changed out S&W 1911 slide

[Old_Me]

ok, so among my 1911 collection, i have a S&W Series E, in 45 ACP, Series 70, 3 white dot Novak sights.

it has an external extractor.

i just "wanted to see", if i could switch out the slide, and how difficult that would be, with "fitment"

well...it wasn't all that hard, and i do have "some" smithing tools, like files, and honing stones, and Lyman sight pusher



i only needed the files.......to fit the front/rear sights.

when i bought the slide, i also bought thier "kit" which included, barrel, firing pin, internal extractor, and barrel bushing.

here is a pic of the OEM S&W slide

the OEM 3 dot Novak sights.

the new slide

Novak green fiber optic rear/red fiber optic front

the only tools i used were the smithing files, to fit the sights, and the sight pusher, which you can see some marks on the rear sight.....oh well.....but NO honing stones for the slide rails....

the place i bought the slide from, also cuts the disconnector ramp.....

i had done this change over in early spring, shot the gun then, to test it all out, ran great...

took it again today, and i posted the pics of the targets on the "a good day at the range" thread.

just never mentioned it before

PS, i should point out, that since a barrel and barrel bushing did come with the kit i bought, i am still using the OEM barrel and bushing.....

 

[Onewolf426]

Looks good!

 

[Annihilator]

ok, so among my 1911 collection, i have a S&W Series E, in 45 ACP, Series 70, 3 white dot Novak sights.

it has an external extractor.

i just "wanted to see", if i could switch out the slide, and how difficult that would be, with "fitment"

well...it wasn't all that hard, and i do have "some" smithing tools, like files, and honing stones, and Lyman sight pusher



i only needed the files.......to fit the front/rear sights.

when i bought the slide, i also bought thier "kit" which included, barrel, firing pin, internal extractor, and barrel bushing.

here is a pic of the OEM S&W slide

View attachment 118630

the OEM 3 dot Novak sights.

View attachment 118631

the new slide

View attachment 118632

Novak green fiber optic rear/red fiber optic front


View attachment 118634

the only tools i used were the smithing files, to fit the sights, and the sight pusher, which you can see some marks on the rear sight.....oh well.....but NO honing stones for the slide rails....

the place i bought the slide from, also cuts the disconnector ramp.....

View attachment 118636





i had done this change over in early spring, shot the gun then, to test it all out, ran great...

took it again today, and i posted the pics of the targets on the "a good day at the range" thread.

just never mentioned it before

PS, i should point out, that since a barrel and barrel bushing did come with the kit i bought, i am still using the OEM barrel and bushing.....

Were you having an issue with the extractor? They work just as well as the internal plus there a little more durable and don’t need adjusting, just asking, looks nice, but I’m from the old school, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, your lucky you didn’t have to work on the barrel lugs and lugs in the slide, just keep an eye on if you start seeing bits of metal when you take it down, if so, gotta fit barrel to slide

 

[HayesGreener]

Are you feeling OK? Your fingers look a bit blue......

 

[Old_Me]

Were you having an issue with the extractor? They work just as well as the internal plus there a little more durable and don’t need adjusting, just asking, looks nice, but I’m from the old school, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, your lucky you didn’t have to work on the barrel lugs and lugs in the slide, just keep an eye on if you start seeing bits of metal when you take it down, if so, gotta fit barrel to slide

absolutely no issue(s) at all with the external extractor. i also cruise, lurk, and participate, on 1911 boards/sites, where many guys change out slides from external to internal extractors, only cuz they prefer the "traditional look" of the internal slide. as a former wrencher and toolman savant (like Tim the tool man Taylor), i made it my mission over the years to have what is needed to make repairs on vehicles, and a small very small collection for gun repairs.

it was one of those...."Hhmmmmm, let me try this moments", when i search for 1911 parts, and repairs....to me, money not wasted, but money well spent, but instead money spent for education. the only issue i had was, that i did not file down the cut outs for the sights enough, but then too, if i took off too much metal..??

i'd never be able to put it back.

PS, i also have an extractor adjusting tool, i forgot to mention, rather than bending it via the Wilson video....

Are you feeling OK? Your fingers look a bit blue......

i was getting ready to clean the S&W 1911, and i always wear gloves for that.

i learnt my lesson after getting very high lead readings, after perhaps the combo of shooting, and cleaning, as well as reloading, especially when i reloaded lead bullets.

 

[Jester560]

Nicely done!