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SIG fans. Check this out!
http://ellegon.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13014
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Author:  Dee [ Mon May 25, 2009 1:34 am ]
Post subject:  SIG fans. Check this out!

There is always a lot of discussion on the quality of the newer machined SIG slides versus the older stamped slides. SIG purists claim the the formed slide gives the pistol a better balance as the machined slide makes the gun front heavy. I wouldn't know.

I know mine is supposed to be a stamped slide but I could never figure out how it was done. I could never find any welds on it. Anyway, I found this on the SIG forums. If you're at all interested in metalworking, I'm sure you'll find this enlightening. About halfway down the thread, one guy posted photos of the slide forming process.


http://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/430601935/m/30710801/p/1

Author:  singhcr [ Mon May 25, 2009 10:24 am ]
Post subject: 

Thanks for the cool pics! As a mechanical engineer I always enjoy learning how things are formed. I honestly had no idea my P6 slide was stamped.

Author:  Dee [ Fri May 29, 2009 10:52 pm ]
Post subject: 

singhcr, as a mechanical engineer and a SIG owner, I think you will be interested in this post also from SIGforums.

One of their members who says he is a Navy SF guy posted photos of a SIG 226 (folded slide) that is about 20 years old and has a claimed 250,000 rounds through it. Apparently they shoot tremendous amounts in practice.
This speaks volumes for the durability of an alloy framed gun with a sheet metal slide, or any gun for that matter if it can sustain a quarter of a million firings before failure.

I'm also very glad that these guys are on our side.

http://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/430601935/m/94510251/p/1

Author:  gyrfalcon [ Sat May 30, 2009 2:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: SIG fans. Check this out!

Dee wrote:
There is always a lot of discussion on the quality of the newer machined SIG slides versus the older stamped slides. SIG purists claim the the formed slide gives the pistol a better balance as the machined slide makes the gun front heavy. I wouldn't know.


I would generally choose a machined slide or receiver over a stamped one any day.

If there is any weight difference it may be because they're not machining away enough material.

Author:  Dee [ Sat May 30, 2009 5:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: SIG fans. Check this out!

gyrfalcon wrote:

I would generally choose a machined slide or receiver over a stamped one any day.


You're correct, one would think that a slide machined out of a billet would be stronger but if a stamped slide can last that long, what does it matter? I'll never shoot even a fraction of that many rounds.

Author:  gyrfalcon [ Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: SIG fans. Check this out!

Dee wrote:
You're correct, one would think that a slide machined out of a billet would be stronger but if a stamped slide can last that long, what does it matter? I'll never shoot even a fraction of that many rounds.


As long as a part is engineered correctly it really doesn't matter what sort of process is used to form it. Stamped parts have residual stresses that need to be accounted for though. That's why I would rather have milled parts. They also tend to have more material, which is good and bad as far as weight and strength are concerned.

Image

Author:  pablobear [ Mon Jun 01, 2009 2:15 pm ]
Post subject: 

When I think of stamped guns I think of the AK-47s and 74s that look like they've been formed out of old bus parts and garbage cans. o_O

Author:  singhcr [ Mon Jun 01, 2009 3:26 pm ]
Post subject: 

Thanks for the link!

If a slide can take 250,000 rounds before failure, that is quite impressive indeed!

Milled parts are better from a purist perspective, but stamped weapons can function just as reliably and safely if one designs it properly by accounting for additional plastic deformation, corner stress concentrations, stress concentrations around rivet holes, etc.

Author:  Dee [ Mon Jun 01, 2009 4:48 pm ]
Post subject: 

pablobear wrote:
When I think of stamped guns I think of the AK-47s and 74s that look like they've been formed out of old bus parts and garbage cans. o_O


Pablobear,
A SIG stamped slide is a thing of beauty from an engineering standpoint. It is a far cry from the stamped AK receiver. When I first bought my pistol, I would have sworn that the slide was machined from a solid piece of metal. There were no welds that I could see anywhere.
Back when my pistol was made, machining was a expensive and labor intensive process and it was cheaper to make the stamped slide. With the introduction of modern CNC machines, it is now cheaper to machine the slide. and making the stamped slide has become the time and labor intensive process.

Author:  pablobear [ Mon Jun 01, 2009 6:24 pm ]
Post subject: 

Dee wrote:
pablobear wrote:
When I think of stamped guns I think of the AK-47s and 74s that look like they've been formed out of old bus parts and garbage cans. o_O


Pablobear,
A SIG stamped slide is a thing of beauty from an engineering standpoint. It is a far cry from the stamped AK receiver. When I first bought my pistol, I would have sworn that the slide was machined from a solid piece of metal. There were no welds that I could see anywhere.
Back when my pistol was made, machining was a expensive and labor intensive process and it was cheaper to make the stamped slide. With the introduction of modern CNC machines, it is now cheaper to machine the slide. and making the stamped slide has become the time and labor intensive process.


Oh, I agree with you! :) After seeing the pics that you included, I was struck with how sturdy and gorgeous they looked. Quite a contrast to what my preconceived notions were of stamped gun parts, thus the AK-47 reference. :)

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