Custom Slide Work

[joshh]

So I have the MA compliant PM9 (sq nose) and am considering having some work done to it.
If possible, I want the slide top & the chamber indicator milled down to get rid of the warning labels. Would also like the nose & corners cut to take away some of the squareness.
Anyone done this before or have any recommendations? I also think this would be a perfect time for a sight upgrade so i'll be lookin around for tips on them as well.
Pics/links would be greatly appreciated!!!
http://www.shootingtimes.com/files/2010/09/st_macompkahr_201003-a.jpg

[Bawanna]

My first thought would be Robar but there are lots of places that can do what you wish.

Is it ok with your state to remove all those warnings? I like the idea and I would do it if it was mine.

A little melt down job and removal of all that writing would make it nice.

Sights are a personal choice too, I like the XS sights but not everyone does.

If you ever consider Magna Porting they do a lot of other gunsmith type work and could probably do everything you want and port it too.
Doubt it really needs it but a lot of people like it even on 9's.

[jocko]

So I have the MA compliant PM9 (sq nose) and am considering having some work done to it.
If possible, I want the slide top & the chamber indicator milled down to get rid of the warning labels. Would also like the nose & corners cut to take away some of the squareness.
Anyone done this before or have any recommendations? I also think this would be a perfect time for a sight upgrade so i'll be lookin around for tips on them as well.
Pics/links would be greatly appreciated!!!
http://www.shootingtimes.com/files/2010/09/st_macompkahr_201003-a.jpg

ot take the cocking indicator just completely out of the gun. That is a no brainer. A dremel tool can do that in a heartbeat as well as the slide stop lever. I would think trying to take the printing off the top of the slide would be a real task to do properly to. Lots of people can do slide melting.

Accurate Iron did alot of my slide melting. I hate that labeling also buy just not sure what a milling job would even cost let alone in how it might end up looking. U can't put back what u take off

[Bawanna]

Going that route I'd probably just grind off the tab on the chamber indicator and leave it so you don't have a big hole in the top of your gun.

I'm not sure how deep that writing is, never seen one in person. Ruger did some similar and it wasn't very deep at all, easy to remove.

Only a machinist could tell for sure how risky it is. A bead blasted finish isn't tough, or a polish job if that is more to your liking.

[joshh]

thanks guys. ill check with those companies and try to get some prices. Yes it is legal to remove them and most guns sold here dont have anything printed on them. The marks dont appear deep and appear much shallower than the Kahr logo on the side. I actually dont mind the chamber indicator but wish it didnt have writing on it. as for the finish, this is my carry and while i dont want a fugly gun, the smooth milled look should be ok or i could always polish it. I wouldnt think this is too hard to do and figure someone must have some experience with a good company to recommend. so again any help would be appreciated. i am considering the wilson firesights because i have them on a few guns and they work well for me. of course on all my other guns they are red front and green rear but the kahr ones are all red, which to me is odd.
http://www.kahr.com/GetDynamicImage.aspx?dir=itemImages&path=Williams-Firesights-Red-set1468.jpg&w=326&h=278

[CJB]

Any competent machine shop can do that.

What you want -

1. Remove sights, remove everything else.
2. Have them set up the slide in an inverted vice, then right the vice and surface grind the entire top of the slide. You'll be taking off minimal material, surface grinding will leave the best finish. Milling is going to be rougher finish... unless a GREAT deal of care is taken. Surface grinding... easy peasy for the few .001's you'll need to remove.
3. They can do a sort of "reverse ball mill" on any of the corners you like
4. Bead blast, clean, reassemble. Done

When I was doing that sort of work, I would have charged you about $30 to do the top grind and refinish with bead blast. Ball mill... maybe another $30 or so. Mount new sights.... $15ish. Thats 1995 dollars, so please account for inflation

[jocko]

Notsure I would want to remove any of the side engraving on the slide.That butt ugly stuff on the top was waht Mass. mandated in order to pass their sniff test. No doubt kahr woul dnot have doe that if they could have gotten by otherwise. I think the cocking indicator sucks to but it is what it is. Ihave oneon my Ruger MK11 and to be hones I never evennotice it, but it does not stick up from the top buy on the side every so slightly to. I have never readof a cocking indicator ever giving an issue other than butt ugly/ I guess unless I just ha dto have a safe3ty on my kahr I would have just bought a standard PM9 and got away from all that sh!t to. Just sayin

[FatMatt]

i am considering the wilson firesights because i have them on a few guns and they work well for me. of course on all my other guns they are red front and green rear but the kahr ones are all red, which to me is odd.
http://www.kahr.com/GetDynamicImage.aspx?dir=itemImages&path=Williams-Firesights-Red-set1468.jpg&w=326&h=278

I just installed a set of Willams firesights on my MK40. They are nice quality sights for the money. I went with the red, but often regret not going with the green.

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg567/mattsykeny1/DSCN0753.jpg

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg567/mattsykeny1/DSCN0742.jpg

[joshh]

Notsure I would want to remove any of the side engraving on the slide.That butt ugly stuff on the top was waht Mass. mandated in order to pass their sniff test. No doubt kahr woul dnot have doe that if they could have gotten by otherwise. I think the cocking indicator sucks to but it is what it is. Ihave oneon my Ruger MK11 and to be hones I never evennotice it, but it does not stick up from the top buy on the side every so slightly to. I have never readof a cocking indicator ever giving an issue other than butt ugly/ I guess unless I just ha dto have a safe3ty on my kahr I would have just bought a standard PM9 and got away from all that sh!t to. Just sayin

i just wanna do the top(dont mind the KAHR PM9 logo). the indicator on the top is a chambered round indicator and all MA compliant pistols (but not revolvers) have to have a chamber indicator now. Some companys do what kahr did, others more subtle. i dont mind that part and it has no affect on operation but i HATE the warning labels. I dont think MA made kahr put them on because most new pistols sold here dont have them. I would have bought a standard pm9 (or cm9) if that was an option but unfortunately they are not "approved for sale in MA by the A.G.'s office"

[joshh]

I just installed a set of Willams firesights on my MK40. They are nice quality sights for the money. I went with the red, but often regret not going with the green.

pics



thanks matt. great pics. those sights look nice. I am gonna email williams and see if i can get em with green rear & red front. i like the idea of a contrasting front but if not, those reds look pretty damn good. how bout a pic of the sight picture?

[Bawanna]

Its not at all difficult to swap out those tubes to whatever color you want. Several suppliers have them in various diameters. Just bust out the old ones, put in the new ones and melt the ends and your back on the track.

I'm sure Williams can fix you up out of the box.

[FatMatt]

thanks matt. great pics. those sights look nice. I am gonna email williams and see if i can get em with green rear & red front. i like the idea of a contrasting front but if not, those reds look pretty damn good. how bout a pic of the sight picture?

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg567/mattsykeny1/NewSights2.jpg

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg567/mattsykeny1/frontsight3.jpg

[joshh]

Thanks again. Looks great!

[joshh]

stopped in a local shop right here in worcester, ma not too far where our kahrs are born and talked to the owner of the shop who does these "bodmods" to the s&w bodyguards. he showed me his personal carry and the work is sweet. he cuts he extra material off the edges at nice angles and mills between the vertical serrations which combined give the slide great 2-tone look. he has a new pm9 in stock and is going to take a look at it to see if he can do a similar "bodmod" to the pm9. he said he can def install some new sights and take the nonsense off the top. my friend left his bodyguard slide to be done, couple days turnaround & he has slides being shipped in from all over. http://pullmanarms.com/repairs/bodmod/
http://pullmanarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Bodmodmarks.jpghttp://pullmanarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/BodMod-558.jpg

[Cokeman]

What's the nonsense? :confused:

[joshh]

the "warning: guns are dangerous" on the slide

[FatMatt]

Ehh, it's looks OK. I'm not a huge fan. But it's your pistol. I'm all for a "melt" job, but that looks like a lot of material being removed.

[joshh]

Ehh, it's looks OK. I'm not a huge fan. But it's your pistol. I'm all for a "melt" job, but that looks like a lot of material being removed.

yeah, i pocket carry every day so if trimming some metal will reduce print, make drawing & holstering easier, and reduce weight without sacrificing performance, then count me in. he is going to look into if it is something that can be done tolerance-wise. i was really pleased after seeing 1st-hand the difference with the bodyguard 380. hope the pm9 can have similar results more for useability than looks but i dont want a fugly gun. if he cant, maybe i'll buy one of his bodyguards for when i need less print.

[jocko]

stopped in a local shop right here in worcester, ma not too far where our kahrs are born and talked to the owner of the shop who does these "bodmods" to the s&w bodyguards. he showed me his personal carry and the work is sweet. he cuts he extra material off the edges at nice angles and mills between the vertical serrations which combined give the slide great 2-tone look. he has a new pm9 in stock and is going to take a look at it to see if he can do a similar "bodmod" to the pm9. he said he can def install some new sights and take the nonsense off the top. my friend left his bodyguard slide to be done, couple days turnaround & he has slides being shipped in from all over. http://pullmanarms.com/repairs/bodmod/
http://pullmanarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Bodmodmarks.jpghttp://pullmanarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/BodMod-558.jpg

LIKE A REAL PROFESSIONALJOB. ALSO LOOKS tome like the bodyguard has alot of excess materail that indeed could be melted. Not so with a khar, Myrecommendationat best is tomelt thecorners and let it go. 14 ounces,need not do alot more. More beef in that bodyguard slide than two kahrs slides. They have done alot of metal eliviating for you. round the corners, forget the rest. YMMV..

[joshh]

LIKE A REAL PROFESSIONALJOB. ALSO LOOKS tome like the bodyguard has alot of excess materail that indeed could be melted. Not so with a khar, Myrecommendationat best is tomelt thecorners and let it go. 14 ounces,need not do alot more. More beef in that bodyguard slide than two kahrs slides. They have done alot of metal eliviating for you. round the corners, forget the rest. YMMV..

after tearing down my slide and looking closely, i have to agree with you. there isnt too many paces to shave weight from it or slash cut the corners (maybe a little). this guy has a real professional shop with a lot of high tech equipment and they do work for some manufacturers so i am sure if he shouldnt do it, he wont, but i am still waiting to hear if has had a chance to look into it. maybe ill just have him do the top when he does the sights if its not too expensive.