Currently On The Bench
I wanted to break away from the normal articles a little. I have a customer’s Glock 19 in the shop that has seen four other shops to get him the pistol of his dreams. What was the final step in his dream gun? A Slipstream permanent lubrication treatment, naturally.
So this article really has a two-fold purpose. Sure I get to introduce you to something awesome...that being the ST-2 treatment...but I also get to tell you about the rest of the work that has been done to this pistol.
I’ll get into the specifics later but I wanted to give some initial reactions first. Stippling is something that takes an extreme amount of time, concentration, and attention to the finest of details. It’s also why I have never offered it. It just takes too much time to be cost effective for most small shops. For those that do it...you guys rock. The stippling and trigger work was done by Tactical Textures & Triggers out of North Dakota. Now...a lot of these guys can do some work that looks and feels like sandpaper. Not so with TT&T. It looks great. The lines are crisp. The texture is aggressive without being overly rough. You could shoot all day and not have skin peeled off your hands. So, thumbs up to TT&T for the texture work. Here are a few pictures of the stippling.
The trigger...well now. For the most part, they did what I would do to a Glock trigger so some kudos are in order. Most of the key points were polished for smooth trigger function. There are a few others that I hit but all in all, he did a decent job of knowing what makes a good Glock trigger. There were a few areas that didn't get the attention I thought it should have. Except for the fact that there were scratches left and not everything was done that I would have...you might have thought it came from my shop. (Note, the customer had about 500 rounds through the gun after the trigger work. This could account for the scuffs on polished areas. Scratches come from uneven polishing.) He did a decent job, though. For instance, I polish more of the trigger bar. One surface has to ride against the frame (not the highest friction point in the gun but I still believe it helps the overall trigger feel) and the other gives a little pressure on the magazine. A little polish on that contact point makes an empty magazine fall easier. We all know that can be an issue with Glock mags so it's something that I do even though it has absolutely nothing to do with the overall trigger feel. It's a customer bonus in my mind and speaks to how customer minded the Gunsmith is.
But like I said there were some polished areas that weren’t quite up to the old “Crusader Standard”. Now, this gun has to leave MY shop. It has to pass through my hands personally. I couldn’t let it go without fixing what wasn’t completely finished by the last shop. Since this gun wasn’t sent to me for that work...I donated it to those efforts customer. It’s just what I do. Most shops wouldn't think twice about that but I don't run most shops and I have a low enough volume that I can be concerned about each piece that I work on. Oh...and $110 for the labor on a Glock trigger job is a rip off. If they want more than $75ish...run.
So, we've already discussed what I would have done more of, so what about what I wouldn't have done? Part of keeping costs down can be sticking with Glock OEM parts and I get that. I'm just not a fan of them. So, if we need a real change, I prefer to go away from factory parts on a Glock. Aftermarket parts are simply better.
Apex Failure Resistant Extractor....When was the last time you heard of a Glock extractor failing? Not really a priority and sounds like a way to pad the bill because you're charging retail for the part.
Bar-Sto barrel...KKM barrels are better and typically more accurate.
Glock OEM Ejector...molded into the trigger housing...if it isn't broken don't replace it. There simply isn't a need to replace it for the very part you took out. Again we're padding the bill and charging $10 for a $8 retail part.
Glock Maritime Firing Pin Spring cups...all these to is add less contact area...absolutely not a priority for a trigger job.
Glock Smooth Trigger Bar...this is part of a trigger job for a Gen 4...this is a Gen 3 model. This is another example of replacing a part in the gun...with the exact same part. This was not a needed change unless you're looking for the smooth trigger shoe.
Glock Spring Loaded Bearing...I'm going to loose my mind on this one. This is a part that simply doesn't wear out. So you're replacing a part that retails for $2 and charging the customer $5.
Wolff Reduced Power Firing Pin Spring...not really a fan of these for a carry gun. It's there to lower the felt trigger weight. What can happen is light strikes on the primer. You never really know if that will happen until it's installed. Some will function reliably and some will have occasional to rampant light strikes. You never know. For a carry gun I typically side with a factory weight firing pin spring because this gun has to fire when it's called for.
Zev Race Connector...Never...Never go with a "race" connector in a carry gun. We've discussed this in our Making Glocks Rock article. There are other ways of getting a custom trigger pull without leaving you open to prosecutors should you have to defend yourself with it.
What good changes were done?
Grip plugs are a great finishing touch. I have to agree with this one.
Heinie sights are great but I prefer night sights for a carry gun. Bad stuff usually happens in low light.
Vickers Extended mag release...absolutely.
Vickers Slide Stop...must have.
The finish on the gun is pretty unique. Severn's Custom has a chemical finishing process that may just be the answer to everyone's prayers. Or just another competitor in a broad market. I really couldn't say because this is the first time I've heard of these guys. After reading about their process I have to admit that they to take great care of your gun. It sounds like a long process but one they are very careful with. That impresses me.
Our Slipstream treatment is equally time consuming on the preparation portion. Everything that must not be treated needs to be painstakingly taped off. This portion took extra long on this Glock because the customer wanted extra guide rod assemblies done. 20 of them, actually. (another point I would have changed...get a stainless steel or tungsten guide rod and you won't have to worry about ever breaking one. Then you don't need 20 treated guide rods...just the one.)
The treatment itself takes place in our Slipstream only blast cabinet. The same ingredient that makes out gun oils so great is literally blasted into the pores of the metal at 150-200psi. The individual particle is only about .5micron in size so it really can penetrate into the pores and stay there. This gives you a this film with the lowest coefficient of friction known to science. This is also why we are careful with where it goes. Not every spot on a firearm needs that much lubricity.
The treatment is also incredibly durable. With a load bearing capacity of around 300,000psi, heat resistance of up to 2400F, and cold resistance of -305...you will never have to worry about the treated surfaces being abused. Even through this we still call it a semi permanent treatment because we've never had one wear out but I suppose the possibility is there, no matter how remote. However, at the end of the day you have lubrication that will be there for you even when any rust inhibiting oils have long cooked off. Lubrication that will out last you. (send us a message on the contact page to get this service)
I don't want to overwhelm any of you with a novel sized post so we'll do a follow up with pictures of the finished project. Anyway. I'm putting below the job list sent to me by the customer. I think it's good to see the what and where. This pistol has seen a lot of work so everyone deserves their share of credit.
So, until the next installment, keep your powder dry and your back to the wind. And please leave feedback and share Gundoc's with a friend.
