I just got an M40a-1 completely on the basis of all the positive feedback posted in this website and online. I was not disappointed. At the base of the grip behind the mag well, there is a slotted groove that extends all the way up the interior of the grip to trigger mechanism. Can anyone tell me what this is for? Also, the trigger action, while nice and short, has a small 'stutter' as opposed to a smooth, crisp release like in my 1911.....will this smooth out over time? Thanks
First off, welcome aboard! Just like any pistol, the trigger will smooth out over time. We used to have a tutorial on the site on how to polish it up and smooth it out even more, but that was pulled some time ago. There is a grip plug for the older Ms, but it hasn't been available for some time. That space doesn't really serve any purpose, but it is present on all the various models.
But only on the M and S, right? I believe we have confirmed that the stock will not work on the -A1 series...
Glad you are satisfied with your Steyr. The hollow channel on my M9 is for collecting CCW shirt lint. Same as on my Glocks (they are "plugged"). A plug would be nice (but then again, the lint might decide to jump into the striker channel).
T he slot and channel also serve as a way for liquid to drain from the gun. It can also serve as a way vent gasses from the gun in the event of a case failure.