Syntax360 -- In spirit, I wholeheartedly agree with you; better to NOT send the pistol to someone that really doesn't want to work on it. The problem or challenge of course becomes "location, location, LOCATION" and ease of access (whether via email or telephone) concerning finding gunsmiths that have a reasonable degree of "experience" with specific aftermarket components, not to mention the cotton-picken base firearm platform (e.g., the Steyr M-A1).
babj615 -- I don't know the answer to your question... but perhaps I'll know more in approximately two weeks time.
OKAY;
so here is "the rest of the story"... (please, pull up your seat and sit for a while... as I share all that I just experienced during the course of the last hour).
Per Mr. Dean Makkos recommendation (reference my telephone conversation with him earlier this morning), I sent off an email to him at
sales@docterusa.com approximatley an hour and a half ago, in which I further inquired about a dove-tail Docter mount for a handgun that I wished to purchase. Within this email I expressed with Dean my dismay and disheartenment regarding his "change of position" from last week to this week.... and my perception of his unwillingness to take a risk; to experiment with a Steyr M-A1.
An hour later I receive a telephone call from Dean (no kidding) and after reading my email he was much more willing to discuss things with me; to provide me his full viewpoint on the potential challenges of CNC milling a Steyr M-A1 to accept a Docter red dot. So, after approximately a fifteen minute conversation, here is the "bottom line:" It is simply NOT economically feasible for him to figure out and adapt the programming on his CNC mill machine to accommodate a Steyr slide. Not economically feasible or reasonable... for
only one Steyr M-A1 pistol slide. After mentioning to Dean that there were a handful of guys on the SteyrClub.com forum watching my progress toward this end... and that they may be interested in pursuing this as well. Dean said he would do it for me IF there were a total of eleven others (i.e., "twelve of us") that would want this performed to our Steyr M-A1 slides. Otherwise, it's a NO-GO for him. He conveyed all this in the nicest of ways. (I additionally learned from him that regardless as to how I might mount my Docter red dot on the pistol's slide, because I have an "older Docter red dot"... which he was able to verify by my providing him the serial number off the Docter... that I would need to send the red dot to him to have it completely refurbished and upgraded; rebuilt to take the stresses of being mounted to a pistol slide. So.... off goes my Docter red dot in the mail tomorrow, with an accompanying check made out in the tune of $189.... :wall
When I shared with Dean Makkos that I was going to have my M40-A1 sent to Scott Springer of Springer Precision LLC... well
THAT bit of information prompted Dean to immediately convey, "Hey, I know Scott and he is already CNC milling Springfield XDs' slides to accept Docter red dots, so I can't think of a better or more experienced person that you might send your pistol to, to have this sort of thing investigated. If it can be done I'm sure Scott will be able to figure it out." So, I thank Mr. Makkos, informed him that my red dot optic would be enroute to him for rebuild this week, and shared with him that I would immediately contact Scott Springer.
I hung up the telephone with Dean... and then telephoned Scott.
It was readily evident to me in short order, that Scott and Dean in fact do know each other pretty well. Anyway (in an attempt to make this story short), when my M40-A1 arrives at Spring Precision LLC, Scott is going to take a very hard look at it and determine whether or not it would be worth the risk pursuing a CNC machining of the pistol's slide to accept a Docter red dot optic.
For everyone's edification, according to both Dean and Scott, arguably the single biggest issue pursuing such an endeavor on the Steyr or any semi-auto hangun is determining whether any "firing pin safety mechanisms" would be screwed-up or become non-fuctional, due to the slide's cutting at the hands of a CNC machine. Me, I don't know squat about all that... but I'm sure there are several of you out there reading this, that know whether or not such a problem could exist for the Steyr M-A1 pistols. WOULD YOU PLEASE POST A REPLY IF YOU KNOW???? Thanks!
So... that's about the size of things. My pistol will be heading to Springer Precision tomorrow via FedEx, and my Docter red dot will be headed in the opposite geographical direction; to Florida and Docter USA for a rebuild. I'll be crossing my fingers that Scott decides to make an attempt at CNC milling my slide to accept the Docter red dot optic. If not.... he does have on hand the dove-tail optic mounts for the Docter optic that slide in place of the Steyr's OEM rear sight.
After all this.... I simply don't know whether I will be interested in that sort of set-up (unlike
babj615)... I really had my heart set on the CNC mill installation which would get the optic down low and close to the slide.
Sorry if I stole your thread
asdzxc.