I bought an M95 Detective a few months back and like it.  Nice shooting gun.  As pictured above, it is finished in a black epoxy-like coating.  I'm looking into having the pistol hard chromed, but before I have that done I'd like to remove the billboard on the right side of the slide.


Pistol is an FM, imported from Argentina.

Before I do anything, would removing the roll mark break any law?  I do not see any other mention of  the manufacturer, model, or location on the receiver.
And gunsmith/machinist recommendations?

Thanks!!

As long as you don't remove the serial number ; I don't see anything wrong with it.

Thanks Black-Tiger.
I'm thinking (dangerous) if I have both sides surfaced planed, I might lose the FM and location info located on the left side.  I would have the FM info re-engraved.  The serial number concerns me.  I could not have the number re-engraved in the exact location (stacked)?

Draw file it. Very controllable for the amount of metal removed and you will stay clear of the SN. The only problem I see is that is a damn deep roll mark. By the time you get it removed the flat is going to widen way out and look funky.
You can actually take a good bit of depth from the SN, just make sure you leave it clearly legible.
If you remove the raised elements of the roll mark I think you will be quite surprised how the "billboard" will lighten up.
IM me if interested.

Why is everyone cautioning about not obliterating the SN?  He wants to remove the roll mark on the SLIDE.   The SN on the slide is NOT a legal requirement per ATF rules.   It happens to be a common practice to mark slides with SN's with some foreign arms makers, but it is not required for the US market.

The OP can file the SN completely off the slide and not be in violation of any law.   Now the FRAME is another story, but I don't think he suggested he wants to remove any markings on that piece.

I would TIG weld over what you dont want, then polish that out.
once thats done, chrome or whatever you wanted.

This place does fantastic work.

http://fordsguns.com/


They did this for me, including removing some roll marks.

I removed the large roll mark from my Charles Daly Hi-Power by tapping a piece of sand paper to a piece of plate glass and moving it back and forth while keeping it flat and even. Keep in mind that the slide will be visually uneven when you're done and looking at it from the top down.

Thanks everyone for your input!
I was unsure if removing slide markings, from an imported pistol, was legal.  I still have a nagging hangup over the "FM  Industria Argentinia" as those marks don't appear anywhere on the frame.  I think I will have that info re-engraved.  I want to keep the slide symmetrical and balanced as much as possible.  Removing the "M95- DETECTIVE" from one side will require the same amount of material (slide) to be removed from the other side.
I called gunsmiths locally, and NO ONE has machines for this work.  One said he could do it by hand, but pointed out I could too.  Two machine shops I spoke to would not work on firearms.  At all.
So...
It looks like a little elbow grease from me is in order.  I need to get a thick piece of plate glass and a lot of sandpaper.  And figure out how and what to remove the epoxy finish with.

A project is born!

I do this job all the time. Fly cut the slide sides till markings are gone, recut serrations, blend if needed, and final prep for finish. Depending on the finish that will be on the gun, I will glass bead, stipple, serration, or dimple the top or sides.