The Poorman's Staccato - Part 2

After completing all the upgrades, it was time to begin some fine-tuning. I wanted to smooth out the slide action. Having previously used JB Bore Cleaning Compound on my Ruger American bolt with great results, the choice was an easy one.

Before doing anything, make sure your pistol is unloaded by racking the slide and visually inspecting the chamber. Once your Brat is confirmed clear, remove the recoil spring and barrel.

Next, prep the necessary contact areas—clean the slide rails, the top of the Wilson Combat ejector, and the disconnector rail on the slide. After cleaning up, use a cotton applicator to liberally apply the JB Bore Compound to the areas you want to polish.

Reassemble the slide (without the barrel and recoil spring) and begin racking it back and forth. This part can be tedious—I cycled the slide approximately 400 times, wiping down the treated areas and reapplying compound every 50 racks.

Refer to the pictures below to see exactly where the compound should be applied.

After driving yourself a bit crazy racking the slide back and forth, you should notice a distinct difference in feel—almost buttery smooth. Just be careful not to confuse the natural resistance of the 12 lb. recoil spring with rough slide action. I’ll be addressing the heavy tension of the recoil spring in a separate post.

At this point, wipe off any remaining compound, clean the treated areas, reapply oil, and fully reassemble the pistol.

While the process is relatively straightforward, it’s definitely tedious. I strongly advise against using a Dremel with a buffing attachment—JB compound is abrasive, and using a power tool could easily remove too much material or damage critical surfaces.