Ok...Many of youse guys...Oh Sorry! That should be "yins" guys...I get my
Pittsburghese all "messed up" sometimes. Let me start again....
Many of yins guys have more book learnin' than I do....So riddle me this???
I understand that every semi~auto slide needs forward momentum in order to slam that top (in magazine) round "home" ~ up out of the magazine and into the barrel chamber.
Gun makers have cut the weight on many modern auto loaders by going to polymer & lightweight metal frames & lighter weight minor parts. But the slides are (as we all know) still quite HEAVY.
Pistol slides were always historically made from steel to retain mass & the necessary weight needed to reliably feed & chamber rounds.
No slides were ever made from Aluminum (save for some .22 & .22 short slides) because Aluminum "work hardens & it can't take much in the way of slide punishment.
BUT, if a gun maker really wanted to make an ultimate LIGHT WEIGHT auto loading pistol...say in .45acp ~ Could that slide be made from Light Weight but much TOUGHER Scandium or Titanium and....the lack of slide weight be "made up for" by stiffer recoil spring pressure?
In other words...Would a lightweight but
durable slide "slamming home" under GREATER recoil spring force do the very same job as a normal heavier STEEL slide "slamming home" with lesser spring force?
Or...is there some other mysterious reason why that cannot be done?
I'm just curious since NOW there are very light weight modern "exotic" metals that are extremely tough & can take much more overall punishment than Aluminum.
As usual...any & all thoughts and comments are very welcome.