One Gun W/ Two Slides

[cdfcapt]

Since I live in the PRK right now I was wondering........Has anyone used one gun with two different slide/top end set ups to shoot both Limited and Open. I dont know if it would be worth it price wise but I want to shoot both classes. My other choices are to convert my Limited gun to Open and just shoot SS or Limited 10.???? Any ideas

[Loves2Shoot]

Try a search, there are lots of posts on this subject. It can been done, but it is better in the end to just get two guns IMO

[ChuckS]

Tom,

What kind of gun do you currently have?

Later,

Chuck

[GENE S]

I have taken my open slide and dot off and had a limited 38 sup slide put on my STI. I have to shoot minor, but it works great for me. I don't have to get new mags, or cases, just down load the bullet a little to get a nice 130 gr at 1000 fps. Takes down the steel and has very little recoil. and is fast.

Gene

[cdfcapt]

Para p-16 40

[Larry White]

I usted to have a SV limited gun with two top ends, one was a 5.5 schuman with a STI comp and a slide mounted Optima. Set one up like that and you can use the same mags. Bullet selection is a bit slim for a .40 open but a mg 155 and hs7 works pretty good.-----Larry

[ChuckS]

CDF,

I first started with a P-14. I decided that I wanted a .40 so I picked up a P-16 on a good deal. Then friend gave me a real good deal on a STI slide so I turned the P-14 into a .40 limited gun and used the P-16 as a back-up and an IDPA ESP gun. So for a while I had a .45 / .40. I wound up selling the.45 top end and mags to a friend for a project of his.

Then I started thinking about an open top end for the P-16. I got another good deal on a slide and then started to look around for a sight. One drawback to the Para frame is that the dust cover is fairly thin and prone to cracking if there are holes drilled in it. That sort of ruled out a single sided C-More mount. My smith told the that a 2 sided mount should work but he had seen those slide crack also. I wound up using a slide mounted Docter with pretty good results. The gun is in .40 so there is a round count disadvantage compared to a .38 or a 9 mm. With an STI for Para big stick, I get 26 +1. Just need a different re-load strategy. As has been pointed out there are not as many .40 light bullets around but I use a Rainier plated 135 with good results. And they are fairly cheap. I have yet to work up a load for the premium Nosler 135 gr JHP. The gun makes major in either limited or open. I started using it almost 2 years ago and the limited top end never has been back on!

Later,

Chuck

PS: There are other threads on the forum about .40 open so do a search and enjoy the reading!

[shadetree]

I Wonder. If you have an open gun and a limmited gun. and your limmited gun breaks you can still shoot oppen until you get the other gun fixed. If you have one gun with two top ends and one frame and your gun breaks then you shoot.......??????

Not so good I think?? but you decide.

[Flyin40]

It can be done easily. I started out with a 40 limited and converted it to a 40 open. The only thing that I would say you must do is have your open topend have a red dot that is slide mounted. Don't go with a c-more on the frame. Its a pain in the butt to take the mount off just to switch divisions. Its quick and easy but you always must make sure the scope hold zero after changing it. Luckily for me when I took my mount off and put it back it was just slightly off. I couple shots and adjustments and I was sighted in again.

I started this way do to limited funds. You use the same mags, you may want to buy a big stick. Same dies on the reloader etc.

The only thing is you might want to check around for the best optic for mounting on the slide. I heard the Optima was good, Doctor sight was also good, theres JpPoint but I personally haven't heard much about it.

If you limited on funds you might want to search the classified for a used 40 cal topend. Just add a comp, sight and send it to a smith.

Flyin40

[herky]

My backup 40 Limited SV gun wasn't getting much use, so I had a 9x23 upper with a JPoint made to try out Open. The ejector was not changed, but I have not had problems in that area. New mags and it was good to go after a few small problems that were due to inexperienced gunsmithing. I do not shoot Open very often and this was a good option for me. That said, I would do a separate gun to get into Open full time.

[gino_aki]

Put on a good set of your preferred iron sights. Maybe try JP Double Rings. Get an Open- comped .40 BARREL or a Limited and Open-comped .357 Sig BARRELS fitted to your ONE slide. Use your same rig, mags, load(?) and have the same sight picture. Change barrels at the match and shoot two divisions if the MD allows that

Edited January 7, 2006 by gino_aki

[supercomp9]

OK I guess my current one could class in here...

I purchased a 6" S*i upper and it fit my Para 40 like

a Dream.. Now I have a 5" and 6" limited slide setup...

I have not shot the 6" as of yet due to getting some

new sights installed on it.. but I be function firing it tomorrow..

other than that the open upper that is pictured

<--------------------- was on the same para frame but

I found a deal on a high cap Caspian frame and I

am having the fitting process already started..

will more than likley have a j-point installed on it..

J.kee

[cdfcapt]

You were talking about a slide mounted optic. How would that work. would'nt the motion of the slide mess up your site picture more than a frame mounted optic? Good point on the aluminmun frame on the para I had'nt considered that the mounting of the optic might weaken the slide. Lots to think about

[Loves2Shoot]

The gun cycles fast .05 sec, so motion of the slide doesn't mess up you site picture much at all, but it does beat the hell out of the sight and slide mounted sights are generally smaller, that does matter.

[uscbigdawg]

Tom,

Here's my throw into the bucket, and you can still keep your P-16, as is. If it was me, I'd have a SVI slide fitted to it. Then just use their interchangable breechface system and swap the appropriate barrel, ejector, extractor, etc. to fit your needs.

For Limited, you have a .40 barrel in it and the associated parts.

For Open, you change it to a comp'ed barrel, ejector, extractor and screw on a C-more. Then take it to the range and re-zero. Now, to avoid re-zeroing, you can mount a JPoint or Doctor sight but that would require a second slide configuration.

Now...if I was in your position, here's what I'd do. Send the pistol to Johnny Lim at Limcat Custom and have him build a second upper to it. Your current upper is good for Limited and L-10. Johnny can build you one for Open that just pops off and on (and you change the ejector). Heck, just to make everything run happy and the uppers fit the exact same, have him Accu-Rail it. I recommend Johnny as he works on a lot of Para's and likes the Para/Clark ramp for barrels.

It's totally possible, and totally do-able. If it was me, I'd just buy a second gun and have it built into an Open gun. But then...I always can find an excuse to get another gun.

Hope that helps.

SPC Richard A. White, Senior Medic

249th MP Detachment (EACF)

Camp Humphreys, ROK

P.S. Just thought about something. TMC is selling a Limcat upper. If you got that, sent the pistol to Johnny, he could probably fit both to your frame. Just a thought.

Edited January 8, 2006 by uscbigdawg

[Flyin40]

My backup 40 Limited SV gun wasn't getting much use, so I had a 9x23 upper with a JPoint made to try out Open. The ejector was not changed, but I have not had problems in that area. New mags and it was good to go after a few small problems that were due to inexperienced gunsmithing. I do not shoot Open very often and this was a good option for me. That said, I would do a separate gun to get into Open full time.

Hey Mike,

Just realized that was you when I caught your name at the bottom of your post. We'll be shooting soon. If I remember right I seen you pull that open gun out a few times last yr??

Flyin40

Edited January 8, 2006 by Flyin40