Aftermarket slides for Glocks or Glock slide for RDS

**Pappabear** · 11-04-22, 11:32

I have a friend that has a Glock and wants to get it milled, but I thought why not just buy another slide?

Which would you do, buy another or mill it?

If you were to buy another slide, which slide would you buy or which did you buy I should say?

Any help appreciated.

PB

**RHINOWSO** · 11-04-22, 13:26

I've done both.

If you can get a quality slide for $200, it is really better that way IMO - I got a Brownells Gen4 for $170 and a Zev Gen 5 on sale for $225, and like them both. Of course you have to get one that matches your optic.

I have 3 milled, which costs about $150 each when you consider shipping, milling, refinishing, etc. Sometimes you can get it on sale for 1/2 of that, which is obviously better assuming their turnaround isn't like Jagerworks (12-16 weeks). But you can get lower cuts and other optic cuts when you mill.

I'm always on the lookout for the Zev Duty Slides on sale because they are really nice (RMR only though).

Either is good, it really (like all things firearms) just 'depends' what you want, etc.

**mizer67** · 11-04-22, 16:22

I bought a couple of new slides already milled for ~$220 EA and would go that route again. Mine are GGP bought heavily discounted from list.

I'm generally a fan of Glock slides, but looking at the cost of milling + the time lost waiting for the slide to be returned, to me it was worth the ~$30-$60 price difference to have a new aftermarket slide that's already milled.

**El Vaquero** · 11-04-22, 16:35

Anyone have any break in issues with the aftermarket slide route? As in with any tolerance issues? Glocks are not 1911’s and I’m sure are much more forgiving in the tolerance category.

**mizer67** · 11-04-22, 16:43

Originally Posted by El Vaquero

Anyone have any break in issues with the aftermarket slide route? As in with any tolerance issues? Glocks are not 1911’s and I’m sure are much more forgiving in the tolerance category.

My GGP slides have slightly tighter tolerances than my Glock slides. I've had a few FTFs that I wouldn't have had with my stock slide, but I'm running a very tight aftermarket (Barsto) barrel that locks up really tight, in conjunction with the stock recoil spring and the weight of the optic. I don't think I'd have had any issues with the stock barrel. I didn't want to file the Barsto down in case I wanted to go back to stock, so I'm letting them wear in together.

Conversely, if I wanted to re-spring it, I think a 17 to 15 lb. spring with std. pressure ammo would've been good to go.

**titsonritz** · 11-04-22, 18:54

I didn't know for sure whether RDS pistol was for me and did not want to mill my slide so I bought a Zev Trilo to check out, now that I know I'll mill my next ones.

**ViniVidivici** · 11-11-22, 13:51

So Papabear, here's my experience:

When I finally took the plunge, I set up a G23 frame (modified w/ hump reduction and stipling) with 9mm Ejector, a brand new OEM Glock 19 barrel, and went with an AIM Surplus G19 slide, DLC coating. Put OEM internals in it, AMERIGLO lumigreen/tritium front sight (.220l, and black Strike Industries rear.

Swampfox Justice is the optic.

This is my first RDS equipped pistol.

For the AIM Surplus slide, pros:
Cheap.

No reliability issues at all...as set up, the gun has run like a sewing machine, only about 900 rounds through, of various types, but 100% reliable.
Finish is holding up well.
Slide serrations fore and aft are just right.

Cons: the optic cut, while deep enough, is a bit generous, and has no recoil bosses, or posts (I didn't know any better at the time). If this will be an issue, remains to be seen, it has not been a problem so far. I have the optic shoved up against the front of the cut, and tightened down to spec (w/ blue loctite and witnessMark's, of course).

Maybe some day if I drop it on a rock it'll dislodge, but I've banged it into a couple of obstacles already, has held position and zero, so I'm happy with it.

Only other con is holster fitment, it's....wierd. with most holsters it's a perfect fit, but with some it's a bit tight, not a huge issue though.

Now that I'm trained up and confident with a dot, I've been carrying it daily for a few months, and I've really grown to like the pistol.

Other one now in the stable is a PSA Dagger slide w/ a Swampfox Liberty mounted. Ameriglo lumigrern w/ tritium front (.315"), Ameriglo rear. Around 300 hundred rounds through, so far, run on different pistols, different barrels, different loads, all 100% reliable, so that's a huge pro!

Dagger Slide pros:
Does have recoil bosses.
100% reliability.
Good holster compatibility.
Cheapest "easy button" for putting a RDS on a G19, bar none.

Cons:
While it does have recoil bosses, the cut is also a bit generous (see the pattern? This is why direct milling is preferred), so I did the same as with the other slide: shove the optic to front, and tighten down.

The cut is also quite shallow, about .044" shallower than the cut on the AIM.

Only real issue this creates is a need for taller than I'd like irons for a good lower cowitness. Annoying, but not a deal-breaker, to me.

I like 'em both, but I happen to know Brownells slides are excellent (have 2 standard ones on other guns), have deep optic cuts, and recoil "posts", so would be the best bang for the buck. If budget had allowed, I would have gotten 2 of those and not looked back.

But we're happy with the AIM and the Dagger at this time.