3quartertime Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 Ok,,,I've decided the way to get myself motivated to start practice/shooting more is to spend money on my blaster. Has to work right??? I'm pretty sure I want to lighten my slide and add the tungsten sleeve to the barrel. I've contacted our own Brian H and really like his prices. I just need to decide what lightening I would like for him to do and give him an example. Doing some research there are several different lightening ideas. Round holes, oval holes, slits on the top, enlongated cuts on the side and top. All are cool but too much to choose from!!! My question is which external lightening design do most prefer? --Is it mostly a personal choice for looks? Is there a lightening style that actually works better? --One that is stronger or helps in another way? Any links towards pictures of lightened slides would be of great help. Easier for Brian to see what I'm thinking of. The heavy VS light description on the brazos web site is great. I like his ovalish holes too. Just trying to get all the info I can before my slide goes under the knife!!! For any that don't know my blaster of choice is a P16 limited. The victim is a new SS replacement slide from Para. Oh and I've shot a lightened slide STI recently and really liked the feel. I'm not undecided about the lightening choice. Thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus The Bum Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 Keep in mind that any moving part which is made out of tungsten sort of defeats the purpose of slide lightening. Go as light as possible on the slide, and use a stainless or tungsten guide-rod. I can't comment on Brazos slides, but I have a 6" Fat-Free from Benny Hill and it cycles beautifully for being a 6" he lightens the slide to around the weight of a 5" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooterj Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 Be careful with cutting on the slide. The wrong type of cut in the wrong place could lead to cracks in the slide. Brazo's uses the angular circles to eliminate any stress points. I'd go with the tungsten guide rod until you feel that you've caught up to the speed of the gun, then switch back to the stainless. This one thing really helped my target to target transitions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3quartertime Posted October 14, 2003 Author Share Posted October 14, 2003 Thanks Rufus,,, I didn't think the barrel movement would cause that much of a difference in rearward moving mass. But it's an interesting thing to consider. My current lock-up movement is probably less than a quarter inch. I guess anything moving back adds up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 A STI and a Para will feel different shooting, not just because of the lightend slide, personaly I wouldn't put too much into the Para for many reasons. I shoot a tungsten barrel and it is flat and soft, I would prefer that to lightening the slide personally. You can use spring the gun different also to make it "feel" different. For everything you do to your gun there is a trade off. I think most would be better off to spend the money on bullets and shoot more. If you want a lightened gun, save your money and buy one from someone who made it that way. So, sell the para and slide and get a gun built by someone who designed it to work, you will save time $$$ and headaches. Just my 2 cents. I like the look of holes in the top and on the sides, but having shot several, I don't think the performance is different enough to make any difference in my shooting at all, it just has a cool factor to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3quartertime Posted October 14, 2003 Author Share Posted October 14, 2003 Thanks L2S,,, I definitly don't want to turn this into a EVERYTHING vs para thread. I already get enough grief for the music I listen to!!! But, I already have TOO much invested in both my limited paras to make it sensible to sell very low and invest in something else, and I've worked thru most of the para headaches ( I hope!!! ). Brian does the work cheap enough that this really isn't a major investment. Not sure about the S_I's shooting different that a para. I don't feel that much difference. Could just be me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 I hope no one intends my comments to be para bashing. There are just many reasons not to "upgrade" Paras. You probably already realize that if you spent what you have in "upgrading" your Para .... They do shoot different though, the frame/grip makes the feel when shooting it different, I am NOT saying worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 3QT, There are quite a few shooters around Pittsburgh that shoot with lightened slides (on Paras). They get to use a heavier recoil spring (which helps feed the rounds). Watching closely, I can't even see thier slides move. Although it is opposite of what I shoot (light plastic frame, weight in the top end), if I were to build on a 1911/2011 frame, I would go with a light slide, heavy frame. I would go with a tungsten rod before the barrel sleave (just for the option of swapping it out). I'd rather have a Caspian slide to start with too. I fear the Para Stainless and it's (often) sloppy machine work from the factory. But, back on track...I am interested in hearing/seeing about the various ways slides are cut for lightening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 Why does it have to be external? (OK, I can guess...) I have a Limited gun internally lightened on either side of the hammer/disconnector rail. I regret it. I wish I could put the weight back. You don't live in the west do you? I don't know about exposing the inside of the gun to range dust a la Bend, Reno, Vegas, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry White Posted October 14, 2003 Share Posted October 14, 2003 3/4, I shoot a Benny ff6, the slide is scooped out both sides, front and rear, has slots forward top and both sides and the barrel is fluted. Lite everthing. Cycles fast, tracks well and returns right now. I don't think you could go that far with a para because its so heavy in the frame but I don't think I would add any weight to it. Lighten it up and shoot it before you start buying tungsten. Look at Bennys web site for the slots on a ff6. Also a thread in the gallery on a 6in with verticle slots(Bennys personal pistol) Go lite! Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehli Posted October 15, 2003 Share Posted October 15, 2003 Kinda off topic, but metal guns and plastic guns shoot WAY different for me. I don't own any metal-framed guns anymore... didn't like the way the impulse was transmitted into my hand... also didn't like feeling ANY heat from the action. On topic, if you'd like to spend the money, no one can stop you. You have to decide, ultimately, what you like better. Because this will be an extra slide, you can switch back if you decide to and can sell the slide if you determine you don't like it. Me, I like light... period. Haven't got to shoot my FF40 much at all (hopefully JoJo and Beven will make that possible VERY soon... hint, hint), but the little that I have shot it, it feels right. Though heavier than my Glock 35, it's not bad. The Glock feels awesome, too (it's got a brass magwell that eliminates the top heavy feeling). Now, overall lightness and slide lightness are two different things. Bob Londrigan does a pretty good job of explaining the pros and cons in that article. Personally, I like being able to feel the slide move... quickly. I like heavy recoils springs (brass barely drops out of my Glock)... it feels good to me... the slide snaps back into place the right way. However, keep in mind that I haven't experimented much at all... I just tend to shoot whatever the hell is in my hands. Truthfully, you're in a good spot. If everything is fitted right (so that both guns function 100% and accuracy is good for both the light slide and the standard slide) you've got an ideal experimental set: one versus another, no other variables. Once you determine if you like the lighter slide, then play around with the barrel and guide rod (not necessarily in that order). Just my opinion. Man... I just rambled a lot, didn't I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rishii Posted October 18, 2003 Share Posted October 18, 2003 3QT, I've had BrianH lighten the slide on my open gun, and I just picked up a 6" trophy match that benny hill did his magical ff lighting to. and tell you the truth Brian did beautiful work on the open gun, benny does some radical cuts to the ff slide, it look like something only a mother or a ipsc shooter could love. I instead of telling Brian what type of cuts you want, I would simply tell him how much you want your slide to weight, and let him work his magic. I kinda remember reading the article by bob logdron where he stated you shouldn't go under 11 or 12 oz. and your right you can't beat Brian's prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOtherErik Posted October 19, 2003 Share Posted October 19, 2003 Geez guys the man wants to chop up his current gun not buy a new one. These cuts are cool and alog with some internal lighenting you get a light slide without the internals exposed to the elements. link to pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcoliver Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Why does it have to be external? (OK, I can guess...) I have a Limited gun internally lightened on either side of the hammer/disconnector rail. I regret it. I wish I could put the weight back. Eric, curious why you want it back? Also, when you guys talk about lightened guns and springing them heavy. By heavy do you mean heavier than the standard 16.5# or heavier than 12#? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 My lightened slide Limited gun flips too much for me. I lost yeterday's match due to a Miss shot high over a target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcoliver Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Oh, I see. I've been playing with the thought of having a "ported" slide. But right now I'm just playing with different spring weights hoping to get that "just right" feeling. Hopefully, I can get a spring-load combo that'll feel right. For some weird reason I kinda liked the way my old glock cycled. And that's probably what I'm looking for but in a 1911 package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 That's funny, I got a G17 after mostly shooting these heavy STI Limited guns for years... I used ammo that makes Minor in a G26... that ammo uses 115 gr bullets because that's what I've got laying around for Super... and I don't like light bullets in 9mm... But I really dig the way the G17 cycles with these hot 115 loads! Fast and flat. Just to keep this from being total thread drift, I hate the way a G34 cycles with its long-but-lightened slide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Try a G34 loaded with 130pf 147s sometime...... Should be something you really, really hate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerome Poiret Posted October 30, 2003 Share Posted October 30, 2003 Any links towards pictures of lightened slides would be of great help. Easier for Brian to see what I'm thinking of. The heavy VS light description on the brazos web site is great. I like his ovalish holes too. Just trying to get all the info I can before my slide goes under the knife!!! Hi ! Here is mine: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5549 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOtherErik Posted November 2, 2003 Share Posted November 2, 2003 here is another borrowed from BrianH's classified ad. here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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