Two 5906 Frankenguns (two-tone, cuts, serrations, red dot)

Hi guys,
Another project in a crazy year.

As previously mentioned, I am not a gunsmith, I am a hobbyist. My skills are basic, compared to others in the forum, so please be patient. I have made many mistakes during this project and I hope you can learn from them (without having to go through them or in avoiding them you make NEW mistakes and we can all learn from them).

This project wouldn't have been possible without the help of many forum members, who answered many questions. Special thanks to Bill (BMCM) and John (JohnHL), for all the extra help and dedication in all the steps of this project.

Background: during the Frankengun SSV project, forum member 1775usmarine, mentioned that he was looking to make a slide with a RMR…that was the spark that started the idea for this project. I always see other guys at the range with RMR on their Glocks, or other striker fired pistols. I don't like strike fired pistols, since I shoot much better with a traditional double action (with a hammer). So, for a long time I haven't taken part in the "red dot evolution" because I don't have a platform for them. However, I really want one...I am growing older and starting to loose my sight...I can't compete with my kids in the range like I used to 4 or 5 years ago.

I have seen other 3rd gens with RMRs but to me, many of them sit too high and look a bit awkward. I wanted a RMR that look like it "belonged" to the 3rd gen…milling the slide? Finding another type of mount? A smaller RMR?

After the comments from 1775usmarine, I decided that I would give it a try…


I will divide this thread into 4 main parts: 1) RMR Slide 2) Target slide 3) Frame 4) Complete pistol.

I will try to detail what I did in each part, the pieces and tools I bought, and how much money I spent. For me it is important the costs of the project do not represent a financial burden, specially this year that funds are not that easy to come by.

RMR Slide:

For the RMR slide I wanted something that look like this:





But I always wanted a pistol with front serrations (maybe because I've never owned one that has them). Something like this would be great...



I found a M915 slide on eBay for $50. I cleaned and blasted the single side SS safety and sold it to recoup the cost.









Initially, I was going to use an ambi safety I had from my CS9 project, but later I found a carbon single side slide for $14 on eBay. At this point my total investment was almost zero.

At the end of the day I started with a M915 slide that look like this…



more to come...

Your welcome lol.....my project is on the back burner right now.

Umm, no you are not a "hobbyist" at your level now. I am totally blown away with what you are doing with what you are using. Sorry I keep repeating myself.

I really like the backdrop of the picture I copied from you and attached. I actually recognize and have a "few" of those rifles. (Not intending to post drift of course.)

Jim

4T5GUY said:

Umm, no you are not a "hobbyist" at your level now. I am totally blown away with what you are doing with what you are using. Sorry I keep repeating myself.

I really like the backdrop of the picture I copied from you and attached. I actually recognize and have a "few" of those rifles. (Not intending to post drift of course.)

Jim

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot Jim...

Found the pic on the internet, looking for a mount...didn't pay attention to the rifles until now...

I really like that pistol...maybe one of these days...

I'm looking forward to the next installment!

John

Keep going you are doing great and certainly have my attention!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hello to my fellow grave robber! And the words of the good doctor's minion Igor, "It's ALIIIVE!" Most of you couldn't know this but guzzitaco and I have been feeding each other's craziness for a while now, and while he has been building his two tone 3rd Gen double stacker, I've been working on a two tone 2nd Gen single stacker with some 3rd Gen parts added. We've been sending parts and pictures (as well as encouragement) back and forth for a couple of months now and I'm pleased to call him my friend.Froggie

Keep up the good work my friend, and send more pictures... you know how this group loves pictures!

Your Phriend the 'Phibian

Mounting the RMR

Mounting the RMR

The first order of business was to find a way to mount the RMR on the M915 slide.

My initial intention was to mount the RMR directly to the slide. So, I thought that milling the slide was the way to go. After all, this is what many gun manufacturers are doing these days.

When looking at a 5906/5904 slide with adjustable sights, you can see that the slide has already been milled to accept the adjustable sight. So, I thought that there wouldn't be a big deal to mill the slide.



However, after consulting with a couple of gunsmiths I realized that I would that it would take longer and be costlier than finding a mount (in place of the rear sight). I also realized that it might not be possible, because all the RMRs in the market are larger that S&W adjustable sight, and further milling the top of the slide could leave certain areas too thin, for example the area close to the safety or close to the extractor.

Nevertheless, despite choosing to follow the mount route, I want to do some more research and try to buy in the future a slide with a rear adjustable sight to see if it can be further milled to the front or the back and fit an RMR.


Finding a mount
On July this year I started to do some research on the mount and contacted Aristocrat and BME mounts to check if they had something for the 5906…nope…nada…

I found an interesting thread on the forum that gave me some ideas…

Anyone put a reflex (redot) on a 3rd gen?

Fantastic info but I wanted a "slimmer" mount...

Then looking at the source of the picture of the Tactical.40 (post#1), I read that it had an Optima 2000 RMR sight…so what about an Optima 2000 mount?

BINGO

Found that CDNN was selling them for $29, but on ebay they had them for $26 free shipping…I had an ebay coupon of $10…so got it for $16.



Got the mount…it was a perfect fit….the top the M915 slide was a bit crooked , but the mount fits perfectly. The sight fits the sight cut of the M915 and also fits the Novak cut of the M5906/5904 because it comes with a little plate that serves as an adaptor.

The website says that it fits Tasco and Trijicon…so I assumed that it would fit all Trijicon patterns (WRONG but more on that later).




(frame from the SSV project)





(nuts serves as a spacer, since I didn't have the RMR sight)





After close examination, I believe this is the same type of sight mount that Aristocrat sells. Also, if you run some searches on google, you will be able to find the same Optima mount for $9+shipping…

So, at this point I had a slide and a mount that was a good fit...we were in August and I wanted to buy the RMR with Amazon points, so I had to convince the wife to let me use her points and save enough points so I could get it for a reasonable price...

more to come...

...and he mixes shopping tips with his gunsmithing tips! How cool is that? I had been wondering how to mount a base on my slide without a lot of machine work... problem solved. Many thanks, my friend.

Froggie

Green Frog said:

...and he mixes shopping tips with his gunsmithing tips! How cool is that? I had been wondering how to mount a base on my slide without a lot of machine work... problem solved. Many thanks, my friend.

Froggie

Click to expand...

Hey...maybe I'm starting to sound like one of those "personal shoppers" in the movies...

need to control myself...

Some cuts...

Carry cuts for the RMR slide:

After I bought the RMR mount, I decided to do carry cuts on the front on the slide.

Similar to what I did on:

M910 Slide learning project

So, using my trusty bench vise, a couple of wood blocks and some files, I started to work on it:






(I removed the bluing, using Lysol this time, works wonders)


(I true the slide flats using 400 grit paper and a flat marble block)



Rear Serrations:
I also wanted rear serrations, I have seen them in 1911 builds and I always like them. Since this was going to be a slide for the range, maybe I could experiment a bit on it.

So, bought a 40 LPI checkering file on Amazon for around $34 and after some practice on scrap metal, I decided to start working on it:











I liked a lot how they looked and even though it was a lot of work it wasn't that difficult...

So, could I make serrations inside the front cuts?

I ordered a 20 LPI file (this time from eBay, cheaper, but took a long time to get here, and I think it is not the same quality). I know the front serrations will not have the "angle" that the rear serrations have, but it was the only way I could think of doing the without a mill and making sure they were straight.

After all, it is a "range" slide...







It was late when I finished the first side, so I decided to make the other side the next day...later this would prove that it was a mistake...but that night, I was a happy camper

more to come...

I love mistakes

Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes...

Next day I started to work on the serrations on the other side. Even though I was rested I wasn't in the zone. I had completely lost the "rhythm" that I had from the previous night.

I don't exactly know what happened, nor documented the whole thing with pictures, but the lines started to get different "widths". They were straight, but some were "thinner" in the extremes and "fatter" in the middle.

I think I was "pushing" the file at an angle and didn't realize until it was too late. The only solution was to "erase" some of the checkering and start again. I was tedious and stressful. I didn't take it well. After a lot of work, this was the best result I could get:





It wasn't perfect. Using checkering files isn't easy. I thought that after some work on scrap metal and the rear serrations, I was ready and got over confident. Also, I believe that the cut on the side of the mistake wasn't even. The checkering file would "eat" the metal at a different angle if the surface isn't straight.

I kept working on it for the next week or so. Little by little. Small sessions. Trying to "straight' everything out.

Things got better:


After some more sessions and some blasting, this is where I got...







They are not 100% perfect...but they are close. After the bluing, I think it will be hard to spot the small imperfections without a magnifying glass...

Cuts where deeper than initially intended. That's the reason I posted asking for the depth of the Performance Center cuts.

My cuts are a bit deeper that the reading on Cherrypointmarine's RECON 9. The difference is 0.009". So, I think it is ok.

Also, I have seen some Performance Center cuts that look deeper, for example the cuts on the Shorty .40 Y2000.



Some other mistakes:
In the middle of all the "serration - checkering" issue, I manage to drop the slide from the bench on the floor. Not once, but twice.

I don't know the composition of my ceramic floor, but it is hard. Hard enough to dent the slide. On the front and on the back.

I tool a lot a work to fix the small dents with a jewelers file.



After that I starting using a piece of cord, to tie the slide to the bench vise, in case I dropped it...

more to come...

PS: forum members JohnHL, Cherrypointmarine, BMCM, Erocksmash and 4T5GUY helped me a lot during this "stage" of the project. Thanks for your support.

You have definitely come a long way since I sold you that 457 a couple of years ago . You certainly have some metal working talent .

cherrypointmarine said:

You have definitely come a long way since I sold you that 457 a couple of years ago . You certainly have some metal working talent .

Click to expand...

thanks a lot for the kind words...

P.S.: I love that 457...

This is a rather inspirational post and has my gears turning... I have questions, but need to think more.... I like what is happening here, fantastic work sir! I dident realize at the time this was your intention...

I'll be following this closely...

I wouldn't beat yourself up about the small imperfections as I believe most guns have them...

Erocksmash said:

This is a rather inspirational post and has my gears turning... I have questions, but need to think more.... I like what is happening here, fantastic work sir! I dident realize at the time this was your intention...

I'll be following this closely...

I wouldn't beat yourself up about the small imperfections as I believe most guns have them...

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot Erocksmash...

The more I see, the more I am in awe. While the serrations on the back of the slide have the practical function of reducing glare, their cosmetic factor is probably even more pronounced and you knocked it out of the park there.

As you know, I have that fairly useless to me Model 910 slide, and now I'm beginning to think it might make an ideal practice piece. Now to get a 40 lpi checkering file!

Froggie

I think he's got a lot of us thinking Froggie .I bought a 3906 complete slide off GI , wonder what I could do with that .

CPM, your 3906 slide will work with a variety of Gen 2 & 3 frames, so IMHO at least, it has some intrinsic value. OTOH, my 910 slide fits only the 910, so is of little value at best. That's why I suggested that I might use it "for practice." Your slide has several potential uses, so if it were mine at least it would be getting more respect than just as a practice piece. Of course it's your slide, so your choice.

Regards,
Froggie

Green Frog said:

The more I see, the more I am in awe. While the serrations on the back of the slide have the practical function of reducing glare, their cosmetic factor is probably even more pronounced and you knocked it out of the park there.

As you know, I have that fairly useless to me Model 910 slide, and now I'm beginning to think it might make an ideal practice piece. Now to get a 40 lpi checkering file!

Froggie

Click to expand...

Thank you Froggie...thanks for all the help and the support and for all the parts...

Some pics that might help in your endeavor...


I put the slide own the vise between to wood blocks. Make sure they are straight, or your checkering could be at an angle . I am a bit clumsy, so I tied the slide to make sure that if I accidentally drop it, it does not hit the "kryptonite" floor.


Leave enough space for the file to lean against one of the blocks. the idea is to use it as a guide.




I use both hand for this, but I was holding the phone to take the pic





Cuts should be deep enough that mark the edge, but the deeper the cut, the "thinner" or "shaper" the edge of the cut, so it is more brittle and can break if you push too hard. Try to go little by little and check your progress constantly (I normally fail at this).


I don't own a file handle, so I use an old golf ball I found. It works fine.



I recommend a good light, shadows are a problem for me when doing this.


I am loosing my sight, so I need magnifying glasses.


Grobet checkering files come in two widths, I have found the wider easier to use. For specs, you can visit their website.

Hope this helps...