Tightening slide to frame

[Aud_VDW]

Howdy fellas,

I have a BHP that has just a little too much side to side slop, and was wondering if tightening slide to frame is something I can do myself.

From what I’ve read I just place the slide’s rail area in a padded vice and slowly apply pressure, then check fit and continue as needed.

After I use 600, then 800 grit to lap it in.


Anyone else have any suggestions?

[Robb Jensen]

I'd let a gunsmith/pistolsmith do it (a known really good one). They'll tell you that the slide to frame fit is only good for 10% maybe a little more of the pistols accuracy. A looser fit is better for reliability. The only pistol I have that has a fairly tight slide to frame fit is my Bacus Custom STI Limited gun (.40S&W) and even it's slightly loose at 12K rounds, but it's frame rails are straight. I'll probably never be able to shoot this pistol to it's full potential, it's much more accurate than I'll ever need.

[JohnJak]

Find a good smith and let him do it.

[Gunfixr]

If you are really looking to get more accuracy, you might first want to start with barrel to slide fit. I had a really sloppy AMT longslide 1911 I picked up cheap because of the slop. I fitted a NM bushing and welded up the hood and lug and fitted those. Even though you could shake it side to side and it rattled, it would shoot one-hole groups at 50 ft.

[Jason Burton]

Tightening a frame and slide is not something that is terribly difficult but it’s probably not something you want to try if you don’t have the right tools or a frame of reference for the correct “feel”. Compounding this is the fact that you’d like to tighten a Hi-Power... because of the construction of the gun, the way the gun operates, and how short/small the frame rails are tightening a Hi-Power can often yield a different result than tightening a 1911.