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Slide Lightening


Ray_Z

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Several custom gunsmiths offer different variations of taking metal away from the slide. Is there really a difference in recoil? Are these areas a place for a split to start? Is it worth the cost to have a gun with this done? Is there really a competitive edge for those that have guns like these?

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Several custom gunsmiths offer different variations of taking metal away from the slide. Is there really a difference in recoil? Are these areas a place for a split to start? Is it worth the cost to have a gun with this done? Is there really a competitive edge for those that have guns like these?

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Some of it has to do with recoil, some with transitions between targets, and some with balance. It's all a personal thing. I hate a STI/SVI heavy frame, heavy slide combo...it's like a brick to me. Lighten the gun,(standard frame, lightend slide) and it's a world of difference to me. Plus, it looks good :D

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Hello: It depends on what you are shooting and your shooting style. If you like a fast reacting pistol then , yes you will like a lightened slide. If you like a pistol that is muzzle heavy then you will not like a lightened slide. It is like driving a truck or a Porsche. They both will get you down the road but one will do it quicker and is alot more fun :roflol: Thanks, Eric

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Hello: It depends on what you are shooting and your shooting style. If you like a fast reacting pistol then , yes you will like a lightened slide. If you like a pistol that is muzzle heavy then you will not like a lightened slide. It is like driving a truck or a Porsche. They both will get you down the road but one will do it quicker and is alot more fun :roflol: Thanks, Eric

OK, I shoot an edge in 40. If I had all kind of slots and holes cut into it am I going to recover faster from the recoil? Is the recoil going to be more predictable? I understand that the lighter the gun, the faster it's going to swing. I agree it really looks cool. But is that slide going to crack because its been weakened?

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Hello: You have a heavy pistol there. The first thing I would do is cut the dust cover back and shoot it. Then I would cut on the slide to make it lighter. I think you will like it :cheers: The slide will not crack unless someone cuts where they should not. Well, maybe you could tritop the slide first. There is many ways to lighten up your pistol so start looking on here so you can decide what you like :cheers: Back to filing on my slide to remove the burrs. Thanks, Eric

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How ya doing Ray?? We have quite a few shooters here in Ohio that have lightened slides and I think most would be more than willing to let you shoot them. I think its a personal preference especially in the beginning. I know of guys who have said they feel like they have to wait on a full profile slide to return before they can shoot the next shot(He has already posted in this thread). This of course is based on individual ability and preference. The lightened slide will return faster but that doesn't automactically translate in better performance and scores. Personally for me I liked shooting my Open 40 loads in Limited. The recoil was quick and snappy which I liked but the next guy might not like it.

Check with someone and go shoot 500 rounds through one. Really pay attention to the recoil and how the you track the sights. Then switch back to your gun and see how it feels.

Flyin

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Ray,

You can borrow my gun anytime and shoot it as much as you want. It is not a radical lightening job but some fat was taken out of the nose. You bailed my butt out at my very first ever USPSA match. I would love to return the favor.

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My take on it is to lighten the slide(recoiling mass) and make the frame(non recoiling mass) heavier. Tried in in my 45 and liked it some but not worth the price. Are doing the same thing to my 40 and liking it a lot more and yes the money would probably have been better spent on ammo.

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All a matter of personal preference,I prefer a lighter gun. Unless you have shot both (heavy and light) you really don't know. It would be a real bummer if you lightened the gun up and did not like it or shoot it as well as the heavier gun. YMMV.

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The rcoil on my Edge is very predictable, every time I pull the trigger 500ns later there is recoil. I have managed to minimize that recoil by working up a soft shooting load. 4.5gr of N320 behind a 185gr Precison Moly bullet at 1.180. This was .6gr less than 180gr Jacketed bullet and made a fair amount of difference in muzzle rise. Removing the Tungsten guide rod and dropping the recoil spring to 13# also helped.

I shoot with two GM Limiteds regularly one prefers the Eagle the other the Edge one shoots jacketed bullets the other shoots Precison, its just a matter of preference in the feel of the gun they both win stages and matches. The bottom line either one will work in the right hands. Ooh, and neither has the slides lightened.

I spend a fair amount of time looking at all the cuts on Gans Guns. Just pop the slide in a bulk priority box and he can whack it any which way you want. But if it doesn't work for you then what.

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Ray,

You can borrow my gun anytime and shoot it as much as you want. It is not a radical lightening job but some fat was taken out of the nose. You bailed my butt out at my very first ever USPSA match. I would love to return the favor.

Hey Mike

Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on it. As far as the nice guy thing, I wish somebody would tell my wife that. She thinks I'm and a%^h($#

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I recently had a pair is singlestacks by two different smiths. One was tri topped and the other was just flat topped. Don't know the exact difference in weight but I could tell just by holding them in my hands. I didn't notice that much of a difference shooting the same exact loads through them. I only put about 150 rounds through each though.

If your gun is running 100% as is right now, I'd keep it the same. Not that lightening it will screw it up but there's always murphy's law. I find it fun to try different platforms/configurations. However as in most sports equipment, I think that if you're not entirely sure you need something new/different, you probably don't.

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If you did lighten your slide and didn't like it, there are ways to get the weight back up. You could even lighten the slide by the amount that the tungsten guide rod adds and the gun would weight the same but you would have the advantage of the lower recoiling mass.

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Ray,

You can borrow my gun anytime and shoot it as much as you want. It is not a radical lightening job but some fat was taken out of the nose. You bailed my butt out at my very first ever USPSA match. I would love to return the favor.

Hey Mike

Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on it. As far as the nice guy thing, I wish somebody would tell my wife that. She thinks I'm and a%^h($#

Ray,

You have always seemed like a really ice guy to me. But, I probably don't know you as well as your wife does! LOL :roflol::lol:

need more intimity? :roflol:

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