[EvolutionArmory]

First we mark off where the end of the dustcover is. It is best to have your barrel fit and your slide blended to the frame in the rear before starting for the closest results.

Next we place our slide in the mill vise. I use a level to get me close and then indicate the slide .

Next we try to match up the radius of the cutter to the existing radius of the flair. This will give us our basic cutter Z height and we can lower it more if needed.

 

[EvolutionArmory]

Next we make a pass and cut away the bulk of the old flair.

Now we creep Y in until the cut starts looking good.

I like to stop right when the cutter starts making contact with the flat of the spring box. Now that we have Y about where we want it, will will check X with the frame.

This one needs to be trimmed back more. This is why you need to fit your barrel and blend the rear. You now know how the ball cuts will line up in battery without taking the slide out of the vise. Trim the ball cut back until you are happy with where it sits. Once you get one side where you want it, zero X and cut the other side to the same zero

 

[Robert F. Ciancio Jr.]

You know, if you keep posting this kind of stuff, I'm gonna think I can do it and I'm really gonna mess up a gun...

 

[EvolutionArmory]

Now that both sides are done, they should line up nice.

And now we sand, sand and you guessed it, sand some more.

 

[GeorgiaRedfish]

Thanks for the post and nice work, as usual!

 

[gun_fan111]

Really enjoyed reading this - thank you for posting

 

[41 Charlie]

Nice tutorial, with pictures no less!

Good stuff, Dave!

 

[Weiker]

Very Good !

 

[cfl4rat]

Hopefully WC is taking notes :nerd::smurggrin:​

 

[july19]

These tutorial posts confirm my certainty that I'm not a gunsmith but I do enjoy reading and looking.

 

[Kip]

Ditto!!!!

 

[Fred_G]

LOL at the WC jabs. Do wish they would work on that. With all the stuff in their shop, you would think...

EvolutionAmory, enjoying the picts and mini tutorials. Would love to play around with some of that stuff. All I have is a few files and a dremmel....

 

[switchback]

Love it Dave. Keep up the good work

Bet they try @ WC, could be something as simple as "fit the barrel and blend the slide FIRST", I dunno but I would expect them to line up and same for the carry cut. "and sand, sand, sand"

 

[EvolutionArmory]

Maybe Wilson should just move the stop point across the board when they machine these up. Then the builder would only have to file the dust cover back a hair if they don't line up the other way

The jabs at Wilson are funny, but in their defense, they build more guns in a day than I do in 6-12 months. I have the time to make them line up on each gun.

 

[EvolutionArmory]

I gotta tip my hat to Wilson. They build a high quality gun that tics off a lot of boxes for me. They have a good balance of popular options and their guns are affordable. I can see someone being pissed off if a Supergrade didn't line up but on one of the lower models, not so much.

Personally, I don't mind if the ball cuts don't line up. They didn't line up over 100 years ago on pre A1 pistols so it's retro if they don't line up.....right?

 

[july19]

I gotta tip my hat to Wilson. They build a high quality gun that tics off a lot of boxes for me. They have a good balance of popular options and their guns are affordable. I can see someone being pissed off if a Supergrade didn't line up but on one of the lower models, not so much.

Personally, I don't mind if the ball cuts don't line up. They didn't line up over 100 years ago on pre A1 pistols so it's retro if they don't line up.....right?

Not sure about that. Their advertising and pricing determine their eventual customers' expectations. High prices conote perfection, as do hundreds of thousand glossy photos that display their workmanship without machining problems. I wouldn't fault anyone for complaing about something so obvious as misaligned ball cuts on a 5K pistol, or 4' or 3.

 

[Countryside]

Hmmmm.....I was wondering what kinda ball you'd use on a slide. .o:

 

[Bro. Pappaw]

Very informative, I thank you.

 

[Raylan Givens]

Interesting. I agree, Wilson's should line up. Thanks for posting EA.

 

[Kip]

Not having a Wilson myself I really can't say.
I like the order of operations and the why it's done that way.Thats some damn fine work!!!