[walter37]

In the interest of trying to help ,It is imposable to drill the firing pin cavity from the back of the slide(it has to be done from the front barrel end)I dont know if any drill bit that will pass through a small hole and expand to a larger size .Hence a plug or bushing is needed to reduce the hole to retain the firing pin and keep it from falling out of its cavity . J.M.Browning devised a 2 piece firing pin that could be installed from the rear of the slide . A 1 piece firing pin could not make a bend to fit into the cavity from the rear .The bushing was installed and not designed to be taken out that is why it is not shown on any parts breakdown.
To sum it up if you look at and think about what was done this makes things fall into place. In my slide the bushing moves front to back @i/16 "I think i will have to machine it out and make another to rep;ace it ,lock tite and press it in and don't know about staking it because the breach face must be smooth for the back of the rim to slide on without hanging up.
On many European guns the hole WAS drilled from the back and a plug was welded in the back end of slide.
Hope this clears up some misconceptions It's not a recoil plate it is a bushing
Thanks POPEYE for your help

 

[walter37]

The reason i don't call it a recoil plate is that it is just a bit larger than the primer .It seems that the back if the shell has more area to contact the slide than just the primer area Also isn't the rear of the shell against the breach and being spring loaded the slide would move with the slightest PUSH from the shell?This is not a locked breach gun like the 1911

 

[walter37]

I am just trying to reason it out I know that the F.P.channel had to be drilled from the front in the 1903 thus a bushing (shield )HAD to be installed .The 1911 has more energy than the 32 cal. Your quote is about the 1911 or all the automatics? I have several 1910 Mauser 32's that don 't have bushings .