Rusl

This design using a set screew is so you do not need a smith to set it up 9 lock the compensator in), ideally the comp should thread up against some sort of shoulder, this way the threads are loaded which will remove any play in the threads and stop it rotating. A set screw stops the comp from rotating hopefully, but would not remove play from the threads, if your barrel and comp were perfectly matched you should get away with this but it isn't ideal. If you really want to pursue this route I would machine a small brass disk to drop in before the set screw, that would stop the threads getting damaged and give a more spread load as set screws can have quite a small tip that could wear and loosen under firing. Or as you say mill a small flat section for the set screw on the threads.

So much good information here thanks, I just re read the entire thread again, must be the fourth time and still picking up bits. If i go with a comp aluminium it is for the comp and cone then, I prefer that as I want to keep weight down and it's easier to machine. So is a tactical barrel and a cm barrel the same? And will they both fit into a SP01 if I can source one? For thos that have played around with barrel porting, this is a steel challenge only gun, so light loads, minimum to make the gun function reliably. Would just straight porting flatten the recoil out as much as a small comp? I'm not worried about recoil just trying to keep the gun flat so the dot tracks quicker, and I'm trying to keep the gun light. Does slide lightening have a dramatic affect on muzzle rise and drop in the reloading cycle, is this a better or worth while thing to be looking at? Just generally if you were building your own open steel challenge guns, open to any modifications but shooting min pf or less what would you build? Would you port or comp, lighten slide? thanks again.

Hi, I have never built a compensator but due to the importation limitations I have I'm interested in having a go, I understand the general principles of how they work but unfimilair with them on semi auto pistols. I was hoping you guys might be able to answer a few questions for me or point me to a book or thread that would help me design and build, I have access to a full machine shop so actual construction should be alright, it's the design and material I'm slightly unsure about. This bottom picture, is that comp available or a one off, is it a cone style or for an extended barrel? This is the look I am after. With a cone style compensator my understanding is you just thread the standard barrel then remove the barrel bushing from the slide. When machining the compensator it has a cone on the rear over the threads so when the slide runs foward it lines up and locks the barrel, have I got this correct? Is the cone best to be tapered the whole way up to the brake or have a taper then small flat area similar to a barrel bushing setup? Is it worth installing a bushing into the slide that is a reverse of the cone? This would offer the barrel some support during the reload cycle of the gun? What would the best material for the cone be? I'm assuming if I was to machine a aluminium comp I would need to make the cone from steel. Would standard mild steel do or am I needing to look at stainless steel, chromemoly or even tool steel? What steel is a standard barrel bushing machined from? Thanks for the input if any one has some, love the build pics and once I get mine done I will post up pics.

Ok, today after around 300 rounds through the gun with the new optic mounted the screws came loose, I had blue locktite on them but I didn't de-grease the holes/screws before assembly so that may be the issue, I have degreased every thing and reassembled it, is there any thing else you guys are doing different to stop the mounting screws from loosening ?

I just used normal hss drill and tap, I actually was surprised at how easy it was to drill, I did use a large drill press though.

Hi, Thanks for the offer, sadly I am in NZ and importing parts here can be difficult, you sort of have to go through the correct channels and didn't want to get you into trouble exporting parts. I rung Matt at cheely custom and talked to him, he sent me one of his mounts and it Fitts up perfect, even though it is designed for the checkmate and tactical it works fine on the shadow. I have tried the smaller newer optics and just prefer the 90 mount and old c-more, it's just a steel challenge gun so the vision it blocks doesn't seam to be as important as the nice big window, I may try one of the new trijicon's in the future though. That comp on the front of yours looks the part, is it custom made? I assume you have fitted a threaded barrel. Never owned a gun with a comp I'm assuming you unscrew it each time to strip the slide off the gun or is there some other way around it? Thanks Rusl

Hi, cool guns and thanks for putting all this information out there, you have no idea how helpful it can be to new shooters etc, I'm trying to find a side ways c-more mount for a sp01 shadow, the same as the one in the pictures on the first page of this thread. Czc do not appear to be making there one any more and the only one I can find is for the checkmate and ts made by cheely custom, which I'm not sure if they will work on a standard shadow. If any one has a viable option I would appreciate it, thanks.