I replaced the factory MIM slide stop with a 10-8 Performance slide stop. Now the slide won't lock open on an empty magazine. The TRP is new as are the magazines I tried (whatever brand came with the pistol and a Wilson 47D and 500). Any ideas?
Unfortunately, there is really no "drop-in" part. It sounds like you will need to do some fitting to ensure that the slide stop is not obstructed and that the lug is contacting the follower properly. Was there an issue with the original slide stop on the TRP? I ask because I have 20K+ rounds through each of my TRPs (and Trophy Matches) with original slide stops and no failures or issues.
The 10-8 slide-stop has a 0.200 pin, as opposed to the 0.197 from Springfield. Whether that is better depends on the lockup - If it needed a little snugging, that would do it. I seem to recall that the 10-8 (a very good part, by the way) is made slightly oversized and may ride the slide, which could interfere with lock-back. The very top surface of the slide stop (lug end) may need to be lowered slightly. As Vin63 mentioned, the SA factory slide stop is very durable. A little polishing and pointing up of the ridges and it looks quite nice. True about there being no "drop-in" parts too. Often a part will drop right in on a particular gun or model, but at one time or another (if you become addicted to the 1911), you'll find yourself filing on just about everything. It's all part of the fun of the 1911!
Thanks for the replies. I wanted to replace a MIM part with a forged part. I think I'll just continue using the original.
Just to follow up, I helped a friend fit a Wilson slide stop on his Colt and it was just oversized that I did have to turn down the pin a little so that it would rotate freely enough, otherwise similar to your case, it would not lock the slide back.
The Wilson is a 0.200 as well, which means that the Colt had minimum holes in the frame. I've never seen that, but it is commonly reported. I bought a 0.201 reamer that I've used to clean up the entry hole on guns with undersize pins. Of course, it's usually better to "fit the part to the frame, not the frame to the part", but if plug gages are available, pin holes can safely be reamed to spec. EGW sells a 0.203 slide stop for cases where the hole is oversize. The expertise that I seem to be displaying here is entirely due to my having purchased practically every slide stop in existence looking for ones that have finishes that match various frames. An expensive lesson - Did the same with bushings, guide rods, thumb safeties, triggers, and hammers. Well, at least I have a shoebox full of nice parts to show for it... Started down the road with barrels as well
At this point in time, my experience is limited or nonexistent fitting parts. I think fitting the part to the frame makes more sense but it's also good to know the opposite is an option. I hadn't thought of fitting the holes to the pin because it would also require enlarging the barrel link. I think it would be safer to install a link with a larger hole but I'm just not there yet. Thanks again for the idea. I might turn down the 10-8 slide stop depending on the reply I get to a previous question I asked.
Two things - The link hole should be 0.205 - So not a problem. And it is normal to relieve the link slightly at the bottom of the pin hole to facilitate linkdown. The pin should not be riding the link at lockup. As for how I turn down the pin, I admit that I do it by spinning the stop while holding the pin with sandpaper. A slow and tedious process with a purposely oversize pin! The original armory process was to crossfile and then sand and polish by hand. If the pin goes through the hole, but binds slightly, you should only need to sand it a little bit.
That sounds like the most practical way of turning the pin down since it looks like there isn't a tool. You really don't have to take much off and still keep the pin basically round. Do you recommend turning the pin down to 0.197 for its entire length? Is any fitting required where the slide stop and frame meet at the take down notch?
Only turn the pin down until it turns freely in the frame holes (and always over it's entire length) - I bet it only needs to go down a few ten-thousandths - The frame holes are usually 0.200+-0.001, but they can be misaligned, which is a bitch (and is the reason for the 0.197 factory pin). The lug end (the strange looking complicated part) of the slide stop sometimes needs to be filed on it's upper edge to avoid dragging on the bottom edge of the slide. The end of the lug, where it meets the spring-loaded pin, sometimes needs to get a very (really small and shallow) tiny dimple to keep it from moving up on it's own under recoil (it should only move up when the slide opens on an empty magazine). By the way, Texas Gun Parts has one or two very rare King's slide stops for $32 each. They'd look super on a RO.
Any ideas? I bought a TRP Operator (Half-rail) from an officer I work with. The gun is having issues with firing though. Each time I pull the trigger the firing pin does leave a dimple in the round but only a small one and only 1 out of every 3 or so rounds are firing. When the rounds do not fire I thumb cock the hammer and it fires about 50% of the time after I do that. I have used 4 different types of ammo all with the same problem. I have replaced the firing pin, recoil and mainhousing spring, as well as the sear spring with Wilson Combat parts hoping it would fix it but it still is not firing properly. The gun has been well maintained as allof it's previous owners were police officers and they had no problems with it, but it hasn't been used much the past few years. I was told the slide might not be charging forward all the way after each shot, but I was told the recoil spring being replaced should fix it. I quite honestly have no idea what could be causing it at this point.
You might try giving it a thorough cleaning,especially the slide and around the chamber and lube the slide while checking for burs .
