Barrel Links kits questions input

Hi George

Just a hobby guy here. Why are links made in .005 increments or decrements? Why not .001?

If a shop stocks links in .005 steps they need 5 links x say 5 each for stock.
may not seem like much but this is One part of the gun. stock 5 beavertails and 5 safeties and slide stops and on and on and on, you can end up with 8k tied up in parts alone pretty fast, now x 4 sizes inbetween and 5 each so add 64 more links, gets expensive. (I was at the preformance center a couple mo's ago and they had 5 bins of 2500 links in each bin, turned my head)

Measure the barrel feet and pick a link .001 0r 002 shorter. To do this, wouldn't the slide stop pin hole have to measure .002 or .003 greater than the slide stop pin to achieve contact with the rear of the barrel lug feet and not bind?

a good quality slide stop will be .2000 dia. +/- .001
most links I checked are .203-.204 on the big end, personally when the barrel is at rest against the lugs, I like it to be snug. If as often happens the top lugs are not tight against the slide the link holding the barrel down will improve accuracy.

Also wouldn't the distance from the center of the slide stop pin hole to the vertical barrel stop surface of the frame be entirely dependent on the link length, which is dependant on the barrel lugs, which is dependant on the slide locking lugs, etc..

Depends whom you read.
in race gun land you make the dimensions.
fit the hood,
fit the lock up
fit the bottom lugs to the lock up
pick a link
using the link set the back cut.

On a non ramp barrel you are more restricted.
you can pre measure from the slide stop to the the back of the barrel cut for the bottom lugs. Depending on the barrel, location of the slide stop hole in the frame (up/Down front/back), location of the link pin hole on the barrel (up/down Front/back).
So you fit the barrel hood, cut the bottom feet to set the needed lock up, and hope that your set up with the selected link is short enough to pull the barrel clear of the top lugs but still have the barrel stop on the frame and have a couple thousants link up and down. not the easiest thing to do.

Sorry for all the questions. I hope this is what you were soliciting for.
Erich
Thanks for the reply, I was looking for input on what people would want that is different from the links we have had for 15 years.

Ned, we can run you some links with both holes small
call me, no problemO
.110 sounds like a #5 link? ish

Thanks for the help Rick, didn't know on the .003 and nice mix like you said,
someone here posted that they wanted a link that was "pre egged" not sure if that would be in or out?

Thanks, didn't know that either.
has anyone had trouble finding a small enough link for accurailed guns?
how short?

best regards
geo

Links

I am a "big fan" of Metal Smith's statement..."I only know what I can measure"... how very true..!!
and I have a huge investment in precision measuring equipment..not into CMM or EPM yet..$$$
Any way, Dave Berryhill alerted me to this thread on links...been very busy and haven't been reading the forums lately..Anyway, I have been making my own links for some years now. 1075 steel heat treated to 40-47 RC. I make a small lot with the .156 hole drilled and reamed prior to heat treat . I made a fixture to hold the link on the .156 hole center and then measure from this C/L. Works quite well for me. Use a carbide center drill to spot the face; drill a #8 hole with a carbide drill and finish with a four flute carbide center cutting 13/64 end mill.. I know that sounds like over kill, but the result is a very nice finish every time..
Measuring the distance between the two C/Ls is a bit tricky. The barrel moves in a linear direction, while the link is rotating, so an exact distance from the two C/Ls will usually not work..hence the reason many smiths egg shape the slide stop hole. I don't believe in that practice. If I need extra distance for the link to clear the lower lug as the barrel drops, I make a link that will clear and then clearance the top of the slide stop pin on a rotary fixture on the surface grinder,with a narrowed wheel, so the bottom lugs rest on the cross pin and not the link. The "Corps" armors have been doing this for years, they just use a different method..Works quite well...

Take Care

Jerry Keefer

George,

My pet peeve with links, slide stops , etc., is proper heat-treatment. I only use carbon steel links and not 416SS. In my view, 416SS is not a suitable material for any part subjected to shock loadings. In the quantities of carbon steel links I've bought over the years, the hardness (ie. strength) was all over the place. I finally just got into the habit of annealing all my carbon steel links, reheat-treating them, and then rechecking the hardness. Likewise, I've had super duper slide stops($$$$) that missed the heat treating process all together. Result? On the first fired round, the slide stop bent, and the pistol jammed.

Since failed links/slide stops typically put a 1911 out of action, I'd like to see better quality control on manufactured links and slide stops. A Rockwell mark on each piece would be nice insurance that the heat-treat was at least done properly. In quality guns/parts, it's common to see the tell-tale Rockwell hardness indentations in specific locations on the part. That shows me that the manufacturer is at least concerned about producing a quality part.

Best regards,

CJR