Beautiful work!

thanks a lot !!!

Nice work, Guzzi!

With the extended slide release and oversize mag button, it looks a lot like one of the factory "race guns" of the late '80s/early '90S.

I notice you've gone with the "Performance Center" lightened hammer (for faster lock times) which was "drafted" for use on the 40 caliber models when it was discovered that the weight of the original forged/machined hammer was rebounding and causing cracks to form on the underside of the slide.

So did you choose that hammer specifically because of its "Performance" heritage?

John?

Meticulous work.

__________________
Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

That looks fantastic! Congratulations, I think you hit that one out of the park.

Nice race pistol, turned out great!

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

This is a most interesting and educational thread. Thank you for taking the time to document your successes and even your failures. You are vary talented. I would have done this project at a gun friendly machine shop or gunsmith in order to achieve your results. I will do a lot with "Franken Gun experimenting myself until it comes to cutting metal. Then I am out of my depth. You have several gifts including the gift of patience, hand working skill, and frugality. I enjoyed each and every post. Please do more in the future.

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John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

Thanks a lot Old-Cop

Thank you GerSan69

Thanks a lot stansdds

Thank you mbliss57 for your kind words.

Yes, for me it was very important to describe all the mistakes, failures and problems I had. Many times I run into threads and videos on the web that lead me to believe something is going to be easy and effortless and then I discover that wasn't the case.

I wanted to give "full transparency" of all the issues faced by the process and to be honest, my lack of experience.

I am sorry if in doing so I was a bit repetitive sometimes, like all the issues with the bluing...perhaps I over did it...

This thread isn't over yet...there is an additional gun to be finished...

Just waiting for some parts...

Thank you John...you have a good eye for details...








Yes, in this build I wanted to imitate a Performance Center build.
Something like this, but with parts that I could find easily. (Would love a 5" slide).

I never really liked the standard hammer for the 5906. To me is a bit bulky. The Performance Center guys turned to different hammers for many of their builds. I was trying to find one of the DA M52 hammers, but have never seen one.

Initially, I was a bit concerned the hammer being "too light", but I compared the weight with a 5906 MIM hammer, and it was very close (lost that pic, sold the MIM hammer). I also asked some members here with more experience and got positive answers, so I decided to give it a try.

The oversize mag button is something a like a lot. I find the standard button to be a little small for my taste. I use it in all my "large" frame guns.

The extended slide release was a gift from 4T5GUY (Jim), when I was building the SSV project. I tested it and I like it on a range gun.

I wish I could get one of those bar-sto barrels...

Will try to "take it for a spin" around thanksgiving, my eldest will be back from college, so time for some "healthy" family competition at the range. (This time the old man is going to win...)

About a week ago forum member jsbethel pointed me in the right direction and I was able to get the parts I needed to finish the frame.

The seller on eBay happened to be a retired S&W armorer and was very nice to deal with. He also gave me a plunger and a spring that I need for another project for free.


Parts were in nice condition, just a bit dirty (like the S&W mat I also got from eBay )

I did some work on the hammer, blasted it (protecting the notches of course) and got it ready for hot bluing.


Since the bath is mixed, it wasn't that hard to get everything going.

I had a few extra pieces that I could do some bluing, so I took the opportunity and re-finished them.


I think this bath mix is worn out and ready to be replaced.


I did some work to fix the fusion sight I had mangled. Blasted and re-blued. I think it came out nice...might use it on another project.


some of the original machining parts show...Heinie sights are finished better (IMHO)

I also re-blued a couple of original M915 sights...






They came out nice. I have no use for them, but want to keep one in the spare parts bin...if anybody needs one, send me a PM, you can have it for free.


took some time and removed the machining marks on the mag release.


I finally put together the second frame...(short tang)



Now waiting on a spring to finish the slide...

more to come...

As usual , some mighty fine work .

Which spring are you waiting for? Is it already ordered and on the way or are you still looking? Is it something I could dog-rob off of my 910 slide?

Froggie

Hi Froggie...

When I was installing the Heinie sight on the slide with the front cuts, I mangled the spring that depresses the firing pin plunger.


I tried to "fix" it, and when re-installed it worked fine, but it is one of those things that will always have me worried.


On this sight the hole for the machine screw is aligned with the holes for the plungers on the slide. On the original S&W sight the hole for the sight screw sits a bit behind to prevent the tangling.

When installing the sight you have to be extra careful not to tangle the spring into the recessed hole.

As usual, I learned the hard way after damaging the spring and the spare I had in the bin.



Ordered them from Brownells, S&W part number 105780000. They are supposed to arrived today...

Thank you so much for the offer Froggie...

...on the other hand, I am looking for an m915 extractor ...I will PM you about that...

PS:
Something I found when looking for the part (jsbethel and BMCM helped me find it) was that in the .40 (4006) the part number is different (204840000), the spring itself also looks different since it is "golden"...I don't know why S&W wouldn't use the same spring...

Guz,
Let me know if you’re looking for something, just a lil bit of my new found stash.

Attached Images

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WOW !!!

Sending you an email...

Less than half of the pile😎

The spring has landed

At some point today the spring arrived. I was very excited but also very nervous..since I didn't want to mess anything up...

Started to assemble the slide with the "cuts"...


Beautiful, unmolested spring...


Rear sight in place...(is easy once BMCM explains you HOW to do this ). The white stuff on the slide is some residue from the masking tape...yes I almost had a heart attack...


safety plunger installed...


safety is the "right" color...


safety installed = Guzzi happy




ready to install front sight. Everything degreased, a tiny drop of blue loctite applied...


sight went on without any issues...


looks ok...


like the sight picture


provisional barrel installed...(this one is narrow hood, need a wide hood, but will arrive tomorrow)...love the shinny guide rod.





and then...

...they were 2 (Guzzi really happy now )

hope you like them...

better pictures later on this week (hopefully tomorrow)...also detailed cost breakdown and a range report (when I find some ammo)...

more to come...

Where do I send my slide to get your touch?

need to get some more experience...and milling machine...

but I am thinking about it...

If you do I'd like one Guzz slide package

thank you...need to figure some things out...all the legal stuff...
and need to get confident enough...

I will let you know...really thinking about it...

I got another 5906 slide sans barrel, safety, and firing pin if you need more practice.