Slides

Dive into Fusion Firearms for top-tier 1911 slides.

Whether you’re a gun enthusiast or in law enforcement, keeping your handgun in great working condition is essential. Besides regular oiling and cleaning, you can customize your trusty 1911 to improve its appearance and handling experience.

Fusion Firearms carries a diverse range of 1911 Pistol slides that you can fully customize on the Fusion Firearms website and have made to your liking to help you upgrade and customize your firearm to better suit your needs. Our 1911 pistol slides are precisely machined from bar-stock to provide outstanding strength and customizability to any high-end 1911 build.

WHAT IS A SLIDE ON THE 1911 PISTOL?

The slide is the upper part of the gun that moves back and forth during the operation cycle of a semiautomatic pistol. A 1911 slide houses the barrel, guide rod, extractor, and firing pin. The slide is spring-loaded to facilitate the back-and-forth motion, which powers a semi-automatic gun’s self-loading capability.

Firing a round pushes results in a  recoil or blowback operation that pushes the slide into the rearmost position. The resulting spring tension pushes the slide forward and back into position while facilitating the reloading cycle. For example, when you fire a 1911 pistol, the recoil from the shot causes the upper half to slide backward. The backward movement ejects the spent casing, re-arms the striker or firing pin, and chambers the next round from the magazine.

1911 Slide Sizes: Variations and Significance

The 1911 pistol is a classic firearm design that has stood the test of time. One of its distinctive features is the slide, a critical component that houses the barrel and reciprocates during the firing cycle. Over the years, the 1911 design has seen numerous variations in slide sizes, each with its own implications for functionality, aesthetics, and user experience.

7 Inch 1911 Slide: At Fusion Firearms, we believe that firearms are not just tools; they're an extension of the shooter's skill, passion, and vision. With this philosophy in mind, we're excited to present our innovative Fusion Firearms 7-inch slide for the iconic 1911 platform. This slide size isn't just a modification; it's a transformative experience that takes the classic 1911 to new heights of performance and customization.

6 Inch 1911 Slide: The history of the 6-inch slide in firearms traces its origins to the pursuit of heightened accuracy and control within the iconic 1911 platform. As competitive shooting gained traction, the extended slide length offered an extended sight radius and superior recoil management, enticing those dedicated to precision marksmanship. Customization emerged as a hallmark, with serrations and optics cutouts enhancing the slide's functionality. Today, the legacy of the 6-inch slide persists as a symbol of unwavering dedication to accuracy, embodying the fusion of innovation and shooting prowess for target shooting aficionados.

Standard Full-Size Slide: The original 1911 design introduced by John Browning featured a full-size slide that measured around 5 inches in length. This configuration is often referred to as the "Government" size. The full-size slide not only provided a longer sight radius for improved accuracy but also allowed for greater recoil control due to its increased mass. These attributes made it a favored choice for military use and target shooting. The full-size 1911 slide became an iconic aspect of the pistol's design.

Commander Slide: In the 20th century, firearm enthusiasts began to explore variations of the 1911 design. One such modification resulted in the Commander slide, which is slightly shorter than the standard full-size slide. The Commander slide typically measures around 4.25 inches in length. This reduction in slide length resulted in a lighter and more compact pistol. While the shorter sight radius could potentially impact accuracy, the Commander slide made the pistol more suitable for concealed carry due to its reduced size and weight.

Officer Slide: The Officer slide is another deviation from the standard full-size 1911 slide. It measures around 3.5 inches in length, making it even more compact than the Commander slide. This slide size is often used in what's referred to as the "Officer's Model" 1911. The Officer slide sacrifices some magazine capacity and sight radius for the sake of enhanced concealment. However, the shorter slide can also affect the cycling dynamics and potentially result in increased felt recoil due to the reduced mass.

Tactical and Custom Variations: As the 1911 platform gained popularity in both military and civilian circles, custom gunsmiths and manufacturers began experimenting with different slide sizes and configurations to cater to specific needs. Some models sport slides with optics cutouts for red dot sights, serrations for improved grip during slide manipulation, and even extended or compensated slides for enhanced performance in competitive shooting.

Implications and Considerations: The choice of slide size in a 1911 pistol should be guided by the intended purpose of the firearm. Full-size slides offer improved accuracy and recoil control, making them suitable for target shooting and duty use. Commander and Officer slides prioritize concealment and ease of carry, at the potential cost of some accuracy and control. Additionally, the chosen slide size can impact the pistol's cycling dynamics and reliability.

HOW DOES A 1911 SLIDE STOP WORK?

The slide stop refers to a simple lever on the left side of a 1911 handgun. It’s a simple locking mechanism comprising a lever that fits into a notch in the handgun’s slide and the pin that threads through the frame and barrel link. The lever and the notch line up whenever the slide is pulled back, which allows the level to slide upwards and catch the slide in that open position when the magazine is empty due to the magazine follower pushing upward on the slide stop.

The purpose of a 1911 slide stop is to lock the slide in the rearmost or open position once the gun is empty. Semi-automatic pistols engage the slide lock to let you know you’ve emptied the magazine. You can also lock the slide manually to expose the chamber following a misfire or a misfeed or ensure the chamber is empty.

Once you’ve emptied the last round from the clip, the magazine’s follower pushes up the slide stop, causing it to latch against a recess in the 1911 pistol slide. That action catches the slide and holds it in the open position, giving you a clear indication that your handgun is out of ammo. Releasing the slide stop after inserting a new magazine allows the slide forward and chamber a round.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT SLIDE PARTS?

Custom 1911 slides comprise a barrel, barrel bushing, guide rod, recoil spring, end cap, extractor, firing pin stop plate and firing pin. The upper part of the barrel travels backward once the bullet is fired to facilitate the reloading cycle. The attached extractor moves with the slide, removing the spent casing from the chamber into the ejector for ejection. In basic form of operation, the slide on the 1911 pistol slide moves rearward, unlocking the barrel, and ejecting the spent cartridge. Next, it moves forward picking up the next loaded round from the loaded magazine. This is referred to as “in battery” – when the Slide is shut and the barrel is in the “lock-up” position. “Locked and loaded” is a popular way of referencing a firearm “in battery” and has a live round in the chamber. The recoil of firing the pistol causes the bolt to clear the round. The recoil spring and guide rod assembly returns the slide to its original “Locked-up” and loaded condition, stripping a fresh round from the loaded magazine, pushing it forward onto the feed ramp, where it’s forced into the barrel chamber. This sequence repeats each time you fire a round from your 1911 pistol.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HOLD THE SLIDE WHILE SHOOTING?

Holding the slide while shooting is never recommended and you will cause injury to yourself if you do this. You should never hold or bring any parts of your body into contact with the slide during firing. Holding or making any contact with the slide or its functioning window of operation will result in bodily injury. With 1911 pistols or any brand, make or model of all and any semi-automatic pistols, hands and all body parts should be kept clear of the pistols operating slide at all times. In-addition any interference with the contacting of the slide can cause a multitude of additional issues such as jamming, feeding issues, short-stroking of pistol and a multitude of mechanical issues. It is never advised to impede the operation of a pistol slide.

CUSTOMIZE AND UPGRADE YOUR 1911 TODAY

Fusion Firearms stocks everything you need to lend a personal touch to your beloved 1911 pistol. Frome 1911 slides, frames, barrels, slide stops, triggers, firing pin stops, and magazines to ejectors, we have everything you need for a custom build. Shop all the parts you need to rebuild your 1911 pistol, and we'll ship them to your location. Fusion Firearms is a federally licensed firearms dealer with a nationwide presence - we can ship firearms across the entire country. Browse our products at Fusion Firearms and use the handy filters to search for any parts or build kits you need and proceed to checkout. Fusion Firearms will ship your build kit to your location following the Federal Shipping Guidelines Get your 1911 parts today!