Resjudicata Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Well, I almost have the 6" top end ready for my STI Edge. The way this story starts is that I got a contingency win with STI for my finish at the Double Tap match last year. It just so happens that the amount is almost exactly what a new slide costs. How fortuitous. So, I decided to try putting together a 6" topend for the currently stock STI Edge. I now have the slide (with some lightening holes to get me started) and the small parts for the slide. I am just waiting on my barrel to arrive. Here are some pics of the slide in it's current state. My stock Edge slide with the sights, firing pin and extractor intact weighs 13.85 ounces. The 6" slide without those small parts weighs exactly 13.85 ounces. This happened purely by coincidence. But, it did give me a chuckle that it turned out the exact same weight, albeit without the sights, firing pin and extractor. The bushing barrel should hopefully be here next week. Once I get it fitted I will take it shooting with some different recoil springs to see how it feels. I hopefully won't have to take any more weight out of it. I wouldn't feel comfortable taking any more weight out of the front of the slide. I guess I could take some out of the back if it is really needed. Hopefully it isn't needed. Once I like how the gun shoots I will spray the slide black to match the stock 5" gun in it's current state shown below. I know my gun isn't pretty but it does get used. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket35 Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Congrats Chris- keep up informed of what ya think of the 6" top end compared to the 5". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzygä Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Congrats Chris- keep up informed of what ya think of the 6" top end compared to the 5". Please let us know your opinion for 6" gun compared to the 5" gun. That would be very interested in hearing your comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hello: Looks good so far. I would weight the %' slide and also the 6" slide to see if they are about the same weight. The 6" should be a little bit lighter since the 6" barrel weights more. I would also flat top the 6" or tri top it. You could ball cut the end of the slide. Heck cut the end of the frame off while your at it. I think you will like the 6". Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hello: Looks good so far. I would weight the %' slide and also the 6" slide to see if they are about the same weight. The 6" should be a little bit lighter since the 6" barrel weights more. I would also flat top the 6" or tri top it. You could ball cut the end of the slide. Heck cut the end of the frame off while your at it. I think you will like the 6". Thanks, Eric The 5" bull barrel on the Edge probably weighs as much, or more, than the 6" bushing barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resjudicata Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hello: Looks good so far. I would weight the %' slide and also the 6" slide to see if they are about the same weight. The 6" should be a little bit lighter since the 6" barrel weights more. I would also flat top the 6" or tri top it. You could ball cut the end of the slide. Heck cut the end of the frame off while your at it. I think you will like the 6". Thanks, Eric Thanks for the suggestions. Right now I'm going to wait to see how it shoots to see if I want to take any more weight out. If it tracks funny I'll be posting on here to get suggestions on where to take out weight depending on what the sight track looks like. I'm inclined not to take weight out of the frame since I don't have a problem on transitions which is where I would expect the frame weight to cause issues. I will be weighing the barrel though since is does move in recoil even if only a small amount. I would really like to try and get this top end to track similar to the 5" since I've been doing okay with it. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resjudicata Posted February 8, 2009 Author Share Posted February 8, 2009 (edited) Well, I shot it today. The slide still feels too heavy. When I weighed it complete it weighs about 1 ounce more than my 5" slide. I need to take some more weight out. One thing I can do is enlarge the existing holes I put in the slide. Another thing I could do is bore two 3/8" holes across the rear of the slide through the firing pin and extractor tunnels. What do you folks think about those two ideas? Think that would take 1 ounce of the the slide? Chris BTW, what it is doing besides dipping is that the slide is closing so hard it is causing hammer follow and the gun is doubling. The complete lower has been used with my 5" topend without this issue. This is with 13, 12 and 10 pound recoil springs. Edited February 8, 2009 by Resjudicata Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 Chris, nice job! Have you thought about using a 5" recoil system with the 6" slide? I'm not sure of the particulars but I believe you would have to take some of the front of the slide off. I'm not sure it's possible with your present setup...maybe someone else could help on that. Good Luck Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzygä Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 Please, show us a pic for your new 6" gun. How it look like now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulm540 Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 (edited) Well, I shot it today. The slide still feels too heavy. When I weighed it complete it weighs about 1 ounce more than my 5" slide.I need to take some more weight out. One thing I can do is enlarge the existing holes I put in the slide. Another thing I could do is bore two 3/8" holes across the rear of the slide through the firing pin and extractor tunnels. What do you folks think about those two ideas? Think that would take 1 ounce of the the slide? Chris BTW, what it is doing besides dipping is that the slide is closing so hard it is causing hammer follow and the gun is doubling. The complete lower has been used with my 5" topend without this issue. This is with 13, 12 and 10 pound recoil springs. I'd take some more material from the guide rod tunnel and flat top the slide. Edited February 8, 2009 by bulm540 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resjudicata Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 Chris, nice job! Have you thought about using a 5" recoil system with the 6" slide? I'm not sure of the particulars but I believe you would have to take some of the front of the slide off. I'm not sure it's possible with your present setup...maybe someone else could help on that.Good Luck Richard I am using the recoil plug that lets me use a 5" guide rod and 5" spring. I think I'll try to drill out the two 3/8" holes across the back of the slide, avoiding the center of the extractor, and see what it weighs then. If it still needs weight out then I'll give it to my local gunsmith and have him do some more difficult cutting on it. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddy_fuentes Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 I had a 6" top-end built for my Edge. I used the Bull Barrel and kept the long dust cover. Mine was lighted, too, it weighs one ounce more than the 5" gun. I am pleased with the way it shoots and tracks. The only thing I don't like is when I use minor loads for steel. It seems a bit sluggish, I would rather a little snap. Overall it is great. Buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzygä Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 If you want take more weight off the slide I'd take more material from the guide rod tunnel and maybe three top the slide. You can also narrow the slide back end (maybe front end also but don't take too much because you already have holes there) so there is more room for you thumb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resjudicata Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 The two holes in the back of Leatham's '07 Nationals Limited gun in this photo (I stole it from the 6" Limited Photos thread) are what I plan on putting on mine. Anybody know of any issues with having these holes here? I'm sure in a dusty environment it could allow gook to build up on the firing pin or extractor. However, I will be covering the holes with grip tape so the area would still be sealed to the elements. My worry is that I have only seen these holes on a few guns. That makes me wonder if there is an enharent issue with these holes cut where they are. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resjudicata Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Well, I put the two holes across the rear of the slide through the extractor and firing pin tunnels. I also expanded the holes I put in the front of the slide and put a couple divets in the top of the slide in front of the rear sight. This all got it down to exactly 14 ounces with sights, extractor and firing pin. That's just .15 ounces over my complete 5" slide. I'm going to shoot it tonight or tomorrow night and see how it runs and see if the slide is now light enough to keep from bump firing like it was the last time. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waktasz Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Pics or it didn't happen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMC Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) This is a good topic as I've always wondered what other 6" guns weigh. My slide was pretty heavy in the beginning, even after 3 siding the top. I'm not a fan of holes so I thinned down the sides and cut out some of the spring tunnel and the material above. All that brought it down to 11.9 on my postal scale. Total gun weight is 38.5 with a stainless magwell. Edited February 11, 2009 by TMC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resjudicata Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Wow, yours actually looks pretty. Mine doesn't. However, I don't think anyone who knows me would believe I owned a pretty gun. I shot mine tonight and it felt good. The complete slide minus barrel and recoil system is 14 ounces. I tried several recoil spring weights but what I came back to is a 12 pound like my 5" gun. That felt the best and the sights tracked and returned good for me. I'll be shooting it at our local matches this Friday and Saturday and we'll see how it performs then. BTW, I'll post pics soon. However, you can't laugh at the ugly! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket35 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 TMC- that is a pretty "trick" looking slide. I like it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgerat Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Collateral estoppel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzygä Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Nice cut in that slide TMC! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzygä Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Wow, yours actually looks pretty. Mine doesn't. However, I don't think anyone who knows me would believe I owned a pretty gun. I shot mine tonight and it felt good. The complete slide minus barrel and recoil system is 14 ounces. I tried several recoil spring weights but what I came back to is a 12 pound like my 5" gun. That felt the best and the sights tracked and returned good for me. I'll be shooting it at our local matches this Friday and Saturday and we'll see how it performs then. BTW, I'll post pics soon. However, you can't laugh at the ugly! Chris It isn't so importat how it looks like more important is how it shoots. Just look Leatham's '07 Nationals Limited gun not so preatty but it sure will shoot good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 (edited) Gee, TGO doesn't show that gun as one of his match guns on his web site, interesting! Resjudicata, so far yours looks good...wish I had the skill to do something like that. FWIW Richard PS: why don't you connect/open the holes on top? Also TGO's gun is what I meant on my earlier post about 5" recoil system. Edited February 12, 2009 by chirpy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resjudicata Posted February 12, 2009 Author Share Posted February 12, 2009 Gee, TGO doesn't show that gun as one of his match guns on his web site, interesting! Resjudicata, so far yours looks good...wish I had the skill to do something like that.FWIW Richard PS: why don't you connect/open the holes on top? Also TGO's gun is what I meant on my earlier post about 5" recoil system. I would like to slot the top but I only have a drill press and I would need a mill to connect the top holes. I did expand some of the holes on the front. I expanded a total of 13 holes, added 3 holes and two divets. I can't use the recoil system like TGO's gun because I'm using a bushing barrel. I need to have the longer recoil plug to hold my bushing. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 BTW, what it is doing besides dipping is that the slide is closing so hard it is causing hammer follow and the gun is doubling. The complete lower has been used with my 5" topend without this issue. This is with 13, 12 and 10 pound recoil springs. Y'all are gonna let that...slide?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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