Hard Chrome refinishing for slide lightening STI

[drewbeck]

So I have an STI Executive that I purchased at a good price. The exec comes with factory hard chrome. My question is, if I want to have some milling done on the frame and slide for performace first and aesthetics second, how does the refinishing process work?

Does anyone have experience with this? Do they need to strip the old hard chrome before they can re chrome it? Do tolerances get jacked?

Overall I love the gun and it functions awesome just curious as to whether this is possible or if I wanted it done I would be better off starting over on a custom and keeping the value intact on the "stock" gun

[pjb45]

Tolerances change. You are adding materials to the gun.

Whether your smith bead blast the chrome or uses a chemical or nothing could impact the fit.

Kodiak Precision has used the same hard chromer for years. He know exactly how to fix the slide and frame so when the hard chrome is added it does not bind or is too tight.

There are enough threads that discuss finishes you might reference them and call a couple of firms to see what they recommend.

[Jaxshooter]

The chrome has to be stripped before it is re chromed. I would not cut up an Executive. The gun was built to run properly the way it is. Lighten the slide etc may produce problems with a gun you said ran great. I would just start a new build.. You then have a gun to shoot while you are waiting.

[LilBunniFuFu]

To add on what Jax said. It is usually always cheaper going a custom route especially with milling and all than it is to customize unless you can do the labor yourself. I second starting a new build.

[drewbeck]

Thanks for all the input, I figured it would probably be the wrong approach and this confirms it. I know it will also kill the value of it. People are typically either looking for a "stock" model gun or a custom. Hacking on a gun that is a standard model doesn't necessarily make it a custom nor is it a standard anymore, kind of puts it in franken territory and makes the value more interpretive.

At the end of the day I wouldn't be too broken about "needing" a custom!