[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Slide serrations, ugh! (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 8/23/2006 2:31:27 PM EDT
Why is it that SA, Kimber, S&W, Sig, etc all have those damned forward slide serrations??? I would love a Warrior or an SA loaded but those serrations are just fugly. Anyone else hate those or just me?  I'd also like to see the rear serrations go back to the GI straight style. I know it's all cosmetic but it sure makes a cleaner looking pistol. I'd love to see one with very minimal markings and straight rear serrations. |
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My fav is the classic 1911 style I am ok with the slant style, so long as they aren't looking like eddie Murphy's teeth (New Paras) I find the slant serrations ugly on the front it takes something away from the aesthetics BUT I just saw classic serrations on the front and rear. Unbelievably hideous.  That has got to be the ugliest of all |
Press check! So you can tell if the weapon is loaded or not even in the dark. It is the weapon keeping up with modern tactics and pratices. I like them for function reasons, and to me they do not look bad. But even if they did look bad to me, I carry the weapon for social purposes and press check is handy. |
+1 That Press check business is BS since it can be done from the rear The only plausible answer I have heard thus far is that it allows manupulation where an obtrusive optic would interfere with operation in the rear, which is way too rare to be on a production gun in the first place. |
ahhh shit Pulp. this is the first time where you and I disagree  I wouldn't call it bullshit. Different strokes for different folks. Press checking and sling shotting the slide home from the rear is weird for me, doesn't feel right. I like to grasp the slide (the serrations closest to the breach) with my left hand, the meaty part inbetween my thumb and index. And while pushing the slide to the rear with my left, I push the frame the opposite way with my right hand. This feels more balanced for ME, and makes ME feel that i have my control over MY firearm. And I am very good at it, and very smooth, its the way I have always done it. So for ME, FCS are an absolute neccesity on a duty/training/whatever pistol. I dont call the 'rear Cocking serrations' method of press check bullshit, because that works for you. So dont hurt my feelings  ETA: Look here for an illustration of the push/pull with both hands on the pistol |
 Yaa thats it, Wilson Combat, Night Hawk, Springfield, Kimber and others all add them for the large market of optics mounted on 1911's. Why do the Marines and Army SF ask for them along lanyard rings, so they can turn good fighting pistols in to race guns? Then there is all the LE SWAT and the FBI HRT, you know with those guys its all fashion over function. 
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True that was a bit over the top. I was writing my post when you were posting the more reasoned approach. Going over the technique in more detail is a bit better than hey look all the cool kids use it. |
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As far as traditional serations go, I like straight and angled serations on the rear. Front serations are just ugly. Especially when they are about an 1/8th of an inch wide. I have one SA Stainless 1911 with front serations only because I got a screamin good deal on it. As far as function and accuracy, it is especially good. So, if anyone has a Stainless SA Mil Spec that they want to trade...... |
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I would give up forward serrations for either a traditional guide rod with a checkered spring cap OR the hi-power style step down at front. I don't know about you guys, but to check a chamber on a gun with no slide serrations up front I kinda have to either extend the gun forward and pull back or point it up (at me!) and pull down. no thanks. I do it as I've seen almost everyone do it. point gun forward, firing palm at chest grab top of slide by making a fist around slide and pointing thumb at chest and push gun forward. lets me not extend the gun out to where I can't control it (go on bash me, I'mnot a tactical operator, just thinking out loud) and also lets me shove my firing hand pointer finger in teh ejection port to feel for a round. If I was pulling on the rear of the slide in teh standard fashion and put my firing hand pointer finger in teh ejection port, the gun would swing clockwise when my pointer finger lifted. and that's just for a feel check. for the visual check, whatcould be easier than pinching teh forward serrations? anyhow, just my opinion. If you're tlaking cosmtically, yeah they ruin the lines. but damn functional. ideal would be a hi-power cut in front. I think I saw an officer's with this modification a whiel ago in a gun rag. looked wicked, and was REALLY fuctional. |
I can feel the love in here. First time I have heard that about a bobtailed 1911 in a long time.... |
I tend to agree with the Ape, even if he does pick on me about my pictures. 
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Very nice, clean slide and all business. Me likey
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| A man can get a gun built any way he likes, it sounds like you are in need of a new slide! I tell ya though, I just had 9 fat and unreasonably sharp fwd slant cut cocking serations cut into my stainless delta and its great. If youre running a match or (quick prayer, please present the opportunity) shooting people, it can be pretty handy to have something to get a bloody or muddy hand on. Otherwise I'd use this as a good opportunity to fulfill another gun "need", hell you probably ought to buy a whole new gun. |
Its not about looks. I have pretty guns, but my number one combat handgun was built with only one thing in mind. Combat. Part of that is to make press checks easier. I choose angled front serrations. I prefer narrow ones and Caspian gives you that option. Yes, there are other ways to press check, but I prefer it from the front and underneath. 
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If it wasn't for the fact that I knew a guy that blew the end of his finger off doing that over in Korea I might agree. The guy had just had the duty officer return his weapon to the armorer at the end of his duty and the armorer tried to do a press check by pushing on the front of the slide. here are the things that added to his losing his finger tip. 1. Armorer had been working for almost 3 days straight to make sure the DMZ patrols got the gear and weapns on time. 2. Armorer failed to clear the weapon properly and had his finger on the trigger Slide serrations might have at least saved the guys finger tip but they wouldn;t have made certain that an accidental discharge didn't take place before the slide was cocked back |
I guess I have strong hands because I can do this no problem without serrations. I guess if my hands were sweaty but it's not like your going to do a press check during a gun fight. |
Why would you need to have your finger in front of the muzzle. If somehow I forgot to keep my finger off the trigger and I had a ND the most I could see happening is hurting my hand from holding the slide while firing it. |
Yea I had just edited my post to say something regarding that. I could see it being a problem possibly but I do not see needing to do a press check in the middle of a gun fight or anything. I'd just wipe my hand on my shirt real quick if needed. |
I have no reason to press check--my 1911 is always cocked and locked. |
Yea it's Black T. It's a great finish and Walter stands by his product. Initially I think it was applied incorrectly though because my Milt Sparks Watch 6 managed to put a 2" scratch in the finish after drawing it from the holster a few times. That and the finish on the barrel hood wore off really fast. Walter had me send it to him and he refinished it free of charge. Since then it has been in and out of my holster hundreds of times with literally no discernable holster wear and the finish is still mostly in tact on the barrel hood after over 2k rds. I don't know what the deal was the first time around but it holds up great now. Here is a shameless plug of my Wilson as well: 
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What does GM stand for? It's a RRA Elite Commando. Oh and I prefer the RRA as well. I am actually going to have the Wilson finished in some sort of black finish eventually. I wanted to try a stainless 1911 but the finish just hasn't grown on me. |