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Wilson SS - Is this normal?

1237 Views 10 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  gyp_c
I have been changing out the slide releases on my 1911's with Wilson's, purchased through Brownells. I sent the first one I received back because it had this "popped bubble" look in the finish:

When I ordered two more, they both look the same way and I am wondering if this is normal? I have a Wilson Extended from years back that is perfect, as are the EGW and CMC versions I've used in other guns. I can see this probably doesn't matter for function, but it still bums me a little.
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Hi David Joyal, I think what your seeing are the MIM (metal injection molded) holes, they are casting. The little hole are nothing to worry about, mostly all slide stops are some type of casting, Metal Smith

[This message has been edited by Metal Smith (edited 07-29-2001).]
Go to wilsoncombat.com/forum and ask them, I bet they can tell you exactly what it is.

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Kevin
That is exactly what those dimples are from castings. Like Metalsmith said nothing to worry about the only stainless slide stop that is not cast is an original Colt they are also available from Brownells under the Colt factory parts section.OCG1911
OGC1911,

Are the Brown's Hard Core stainless slide stops MIM? I was under the impression that these were machined steel.
All of the Ed Brown slide stop's are from a casting then machined the Hardcore is cryogenically treated to relieve stress and supposedly giving a longer service life.Some of the print is tricky unless they say machined from bar-stock it is safe assume it is a machined casting.OCG1911
I was always under the impression that EB parts were machined from bar-stock.Are EB's thumb and grip-safeties also casting's?Does this mean that there not much better then say Kimber MIM parts?

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"I'm your huckleberry"

SHOKz
Whoa...get a Brownells' catalog they have all the major parts and pretty much the info you're looking for...from most of the makers you've heard of and a few you haven't...There are plenty of tool steel parts out there and plenty that aren't. That one catalog has a bout the best info available on a lot of 'em...The websites to most of them are linked, either through the "links" area here or through one of the gun "hosts" out there...Shooters.com etc...

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I Like The Shade Too!
The "bubble" pocket on the slide stop is part of the casting tree. MIM 1911 parts usually have a smaller, less indented circle.

The Ed Brown safeties are castings. Be glad they are as that makes them much more affordable. IMO they are higher quality than the current crop of MIM stuff which is too hard and often brittle.

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MD Labs/Mad Dog Knives
This parts material stuff is tricky, just when I thought I was beginning to understand, I get confused again. For the record here is the response I got from a Wilson employee on their forum:
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David,

Our replacement slide stops were orginally cast. They are now ejection molded, which makes for a much more precise and denser metal part. What you are looking at is an ejection mold mark that will be on all the slide stops.

I showed it to one of our master pistol smiths that has worked here for 20 years. Truthfully he laughed and said it would not make a bit of difference, but if it really bothers you, a couple of strokes with a sanding stick will totally remove it.

We feel it is much better to have a part that is very precise and extremely strong, than to worry about a slight cosmetic mark that is hidden inside the gun.

Thank you for choosing Wilson's.

Frank Robbins
Wilson Combat
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Is "ejection molding" a different process than injection molding? I am now confused about which is better - cast, MIM or MEM?? Or is it totally dependent on the actual material being used? Going into this I thought the Wilson stop to be one of the best and not MIM. It occurs to me that a lot of people out there might be replacing their dreaded MIM parts with yet more MIM. And yes, Brownells is a fantastic thing.



[This message has been edited by David Joyal (edited 08-01-2001).]
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Injected = MIM

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I Like The Shade Too!
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