[ralphwolf]

I'm wondering about the development of the Long Slide. I know little about 'em but am really interested. If anyone will educate me, I'd appreciate it.

This is what I've pieced together.

They seem pretty desireable, performance and accuracy wise (two part rods and AMT issues aside), but are a relatively recent factory produced weapon. How popular were they?

Did they only appear after WW I as 'one of' custom welded slides matted to 1911A's? I read that the early slides were all custom modified to 5 or more inches. No factory Long Slides were available for a long time (late '60's?). Any military use?


No commercial manufacturers factory produced a complete Long Slide 'til AMT. They seem much more available now from custom gun smiths like Baer.
1911 manufacturers don't put out any 'off the shelf' long slide weapons.

I gotta guess I have much of this wrong, so be gentle with me...

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Scott Gahimer]

I'm not sure that I know the actual "history" of the long slides. However, I've heard other collectors speak about Jim Clark using slides that had been sold as scrap after Uncle Sam had destroyed the pistols. Clark reportedly saw the inexpensive scrapped slides as an opportunity to build long slides. Here is a Jim Clark long slide built from a 1967 Government Model and the front end of a scrapped military slide. I'm sure someone else can furnish more detailed information about the history.

 

[Oyeboten]

I don't know...but I have long wished the Colt would have offered optional Barrel-Slide lengths ( say, of 2 inches longer, and, 1 inch shorter, than usual anyway) on the Gov't Model starting by say, late 1913 or so.

 

[ace]

i don't know for sure but i think clark is the originator of the long slide.
@ scott, nice longslide, i had a 1966 model that i sold to a fella in texas a few years ago and a 70series that i sold to a fella in puerto rico several years ago.

 

[rhmc24]

I just couldn't resist - I know you didn't mean this much history, a Colt 1902, six inch barrel, .38ACP. There was a Model 1900, much the same but I don't have one -- yet.

 

[rhmc24]

I'm ruminating about making a 1911 long slide. Not not much of a project starting with a couple beaters of which one you sacrifice. All else needed would be a long barrel.

I think there is a practical limit to length due to the longer tilt radius of the barrel-slide lock up at the link. I haven't figured it out. One could play with reduced engagement depth but probably expense of functional life and reliability. That wouldn't be a problem with the parallel link system used in the 1902 and 1905s but I wouldn't sacrifice great old collectibles. That idea introduces the lack of, maybe impossibilty of longer barrels.

 

[ferretface]

I think there is a practical limit to length due to the longer tilt radius of the barrel-slide lock up at the link. I haven't figured it out. One could play with reduced engagement depth but probably expense of functional life and reliability. That wouldn't be a problem with the parallel link system used in the 1902 and 1905s but I wouldn't sacrifice great old collectibles. That idea introduces the lack of, maybe impossibilty of longer barrels.

I don't think that would be a problem. Engagement with the barrel lugs is only dependent on the link. That leg of the triangle is constant. Extending or shortening the other two legs has no effect on the link or the engagement of the lugs.

...Just my $.02...

 

[JudgeColt]

I have an early AMT Longslde and it is my favorite 1911-style pistol to shoot. The quality is not high enough, but mine is reliable and accurate. Apparently others agree with my analysis, since they bring a high dollars on the auction sites. I have always wished that Colt would build a clone of the Longslide - and it could, but, in typical Colt fashion, does not follow the right market trends.

I note that NONE of the boutique makers of 1911 clones offer a 7-inch barrel like the AMT Longslide, and, like many things, it is the last inch that makes all the difference.

 

[ferretface]

I have an early AMT Longslde and it is my favorite 1911-style pistol to shoot. The quality is not high enough, but mine is reliable and accurate.

I have no experience with the AMT LongSlide, but I have owned an AMT Hardballer [Gold Cup clone]. Before buying any AMT 1911 clone, check the chamber closely. I bought mine used, back in the late 80's, at a gun show for $265. Nice looking, as I wanted a stainless .45 but didn't want to spend the ~$650 for a Colt stainless .45 Gold Cup. The AMT functioned well, accuracy was adequate, but upon reloading the fired cases, I noticed that all were bulged out on one side...Close examination of the barrel showed an off center/oversize chamber. I was very disappointed.

I bought the stainless Colt Gold Cup. Even with the plastic mainspring housing, it was better made than the AMT.

 

[Walter Rego]

I bought this AMT back in 1980. The extractor needed some work before it was fully reliable and I added a Dwyer Group Gripper recoil spring guide to tighten up the barrel lug lock up but it has been reliable and accurate. People at the range always ask about the "Terminator" gun showing the effect that pop culture has on the gun enthusiasts.

 

[ralphwolf]

What are the earliest examples of the 1911 Long Slide.

I wonder what a price range for what has to be a great collectible piece would be?

 

[rhmc24]

A definition of 'great collectible' would vary with the individual - as well as price range. My reference to Colt 1902 and 1905s is based on the 1902 shown which is the 1902 Sporting Model (with early short round grip) and the 1905 of which about 6000 of each were made. In 50% condition the 1902 Sport would value maybe $1200, the 1905 more than twice that. There is the 1902 Military, a lot more of them than the Sporting, would be less except for the earliest with the forward checkered gripping area which are scarce. My opinion.

 

[Buckspen]

I used to shoot NRA Bullseye competition and several guys I knew had Clark long slide .38's or .45's. They were finely accurate pistols but could only be used for wadcutter/mid-range loads if I remember correctly. I liked them but never could afford one.

I remember reading years ago about a fellow by the name of Jim Hoag (I think) who made a six inch long slide .45 that could be used for action shooting with USPSA major caliber loads. I saw one at a gun show once and really wanted it bad, but again, I couldn't afford it.

About 12 years ago, Les Baer introduced his Premier II .45 ACP pistol in a six inch version. Having finally gotten a little better off financially, I did buy one and it was one of the best shooting and reliable pistols I ever owned. I used it in local IPSC type matches and had a great time with it. Especially shooting those long range qualifiers. The gun was very accurate, but I did find out that the action cycled a little bit slower than a similar pistol with the five inch slide and barrel. I finally got good enough at speed shooting that this was a factor in my scores, so I sold it and bought an SVI Infinity hi-cap gun in .40 caliber.

- - - - Buckspen

 

[Oyeboten]

I'm ruminating about making a 1911 long slide. Not not much of a project starting with a couple beaters of which one you sacrifice. All else needed would be a long barrel.

I think there is a practical limit to length due to the longer tilt radius of the barrel-slide lock up at the link. I haven't figured it out. One could play with reduced engagement depth but probably expense of functional life and reliability. That wouldn't be a problem with the parallel link system used in the 1902 and 1905s but I wouldn't sacrifice great old collectibles. That idea introduces the lack of, maybe impossibilty of longer barrels.

They make 16 Inch Barrels for .45 Automatics...( even though these are used with one's ordinary Slide ).

I see no reason why one could not increase the length of the slide quite a ways, but, at some point somehting has to give.

As the weight or mass of the Slide increases, eventually there would be more and more challenge to the cycling funcitons of course...lighter spring to co-respond to increased mass, occasioning more sluggish arrival or acheivement of ( or failure to acheive ) Battery, at some point, one would find, one can only go so far I expect.

One could have a 'Skeletonized' Slide of course, and, reduce the mass by that means, or, have a Slide made of a lighter Alloy, or even both, and, maybe get out to twelve inches or more for all I know!

 

[Scott Gahimer]

I'm not any kind of long slide expert, and certainly am not a gunsmith or engineer. I simply don't see any point in increasing the length of the slide on a 1911-type pistol beyond what Clark and others have in the past...except perhaps as a novelty or conversation piece. The potential accuracy achieved by the additional length, IMO, would not offset the additional weight, size (bulk).

I'm confident there are good shooters who could shoot highly accurate shot groups with the Clark pistol I have. To shoot anything much more accurate, if one had to increase the length of the slide and the weight of the pistol, I'd think he may as well opt to use something else in the first place.

 

[rhmc24]

I envision maybe 8" barrel or whatever the limit is by welding two slides together. That limit probably determined by where you have to cut off one at the front and the other to match up the slots where the barrel locks in --- just more of what I haven't given enuf thought. I seem to always have other fish to fry and have trouble getting another project organized. I have a 3 shot 20 ga. revolving shotgun I'm hoping to finish before I croak.

 

[haggis]

1911 manufacturers don't put out any 'off the shelf' long slide weapons.

Mark,

Springfield has made and continues to make 6" Longslide 1911's. Their current offering is shown here:

Springfield Armory

Some of their past offerings have been the Trophy Match Longslide (shown at top below) and the .45 Super ported V-16 Longslide (bottom). The Trophy Match is one of the most accurate 1911's I have seen.

I rebuilt this 7" AMT Longslide from a barely functional pistol into a reliable tack-driving pin gun.

There were a lot of mods I made to this one, but the main reliability item was using a good slide rail grease (TW-25B) to prevent the stainless-on-stainless galling that occurred because they used the same alloy in both the slide and frame.

Buck

 

[haggis]

I'm ruminating about making a 1911 long slide. Not not much of a project starting with a couple beaters of which one you sacrifice. All else needed would be a long barrel.

Robert, the other thing you need to think about is the recoil spring. You will either have a standard recoil spring with some sort of "filled" spring retainer to account for the longer slide (the choice of most modern manufacturers), or a longer recoil spring for the corresponding longer spring tunnel (the way most early guns were made). I understand that the longer springs were a bit finicky and that it took a bit of experimentation to find the right one. Wolff makes a five spring pack to do just that, but I don't know if it's for a six inch barrel or something longer. The standard spring length usually requires a 14 pound spring in the current 6" longslides, but that is dependent on load. The .45 Super longslides use a 22-24 pound spring.

Buck

 

[JudgeColt]

Only six inches? Pikers! I would be embarrassed to have only six inches. It takes a seven inches to gain entrance into the Longslide club!

I look at the six-inch Springfield time after time, and just cannot give up that extra inch. I absolutely LOVE the AMT Longslide. Mine is one of the early El Monte guns, and they exhibit higher cosmetic quality than the later ones that I have observed.

rhmc24, would you accept a commission to build a Lonslide duplicate out of a Colt Gold Cup and an extra slide? Don't worry about the recoil spring issue. The Longslide just uses about a three-inch-long recoil spring plug of which the front half is solid, so the regular length recoil spring can be used. Seems to work fine. For a barrel, there are long barrels made for the Model O, and one could be utilized for the "Colt Gold Cup Longslide." "All" you would have to do is weld the front of one slide onto the rear of the other slide, and then match up the tiny serrations on top of the slide, etc.. Piece of cake for a man of your talents! How about it?

 

[rhmc24]

Judge I'm honored you should ask. I have only been considering physical function with little thought of recoil spring, for example. Seems like we agree about recoil spring, the stroke of the slide remaining unchanged, it would be a matter some kind of plug. As mentioned, weight of slide would affect weight of spring that would take experimentation. It looks like an interesting project but has to be solo with me. I'm 88 with diminishing horsepower and endurance. I still do a few limited jobs for long time clients on their pieces that date from the 16-1700s. I appreciate your inquiry and if I get active on the long slide I will make it known. I'm happy to discuss most anything, more so on things I may know something about.