[pistolwrench]

I hope I have not been using too much bandwidth with my recent posts.
The Millett dual-crimp repair has been discussed here several times in the past.
I thought some of you might like to see how I deal with the situation.
This job was done for another 'smith that needed a 'patridge' style cross-dovetailed front sight to which he could add a 'gold bead'.
The slide is a Colt Stainless Steel Delta Elite 10mm.

As I received it:

Pocket machined into the area.

Using a corner radiusing end-mill on the 'dutchman'.

Fluxed and ready for silver-solder.

All cleaned up.

New sight in place.

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Chuck Rogers
Rogers Precision

GOOD-CHEAP-FAST
Pick any two.

 

[Just a GI]

Damn, that's awesome work.

 

[KITT]

I am amazed at what some of you guys can do...... its totally awesome!

 

[Metal Smith]

Hi Chuck, nice job, wish I could of done that! Pete

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Very beautiful work. Awesome!

Best.

 

[strider]

I recently fixed a couple of these myself by a different method. I speak from first hand experience when I say they are a pain in the neck.

Nice work again, Chuck.

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MD Labs/Mad Dog Knives

 

[RMLamey]

If some one were to show me the before and after pics of the bald slide... I wouldnt believe them.

Tremendous work Chuck, I raise my glass to ya!!

 

[lawdog1834]

What a true craftsman you are !!! I have always wanted to do this kind of work. Did you start out in a machine shop or from the start a gunsmith. Super job

 

[ArmySon]

Here's another to boost your ego

... NICE WORK Chuck!

 

[Jim Watson]

Slick.
I have seen a couple of sloppy dual crimp jobs that needed this repair over the past year.

 

[Dave Sample]

I'm having a O' Douls n/a in your honor. Why anyone would want to do that to a slide is beyond me. I used to make'em buy a new slide.Stupidity must cost money and lots of it. Dual crimps are for the rankest of amateurs. I am always impressed by what you can do with that Mill and silver soder.

 

[BBBBill]

Beautiful work!

 

[gyp_c]

...well I guess that's one approach. Punish the customer for havin' someone work on their pistol...sheesh...

...Beautiful work...as always

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>>>>>>>>>>g2<<<<<<<<<<

I Like The Shade Too!

 

[Matt VDW]

I have a slide that was welded to repair the dual crimp holes and it doesn't look nearly as good. Nice work!

 

[Ned Christiansen]

What, nobody here likes Millets!?

The Commander pictured below had this same abomination of a front sight on it. You know, actually, the dual crimp attachment method in and of itself should be pretty strong when done right (which I don't believe I've ever seen), it's just that, well, it's rarely done right, usually with a gap under the sight or something, the styling and form of these things is not great, and they are made from melted down conduit or something-- really soft stuff. Anyway-- this nice old 1950 Commander had one on the front and this was my approach to fixing it; I didn't at all mind using a silver-soldered on front sight in this case given the gun's intended use. I posted about this one recently, where Checkmate had kinda botched the refinishing and lost some parts. In their defense, they did a great job of doing it over. Against my better judgement I let them repair the anodizing and the guy (William) did a fantastic job of it.

So, top pic-- not a great one, sorry-- the finished product. When making sights from scratch, I like to recess the tritium insert forward about .100, which makes it visible only to the user or someone directly behind him-- whereas standard-form night sights kinda call attention to your location to anyone in your dark, scary room that's within say a 120 degree cone behind you-- didn't do it to this one per customer's request.

This pic shows the front sight blank ruffed out, made from a piece of 4130, with two integral posts which fit into the old stake holes. This gives the max "soldered" area and lots of shear strength. I expect this sight to stay on for at least the first 100 rounds....

[This message has been edited by Ned Christiansen (edited 07-31-2001).]

 

[strider]

That's pretty tubular, Ned.

Very nice work, I like the rib on the slide top, very clean.

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MD Labs/Mad Dog Knives