What are member thoughts (pro/con) concerning Essex slides for a carry piece?

Tom

I built an Essex 1911 two years ago using an Essex slide & frame and a Storm Lake drop in bbl. & bushing with McCormick internals-I would bet my life on it.

I have a home built Commander using an Essex slide and a modified Auto Ord receiver. It is ok, but it is a casting, not forged or bar stock, so I don't expect it to last as long as a higher end slide. One person on the net reported his cast Auto Ord slide cracked around the 10,000 round mark. That is still a lot of shooting and probably more than most people shoot in a life time. I only have a grand total of 652 rounds on this slide and so far it is fine. I will say that the machining was a bit on the rough side and the breach face was not well machined and needed a little work with a small file. It also has some really sharp edges and the rear of the slide was machined a little crooked with one rail being flush with the end of the receiver and the other side extending beyond the receiver. This was an older slide purchased from Numrich Arms (aka Gun Parts Corp., aka e-Gunparts).

Thanks guys. A local gunsmith buggered my Springfield slide when he was cutting a front dovetail. He's replacing the slide with an Essex that I'm having him finish in two tone (this time he got the dovetail right), the flats of the slide will be in the white. Mine will be a carry piece that probably won't see 10,000 rounds in my lifetime. I have a 400 Cor Bon barrel that's been fitted to the slide, I'll limit how much I shoot with that round. Thanks again.

Tom

So your local gunsmith butchered a nice forged steel slide and he is going to replace it with the cheapest cast steel slide commonly available? I would say NO!!!!!!!!

He needs to replace it with a Springfield slide. You bought a Springfield, he ruined it, it is his responsibility to replace it with the same brand of slide unless you specify otherwise.

Stans is right. A stock Springfield slide is quite a bit better than an Essex slide. Don't let him do you like that.

__________________
Because I hit what I aim at, that's why.

Let the smith pay for the quality part he ruined. You can't put a 4 cyl in a car that had a V-8.

Thanks for all the info guys. The job will be done with a Caspian instead of the Essex.

Tom

Ok, Caspian is acceptable and is a high quality item, but you will still have a Springfield receiver and an aftermarket slide, this tends to hurt any resale value. If you never try to sell the pistol it is of no consequence.