Slide Options

[xjwalt666]

I'm looking to build another upper for my open gun. Or possibly build another complete gun primarily for steel. Something shorter and lighter almost like a steelmaster size. I want to start with a bald slide and do my own cuts but not sure what brand slide to start with. What brand is a good base to start with? My last one I bought a Brazos lightened slide with zig racker but I want to do the cuts this time.

 

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[ltdmstr]

Caspian. 

[jcc7x7]

6 hours ago, ltdmstr said:

Caspian. 

yep

[xjwalt666]

Caspian. 

That's what I've been leaning towards. Figured I'd get some other opinions. Thanks

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[ltdmstr]

SV is another option.

[zzt]

I would buy neither of the two recommended.  SVI is good but too expensive IMO.  I've had issues with Caspian slides.  To give an example, I just finished two Open guns on JEM frames.  One used a JEM slide.  The other had a Caspian slide.  The JEM was vastly superior. in every way.

 

JEM slides (he is out of stock at the moment) are a joy to use, except that there is more material on them than there needs to be.  For instance, they are generally .927"-.930" wide, so you have to trim them down if you want to match a wide frame width.  Since you are doing your own machining, that should not be a problem.  Tripp Research slides are made by the same firm that made the JEMs.  Both Tripp and Shooters Connection have the 9mm/38s barrels in stock.  The 6-axis machine they are made on is broken.  That's why JEM doesn't have slides to sell.  When Tripp is out, they are gone.  Supposedly the machine has to be fixed in Germany, or they have to send techs over to repair it.  6 months minimum is what I was told.  Shooters Connection has 8 9mm/38S in stock.  I'd order one now before they are gone.  I'm thinking of doing the same, just in case I decide to build yet another Open gun.  I can always sell it if I decide not to build the fifth Open gun.

 

Good luck with your build.

[ltdmstr]

I've never used a JEM slide so I'm interested in knowing how they are vastly superior in every way.  I've been using Caspian slides for 20+ years and never had an issue.  I have seen some variation in finished dimensions, but I've never had to send one back due to being out of spec..

[Maximis228]

Tripp slides have lines all over them and require lots of finishing work. IMO They are waste of time.

Edited February 22, 2019 by Maximis228

[zzt]

Tripp slides do have a lot of lines in the top round and the back.  The back is quickly taken care of with a file while blending the ejector .  The top round is no issue for the OP, because he is going to lighten the slide himself.  FWIW, 20 minutes with strips of sandpaper and emery and it is smooth and polished.

 

The last Caspian slide I used had several problems.  First, the slide ways were not parallel, nor were they planes.  That's my bad, because I was in a hurry and didn't check it.  I ordered it from Shooters Connection and had it sent to JEM for machine interference fitting, because I was in a hurry and he was out of stock.  When I got it back and burnished it in, there was not enough material left to correct the problem.  Anyway you cut it, that's bad machining from Caspian.

 

When I went to equip the slide I had to punch debris out of the small end of the spring tunnel, then I had to hone the large end so the FP would slide in and out freely.  When I tried to install the extractor, it would no go fully in.  Okay, I honed it, but that wasn't the problem.  Caspian had not machined the breech face end of the extractor tunnel all the way.  There was a step in it that I had to remove to get it to the correct dimension.  The slot for the firing pin stop was deeper on one side..  The trouble with Caspian is they sand blast their parts so roughly you cannot tell if anything is wrong until you start working on them.  By then it is too late to send it back to SC for replacement.  You can only do that if you bought it directly from Caspian.

 

I have ordered from Caspian Directly.  I don't have a mill, so I like to have the slide and frame machine fit.  I ordered it from Caspian that way.  What I got back was so loose a fit you could throw the slide on from across the room.  I also has to return a Caspian HiCap, because the receiver and associated parts (all cast) were so misshapen they would never have blended.

 

I had none of these problems with JEM slides and 1911 frames.  They come in the white.  You can see the machining and measure everything.  JEM 2011 frames are 'blasted, but lightly.  They are light grey, but smooth.  You can see the machining through the treatment.   The slide was assembled and functioning in five minutes.  The only thing I had to do to it was deburr. 

 

Another thing that bothers me about Caspian is you never know what you are going to get.  Their dimensions vary.  I once got a slide where the slide ways were .757-.758".  Geez.  That's STI territory.

 

I'm sure there is good Caspian stuff out there.  I'm just not interested in the crap shoot, so I'll buy elsewhere.  I want stuff that is consistent and correct from one purchase to the next.  Maybe I'm too fussy.  I used to be a tool and die maker trained by Germans, so I find bad machining annoying.  Geez.  We used to jump for joy when a job came in with tolerances +/- .001".  Usually they were tighter than that.  Fifty years ago machines were not as precise as they are today.  With accurate machines and measuring and EDM and CNC today, there is just no excuse for it.

Edited February 22, 2019 by zzt

[theWacoKid]

I've yet to find a slide I'm happy with.

 

I won't be using Caspian again anytime soon. The one I got was awful with tool marks especially in places that make life difficult such as the breech face and upper lugs. I cut mine up pretty light, 8.3 oz, and it cracked at the ejection port within 5 months. I also struggled with ejection and I blame it on the issues I had trying to clean up the breech face. 

 

CK's worked okay for me. Pretty good machining and much better for ejection. However, I've cracked them too in under 12 months. My primary gun right now is running good with a CK and I have started cutting as little as possible around the ejection port. Just a bit of a flat top to clear mounts. Don't think these are available anymore. 

 

I'm now trying SV slides. Definitely over priced but well machined. They have some different geometry and with not too much cutting I had mine sub 9 oz quickly. There are things I like and dislike about the ibf. Aftecs are super tight in the stock tunnel. 

 

I avoided the Tripp slides because if the 'USA' cut in the bottom of the reverse plug tunnel. Heard other problems since like those mentioned here. 

 

Word is STI may be improving but I've been scared to trust it yet. 

 

It's tough out there now.

[xjwalt666]

I would buy neither of the two recommended.  SVI is good but too expensive IMO.  I've had issues with Caspian slides.  To give an example, I just finished two Open guns on JEM frames.  One used a JEM slide.  The other had a Caspian slide.  The JEM was vastly superior. in every way.
 
JEM slides (he is out of stock at the moment) are a joy to use, except that there is more material on them than there needs to be.  For instance, they are generally .927"-.930" wide, so you have to trim them down if you want to match a wide frame width.  Since you are doing your own machining, that should not be a problem.  Tripp Research slides are made by the same firm that made the JEMs.  Both Tripp and Shooters Connection have the 9mm/38s barrels in stock.  The 6-axis machine they are made on is broken.  That's why JEM doesn't have slides to sell.  When Tripp is out, they are gone.  Supposedly the machine has to be fixed in Germany, or they have to send techs over to repair it.  6 months minimum is what I was told.  Shooters Connection has 8 9mm/38S in stock.  I'd order one now before they are gone.  I'm thinking of doing the same, just in case I decide to build yet another Open gun.  I can always sell it if I decide not to build the fifth Open gun.
 
Good luck with your build.

Thanks for this. I'm going to look into the JEM slides too now and the barrel you suggested.

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[danby]

I'm getting my next one from L10 Machine.  Sounds like it's a Caspian that they start with.  Don't have it yet so I can't comment on quality.  Very reasonable prices and they're responsive to emails.   

I've also used a CK and it's fine so far.  But not sure they still offer them.  Things seem to change quickly with who's selling what.   

[ltdmstr]

I agree that Caspian quality is pretty inconsistent these days, but I've honestly never had a slide from them that couldn't be cleaned up and used with good results.  And I'm very picky with my stuff.  I haven't used an STI part in 20+ years, due to constant quality issues.  I've never seen a CK slide, but I have one of their frames right now and to say the machining is rough is an understatement.  Specs appear to be ok, but the machine work leaves much to be desired.  If it was my own build, I'd use something else.  Guess I'll try to get my hands on one of the JEM slides to check it out.

[zzt]

18 hours ago, theWacoKid said:

I cut mine up pretty light, 8.3 oz, and it cracked at the ejection port within 5 months

 

Why so light.  I've always been told if you go under 10 oz fro major you were asking for trouble.

 

Here is the only picture I have of a JEM 1911 receiver.  He sent me this before he shipped it.

 

 

 

 

 

[ltdmstr]

One of the reasons I like Caspian slides is I can order them without that bevel at the rear of the ejection port.  It not needed because I set mine up to eject to the side, not the rear.  And I don't like the way it looks.  Finish on those parts is nice.

[theWacoKid]

19 hours ago, zzt said:

 

Why so light.  I've always been told if you go under 10 oz fro major you were asking for trouble.

 

That 10 oz thing makes no sense. I've cracked slides at every weight and saying 10 oz is the magic number is a gross generalization. What matters is where the stress in the slide is and what is there to carry it. 

 

Caspian was talked up so once I got one I didn't hold back. With the stress risers left from production and aggressively cutting around the ejection port it just wasn't able to hold up. 

 

I've known plenty sub 9 oz slides live a very long time at major. It's much more involved than just weight.

[xjwalt666]

I'm not sure if I just cant find them on the site or if you need to call or email to inquire but I'm not seeing slides on L10's website. Anyone have a link where to find them?

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[ltdmstr]

I don't see anything about slides on their site.  I also don't see any slides on JEM's site.  

Edited February 24, 2019 by ltdmstr

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: Like I have said before I think alot of the slides now are coming from the same supplier since so many are breaking or cracking in the same place. Thanks, Eric

[zzt]

JEM took the slides page down, because he doesn't have any to sell.

 

Tripp Research has slides manufactured by the same firm than made them for JEM.  I've never seen them in person, but Virgil says they are the same.  My JEM slide did not have USA stamped on the underside of the spring tunnel.  A previous poster says the Tripps do.  Virgil has 9mm, 40 (a few) and 45 in stock.  http://www.trippresearchinc.com/tripp-slides/#

 

Shooters connection has Tripp slides in stock.  https://www.shootersconnectionstore.com/Tripp-5-Government-Length-Slide-Unique-P5339.aspx  They are now down to five 9mm/38, so hurry if you want one.  They have 19 40sw slides.

[zzt]

Well, I decided to follow my own advice and buy a Tripp 9mm slide for future use.  Shooters Connection is now out of all of them in both Classic and Unique.