum slide thickness..." Yep. There may not be enough SS to mill the slide flat and D&T for screws. Suspect you may have issues with there being enough room for an optical sight on that little thing though. It's only 7.2" long with the ejection port in the middle and the sights at either end. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!