Slide Tightening

[glock17w]

Has anyone had this service performed on their Glock? If so how did you like? I am getting this done to my G17. Just wanted to what people had to say.

Glock17w

[atmar]

how are they going to do it?

[SRT Driver]

On XD's, RIIID does something with the rails.

Maybe the same method or squeezing the slide, like in the old days with 1911's.

It'll be interesting to find out.

[Loves2Shoot]

Unless you are shooting open, or I am greatly mistaken, tightening the rails isn't going to do much for you, because the acuracy is in the barrel slide fit/lock up. With the XD you can remove the rail and weld it easily and re-fit it.

[Kimberkid]

Perhaps I am confused, but what is the benefit of this procedure? Most Glocks shoot just fine, plenty accurate for practical competition as they come. These guns were made to run sloppy loose, why would we want to tighten up the whole works just to gain a miniscule increase in accuracy? I would think it would bring about a loss in reliabilty, which we all know is most important. I dont mean to be over critical to the company doing this, or the person wanting it done, I just dont see how it could be worth doing.

[splashdown]

IIRC, this is one of the mods Dale Rhea performed on his own Open Glocks. It seems that this was referenced as one of a dozen radical mods he performs to improve the pistol overall. I also seem to remember him saying he just wacks the top of the slide with a hammer a few times. YMMV.

[Matt Cheely]

IIRC, this is one of the mods Dale Rhea performed on his own Open Glocks. It seems that this was referenced as one of a dozen radical mods he performs to improve the pistol overall. I also seem to remember him saying he just wacks the top of the slide with a hammer a few times. YMMV.

Always wanted to work up the ccourage to do that to my slide...

Edited December 5, 2005 by hksniperman

[Flexmoney]

I would only consider doing the mod on an Open Glock...with a frame mounted optic. Even then, I would shoot it as stock first and see if it really needed the slide to frame tightened.

Even with their inherent slop, the Glock tend to lock-up in a consistent manner.

You would also get a benefit in the trigger. Still, I wouldn't look real hard at this mod unless had I had true dog of a gun (which are few and far between with the Glock).

[awleland]

Slide tightning will give you a better trigger. If the work is being done by S&J customs then rest assured it will be top notch. They just built me a limited gun out of a G24 and it is a thing of beauty. If I could shoot it to its potential I would be A class quick like. Practice and then practice some more.

[glock17w]

The slide tightening is one of the services that S & J Customs offers on all of their gun packages. He mates the slide to the frame and hand lapping. It improves trigger pull and overall accuracy. The gun smith would not say exactly how he did it because he has spent the last 4 years perfecting the process.

This is the last thing that I wanted to get done to my USPSA Production/IDPA ESP pistol. I already have the Dawson FO Sights, Ralph Sotelo Trigger, THE Stainless Steel Guide Rod and ISMI Recoil Spring.

I just wanted to know if anyone on the forum has had S & J Customs perform this or any service on their pistol and if so how do you like their gunsmithing?

Glock 17w

Edited December 6, 2005 by glock17w

[Chuck Anderson]

"The gun smith would not say exactly how he did it because he has spent the last 4 years perfecting the process. "

Yeah, and he doesn't want you to know that after that 4 years he still has to just whack it with a big frickin hammer.

Edited December 6, 2005 by Lawman

[Rmack]

All you have to do to tighten the slide to frame fit is to lightly tap the rails until you get the fit that you want. I have done it and the benifits of the trigger pull and acuracy were not worth the effort. As stated above most Glock shoot just fine out of the box.

Just my 2 cents.

[vincent]

Not much return on investment with this modification. I'd spend my money elsewhere.

[Fireglock]

The true benefit of tightening the slide rails is in eliminating creep in the trigger. When a slide is loose, especially in the rear, as you pull the trigger this slop is taken up by the slide rising. To truly get a smooth light trigger this can be worth the miniscule effort involved. If your Glock is fairly tight then it may not be worth the trouble. Lawman is right, but actually a small hammer and nylon block are the best way to tighten up the slide to rails clearance. You can tighten it but if you go too far you're in trouble, they don't like to be spread.

[the duck of death]

I have 2 Glock 23 frames one is modified one is stock. The mod frame gets shot alot. When I shoot SSP/PRODUCTION the stock frame is used. It has a much tighter frame to slide fit than the mod frame. I can tell no difference in accuracy or trigger pull between the 2 frames. Both frames have had the same trigger work preformed on them.

[TDean]

If you really have the urge, the only beneficial place to "tighten" them is where the rails meet the slide at full lockup. This is where the slide moves (in relation to the reciever ) as the trigger is pulled.

Just smack the slide in 4 plcs and have a file ready for over-doing it.

[Steve Moneypenny]

Like others have point out, it's a risky procedure to do with stock slide. You basically just beat the slide rails down until they are tight only at the point of lock up... BUT if you go too much. it makes the gun very prone to jam ... some i've done until they won't even function then had to fix it. (filing. and valve grinding compound) this has nothing to do with accuracy in an iron sight gun. it only helps with the trigger and then not very much.

In my opinion spend your money on ammo. it will benefit u more.

[Mad Scientist]

Let me clear up a few things guys.

First of all My process is a lot more involved than whacking with a hammer.

I will tell every one the process so there is no confusion.

first thing I do is measure the slide rails which run .064 to .067 " Glock rails are not very consistent. I then set all the rails to a constant thickness. usualy .064 or .065.

I then use a set of bars in the railways That I machine for each gun.

Using a swag and hammer peening process I close up the rails on the bars to the predetermained size where the rails and frame come together .

after the peening process a bit of hand laping to assure proper function. Stay away from valve laping compound or you will undo allthe work you just completed. my fit is as tight as they can be 0 clearance . the process takes 2to 3 hours with machine work on the bars .I feel it is a good value for the services . Although the service is a perm mod and makes the frame and slide a matched unit.

This service may not be for every one and I dont push it on any one. I put it out there and people must make there own choices.

As far as acuracy goes with a stock barrel probable wont make much of a diference as everything else is sloppy. Triger pull is another matter in my opinion.

I usualy like to tighten the slide when I fit a barrel as this gets the most out of a gun in the acuracy department.

Every open gun that I have ever built has had this process done.

my personal guns all have had this done open, limited ,and production.

I hope this clears the air that this service is done right and profesionaly.

Johnnie

[glock17w]

Thanks for clarifying that Mad Scientist.

[spook]

"The gun smith would not say exactly how he did it because he has spent the last 4 years perfecting the process. "

Yeah, and he doesn't want you to know that after that 4 years he still has to just whack it with a big frickin hammer.

[Robin Taylor]

Gotta agree with the other guys on this one. If you want it perfect, talk to the gunsmith, but IMHO, it's something you can do yourself and get most of the effect. (I'm envious of the whole "machine metal bars to fit the desired dimension before you whack it with the hammer" idea, though. What a great idea for protecting the slide rails!)

Dale Rhea's discussion, with new how-to photos, are in the new book.

Robin Taylor

www.taylorfreelance.com

[Kevin Kline]

MD,

I left you a post in the "which magwell do you like?" topic. Thanks for clarifying.

[glock17w]

Well i just returned from the states and I am back in Korea. Had a lot of fun shooting while I was at home. I shot with GPSL in Lawrenceville, GA and shot the Georgia Steel Match in Griffin, GA. Met a bunch of great people. I want to thank them all for the hospitality.

S&J Customs did some great work on my pistol. John Nagel is an exceptional gunsmith. I had the chance to look at and handle some of his custom Glocks. Excellent work. I plan to buy an Open or Limited Glock once I return to the states in June 2007.

John tightened the slide and did a trigger tune on my Glock 17. He also polished the feed ramp and replaced the recoil spring from the 13 lb minus 4 coils to a 15 lb. He recommended the 15 lb over the 13 lb minus 4 coils due to the fact that I use factory box 9mm ammo. After shooting the pistol did feel better with the 15 lb spring. I had the RS trigger in my G17 but I didn't like the long pre-travel so I asked him to do a trigger job. I couldn't be more happy with the slide tightening. The slide doesn't have the rattle in it anymore. The trigger job has a very short pre-travel and breaks at around 2 lbs in my Glock. I put more than a 1000 rounds through my Glock while I was at home and it still runs flawlessly.

John Nagel and Steve Breeding offer great customer service. I would recommend them as a Glocksmith to anyone.

Glock17w

[TruStreet]

It was a pleasure to meet you. If the rest of the guys in your Co. shoot as well as you do, I know our country is safe.

Come up and shoot with us next time your in town.

The shooting fees will be on the house.

Manny