Anyone weld a pistol slide?

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I have a glock pistol slide that has a hairline crack along one of the rails.  I believe the previous owner cracked it while installing a rear sight.As the slide is basically junk, I'm considering trying to weld the slide for grins.  The rear rails of the slide shouldn't undergo much stress, as they only maintain side-to-side movement.  The recoil, or front to back movement of the slide is absorbed by the recoil spring and locking block.Thoughts or suggestions on how to weld this up?
Reply:Originally Posted by muncie21Thoughts or suggestions on how to weld this up?
Reply:I'm not a gun guy, but is that plastic?Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:I had a similar situation where the ejector pin (built into the main frame) on my Hammerli pistol was broke and a gunsmith tig welded and re-machined the part.  So far, 4yrs later, all is good.Lincoln SA 200Esab Caddy 160Thermal Arc 201TSMiller Dialarc HFI don't like making plans for the day because then the word "premeditated" gets thrown around the courtroom....
Reply:Send it back to Glock. They will likely send you a brandy new one.If you cant fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem."Boy, everyone starts with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before the bag of luck is empty."-Grandad circa 1990ish
Reply:Originally Posted by GambleI'm not a gun guy, but is that plastic?
Reply:I don't know much about welding but am learning more and more each day. What I do know is guns; specifically the Glock. Each of it's parts is magnafluxed after manufacture to ensure there are no  micoscopic cracks in the formation of the parts. If one is found, the whole part is rejected because of the enormous combustible, chemical and mechanical, stresses that are placed on the parts each time the gun is fired. Please don't do this unless you intend to completely destroy the part when you finish practicing on it for "grins" and I mean sawing it up into pieces. The danger of you doing a great job and then having it fall into the hands of someone who doesn't know not to use it is not worth a hand or an eye or a life. Glocks are known as the "tanks" of the side arm category which leads people to believe they can do anything with it and it will fire. And it will. Mud, grease, water, hell, run it over with a tank, pick it up and it'll still fire. It's Achiles' heel is the molecular restructuring that occurs when the metal is re-heated. Glock is extremely precise in temperature control when it comes to manufacturing it's parts. Welding will only  weaken the molecular structure. Sorry to go on and on about this but I had a very close friend who did his own work on his G17 that included some heat treating. Although the trigger job,  stainless barrel work he did along with all the filing and polishing and spring tensioning he did would have improved the gun' s performance and bis accuracy immensely, we'll never know how much. The very next shot cost him his shooting hand, right eye and one side of his face and arm. Please reconsider this. Or, as I've said before, when you're finished grinning, torch the cr#$ out of it and turn it into  a hunk of srcap. I know a mother who would be very thankful.
Reply:110 V mig!  j/k...Glock slides should be 4140.  They are also nitrocarburized along with some other surface treatments.  Mask off around the area with electrical tape and blast with agressive media.  Clean the whole thing in an ultrasonic cleaner.  Then, find someone with access to and years of experience operating an electron beam welder.Short of the electron-beam welder, TIG with proper filler selection, pre- and post-heat, and controlled heat input to minimize warping the slide.Either way, it's going to mess up the case hardening at least locally if not over the entire part.  And if it warps, even just a little bit, is it worth possibly damaging the rails in your receiver?  If it's just for learning, read up on welding 4140 and go for it, but I'd be leery of putting it back of the receiver.
Reply:Just get a new one from Glock. City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by larpheadSend it back to Glock. They will likely send you a brandy new one.
Reply:Instead of trashing the slide or potentially injuring yourself should you accidentally reinstall/use the beast, send it to Glock. See this thread http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1455956
Reply:Originally Posted by larpheadSend it back to Glock. They will likely send you a brandy new one.
Reply:Originally Posted by larpheadSend it back to Glock. They will likely send you a brandy new one.
Reply:Originally Posted by Kelvin...and probably for free. Any good gun maker is going to want to bury its mistakes.
Reply:They may still take itt and send you a new one just to keep a person from trying to fix it.Then trying to come back later and sue them for his mistake.
Reply:Dont touch it, call Glock and see what they say...tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:I am with the other guys, call Glock they will probably send you a new slide .Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:I think I'd weld a hinge on there and make it into a door knocker.  Glock Knock!Who's there?"USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:Thanks for all the comments!  From the feedback attempting a repair may distort the slide, so I may just shoot it 'as is' and see how long it lasts. Due to the location of the damage (rear rails don't absorb very much energy) there's low risk of injury, except pride. FYI- glock has declined to repair the slide..I already asked.Last edited by muncie21; 07-06-2013 at 01:39 PM.
Reply:What's that one made of?"The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:Originally Posted by muncie21Thanks for all the comments!  From the feedback attempting a repair may distort the slide, so I may just shoot it 'as is' and see how long it lasts. Due to the location of the damage (rear rails don't absorb very much energy) there's low risk of injury, except pride.
Reply:Seems to me that someone clamped that slide in some vise jaws to replace the sight.  On a conventional vise, they will always spread at the top.  So the guy pinched the lower rails that have a very thin profile.  Way bad if it's a piece of rolled bar stock (with the grain going that way) and has a very hard nitrided finish. Crack."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:http://www.glockmeister.com/Stripped.../products/108/You can buy a stripped slide for $260.  That was without really looking for a best deal.  I would be particularly scared if it is on a 40 S&W.  I wouldn't do it even if it was on a lower pressure .45 acp.  Bad things happen when guns come apart.
Reply:Originally Posted by muncie21From the feedback attempting a repair may distort the slide, so I may just shoot it 'as is' and see how long it lasts.
Reply:Originally Posted by Crabohttp://www.glockmeister.com/Stripped.../products/108/You can buy a stripped slide for $260.  That was without really looking for a best deal.  I would be particularly scared if it is on a 40 S&W.  I wouldn't do it even if it was on a lower pressure .45 acp.  Bad things happen when guns come apart.You'd be crazy to try and have this repaired, and even crazier to continue shooting with the crack.  Send it back to Glock, they will likely replace it for free, as that is really the only safe option.
Reply:Do not try to weld that crack, I know a lot about guns and welding that slide will probably kill someone. Email glock they will probably replace it for free as they stand behind their products. if not, pay the price for a new slide it's not worth taking that kind of a chance.
Reply:If you really must weld it for "grins", then use a 3/16 or larger 7018 rod on about 170 amps. Make 6 passes on each side of the crack, inside and out. You can make one pass on the outside and then one inside, alternating back and forth or do all 6 on one side then 6 more on the other, your choice. No grinding after welding, this will make it safe to use again(as a paper weight) Probably your best choice of welding options with this piece.
Reply:InSanIty. Forgo the weld fix'r up idea. Burned thousands of rounds thru a Sig P220 and would never EVER consider welding on the slide for a quick-fix.  Employ common sense and rip an OEM replacement for your Glock.  NuffSaid."Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauIf you really must weld it for "grins", then use a 3/16 or larger 7018 rod on about 170 amps. Make 6 passes on each side of the crack, inside and out. You can make one pass on the outside and then one inside, alternating back and forth or do all 6 on one side then 6 more on the other, your choice. No grinding after welding, this will make it safe to use again(as a paper weight) Probably your best choice of welding options with this piece.
Reply:JB weldWelding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:With due respect, it's incredible you're still thinking of doing this. My friend's hand, eyes and face are destroyed. What part of "This is a really, really bad idea" don't you get. This forum is filled with people with eons of experience and the desire to help others. We tell you it's a bad idea and you're still considering it. Please just goget a new slide. They're cheap. Life isn't.
Reply:Originally Posted by jlamesWith due respect, it's incredible you're still thinking of doing this. My friend's hand, eyes and face are destroyed. What part of "This is a really, really bad idea" don't you get. This forum is filled with people with eons of experience and the desire to help others. We tell you it's a bad idea and you're still considering it. Please just goget a new slide. They're cheap. Life isn't.
Reply:muncie21Welding the slide with a rose-bud resolves any safety issues.Opus
Reply:Bistineau and OPUS FERRO have submitted the best suggestions/solutions (thus far).Though there are some other good ones, these 2 get my highest regard, so far.
Reply:Weld some Nyte Sytes on that side and sell it in the 'hood. Attached Images"USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Question....Where did the OP go??????Sounds more to me to be one of those "chuck & run" posts. Sure got enough cranks turning anyways.....
Reply:Originally Posted by larpheadSend it back to Glock. They will likely send you a brandy new one.
Reply:I agree with other posters that welding that item would be a really bad idea. Even with an excellent weld, it's still never going to look the same. That crack runs across those ridges and they would have to be re-machined. I would first call the Glock company and see what their procedure is for replacement. If possible then send the slide to Glock as mentioned above  A gun slide is nothing to mess around with.
Reply:Originally Posted by muncie21I didn't run, I'm just enjoying the colorful commentary.
Reply:Originally Posted by KelvinFor an encore, are you going to ask about building a trailer for hauling bulldozers with a 110V FCAW wire feeder?
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveand made out of old bed frames....
Reply:Originally Posted by Kelvin...and then ask if a new liner will prevent the soldering wire from getting balled up in the gun.