From: bartb@hpfcla.fc.hp.com (Bart Bobbitt)
Subject: Re: Colt .45 [how to check slide?]
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Site

Mark J. Mollere (mmollere@whale.st.usm.edu) wrote:

: Is it possible to determine if the slide mechanism on a Colt .45 will
: fail?

Yes.

Take the slide to a metallurgy lab and have it magnafluxed for both internal
and external flaws.  If there are no flaws, it should not break.

One did some years ago at a pistol match.  Seems the woman using an M1911
had handloads with some double- and triple-charged powder in them.  One
drove the slide back so hard, it broke the front off and it came back in
her face.  She died instantly, the coroner said.

BB