Pistol with frame insert

A pistol comprising a housing, a barrel slide movably mounted on the housing for movement in a firing direction with respect to a barrel, and a trigger mechanism located, at least in part, within the housing, the improvement which comprises:

• a multifunction metal part removably insertable within said housing;
• said multifunction metal part being provided with guides for the barrel slide and a trigger mechanism support facility;
• the housing defining a sidewall opening;
• the multifunction metal part including a sidewall portion occupying the sidewall opening;
• wherein the sidewall portion of the multifunction metal part includes indicia visible in the sidewall opening of the housing;
• and
• the guides being forward and aft of the sidewall opening.

A pistol comprising:

• a frame having a grip;
• the frame having spaced apart upper sidewall portions having upper edges defining a slide interface plane;
• the upper sidewall portions being planar elements each having inner faces facing each other and exterior faces facing away from each other;
• each said upper sidewall portion defining a side opening adjacent to the slide interface plane and having a perimeter spaced apart from the slide interface plane;
• a frame insert including pistol action components connected to the frame;
• the frame insert having opposed insert sidewalls, each said frame insert sidewall having a selected portion registered with and occupying a respective one of the side openings of the frame;
• wherein the selected portion of one of the frame insert sidewalls includes indicia visible in one of the side openings of the frame;
• and
• the frame insert having a slide rail spaced apart from the selected portion in a linear direction selected from the linear directions including forward and aft.

A pistol comprising:

• a frame having a grip defining a magazine well;
• the frame having spaced apart upper sidewall portions having upper edges defining a slide interface plane;
• the upper sidewall portions being planar elements each having inner faces facing each other and exterior faces facing away from each other;
• each upper sidewall portion defining a side opening adjacent to the slide interface plane and having a perimeter spaced apart from the slide interface plane;
• a frame insert including pistol action components connected to the frame;
• the frame insert having opposed insert sidewalls, each said frame insert sidewall having a selected portion registered with and occupying a respective one of the side openings of the frame;
• wherein the selected portion of one of the frame insert sidewalls includes indicia visible in one of the side openings of the frame;
• and
• the selected portions of the frame insert sidewall being above the magazine well and adapted to closely receive a magazine therebetween.