ltwguns.com

I am soliciting input on the advantages and disadvantages of the EGW Squared Firing pin stop as it may be used to reduce recoil. I am primarily concerned about any known disadvantages.

I have installed one on my DELTA ELITE and it seems to work. I am wondering why the manufacturers don't seem to use it.

Thank you in advance for your help.

I use them on almost every gun that gets reliability work. There are no disadvantages other than they might be a little stiffer to remove than a stock FP stop.

I'd have to think that manufacturers don't use them due to the fact that they have to be fitted to the slide & extractor and would add cost to the gun that is hard to hype in an ad. Let's face it, it's a great part, but sexy it ain't.

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shop.HarrisonCustom.com
www.HarrisonCustom.com

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I use EGW firing pin stops exclusively. Nothing that doesn't start out as 'oversize' should go on a custom.

The amount of radius you give it will affect the cyclic action. Very simply, the more radius, the higher on the hammer (above the hammer pin/pivot point) the contact point will be. By keeping the radius slight (or non existant), the slide has more to overcome on rearward travel, which will (slightly) slow the slide on it's rearward journey. This can give a 'feeling' of lessened recoil, due to the retardation of said cyclic action.

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CT Brian Custom
'Blending Art With Firepower'

CT Brian, is there any particular reason you use the EGW component rather than Wilson, Brown et al? Or is it strictly out of familiarity?

Will

The EGW stop does not have a radius on the bottom edge whereas the others have a finished radius. This square edge allows the smith to fine tune the radius to retard the cylcling of the slide.

And it's a damn fine part too

I use them pretty often. Brownell's has two types catalogued now, I think they've both been available from EGW all along. One's a Series 80 that will accommodate all calibers and one is .45 specific, Series 70, so, fewer cuts= stronger and more area working on the hammer.

I do subscribe to the "delay-opening" theory of the smaller radius at the bottom, just based on common sense. On my first .38 Super game gun I actually went way in the other direction, I put a huge radius and angle on the FP stop to get it to function with factory .38 ACP (not Super) rounds. This was my preferred load for 9-pin at Second Chance for a couple years. But that gun did not have any trouble running thousands of .38 Super Major loads, either.

As I say, it just makes sense that the smaller radius delays unlocking somewhat, but I sure wish I could see a comparison on high-speed video. I wonder if it tends tho throw the hammer back harder and cause it to bounce harder.

Thanks Mark - you took the words right out of my mouth!

Will - I believe EGW is the only maker of an oversize slide stop, too. In addition to what Mark pointed out, the extra metal also allows for precise fitting of the extractor slot which alieviates 'clocking'. Tim

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CT Brian Custom
'Blending Art With Firepower'

Knowing how you've been wanting that new high speed video camera, now you have an excuse to get one, Ned!

Good question on the 'bounce'. I tend to wonder if the slower slide speed offsets the faster hammer travel.

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CT Brian Custom
'Blending Art With Firepower'

Oh, I've had enough excuses for a long time, the prob is a shortage of lettuce!

Thanks Mark, Ned and CT for the replies!

Playing devils advocate, what don't the other parts manufacturers follow suit with EGW with the firing pin stop design?

Will

I have to ut my two cents in here. In the BE days I always filed a radius at the bottom of the hammer where it struck the stop, so automatically when I designed my drop in hammer for the 1911 I put this radius in. I believe as you said Ned, that it prevents the hammer from getting the extra rap and maybe save the hammer too. I know the slide always worked smoother with the radius so there has to be less fatigue to the hammer and Im possitive it saved many firing pin stops from cracking too.