Radical Precision Designs

I happen to live in Avon Park which is 15 minutes from the Universal Shooting Academy in Frostproof. The weather lately has been behaving. Sometimes in the morning it may be a bit chilly (60F by Florida standards!) but it warms up pretty quickly and have been having average 70*F throughout the day, and no rain to speak of mostly. Still, I would bring a light warm jacket and an umbrella for just in case ... better to be safe ... I won't be able to shoot the match, (I'm not too happy about it, but doctors orders !!) but I'll be skulking around checking the action and saying hello to everyone. Heck, if the weather is real nice I might even fire up the "barbie" and have a late afternoon little party for some of us either Friday or Saturday. I've been looking for an excuse to do it ... so this may be it. I got some nice "aged" steaks, plenty of chicken, burgers and wieners to flame up. I just got to get some brewsky's and I'll be ready. We'll see, and talk some more about it at the match.

Well, ... Howdy all !!! Yes, I am still alive and kicking and being my self own old codger, fighting this cancer beast. Your prayers have indeed helped. Have gone through three "open belly" surgeries. The last one was on Dec. 2, 2009 and I am coming along just fine. Chemo has helped some and kept me going, and am looking to more chemo to come. Not a fun time for sure, but looks as is God wants to keep me around for the time being, if only to make sure some of you stay on the straight with this sport. I am in a semi-retired status, and got all my machinery at home with me to make it easier to get things done. The Store continues under the guidance of my good friend George Serbov. So life goes on ... I am only taking work in a very limited basis, after very serious discussions with the prospective customer, as I have no time to waste on didle dadle. I can be best reached at my cell phone number: (954)554-2832 to discuss any projects, or if you just want to say "hello", that'll be fine too. I miss chatting with you guys, and some time I just don't get to my PC to see what's going on. Venry (RadCat)

Well, sorry I haven't been around much lately. I have been busy with my war with cancer ... which so far I am winning. A fact is that you will need a sturdy milling machie. A favorite method of mine is to vise-hold the slide verically and ream down close to the lug cuts with a suitable size drill, reamer, or boring bar. Then I fabricate a like sized bushing, with matched threads on slide and bushing, fo either a standard or bull barrel. You can also mill some material on both sides of the firing pin tunnel. So there you are, get to work. You don't need no stinking pictures ! Venry

Once upon a time you could get spare, or different blades for replacement, along with new round/slotted nuts and windage screws. They stopped that a long time ago. If you were to use Caspian sights ... they have a pletora of replacement goodies. Anyhow ... the removal, etc. Get yourself a small spade screwdriver and file down to where it matches the slotted round nut diameter. Now with a small "needle" file cut a center slot in your screwdriver, until it fit snugly into it. You are now ready to proceed. Using and adjustment sized screwdriver, use the tool previously made to anchor the nut as you carefully (back and forth strokes) remove the small nut. The adjustment screw has been slightly "peened" into the nut with a small center punch. Very often the threads of the small nut will be "buggered", so chasing the threads on both parts is recommended with the proper size tap and die. After this you can re-install the parts, and after tightening the small nut again, then use again a small "prick punch" to peen it again. Have fun with it ...

Mark: I think you got my point exactly. While LSI Puma does offer their '92 stainless in 454 Casull, validating their 70,000 PSI capability ... Well, I don't particularly like the pricing on new factory 454 Casull ammo. Nor do I really fancy doing the labor needed to do the reamer pushing thing, nor do I have a Casull reamer on hand. I do have some 454 Casull brass someone gave me and plenty of 45LC brass. But, then if you can PM me with that recipe you mentioned for the 300 gr. bullet and the H110, I'll sure will owe you one. :cheers: Thanks. Venry

Ok. If your buddy is an accomplished fabricator, Have him build for you the following jig: Take a suitable piece of flat steel, like about 12" X 1" X 1/4" and drill an tap two holes for 1/4 - 20". The first hole will be at one of the ends. The second hole will be at the distance you want the juncture of the inside of the "square" size you want. Then affix two stainless steel bolts around one inch in length. Jam the bolts in all the way tight. Now you have a tool/jig that can be used again and again for this chore. To use just get a torch and heat up the trigger guard well, especially at the juncture. Position the end pin/bolt on the outside front top corner of the trigger guard and the inner pin/bolt inside the trigger guard. Apply heat to the juncture to be squared to a dull red/amber color. Obviously this works better if you have the frame tight in a vise vertically. Now, after the color/temperature has been achieved, quickly and gently position the tool and apply gentle outwards pressure. Now with a small ball pin "chasing" hammer, lightly tap the guard to achieve the shape you want. Tap gently as to not distort or misshape, or dent the trigger guard. You will have a great looking squared guard. Follow up with some "artistic" filing, and you are there. Enjoy.

I was actually trying to elicit a response from an actual owner of one of these LSI Puma factory chambered in the 454 Casull cartridge. As I mentioned, I held two of these rifles side by side in the respective chamberings, and I could not see or perceive any external or internal differences. I could be wrong ??!! But while there is not that huge a difference between, let's say a .38 Special and a .357 Magnum, there is a big difference in pressures between the .45LC and the 454 Casull. But frankly I do not foresee a problem. The chambering in itself is relatively easy (once you get the barrel off) and not that much longer. The rifle done in the Casull version is intended to fire either interchangeably. In hind sight I should have bought ti rifle initially in the 454 Casull, but I didn't. Yes, one can get some very impressive loads made in the 45LC as I have made for my TC Contender (G1). The LSI Puma sports a much stronger action than the TC Contender G1. The 45LC case was meant (in the original revolvers) for pressures in the 18,000 to 20,000 PSI. The TC Contender G1 can handle around 45,000 to 50,000PSI. The 454 Casull case was designed for pressures of 70,000PSI. 70,000 PSI pressures are indeed meant for rifle loads (and a few revolvers, of course) The LSI Puma IS one of these rifles as atested by their own offerings. My real question was indeed intended for the possibility of trimming down the 454 Casull cases to 45LC and loading those hotter than I would recommend for the original .45 LC cases. That could save me some time and money, obviously, and I don't really need to make the hottest possible loads in the 454 Casull tables in these shortened cases ...

Thanks for your reply. There are plenty of "other" forums around where you can spend lots of time doing research for opinions, etc. I trust the the opinions and thoughts of THIS forum. It's home for me, even thought it may have a few less shooters interested in "lever action" rifles. I am looking for more of an answer than just: "don't do it..." Something like a why "don't do it" comes to mind. For instance, don't do the re-chambering, and why? or, Don't cut down the "Casull" cases to .45LC length so that a heavier/hotter load can be used, and why? I am familiar with the pressures that the Casull cases and the .45LC cases were designed to work at ... and the fact that the rifle design can handle the Casull pressures under either of the circumstances. I am looking to put a little more "oomph" to the rifle, for expanded use as a "brush" hunting gun. I know what is required to do the re-chambering of this gun too. Just want some actual honest, sincere exchange from somebody's actual experience, or a suitable researched opinion dialogue. Maybe this is not the "best" forum for this question, but "these" are MY people.

I have a couple of lever action rifles in .45LC which I use now and then for "Cowboy Action". One of them is a "Puma" in stainless steel, in the 1892 design. The factory offers the same gun chambered in 454 Casull, which can also fire the .45LC cartridges. I should have bought the Casull chambering, but got the 45LC instead. Now, this is my question/dilema: Should I re-chamber my barrel to the Casull specs. or leave it alone and go a different route like "trimming" the Casull cases down a little bit and then making my own Casull specs. loads ? What would you do, and why?? And, better yet has anyone of you done it. (No, I don't want to buy another rifle !!! you've got to remember that tinkering is my way of life. )

A few questions you made here. The first thing that comes to mind is QUALITY. Quality implies a few things like machining consistency and "trueness" of cut and finish, metal compound/formula and consistent/even hardness overall. A great many of the 1911's that come my way come from the factory with what I consider "consumable" internals, and I have stated that specifically here before. Manufacturers "need" to cut costs somewhere. Since they (manufacturers) did not have in mind competitors putting 500,000 rounds through their guns in a relatively short amount of time, or at such rapid rate, they put in parts (hammer and sear specifically) that are "MIM" manufactured and will hold up to some degree (phoey !) . As soon as I see and identify these the "consumable" label is used. Most of the times the gun owners agree and these parts are replaced immediately. Of course, just because quality parts will hold up and last a lot longer it does not mean that tipically, like magic they will yield results to your hearts contentedness. You still have to make sure everything matches perfectly with your gun or make them so. Mistakes in fitting them can indeed be costly. Don't skimp here, do ti right.

Now, that IS what really matters ... that they are standing behind their work. Kudos to EGW !!!

In my old Shop in New Jersey we used to offer electroless nickel plating. At that time we got our equipment and supplies from Brownells. It included a large "pyrex" glass tank and a magnetic drive mixer built into the the "hot" plate. I think you had to heat it up to around 195 degrees F. After preparing the surface properly, degreasing and "pickling the metal, it was suspended into the green liquid with metal hangers. No electrodes or electrical current. The results were excellent, and it covered the metal in a very uniform way, unlike the more common electro-plating. Nickel is very durable but it is softer than the steel it cover. It can be scratched easily enough. Nickel also has a warm yellowish ting that some people do not like as much as the blue/grayish tone of hard chrome plating. Now they are offering some solutions that produce a slightly harder and less yellowish tones, which are becoming popular. I have been looking into it myself, since lately it is becoming harder to get a complete coverage chrome plating from must platers. I would say that this offering from Midway is excellent. One must consider though that using these chemicals is toxic, and disposing of depleted, or contaminated chemicals can be tricky, or lead to fines if disposed of improperly. Still not as toxic or hard to dispose of as chroming systems chemicals. Most of the plating and hot bluing processes are highly toxic, caustic and a pain in the butt to maintain. But, on the other hand if you have an outside (not inside your home) shed where you can do this and can get away with it (zoning regs.) by all means go for it, as it can be a very rewarding thing to do. With the replenishing chemicals and actual coverage rendering of the solutions, it will not be as cheap as you think though. Have fun with it, and let us know how you make out with it..

Yooooh, guys !!! Listen up ... for real. Take a look at the new Walther SP-22 system. You can mix and match components like you won't believe affordably. The M-3 model has a great adjustable trigger, and it points and balances fantastic. They even have a very nice red dot sight, not expensive, easy to change batteries with an on-off/manual-auto switch. I got all three models for myself with all the available accessories, and I am very pleased. Any questions, just send me a PM.

:cheers: You've been around the block a few times. I've got faith in you..

Sometime ago I replied to a similar post. Maybe this will help. You mentioned putting through a lot of round in one session. Did you "renew" the lubrication as you went along??? Very often I see this situation with a fellow competitor in the middle of a match. I always carry with me a small bottle of "magic lube/oil". When this happens I just put in a few drops of oil at the juncture of the slide and barrel (by the locking lugs) and rack the slide back and forth a few times to disperse the lube over the barrel. Usually the situation disappears instantly, and the slide will continue to close fine again. In your case of doing 2000 rounds, I would also consider going to the safe area, removing the extractor, cleaning it and the tunnel, reinstalling it, lubing the gun a little bit more and back to shooting.

I can not believe my eyes !!!!! Why the heck are you doing that ??? That is about one of the unsafest procedures ever posted here !!! Try to go to the firing line and do what you described here and you will be sent home with a DQ. Keep your finger OFF the trigger. You are providing your own "human trigger BOUNCE" The fact that you can drop the slide hard without the hammer following with your finger off tells that your set-up is fine, AND free of trigger bounce by itself. What you are doing is what I do to show customers how to make the hammer follow every time, no matter how well adjusted the system is. Also, away from the firing line, with an empty gun, when there is actual hammer drop/follow from trigger bounce, this is a test I do to prove it: I put "side" pressure on the trigger while I drop the slide kind of to freeze the trigger in place, and in a well adjusted system the hammer never follows. When you are firing, especially in a light trigger set-up you must be consistent and deliberate in your trigger pull. "Limp fingering" ( :roflol: ) your trigger is dangerous.

Yes. (little trade secret) As you push the trigger there is a little bit of motion as the disconnector "tip" moves forward. Stake it from the rear to increase pre-travel, or from the front to decrease it. Need to be careful not to block disconnector travel hole though. This can remove some trigger travel slopiness. Do your mags pass through your trigger bow without dragging ? If they drag it is an indication that your bow has been squeezed, elongating it. If this is the case then open the bow sideways a little bit, and this will actually shorten your overall bow length. Make sure also the bow's back is straight and not concave/round. Use your common sense as you reshape your trigger bow to fit. Once the trigger is properly fitted and working, then go ahead and play with your set screw. Also check the correlation of your grip safety trigger stop arm.

:roflol: LOL !!!!! You are so right !!!! I like the SVI/Infinity triggers for a few reasons (especially the interchangeability of shoes). I did notice earlier on that on some guns the pre-travel was reduced greatly, sometimes not needing to adjust the pre-travel tabs. I normally do stake the disconnector to change its extra slop anyways, so by staking it in the opposite direction I can restore some of it to where it is just right. At other times I have had to reshape the bow to add some more working room. But all in all I think it is and advantage, as I don't have to bend the freaking tabs all the way to cure excessive pre-travel ... if that is what it is wanted. And very often I do get request to pretty much eliminate to the maximum both pre and post travel for maximum control. Like a few of us, I know we all have our own "little" formulas that makes our trigger work known and requested by shooters who have tried our work. It is like finger prints ... That is why I offer my action work with "free" adjustments included, as not every shooter wants a "cookie mold" trigger. A little bit more here ... a little bit less there !! G_d bless America, the land of free choices !!!! ( It is malfunctions in the middle of a stage that really suck. ) When properly installed and tuned within the design's parameters, all the "sweet" new choices for custom aftermarket parts is a true blessing. We are truly in a niche where so many other firearms would like to be. Sometimes these "so many" choices can be a problem when we do expect that all of them be just a "drop in" part, and not to interfere with other parts in the system, but then find out that something else is not compatible, or needs some adjustment. I have installed and tuned a few customer supplied parts that later on the customer came back and requested the old (replaced) part be put back in place. Not that there was anything wrong ... it just didn't meet the perceived expectation in results. As somebody said: "It is all good !!".

:roflol: LOL !!! Are you saying I am old !!!! Actually, I was taught this trick by an old timer tool and die maker (years ago when I was young !! ) and it came handy. One must learn and borrow from wherever ... Note: Don't forget to send "royalties" to your dad and me ... we'll be waiting !!

This is correct. I'm not Howard but I did stay in a Holiday Inn last night LOL, Howard is a dink. Agreed on how to check it. Best thing to do is take it OUT, a little over travel isn't a bad thing and a lot is better. Try shooting it without it, you might be surprised how much better you shoot without the trigger being able to go solid and influence the entire gun as it is firing.... A little travel in the take up so you can properly prep the trigger and a lot of overtravel to keep you from yanking the gun when it goes solid makes a gun easier to shoot. Noooo ! Howard is not a dink ... but I think he plays one on TV !!! LOL. There is more than just sear pressure or parts geometry to get things copacetic. There is the "human" element, like shooting routine habits. Heck, the original J.M. Browning design didn't even have an overtravel set screw. So someone decided to tweak it and make it better (someone doing things just like I like too, LOL!) to make the "gamesman" in all of us come out. Problem is sometimes we push our equipment more than our personal attributes (fingers, reflexes, etc.) can handle, and we expect our equipment to compensate for it as if it was magic. Darn it !!! Your sear angles and hooks geometry MUST be right, and your spring pressures (including MS housing/hammer spring) must be balanced. When You push that sear/disconnector assembly back, as soon as the disconnector does its thing by removing the sear from the equation, then you are at the mercy of the correlation between those mating surfaces and the integrity of the supporting parts (like sear and hammer pins and frame indexing) and the necessary springs influence to maintain the proper timing. It is not that complicated, but as hammer hooks get smaller and the secondary sear angle gets larger, things start to go the wrong way. The over travel set screw has not magic to it, or that much influence unless you do not follow actual manufacturers instructions in setting them. That is they get in the way of other necessary functions of your gun. like bumping your half cock notch or not letting the gun actually fire. If it is giving you trouble, then don't try to micro-manage it until you find if everything else (including your shooting skils) are well balanced. The pre and over-travel control options can be abused to your detriment and can be pushed to where it could become a safety issue. So ... first make sure your gun works 150% as it is supposed to before you go tinkering with it to make it better. (Gee ... that sounds like my logo !! LOL )

Hey, Berkim: Do you know why the previous ejector broke off ??? Maybe a magazine hit it ?? Figure out why or you may end up replacing it again soon enough. Normally I will use the EGW ejectors, but they require judicious fitting and shaping.

I have never had a problem with a factory cut Wilson/Nowlin ramp from STI or a Clark/Lissner from SVI. When given a choice I will do the Clark/Lissner ramp cut, as I consider it to be stronger/superior, but have no real aversions towards the Wilson/Nowlin and can do/cut it just as easily.

My favorite way to cut serrations on slide tops is with a surface grinder. I turn a "roller" wheel in my lathe with the LPI/shape I want. I will put that "grooved" wheel in a V-block and put on the magnetic table. Then I will slowly put pressure on the grinding wheel as I turn it by hand and crush the shape into the grinding wheel. Now I have a perfectly shaped tool that after a couple of gentle passes will give me a great serrated surface.

What can I say ?? I get along fine with SVI and STI. Both companies know that a healthy, "prodding" competitive atmosphere actually fosters good products for everyone. While there might be some jokes about the chosen line of products name, the truth is that one does homage to the other and does no harm. SVI's Infinity name alludes to the myriad of enhancements Available in their product line, kind of a factory/custom. SVI's emphasis is really towards customer's choice of features as offered in their guns rather than a straight production approach. STI on the other hand being more apt to offer a more stabilized production line, has had their Custom line finally expanded to be closer to a custom offering than ever before. Neither of them as of recently had been offering parts for installation in their gun other than their own. Yes, I know SVI earlier offered Schuemann barrels, but that WAS their only option, and now everything IS on house built. This is good, but I'd rather see some other parts from other manufacturers being offered in their guns. That is for both of them. Now STI is opening the door to an "outside" supplier, incorporating that supplier's brand to be included in the build. That pleases me, and I only hope that it is a beginning towards allowing/using other choice parts too from outside suppliers. Heck, not that I mind it that much, after all that is a good part of my business: truly customizing by offering the choice parts on your dream guns. But that's ok. The more the merrier. All I know is that Dave Skinner "promised" me in front of Russell Skinner and other "verifiable" witnesses that I should have those new aluminum grips in my hands within 90 days. I AM counting the days ... Those grips, very likely will be available to gunsmiths (and others) in a similar finish as the sample at the Shot Show for custom re-doing and finishing. In addition there will be some more traditional finishes. But the whole thing is that they are promising their availability: "sooner and for a $ (dollar) less than anyone else. Now, I wonder if SPS is "eavesdropping" in all of this ... (??? )

This is interesting. The 9L was "widely" available before the Pro was. Yet, the Pro was approved first. Is it that shooters were not buying the 9L already on the dealers counters, or just not enough 9L's made altogether and available for purchase ?? I do understand that there were several shooters in a waiting list for the Pro, but it looks like perhaps production and delivery of the 9L was stopped/reduced in favor of the Pro, so that the Pro would be approved first ?? Just wondering ...