1911 slide front searations, eye wash or purpose?

[wally]

What's the reason for front searations on a 1911 slide which seems all the rage these days?

Seems like eye wash to me, but I'm willing to be educated as to why this is worthwhile.


At least with a full length recoil spring guide rod you can claim the extra weight helps reduce muzzle flip and/or that the rod makes re-inserting the spring and plunger "easier".

--wally.

 

[Jayincali]

Well I don't own a 1911 or know much about them. By looking at them, I would think you use it to press check, other than that probably eyewash.

 

[Master Blaster]

I dont really care for it but on some pistols its standard fare. The reason for it is that it gives you more surface area to grasp when racking the slide I guess.

Its also for folks with weaker hands like my wife who finds it easier to rack the slide using the front serrations.

The big drawback is that it puts more wear on a good leather holster from drawing and reholstering.

Its a custom feature

 

[shep854]

Front serrations allow a press check on guns with FLGRs. Some say it's safer than the traditional presscheck, where you hook your thumb in the trigger guard, curl the trigger finger around the front of the slide and ease the slide back, which you can't do with FLGR. And of course, there's the "cool factor".

 

[wally]

Press Check? Every gun is loaded until I verify its not! I demand something more positive than a press check before declaring a gun is unloaded -- what if the extractor hook broke when that round was chambered?

Grabbing the front bottom of the slide along the plunger and gude rod on my Kimber TLE II seems easier than grabbing the front slide serations if I believed press checks were a good thing. I rank press checks right up there with loaded chamber indicators as eye wash. So I guess eye wash begets eye wash these days if this is the real reason for front searations.

Without the full length guide rod you can do a press check with one finger on the plunger. So maybe front searations are a not needed solution to a problem caused by another not needed solution -- the full length guide rod.

Hmm... I don't thing having *anything* inside the trigger gaurd is a very good idea, unless ready to shoot.

--wally.

PS: As to helping with racking, I was taught to grip the slide more rearward and use the rear sight as a "hook" for the web of the off hand while pushing forward with the strong hand.

 

[Tamara]

wally,

A press check is not for verifying that the gun is unloaded, it's for confirming that the gun is, in fact, loaded.

 

[BigG]

The earliest Colt parallel link .38 autos had forward slide serrations only. A guy showed me how easy it was to rack one years ago. he said it took less effort to rack it using two fingers from the front than a regular slingshot type rack. Beats me. Seemed logical at the time.

I think the forward slide serrations used now are 98% for looks and 2% for people who have an optical sight that blocks the slingshot style rack. YMMV

 

[Tamara]

BigG,

Well, I think it's because they were once considered a de rigeur touch on a custom 1911 that included a FLGR.

Pointless on my guns, since I toss the FLGR and press check in dangerous and unapproved fashions.

 

[BigG]

"I like you Tamara; Always have, always will." The King

I have a couple of late model Colts that came with the suppositories but all my serious ones have the GI type spring guide and plug as God and Moses Browning intended.

 

[wally]

A press check is not for verifying that the gun is unloaded, it's for confirming that the gun is, in fact, loaded.

Every gun is always loaded untill personally unloaded and made safe!

Am I alone in thinking press checks are a bad idea that encourages sloppy gun handling?

You may see it as semantics, but you should never need to confirm that a gun is loaded since the assumption should be that it is loaded! If you have doubts (why? who else handles your guns?) Make it safe and start over -- won't matter if it was loaded or not, now you'll know!

--wally.

PS: I admit I some times do partially retract the slide to verify a round is chambered (call me paranoid about my carry piece), but I don't think guns need to be designed or modified to facilitate doing so. I don't think doing so should be elevated to a "technique" for those alledgedly in the know to discuss the finer points of.

 

[Tamara]

PS: I admit I some times do partially retract the slide to verify a round is chambered (call me paranoid about my carry piece),

So, you press check, too? Me also: I don't like to make assumptions about my carry gun. Even though the gun was loaded when I took it off my hip at bed time, I press check it before holstering in the morning, and any time after chambering a round (say, after dry-fire practice.)

but I don't think guns need to be designed or modified to facilitate doing so. I don't think doing so should be elevated to a "technique" for those alledgedly in the know to discuss the finer points of.

You are certainly entitled to your opinions.

 

[Smoke]

They are for wearing out the inside of holsters.

I can take them or leave them. I never use them. I never grab that portion of the slide, FLGR or not.

Wish more makers would make them an option, not mandatory.

Smoke

 

[Delmar]

Yeah, like I need a cheese grater on the end of my 1911

 

[Ankeny]

The most functional serrations I ever had were on a custom STI from Benny Hill. The serrations were right in front of the ejection port.

There is more to front serrations than just eye candy. If you don't like them so be it, but don't pass judgement on those who choose to have them if you don't even know why...

 

[Ktulu]

My 1911s have them and I use them. Among other things, they are useful for showing someone else that the gun is clear. Gets your weak hand out of their line of sight.

 

[sm]

What Tamara said.

Tamara- would you mind posting the pic showing the one hand press check ? Please ma'am. Thanks.

 

[wally]

There is more to front serrations than just eye candy. If you don't like them so be it, but don't pass judgement on those who choose to have them if you don't even know why...

OK so what's the real reason?


I've no trouble partially retracting the side on any autoloader I own or have ever handled without serations, so if checking to see if a round really is in the chamber is the reason, I'd have to say they are totally eye wash.

I've a Luepold grip mount and a Red Dot on one of my 1911s and front serations wouldn't help in racking the slide, I'd say fine as a custom feature for some optic mounts, but which mounts need it and why make it a standard "feature"? Red Dots are fun at the range, especially with my old eyeballs, but pretty much useless anywhere else.


Or is everybody buying the same basic casting for their slides these days


I'm not judging, just bemoaning the fact it seems hard to find a new gun without them lately. Eye wash is fine as an option -- lots of folks like two tone guns or stainless with black controls or vice-versa. I could care less about color, if cost was the same I'd probably go for the different "look" just to be different, but I'd not pay extra for it. Slide serations have a real downside in that they can tear up some holsters.

I'd sure hate to see light rails become as common and as hard to not get as slide serations are!

--wally.

 

[BluesBear]

It seems that the discussion of front blood grooves on semi-automatic pistols pops up every 3 or 4 months.

Most folks either love them or hate them. It appears that there are only a chosen few who are ambivalent towards them.

Personally I can't stand them and have absolutely no need for them.
But, to each his own.

 

[sm]

The story I heard ( tm).

When folks starting using the 1911 for more than original design, the design was "modified" to perform these various shooting sports better. Leather shock buff by Swenson, FLGRs, accurracy tweaks ...and the lot. Folks starting paying for Front Slide Serrations because it was what one did to be a player, to give an edge, and that FLGR was used.

Folks paid for stuff now standard. Folks now 'pay' to not have or prefer not to have this stuff.

Back in the old days ( tm) before internet- we had guys writing articles wearing black and white checked shirts . [ well looked red and black , blue and white checked...etc., different colors /same checked pattern...hard to tell from B/W photos though] Anyway these writers did not point guns at self, but did promote the lastest, greatest "improvments" for the platform for a giving sport. They Passed out little vials of Iwannacoolgunvirus.

They sired the modern day writer in the flowered shirts pointing guns at self still passing out vials of Iwannacoolgunvirus.

Some stuff actually improves the fit and control for shooter, since folks hands and shooting grips differ.

I forget which exact book in the "Once Upon a Time" (tm) series of books...but I was told there exists such a book.

 

[John Forsyth]

by Ankeny,
...There is more to front serrations than just eye candy. If you don't like them so be it, but don't pass judgement on those who choose to have them if you don't even know why...

Hey man, don't waste your breath. I quit posting in these type threads a while back. There was a poll awhile back and it showed that the majority of posters on this forum have no competitive shooting experience.

They don't get it.

Bottom line, if you don't like them, don't buy it with them.

 

[wally]

Bottom line, if you don't like them, don't buy it with them.

That's the basis of my question, its getting hard to find new guns without them!

Please let me in on the competitive secret! I used to shoot IPSC in the 80's.
If I only knew the secret use of front slide serations maybe I could go back and win matches now that I've got a gun with front slide serations!

I didn't not buy my Kimber TLE II because it had front slide serations, but if I had the option of one without then for the same cost that's what I'd have gotten.

--wally.

 

[raz-0]

There's no big secret. open guns need fron serrations so you can unload and show clear if you aren't gifted with really long fingers.

Also being able to get more of your hand ona gripping surface is useful in clearing some nastier jams. Especially if you have a finish less grippy than parkerizing.

It doesn't mean there is no other use found since that time.

They offer more gripping surface using more of the hand, I've got pretty good grip strength, but the polymer/teflon coating on my 1911 (that makes it nice and easy to clean and wears well in the holster) is a bit of a pain when you are sweating a lot and your fingers just slide off the back of the gun when trying to slingshot it. I've found them useful for basic operation of the pistol when it is really hot out.

 

[BluesBear]

Hey man, don't waste your breath... They don't get it.

Mr Forsyth, since you broke your silence and posted, come on in, relax and sit a spell.
Now you don't know me so let me educate you a little bit about the last "competition" I was in.

It was a bitter cold day. There had been a heavy snow the night before.
The other shooter was much younger, taller and in better physical shape than me.
I was shooting a 2" S&W Model 40 (yes a well worn original) loaded with home brewed 148gr CWBH over a brisk powder charge.
He was using a 4" RG-38S loaded with W-W 158gr RNL.

He was up first. But I guess my "split" (we called it a double tap back then)was faster. But since there was no timer I really don't know exactly how much faster. But I know it was fast enough for me to be able to walk away.

So maybe I don't know as much as you do about competition.
But I know a hell of a lot about survival.
This wasn't my first "competition" but I pray it was my last.

So you can just go back to your drills and timers and falling plates, or whatever it is you do. (Hopefully you do it well.)
You can enjoy your games.
You can even pretend that you just saved the Princess.

But don't you dare pretend for one moment that you have the right to tell me (or anyone else) that I "don't get it."

 

[middy]

Originally posted by wally
Every gun is always loaded untill personally unloaded and made safe!

You forgot the rest wally... as soon as you put that gun down and let it out of your sight, it is loaded again.

 

[John Forsyth]

by wally,
That's the basis of my question, its getting hard to find new guns without them!

Have you looked at a Colt, Springfield, Dan Wesson, Para's, or Caspain? Really just about everyone that makes a full size 1911 has a model without forward slide serrations except Kimber.

BluesBear, don't take it so personal. It seems that people moan and groan about them alot, when they do not know what their function is. They have two. One is as raz-0 descibed. The other is take your money, re Kimber.