Radical Precision Designs

There has been a lot of work done on this subject especially by Mike Callaway at Schuemann Barrels. Mountains have been moved. I haven't kept much with it lately, but Mike has done a lot. (I read in other thread something about being pretty much already there, approved. Please correct me on this!! ) Today I was at the 2009 Shot Show in Orlando, Fla. While there I meandered towards the STI booth, see what was new and exciting. Well plenty. Russell and Dave Skinner were their usual bent over-board with info and having fun with it. They showed me their new aluminum 2011 grip. (They promised it will be ready in about 90 days, and I'm going to pester them about it ... not teasing allowed, you hear ???) Now what they showed me next is really great. In coordination with Schuemann barrels they are offering their own version of the Sight-Tracker in both 5 inches and in 6 INCHES. Yes, that is correct: a STI factory built 6" "ribbed/hybrid barrel (no holes) made by Schuemann and incidentally called the "Infinete" Both in 5" and 6". It is priced nicely too. So between factory offerings and Custom builds (don't forget ME on that ) there are plenty of choices to pick from. Get your orders in !!!!!!! Note: Somehow I could not upload the picture of the gun from STI from Photobucket. (????)

Just went today to the Shot Show in Orlando, fla. While there, I spoke to Aaron Hogue. He showed me a stack of ready to go Avenger uppers ... They are here and ready to go. Orders are being filled. These are in .45 ACP. The .40SW is next. Now let's see how soon we can get 500 of these out there ...

Well ... Shooterbenedetto ... I got in here for a couple of weeks now a "small frame" from when EAA was in Hialeah, and my 9mm mags fit in just fine. I think it belongs to you ... !!!! Yeah, man, small frame Tanfoglios rock in 9mm Major !!! I am busy converting a few of them(CZ) SPO1's to Open, using the front disassemby/barrel removal system.

Try a REAL oil. WD40 has some of the worst anti-rust properties that you can get. Now ... I take offense to that, Matt !!!! I have been using WD-40 on my knees for a while now, and they haven't rusted yet. When I got a total left knee replacement they put in a lifetime supply of WD-40 inside my knee, and it is still working 9 years later. Oops ... I just realized my artificial knee is made of stainless steel. But, hey I keep on spraying it on my "natural" right knee, and it keeps the arthritis away !!!!! You see I spray plenty of WD-40 on my gun, so that it drips into my knee, kill two birds with one stone. Also, WD-40 spray oil makes excellent propellant for my "potato" gun. Press that bar-b-que ignitor switch, and Blaaamo ... watch out you stinky chipmunks !!!! All kidding aside ... is WD-40 non toxic ??? Can I use it in my frying pans instead of Pam ????

Again the GM splits on the keyboard beat the old man napping while posting Yoooh ! I was taking my own beauty sleep !!! How long has the recoil spring been in use ?? How 'bout the barrel link ?? could it be "stretched" ?? Change both with fresh parts, (which might be a good idea anyway) and then send the gun to your favorite 'smith to re-tweak your barrel fit. A few items concerning barrel indexing as the gun settles during cycling need to be checked. Then again ... you could always refer to the first shot as having been your "warning shot".

Well, as they say:"different strokes for different folks"... One of my specialties is t build multiple caliber high end carry guns. With the proper care and tuning you can indeed get the two barrels to shoot fairly close with each other at a specific distance. Mostly though, carry guns do not get to be used a very long distances where a different point of impact would be magnified. Here is another one I built some time ago. (the one on top) This one has a barrel in .45 ACP and the other one in 10mm. They are both V ported and use the SVI/Infinity interchangeable breech face. Surprisingly enough, both barrels work very well with the same ejector and extractor. Yeah, it was very pricey.

My choice was to use two barrels. This is my personal every day carry gun, sometimes I carry a different gun, but this one is my favorite. Para 14-40 LDA (no longer made) in stainless steel. With the .45 ACP magazines (modified lips) I can load 15 rounds of 10mm plus another one in the chamber. Not bad firepower for a "Officer's model" sized gun.

Eric- Much more so than the paint itself, surface preparation is the real issue. Some of these old machines have oil soaked deeply, and it has to be degreased completely before any new paint will take proper hold and not peel off in the presence of some oils and solvent commonly used on daily work routines. Heck I remember years ago repainting one of my old "M" heads Bridgeports that was pretty ratty looking and I used a good alkyd floor enamel (brushed in) after degreasing and some fifteen years later when I sold it was still looking great. I still have an old Milwakee drill press that I painted at the same time and it is holding great. But as mentioned above, a good epoxy based paint will have much better chemical resistance, but it will require and even better degreasing and scuffing of the base paint. It will be worth your while when you finally look at the finished product. Good luck with it.

Howard, that's outstanding ! Just make sure you don't loose your regular day job, 'cause if you do, you'll have to work quite a few nights to afford one of those babies. (that is if you can justify the expense to please your night's fun work = that's a lot of mags you'll have to tune !!!) But, on the meantime, enjoy. I am about to purchase a much smaller set up to the one you describe. A fifth axis to rotate the parts will be needed on my set up. Ouch, there goes the cost. I need to fabricate a lot of small parts. CSEMartin- That's a good set up you got going. It will definately hold you to the specs you need. Enjoy it.

Darn it, I have X, Y, Z, plus a Z1 !!!!! And it is not even a CNC !!!!! I have the mill set-up with a DRO in the knee (Z1) in addition to my normal Z in the quill. I had to install an additional display unit since my regular display only has three lines for the read outs. It gives me a much wider latitude for everything.

They do have an "upper" for the AR's called the AR-5.7, but I don't thing it uses the FNH SP-90 magazines ... (???) It is meant to use the 5.7 X28 ammo in the AR platform. On the other hand ... if you still have that brass around, and feel compelled to get rid of it, just send me a PM. I might be a tad interested. I have checked in the Five Seven Forums and found some useful info. I was hoping to find some info here from my "peeps". Correction: I am being told that the AR-5.7 upper does indeed uses the top mounted P-90 mags and also ejects though the bottom (AR mag opening) in a similar fashion as the SP-90. Now ... if somebody made this conversion for the AR but it would fire the 5.56 instead of the 5.7X28 .... Or, (here is my "wet" dream) ... a conversion that would fire the 5.56 in the SP-90.

I have a bone to pick with Infinity/SVI. Their guns are so well designed and built to the point that there is not much I can do to improve them. I mean, really, how is one to be able to make a decent living out of fixing manufacturers shortcomings, if there are not that many ????? Keep it up, Brandon (and Sandy and all)

Baruch at'a adonai ... Tomorrow I'll put my mother on it. Something known in my family for a while now: when my mother prays G_d listens. The prayers of our members in these forums have magic too. I should know, as these prayers have sustained me and put a very positive spin in my own health issues battle. The prayers of our members and their kind words brought tears to my eyes as I endured the ICU, and gave me the needed resolve to fight to the point where soon it will all be history. Thank y'all. Your father is in G_ds hands and in our prayers, both for your father and to give you the stamina to be there for him. "This too shall pass..." Venry

They do have an "upper" for the AR's called the AR-5.7, but I don't thing it uses the FNH SP-90 magazines ... (???) It is meant to use the 5.7 X28 ammo in the AR platform. On the other hand ... if you still have that brass around, and feel compelled to get rid of it, just send me a PM. I might be a tad interested. I have checked in the Five Seven Forums and found some useful info. I was hoping to find some info here from my "peeps".

I like the Glock 19/23's. They fit my hand just right too. I built an Open 23 (but with a .357 Sig barrel) for myself. While I also build them mostly in the G17's for most shooters, I like my "shorty" for my own use. It actually balances better and has a wider range in recoil spring choices. Here is a picture of it. It is the one in front.

BTT- Well, someone in these forums is loading and shooting this little "pills", whether you want to admit it or not. So, give!!! :angry2: Yeah. I just got one of those FN SP-90's thingamajigs. And yes I got a nice, neat brass catcher for it, so that I can recycle that pricey brass. (Which has come down in price quite a bit) Yes, I know that I should shoot 5.56/.223 , but I already do that too. This is something new widen my horizons. Why not ? So, I am looking for some loads for the bullets available from .55 grs and down. What powders, loads etc. Also, who has dies for them ? I don't see it listed by Dillon, but maybe they do ??? This should be a nice toy to shoot with, ??!! Any problems or tricks reloading these cartridges ???? Your input will be appreciated very much.

Hmmm !!!! As you know I like to play "devils abdicate" for future projects on new in-coming competition guns. ... now the wheels are turning and I'm pulling my hair as to designing a working compensator in a "rotating barrel" :surprise:

Recently had a talk with the folks at EAA Armory. I just received a bunch of .38 Super mags, .40 S&W mags and 9mm mags. Obviously the .38 Super are for the large frame, while the 9mm and .40 S&W are for the small frame. Upon checking by loading these new 9mm mags it became obvious that the mags do have a "built in" (innate) problem from birth. Upon closer examination and measuring the specs between the .40 S&W mags and the 9mm I noticed that the vertical "crease" for the transition from double stack to single stack are identical in both calibers, the only difference was on lips width. The crease as manufactured works and is spec's correctly for .40S&W but too wide for 9mm. After altering the crease the cartridges no longer "nose dive". EAA Armory is selling 170 mm +- magazines in both .38 Super and 9mm. They are pricey at a suggested retail of $110.00 but work well. Their big sticks (170's) in 9mm do not have the same problem as the standard 9mm mags. They seem to be made of a different tube, or should I say "tubes", as you vaguely see the very well done job of having welded two mags into one and them beautifully blending and bluing them. But for the money I'd just as well go to a gun show and buy the extra long "machine gun" mags for the CZ 75 and cut them down to 170. Have fun with it.

I do wholeheartedly endorse the Schuemann Ultimatch AET's. Like any barrel that has to be finish fitted, you will likely have to fit the hood by cutting down in it some. The factory can not tell how much you'll have to cut. Even though all AET barrels are already finished chambered, you may have to slightly re-finish ream the barrel to compensate for any fitting cuts or for function feeding discrepancies, and tuning. This includes any additional "throating" that may be needed to suit your ammo. Normally very little is needed if at all, but you can not take for granted that because the chamber is "mostly" good to go that it will be so.

I do prefer the .356 whenever available, especially in a .355 bore. I believe along with Wil Schuemann and others that my barrel will last longer specifically with hotter loads. Gas erosion of the throat is mostly a by-product of some powders, and it is minimal at most when properly exercised. If you do marathon testing/practice and abuse your guns ... you will pay the price. I also have a 9mm major barrel (Nowlin) that has way over 100,000 rounds through it and the slide also cracked (like JThompson) on the port side horizontally. I installed a new slide and have put at least another 50,000 through it. I have examined the throat with a scope and there are no real signs of erosion. The accuracy has not dropped. All I keep an eye on is the locking lugs. If I could I would also use the .357 bullets, but I don't like the choice available. Once the bullet is slamed into the rifling and made to accomodate to the bore and rifling, the sooner you get it to complete (if possible) seal its path, the better for gas utilization. The bullet may have started as a .357 but by the time it xits the muzzle it will be sized at whatever the bore diameter is. If you were to use the same bullet diameter as the bore it would take a little bit longer to completely seal and allow more blow by gases. The nature of lead being maleable will indeed allow a bullet to expand past its initial diameter (if needed) to fill the bore diameter (within limits) and function. But it is better to seal that bore asap to get the best results possible. Higher pressures ??? Not really, and negligible at most.

I have a few customers right now out there that have un-chromed guns in their hands. I ask them to keep a thin oil film on them, and then shoot the crap out of them prior to finishing. The main reason is for the chance that there may be any other cuts or changes that me be needed/wanted prior to the finishing"commitment". Other than that my view is that the gun can be chromed immediately after reliability and function testing is completed. As quoted above about Virgil Tripp, it is also my view that I know how thick any chrome will be in the frame and slide rails and allow for it in the fitting. The biggest issue is the quality of the work of the plater and the actual final preparation prior to the works going in the soup. There are some platers that even though the quality of the finish is good their preparation is atrocious. Especially when I tell them just to degrease and plate (as all the preparation was already done in-house), but they will disregard my instructions and sandblast the hell out of the gun, including the carefully prepared mating surfaces, and then proceed to plate. The result is akin to chrome plating a brick or cinder-block, and then trying to rub the surfaces together. NOT pretty. Most plating processors around do not a have a system that adds much chrome to the internals of the slide, while the frame gets good coverage, which results in less thickness overall, and so forth. This precludes the use of some "local" platers that do not specifically know firearms, unless your gunsmith has an understanding with them. YMMV. Buyer beware. But, yes. It is a good idea to take the gun out and get it to where you are sure there are no more changes you want to the gun before plating ... if you can do so. BUT, there is really no need to do so otherwise.

Ok .... I'll bite!!! Although I hate to spend money (that kind of money) for rather expensive components ... if the design loans itself to hold up to "Major" 9 quirks, then it may be something to ponder upon. Quite a few design principles would make this project a worthy beneficiary of scrutiny for Open Major 9. Now, if Neal Hogue is listening or reading this ... just send me one of those uppers in 9mm ... and I will be glad to invest the R&D needed to make this dream into a reality. I do love a challenge such as this.

Damn .... I missed the whole thing... I would have loved to test my new varmint exploding load on those pumpkin while you guys held them up. I believe they would explode completely without going through the pumpkins. You might get some pie like stuff all over, but oh well ... another missed opportunity.

Ok. To clarify something here ... If you are using a normal muzzle end slide, which can use a regularly available off the shelf 6" recoil spring plug, it will obviously reach forward to lock and hold the bushing in place. Most of these plugs are indeed machined to utilize the 5" recoil spring ... but they are "heavy" up front and need to be lightened somehow. When you utilize the regular 5" recoil spring plugs, as you would when you are removing a good portion of the lower forward portion of the slide, then this plug can not reach forward to lock the bushing. I assumed this was what "RAZZ" meant to get the answer for. If you fabricate (as I just started to do) a 6" recoil plug that is "eared" at the muzzle end and opened at the bottom, then you do not need any other "mechanical" means to secure the bushing from rotating. But this is not something you can pick up off the shelf. Any other solutions (practical that is) off the shelf or otherwise ???????

I do use both a bull barrel and a bushing barrel on my 6'ers. The 5 inch recoil system with the 5 inch guide rods are used on both. With the bushings I use either a recessed detent pin/ball or a mid joint indexing set screw. Yup. It requires a good eye and some micro machining... among other neat things.