Hand-Picked Daily GUN DEALS

1911 80% Tactical Machining Build, Part 8: Fitting the Slide

How to hand fit the 1911 slide with files, lapping compound, and tons of hammering.

Author Bio Image for Eric Hung - Founder, CEO
By
Eric Hung (Founder, CEO)

PPT Founder. NRA Pistol Instructor. USPSA/3-Gun/NRL22 Competitor. 250+ articles

Published Jul 21, 2014
Add as preferred source on Google

We review products independently. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission to help support our testing. Learn more.

You’ve gone through all the measuring and cutting to bring your 80% to 100%.  Now it’s time to make everything work!  Disclaimer.

Setup

Get your Dykem and files ready because they’ll be used a lot.  I first realized I needed a little wider of a channel towards the bottom of each side.  Basically to the line that came in the frame.  I hand filed it down so I could get the slide to just barely fit.
Hand Fitting the 1911 Slide Rails
Hand Fitting the 1911 Slide Rails
I brought out my plastic hammer and gave everything a good whack.  Dykem to see where you need to file down.  After a LONG time and tons of hammering…
Hammer Fitting the 1911 Slide
Hammer Fitting the 1911 Slide
Remember to go all the way through (sorry fuzzy picture).
Finished Hammering 1911 Slide
Finished Hammering 1911 Slide
Once you can hammer everything, start with your coarsest grit lapping compound and start going at it again.  Get through to the finest grit and it should feel like glass!

Next Lesson

Part 1: Intro (Finding the 80%)

Part 2: Tools

Part 3: Parts List

Part 4: Basic Fitting

Part 5: Cutting the Slide Rail

Part 6: Barrel Seating

Part 7: Hammer & Sear Pin Holes

Part 8: Fitting the Slide

Part 9: Assembly & Fitting

Part 10: GunKote Application

Eric Hung

Written By
Eric Hung
Founder, CEO

I'm Eric Hung, the founder of Pew Pew Tactical, and I love guns. For over 10 years I've been soaking up as much information as possible online, in competitions, classes, and from my own testing. Now I hope to bring that info to you! I've written over 250 articles on Pew Pew Tactical that are read by millions a month. I'm also an NRA certified pistol instructor and avid USPSA/3-Gun/NRL22 competitor. Learn more at About Us.

linkedin Icon

WHY YOU CAN TRUST PEW PEW TACTICAL

Since 2016, the Pew Pew Tactical team has been dedicated to providing expert reviews and in-depth testing of guns and gear. All while keeping in mind that guns are fun and that readers come first.

Written by American gun enthusiasts, competitive shooters, former military/law enforcement personnel, and trained journalists, we use our extensive skill sets and knowledge to bring a well-rounded, researched approach to our content.

We pride ourselves on hands-on testing and real-world experience with all products we recommend. Further, we believe in objectivity and approaching all articles without bias – our few advertisers never influence our reviews or recommendations. We believe in giving our readers a comprehensive understanding of how and why a product is great – or isn’t. And if it’s good enough for us to use ourselves and recommend to loved ones.

Our content, analysis, and insights on firearms and gear are recognized across the web. We are proud to be cited by authoritative third-party platforms including Newsweek, Yahoo News, and Wikipedia, demonstrating our standing as a trusted resource in the firearms industry.

Conversation