Peening and Squeezing? (Slide to Frame Fit)

[frontsight]

Hello,

I'm looking for some advice from you tech savvy gentlemen on a question that I can't seem to find answers here or any other airsoft related forum.

Despite the provocatively named thread, unfortunately the question is completely PG.

The particular issue is with a TM 1911 with a Guarder kit but I assume this could apply to most metal GBBP's. I would like to increase the tightness of the slide to frame fit on my handgun, as Guarder kits being cast-alloys the slide has a bit of play when there's no mag inserted. While this doesn't affect performance it just eggs my OCD a bit and makes me want to tinker with it.

I've done some research on what people do to improve slide to frame wobble on real steel handguns, and it seems like "peening" (?) and "squeezing" (???) are options I could consider. I've attached some example pics I found below, but basically it entails reshaping/bending some material on either the slide or frame rails to tighten up the fit. As crude as it seems this method does seem to have some history and people who swear by it.

I have some idea on how I could go about doing this, now the question is how different the typical alloys used on airsoft are compared to steel used on real firearms.

Am I asking for trouble here? How malleable are the zinc alloys (the typical pot-metal you see in TM or WE guns) or low-grade aluminum (from guarder kits)?

My main concern is that the pot-metal would probably crack/shatter instead of bending when hammered/squeezed; costing £150 as the frame rails are the only "unreplaceable" part on TM 1911's. I've seen some posts of people here with legit workshop setups in their shed, machining zamak receivers and such; and am curious if any of you have any insight to working with pot-metal.

Peening a 1911 frame : hammering the frame rails to widen them

View attachment 90153

Squeezing a 1911 slide : squeezing the slide rails to make them grip the frame tighter

View attachment 90154

Similar example of manipulating slide rails, done to a Glock using a hammer:

View attachment 90157

 

[Lozart]

I wouldn't personally try that with an airsoft kit unless it's a CNC one. The cast monkey metal ones will just crack.

Something else to bear in mind is that real pistols like Glocks and 1911s are built fairly loose themselves. Might be worth asking yourself why you think making the slide fit on tighter would in any way improve the pistol before you go ahead and do it.

 

[frontsight]

The cast monkey metal ones will just crack.

Thanks for confirming! I figured that would be an issue..

why you think making the slide fit on tighter would in any way improve the pistol

Just being picky I guess. A tighter fit slide somehow equates to quality in my mind, but like you said really doesn't improve much performance wise.

 

[Floperator]

All kinds of NO, for all the reasons above.

Also when you peen something the whole side isn't going to expand, you're going to move the edges out first. Hopefully this shitty diagram will explain:

View attachment 90169

First you're gong to flatten it in the direction the hammer is hitting, actually *introducing extra play* to this dimension. Then you're going to spread the material out. If you're hitting it near the edge of the piece (which you probably will be because its so small) it's going to create these ridges, rather than push the whole edge out. Those ridges will present a much smaller surface area to act as a bearing so will wear rapidly. If the part is ali or mazak the act of hammering will probably work-harden it and make it (more) brittle.

So after your experiment, you will have introduced more play in another dimension, reduced the gas efficiency of your pistol, and made the part you have modified more brittle and prone to failure. And after a few hundred shots those ridges will have worn away and you'll be back where you started anyway.

 

[frontsight]

Those ridges will present a much smaller surface area to act as a bearing so will wear rapidly

after a few hundred shots those ridges will have worn away and you'll be back where you started anyway

Ah ?‍ that makes perfect sense.

(Very shitty educational diagram by the way, helped it make sense a lot)