"ASP-isize" a S&W 4516

[cmshoot]

The 457 arrived at TruPrep/Kudzu Tactical today, so I picked her up.

Cleaned her, removed the magazine disconnect, and replaced the springs. I forgot how nice the triggers are on these 3rd Gen S&W's. The reset is better than the one on my P229 with the SRT.

Quite a bit of holster wear, but low mileage on the inside. Cleaned up very nicely.

I screwed up and ordered the wrong Trijicons, so they're headed back tomorrow for a swap. Some mags arrived, some are en route.

I'll start the project in about 1.5 weeks, when I'm back from vacation. Several slide modifications, stipple the front strap, maybe stipple the frame for a thumb rest, then off to Robar for NP3+ on frame, barrel, and internals. When she's back, the slide will head off for IonBond/DLC.

 

[cmshoot]

Totally stock, except for the Hogue grips. Now the fun begins.

 

[Porter Rockwell]

Any progress yet? In for pics along the way- I want to live vicariously though your pics- great project idea!

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

Totally stock, except for the Hogue grips. Now the fun begins.
View attachment 836637 View attachment 836636

I understand your project and goals but I'd have a hard time permanently altering that one.

 

[cmshoot]

Just getting back from a 9 day vacation.....ain't started on it yet.

S&W 457's are super easy to find, plenty of them out there.

 

[cmshoot]

Starting it tomorrow. Going to see a buddy about making the Hi Power reduction in the front of the slide. I was going to stipple the front strap myself, but may have him to it instead. I'll see if I like his stippling better than mine.

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

Starting it tomorrow. Going to see a buddy about making the Hi Power reduction in the front of the slide. I was going to stipple the front strap myself, but may have him to it instead. I'll see if I like his stippling better than mine.

Didn't the original ASP design have a cut and reshaped trigger guard with kind of a hook to it?

 

[cmshoot]

Didn't the original ASP design have a cut and reshaped trigger guard with kind of a hook to it?

Yes it did, but I won't be doing that. I don't put my support index finger up there, so I've no use for it.

 

[cmshoot]

It's begun. Dropped it off for the Hi Power slide cut and an 11 degree crown on the barrel.

The normal stippling I do may not be feasible. The 2 methods I've used in the past, and the same methods that pretty much everyone uses, are:
1. A punch and a hammer
2. Whack the crap out of it over and over with a coarse, heavy rasp

The problem is, the center of the frontstrap is thick enough, but the curves to each side are a bit thin. We talked about it and are worried that the frontstrap will distort under the pressure. The way around this is to machine a block of solid metal, like a magazine but with a tighter fit in the magwell, to support the frontstrap on the inside and prevent it from crushing. More work than I wanna do.

So, I've got a few options on the frontstrap:
1. 3M ladder tape. I use this on my duty gun (P229) and don't have any issues with it in use, just ain't classy enough
2. Wire EDM stippling. I swear I've seen a shop that does it, but can't find it as of yet. C&S does "machine stippling", I'll call them and see what this is.
3. Vertically serrate the center of the frontstrap where it's thickest. 30lpi would be shallow enough to work
4. Checker a vertical strip in the center of the frontstrap where it's thickest. Again, 30lpi would work.
5. Fasten a stamped sheet of checkering to the frontstrap

I ordered a set of Hogue checkered kingwood grips. May have to remove some of the "hump" on the lower part of the backstrap, but we'll see.

I want the mag release to be slightly longer. 1/8" or maybe less. The checkered button screws onto the assembly, so it should be easy enough to either modify one for a 1911, or fabricate one from scratch. Another option may be to cut a recess in the left grip panel for better access.

 

[VHinch]

3. Vertically serrate the center of the frontstrap where it's thickest. 30lpi would be shallow enough to work

If I recall correctly, this was the factory option for 3rd gen smith fronstraps. Seems like it was a fairly narrow serration though, to the point where it might look odd checkered, so the serrations would probably be the way I'd go if it were me.