Removing metal on a straight blowback

R

RoyalWe

New member
Hello all!
I'm wondering if there's anyone out there with the experience or knowledge to give me useful consultation on removing some metal on the slide of a blowback .380. I have a Cobra Denali, (cheap, zinc alloy "pot metal" slide) the slide hangs down so low that after firing a few mags the top of my thumb knuckle is skinned. I'm wanting to take a dremmel to it and removing a piece 2" long, 1/8" high, 1/16" wide. This isn't much in total mass, so my thoughts are that given the firearms industry tendency to make products that exceed the minimum safety allowances it probably wouldn't take the mass to an amount that is too low to resist the rearward pressure until the chamber/barrel pressure has dropped to a safe level....then again I don't want to be on the receiving end of being wrong. Any one have any thoughts, suggestions, stories that might help?

If I do go through with it after, I'll be sure to post the results.
 
Carefully reading your post,you describe the thumb knuckle to be the site of injury.
In order to talk about this,I will assume you are right handed.Reverse if you are left handed.
You would be gripping the firearm with your right hand.
I have big,meaty hands.With some handguns,the slide or hammer may contact the web between my thumb and forefinger,on my RIGHT hand.But no thumb knuckle has a problem.

This leads me to believe it is the thumb knuckle of your LEFT hand that is getting hurt.
If so,there is NO NEED to alter your slide.

You just fundamentally have an IMPROPER GRIP.

Never,Never ever cross the thumb of your left hand over the top of your right wrist when shooting a semi-auto.
The slide WILL bite your left thumb. :-)

{If indeed,your pot metalslide is so wide and low its chewing on your RIGHT thumb knuckle...Wow!.You might just round the outside lower left edge of the slide..so it is not a cutting edge.But do not alter any notches in the slide,such as takedown notches or slide stop.
Birchwood Casey makes a black finish touch up pen,looks like a Sharpy.I would not use a Dremel.I would use a file.First a uniform 45 deg chamfer.Then break the corners on the chamfer,so if becomes 3 uniform flats.Then blend it out.Less is more.Just make it not sharp}

Basics of a better grip,assume a one handed grip.Then place all four fingers of your Left hand on top of the four fingers of your right hand,almost like you were punching the fingers of your left hand.
A little push/pull tension through the arms and shoulders will create a stable triangle.

Both thumbs should general be pointed at the target,,or a little higher.Both thumbs are essentially parallel,not crossed.The right thumb is on top.Both thumbsare along the left side of the handgun,but not applying pressure.You don't want to drag on the slide.

Now,I don't know you at all.I mean no disrespect.

Since the stakes ARE life and death (1)

And you have demonstrated that you did not quite understand the BASIC FUNDAMENTAL of proper grip (2)

It occurs to me you might benefit greatly from a course of training on the use of your handgun.

It won't cost much,it would have solved this problem,and likely it will improve your marksmanship,safety,and overall proficiency....which translates into having more fun without anyone getting killed. :-)

Oh,one more thing...Please...Do not consider your Dremel to be the answer to 99.9995 % of any firearms issue you may have.
 
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I point them downrange.I think if you watch some vid of top shooters,you will find they do,too.
My thumbs are pretty much relaxed.I shoot a 1911.My right thumb is either under the safety,insuring it is engaged,or on top of the safety,insuring it is disengaged,or about to be.With a 1911 type safety,my thumb has a job,and it knows where it needs to be.But there is not exertion going through my thumb.Its just in place.

FWIW,my trigger finger points straight down the frame,downrange,outside the trigger guard.I point the trigger finger at the target.

For myself,that does an amazing job of helping me to acquire an on-target sight picure.

Regardless of that side benefit,keep the trigger finger off the trigger till your target is identified and you intend to shoot it.
 
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The slides on those guns are zamak-a cheap zinc alloy. I would advise against removing ANY METAL for several reasons.

First, is your concern about lightening the slide. This is a very valid concern-especially with sub standard materials.

Second, your slide is either plated or painted. Most are plated. Removing this plating allows the zinc to corrode-up and under the remaining plating.

Third- it will look like hell.

Use a different method of gripping the gun.
 
No pistol's slide is cheap, zinc alloy "pot metal". Even the biggest POS is steel.
Removing a piece 2" long, 1/8" high, 1/16" wide will seriously alter the slide's weight and that will cause malfunctions.
"...given the firearms industry tendency to make products that..." No they don't.
If you're getting hurt, it's how you're gripping the thing. As in too high. Change the grips.
 
t. o'heir said:
Removing a piece 2" long, 1/8" high, 1/16" wide will seriously alter the slide's weight and that will cause malfunctions.
Click to expand...

No way.

2.00 x .125 x .0625 = .016 cubic inches.

Steel weighs about .286 pounds per cubic inch.

.0016 x .286 = .004 pounds = .07 ounces.

I can't imagine ANY gun out there whose slide weight was so critical that 7/100 of an ounce would affect it.

Even if the slide weighed only a couple of ounces (reality will be significantly more), the sliver would only be a couple of percent of the slide weight.

Remove it if it makes your thumb happy, it won't make any difference to the gun. However, as others have pointed out, it'll make your gun ugly.
 
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Alternate idea, make a beavertail or add enough DIY grip material to force a lower grip. Bore axis will be higher but we're not exactly quibbling over tenths of a second on split times for competition.
 
"No pistol's slide is cheap, zinc alloy "pot metal". Even the biggest POS is steel."

Sorry- that's very wrong. Cobra, Jennings, Lorcin, etc. all have zamak slides.
Walther P22, Browning 1911/22 have aluminum slides.

Do your research.
 
Hello, OP here,
I appreciate the advice! My grip, however, is doubtfully the issue. If you've ever seen one of these pistols, held one, or read a review on one this a pretty common complaint. Most people say the webbing, my hands are pretty lean though so it's rubbing on the inside of my left thumb knuckle (I'm left handed).
I could as some have suggested lower my grip, but I've always been taught to grip as high as possible and its worked for me this far, I'm not wanting to change habits for one <$200 gun. As for the ugliness concern, again HAS ANYONE SEEN THESE? They start out ugly lol. I think I may give it a go and repaint the exposed metal to avoid corrosion. I've heard of some people altering their recoil springs to make it easier to cycle with safe results, seems theoretically like the same alteration, I.e. Less resistance. Thanks!
 
Rather than removing a chunk of the slide, why not just gently round off the sharp edges at the rear of the slide?

RoyalWe said:
I could as some have suggested lower my grip, but I've always been taught to grip as high as possible ...
Click to expand...
This is good advice. However, if the slide is carving up your hand when you shoot, then that grip really isn't working for that gun, is it? Hold it lower.
 
Agreed on just rounding the sharp edges that cut you.You might want to round the lower outside corner the length of the slide,along with the rear edge.

I don't care what handgun I have,if there is a sharp edge that cuts me,I fix it.I have handguns to shoot.If they make me bleed,they are unacceptable.I can't afford safe queens just to possess them.If I had some unalterable sacred historical specimen..OK,I might just sell it.


Some call it "Dehorning"

As this handgun seems to be...shall we say "utility" ? What do you have to lose?
 
T. O'Heir said:
No pistol's slide is cheap, zinc alloy "pot metal". Even the biggest POS is steel.
Click to expand...

I was repeating what Bill DeShivs wrote... and deleted it.

Then I noticed that nobody mentioned Hi-Point. Their handguns all have zinc alloy slides (ZAMAK-3), and despite claims to the contrary, they seem to be fairly reliable and accurate weapons. The folks who complain the most aren't the folks who have owned them or shoot them.

A number of the lower-end handguns have aluminum slides and zine frames... which seems good -- but aluminum, according to what I've read, has its place, but a slide may not be one of them. (There are many horror stories on the web about Walther P22 slides failing, for example.) Steel has the ability to be more resilient and not structurally damaged by blows and some flexing. (I'm sure it all depends on the alloys used in either steel or aluminum.)
 
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If it's hurting you and you don't want to alter your grip just get rid of the stupid thing! It's a cheap piece of crap anyway. You aren't using it for SD are you? I might like to play with a cheap gun at the range just for fun but when you put pain in the mix............what's the point.
 
Hard to imagine what exactly on the right side of the slide could be getting your left thumb. Seems like the only thing there is the edge of the slide. Round off any sharp edges and call it a day.

cobra+denali.jpg


EDIT: Just looked up a review on the thing, looks like the slide bite might be a pretty common problem.

This may be the first gun I have ever handled where I wished the beaver tail area was lower. Those slide skirts go so low that if you take a proper grip, you’re going to get some nasty slide bite. I had to consciously hold my hand a bit farther down on the frame than I wanted to.
Click to expand...

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2013/12/jeremy-s/gun-review-cobra-ca380-cheapest-handgun-america/
 
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It will be easier to sell if you do nothing to it.

If a similar mouse gun would meet your needs,Consider any of the Makarov-ish pistols or Walther clones.

FEG PA-63,Polish P-64,etc.

It obviously is not a fun shooter.

If it was to defend my life...I'd choose something besides a pot metal ....well,you can choose your own descriptive terms.
 
I can see your problem just by looking at the gun. Please don't listen to remarks about your grip. I've had my grip criticized in the past, and can still blow a hole in the red at 10 yards, which is all the distance, that piece is good for.

I would agree with those folks that advise you to "Get rid of it" If you mess around with the bottom of that slide, you may get hurt worse. That's a $100 POS, and not worth fixing or getting hurt over...
 
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