looks like cast, not forged, to me
Springfield Armory's raw 1911 slide & frame forgings?
Some months ago, while catching up on some 1911 information, I came across this picture. They are supposedly a raw forged slide and raw forged frame that Springfield Armory acquires from somewhere in the US to produce their pistols from.
My question, out of pure curiosity, is if anybody has ever uncovered the source for these US made forgings?
Thanks in advance for any insight you may have on this 👍
![Font Wood Metal Gun accessory Auto part]()
My question, out of pure curiosity, is if anybody has ever uncovered the source for these US made forgings?
Thanks in advance for any insight you may have on this 👍
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Here's a link to a 1911 frame being forged by the S&W factory. Notice how the end result raw forging is very similar to the one in my photo shared above 👍
Here's a screenshot of a S&W raw forged frame...
![Automotive design Bumper Automotive exterior Font Wood]()
And here is a raw 1911 frame investment casting... As one can see, a lot of the work is already done, it will need a lot less machining then a raw forged frame would require.
![Wood Gun barrel Composite material Trigger Tool]()
Btw, I have no idea the manufacturer of this frame casting, I just put it up here as an example 👍
Here's a screenshot of a S&W raw forged frame...
And here is a raw 1911 frame investment casting... As one can see, a lot of the work is already done, it will need a lot less machining then a raw forged frame would require.
Btw, I have no idea the manufacturer of this frame casting, I just put it up here as an example 👍
By the way, this link is where I found the picture of the raw forged frame & slide that Springfield Armory uses to make their 1911...
www.thearmorylife.com
As for whether or not Springfield Armory still uses frame and slide forgings to build their 1911's, their website clearly states that they do...
![Font Line Wood Musical instrument Brand]()
They also have forged barrels, but the method used for the barrel making is called cold hammer forging, it not being the same hot drop forging method used to make their frames and slides.
The Cold Hammer Forging of barrels does also increase the steels strength, similar to what hot drop forging does for the frames and slides.
Cold Hammer Forged barrels are pumped out quite quickly during their production, but it's done at facilities that are well heeled, because these cold hammer forging machines are pricey.
Big name companies like Glock, Remington, Ruger, and others, have these machines in house and produce their own barrels. If a company doesn't have the resources to have such machines in house, they can still, of course, have them done elsewhere for them. So, just like SA sources their raw frame and slide forgings from an outside US foundry, maybe they also get their cold hammer forged barrels from an outside source. Not uncommon in the gun world. It's just like AR-15 maker's that use forgings for upper and lower receivers... they don't actually forge their own. They buy them from outside foundries, and then get them delivered to their own facilities, where they machine them to their final dimensions.
There are exceptions, like S&W that has it's own in house foundry, but that is not the norm for most manufacturers.
Forged vs. Cast Steel - The Armory Life
You may heard of cast versus forged steel, but wondered what the difference was. Steel is not the amorphous homogenous stuff it appears to be.
www.thearmorylife.com
As for whether or not Springfield Armory still uses frame and slide forgings to build their 1911's, their website clearly states that they do...
They also have forged barrels, but the method used for the barrel making is called cold hammer forging, it not being the same hot drop forging method used to make their frames and slides.
The Cold Hammer Forging of barrels does also increase the steels strength, similar to what hot drop forging does for the frames and slides.
Cold Hammer Forged barrels are pumped out quite quickly during their production, but it's done at facilities that are well heeled, because these cold hammer forging machines are pricey.
Big name companies like Glock, Remington, Ruger, and others, have these machines in house and produce their own barrels. If a company doesn't have the resources to have such machines in house, they can still, of course, have them done elsewhere for them. So, just like SA sources their raw frame and slide forgings from an outside US foundry, maybe they also get their cold hammer forged barrels from an outside source. Not uncommon in the gun world. It's just like AR-15 maker's that use forgings for upper and lower receivers... they don't actually forge their own. They buy them from outside foundries, and then get them delivered to their own facilities, where they machine them to their final dimensions.
There are exceptions, like S&W that has it's own in house foundry, but that is not the norm for most manufacturers.
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