Post by ToddSig on Oct 31, 2021 14:55:29 GMT -5
Looking to get minds off of the Springfield SA-35, and thought I would post on two of my recent Hi Power projects. Both similar in parts and finish.
The first, was a 1975 C series lightweight from R Guns, in fair condition. I was pairing it with an FM Detective slide a purchased a few months earlier on eBay. The alloy has the pressed in barrel cam rather than the typical lightweight frame spline. It came with some reddish paint on the slide and barrel, and the barrel was very tight moving through the barrel bushing. Cleaned everything off, and the barrel was now sliding easily through the bushing.
For both of these projects I wanted to see how I did with finishes, as I have in the past installed and modified parts such as safeties, hammers, springs, triggers etc.
I bead blasted with 120 aluminum oxide and decided to refinish with KG Gunkote, flat black to match the Detetive slide. I decided on the Gunkote as it was thinner than cerakote, did not need to mix and dried to the touch almost immediately. Also, a big benefit was you could touch up and or recoat over it. So more forgiving than Cerakote. It also had an R Guns secondary import on the front edge of the frame dust cover. I removed that as well.
I sent the 75C slide off to Novak for new white dot sights (probably should have done the Detective slide as well), replaced most springs with C&S pull reduction springs, including the main spring and firing spring. The three coil trigger spring would not fit into the Garthwaite/Nighthawk trigger (channel was not wide enough) so used the two coil from BHSS along with a BHSS 18.5# recoil spring. In addition to the Garthwaite trigger, installed a Garthwaite/NIghthawk hammer, a Cylinder & Slide extended safety. Added black Navidrex Micarta grips. Trigger pull on my Lyman digital is just over 5 lbs.
I airbrushed the KG Gunkote, and for a first time application, did fairly well. Both smoothing the surface and surface prep zre key. It pretty much matches dead-on the original Detective slide epoxy finish.
A few images
The first, was a 1975 C series lightweight from R Guns, in fair condition. I was pairing it with an FM Detective slide a purchased a few months earlier on eBay. The alloy has the pressed in barrel cam rather than the typical lightweight frame spline. It came with some reddish paint on the slide and barrel, and the barrel was very tight moving through the barrel bushing. Cleaned everything off, and the barrel was now sliding easily through the bushing.
For both of these projects I wanted to see how I did with finishes, as I have in the past installed and modified parts such as safeties, hammers, springs, triggers etc.
I bead blasted with 120 aluminum oxide and decided to refinish with KG Gunkote, flat black to match the Detetive slide. I decided on the Gunkote as it was thinner than cerakote, did not need to mix and dried to the touch almost immediately. Also, a big benefit was you could touch up and or recoat over it. So more forgiving than Cerakote. It also had an R Guns secondary import on the front edge of the frame dust cover. I removed that as well.
I sent the 75C slide off to Novak for new white dot sights (probably should have done the Detective slide as well), replaced most springs with C&S pull reduction springs, including the main spring and firing spring. The three coil trigger spring would not fit into the Garthwaite/Nighthawk trigger (channel was not wide enough) so used the two coil from BHSS along with a BHSS 18.5# recoil spring. In addition to the Garthwaite trigger, installed a Garthwaite/NIghthawk hammer, a Cylinder & Slide extended safety. Added black Navidrex Micarta grips. Trigger pull on my Lyman digital is just over 5 lbs.
I airbrushed the KG Gunkote, and for a first time application, did fairly well. Both smoothing the surface and surface prep zre key. It pretty much matches dead-on the original Detective slide epoxy finish.
A few images
