[Frank Sottile]

Breechface Cut-A-Way;

Breechface and Holding Screw;

Infinity Slide with Interchangeable Breechface®
Slide Sizes

Infinity Interchangeable Breechface® Installation Instructions

Ok now this looks very good on paper (or the Web), but does it work?

Still changing calibers will take more then just swapping out the Breechface. But you'll only need to fit one Slide to the Frame.

Has anyone used this Slide in their 1911s?
If you are using one, how is it holding up?

If it checks out ok, this may end up on my 9x23 Project Pistol

_________________
Molon Labe

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Frank Sottile on 2001-06-24 08:26 ]</font>

 

[Robe]

I have a 40 cal high cap Infinity with this and it is fine. Never know it was there. I have ordered a single stack Infinity in 9X23, but it will be a long time before I will be able to tell ya how that one shoots.

 

[Guest]

This really works????

I have been extremely curious of this modification, can you detail your thoughts and observations?

 

[Hilton Yam]

I hate to only be able to supply second hand info on this one, but I had once asked John Yanek about the validity of this setup, and he advised that it did not function or behave any differently than a standard breech face. John is tight with SVI -- check the site, his comp design and other mods are options on the guns -- and has been building the bulk of his guns on SVI platforms since they came about. John has never steered me wrong on 1911 stuff, so if he says it's good, then that's enough for me.

 

[Frank Sottile]

SVI tells me that it works and they have NOT had any trouble with the ones that are in use.

Also about a SIX month turn around on fitting this Slide to my SVI Frame. With a wait like that they must be swampped with orders or VERY Slow.

Still any more feedback on this set up???

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Frank Sottile on 2001-08-15 09:03 ]</font>

 

[Tom Freeman]

I have two of their slides with this breechface and I haven’t noticed any problems. But, they are on game guns. If something goes wrong, no big deal. On a carry gun however...

SV is busy with their overseas customers. I just ordered a IMM Open gun and its going to be a long while. They said three to six months. Thats gunsmith speak for a year I am afraid.

Tom
AF Shooting Team

 

[Robe]

I have a Limited model in 40 cal. and just received a compact frame in 40 cal. I've never had nor ever heard of any problem with the breechface design.
About the six month wait- I waited almost exactly 12 months for my compact model. I've got a single stack on order now for about 3 months and was told 8-9 months on it. I have talked to a SVI dealer in Ark. that told me he has had had people cancel orders recently that were 12-14 months old. I have heard a rumor that SVI lost one of its over-seas distributors(in Germany, I believe)that was responsible for alot of SVI orders. Supposedly, this should cut down on the wait for us here in the USA. SVI makes some great products. I am confident you will like whatever you may get from them. Just be prepared to order and forget about it for a good 6-8 months.

 

[Frank Sottile]

I think I'll send them the my SVI Frame and have the Slide along with the Barrel and Bushing fitted at the same time. Then I'll just have the "Small Stuff" to deal with.

Thanks for the Feedback.
Frank

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Frank Sottile on 2001-08-15 09:04 ]</font>

 

[Robe]

I think that's what I would if I were you. If I had an Infinity frame, I would want an Infinity slide to go with it. Even the Infinity small parts are becoming scarce. There are several Inifinity parts that are out of stock at Brownells. Do You plan on using Infinity small parts or other? There is a dealer for SVI in Arkansas called Bullseye Precision that has alot of parts also. I believe thier web address is http://www.bullseyeprecision.com

 

[imported_IPSC Supercop]

Robe and Tom are absolutely correct. Brian Enos (everyone knows who he is right? IPSC Grandmaster and all round phenom shooter) shot for SVI for quite a while and is very good friends with Sandy Strayer. Brian knows his stuff and he swears by SVI (guns, parts,etc.).

He stated on his forum that he shot the interchangeable breechface on several models A LOT, read: 10's of thousands of rounds, and checked it frequently and it never came loose or caused problems. Brian gives the interchangeable breechfaces a big thumbs up and that says a lot, at least to me it does cause the man knows his stuff.

Kevin

 

[imported_IPSC Supercop]

Robe,
Almost forgot to ask you about your Compact 40. Did you order just the frame or a complete gun? You waited 12 months right, hopefully for the entire gun and not just the frame.

I know the rest of you are reading this and saying, "What the hell is this idiot talking about it being OK to wait 12 months for a complete gun, but it is a SVI thing, almost an obsession. I just got my FFL and contacted SVI and they said they'd be happy to keep it in their records. I was also wanting to order their Compact frame with the Scott grip and Commander slide, is this what you have Robe?

Kevin

 

[Robe]

I have a complete compact 40 gun. I have the compact frame with the Alfarro stippled grip and a 4.3 inch length barrel which I guess is the closest slide to a "commander" length. I also got this gun with the full heavy dust cover and the the light rail grooves cut into it to attach an M3 light. With the bull barrel and full dust cover, muzzle rise is pretty much eliminated. It is basically a reduced size version of my full size limited 40 cal. gun which is also a full dust cover frame with light rail. As far as the breech face goes, I have shot thousands of rounds thru my full size gun and have never had to do anything to the breech face or really even thought about the fact that it is removable. I've never done it and honestly not sure how to take it out. The breech face feature really had no bearing on why I chose an Infinity gun. I would think that I will need to replace my barrel before I would need to replace the breech face for some reason.

 

[imported_IPSC Supercop]

Robe,
Glad to hear that you got the full complete gun. I just talked to SVI today and have a SVI steel compact frame enroute to me. I was really hyped about this because I know SVI's wait is a lot and I didn't want to wait that long. I was even looking into other manufacturers for a compact 40 which is not what I wanted to do, I wanted a SVI or STI framed compact 40 without waiting forever.

SVI told me they have lots of compact steel frames cut for the Para/Clark ramped barrels, but none for the Wilson/Nowlin cut ramp. It would be numerous months before any of the Wilson/Nowlin cut ramp frames would be available. She also said, in addition to lots of Para/Clark cut ramp frames, they have plenty of the compact grips. The compact grips will fit on the regular size frames perfectly, the only difference between the standard size grips and the compact is the height.

The Commander length slides is another story. The Commander length slides is a 6-8 month wait. Thank God I have the SVI steel frame with the compact grip on the way. I'll get the BarSto barrel and Caspian slide and the other parts ordered and get my gunsmith on it. I will have the regular slide and frame with the stirrup cuts in them. I wanted a compact 40 (preferably polymer) either by STI or SVI frame to almost be like my IPSC Limited gun. The PD I work for is switching to 40 s&w and I wanted this to shoot their factory ammo at open range days, as much as I want and all I can handle. Also, for Limited, I shoot and load 40. I wanted the STI or SVI type gun to simulate (somewhat, nothing is perfect) my Limited gun that I shoot the most with and am familiar with. I also wanted something that is high capacity, smaller than fullsize, somewhat light weight, same caliber and controls and characteristics as my Limited gun. It was hard to find but I think I got it.

Robe, is this pretty much your thinking, carry gun closely resembling your Limited gun?

Kevin/IPSC Supercop

 

[Frank Sottile]

Kevin,
Thanks for the heads up on Brin's Web Site.
Here is the link;
BrianEnos.Com

And here is another one to check out;
MattBurkett.Com


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Frank Sottile on 2001-08-11 07:32 ]</font>

 

[Frank Sottile]

Kevin,
It took sometime, but I found those posts on the SVI Breechface, for those out there that would like to read it, here are a few links;

Setup recommendations for Infinity .40.

To quote Brain Enos;"I've commented elsewhere on the breechface issue. I used them on 3 - 4 guns over 2 years of HEAVY shooting and I love them. I would never weld it up. Put some blue loctiite on the screw and clamp the allen wrench in a bench vise and torque down nice and snug. A couple of the guns, they never came loose, and one I can remember I had to check it every once and awhile. (like every 5000 - 7000 rds) A small price to pay for the advantages of the removable unit."

And

 piece of CRAP!!!!!!.

Brain;"Probably, the screw had worked loose without your noticing. Sorry to hear about your situation. That sucks. I've used the interchangeable breechfaces since Sandy started making them - with no problem of any sort. Actually, I love them, as you can, in a short time, correct a gun that has shot loose on headspace without doing any welding. It's a beautiful thing."

Brain's site is just packed full of some great info.

- Thanks Kevin.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Frank Sottile on 2001-08-05 23:30 ]</font>

 

[BB]

Anyone know how much a government slide costs? Or how long the wait is? I've been thinking about putting one of these on my Para frame.

 

[TMC]

You can buy direct from SV now. I just ordered a Gov. lenght slide with Tribrid and Optima cuts. They said it would take about 4-5 weeks but I didn't ask how much because they didn't want my money up front. Said they would call when it was ready to be shipped.

 

[Frank Sottile]

I just got off the phone with them, about 6 to 8 months. I am off to ship a Frame to them to have a Slide, Barrel and Bushing fitted. If I got to wait, might as well get as much done at once.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Frank Sottile on 2001-08-15 09:06 ]</font>

 

[Robe]

Well, TMC you are lucky...or I'm not lucky.
After reading your post, I called SVI and..of course...only got the answering machine for about a dozen calls. Then I finally got thru and talked to Mitch at SVI. Mitch first said I had to go thru a dealer to order a slide. When I reminded him that it was a non serial numbered part and...just a part... he said that he had to check on that and get back to me because no one had ever asked him for such a thing before. So, here I am waiting for Mitch at SVI to call me back about ordering a slide. Anyone want to bet if he ever calls me back?
Or maybe I need to get one of you guys to order something for me. I never have any luck with SVI even though I am a big fan of thier products.
By the way, I ordered a single stack Infinity about three months ago and still waiting. I'll bet the slide for my single stack will got to TMC now. Ugh.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: on 2001-08-10 23:41 ]</font>

 

[Frank Sottile]

Robe,
Mitch is NEW at SVI, you need to talk with Tami (whom is off this week). I sent them an SVI Frame to be fitted and was told 6 to 8 months. That should be there today, 8-11-01, lets see just how long this taks, BUT maybe TMC is just the luckest shooter out there.