1911 Project Gun - Progress Thread

[churchmouse]

My brother you are deep into this. You have motivated me into doing much the same to a project gun I will pick up on Sunday.

 

[vermilionbird]

ahaha thank you churchmouse! I hope you post a similar thread
In this update, I'm installing a Guncrafter Industries mainspring housing with a lanyard ring. No particular reason for the lanyard ring, I just thought it was cool! Unfortunately, with the way the frame is already cut, I can't blend the frame and mainspring housing seamlessly without filing into the hole for the pin that forms the lanyard ring. So I compromised as best I could and rounded the edges as my next best option. Doesn't look the best or anything but it sure beats leaving those two sharp protrusions as is. And go easy on me, it's my first time doing this stuff!

 

[Steel and wood]

It’s always great watching these updates. Good job

 

[vermilionbird]

Thank you! I've got a little bit more substance with this update where I've touched up the barrel throat and feed ramp a bit more and I've done some work to the lower lugs of the barrel. After talking with Steve Owens some more, we felt the barrel throat rollover edge could be softened just a bit more. I don't have a dremel so I wrapped some 320 grit sandpaper around a pencil and did some light sanding, being sure to preserve the top edge of the frame ramp. I followed up with 2000 grit to polish it up. I used the same technique to smooth out the barrel throat a bit more, being careful to retain sufficient case support.

I also installed an EGW #3 barrel link to replace the original link and I egged out the slide stop pin hole just slightly so the lower lugs would sit on the slide stop and not press against the link. I also touched up the lower lugs to eliminate barrel bump. Some sharpie on the lower lugs and racking the gun a few dozen times shows the result I am looking for: good, even contact between the slide stop pin and the lower lugs and no barrel bump. In the next update, I'm finishing up the tuning on the extractor.

 

[churchmouse]

Just a suggestion.
I find a deep well 1/4" drive socket that closely matches the are I am addressing as that will maintain the full profile of the ramp or what ever I am addressing.
I say this because most all of us have a selection of sockets we can use for this.
I also have a selection of aluminum round stock I have on hand for my lathe. These can be machined to size for any purpose I need them for. But the socket thing works very well for me. Use an extension to give you more control.

I finish up with 500/600 depending on the work at hand. I have up to 2000 grit in case I get really anal about it.

 

[vermilionbird]

Thank you, I'll keep the suggestion in mind! I don't have much of anything in the way of tools but that's something that I can see coming in handy down the road. In the meantime, most of the work being done in this thread is just with a #2 swiss cut pillar file and some 320 sandpaper lol.

 

[vermilionbird]

As promised, I'm finishing up extractor tuning. I originally had a Colt extractor in this gun but I dug a Wilson bulletproof part out of my parts bin and went with that. I was able to fit and tune the Wilson part with pretty minimal effort and time so I think I'll stick with these in the future. Out of the bag, the tip of the extractor claw was a bit too long and prevented the case from sitting flat against the breachface. I shortened it just a bit and rounded the front surface of the extractor to bring it away from the bevel of the case. I then tuned it and confirmed with a Weigand gauge - 28 oz.

Before:

After:

 

[vermilionbird]

Just a mini-update in which I cleaned up the mainspring housing. Again, I couldn't blend it seamlessly with the frame, otherwise it would cut into the hole for the lanyard pin so this is the best compromise I could do.

 

[vermilionbird]

Bringing the extractor down flush with the slide in this update. Did it with a combo of a #2 swiss cut file and some 320 sandpaper. Peep the 10-8 NM rear sights too! Big improvement over the original. Gonna do the ejector next.

 

[vermilionbird]

Finished doing the ejector. Gonna take a break from updates for a few days. Take care and be safe everyone!

Before:

After:

 

[johny5]

Love this thread, VB - I am learning a lot! Thanks for doing the work to post this!

 

[vermilionbird]

Thank you johny! I'm just a beginner myself but doing my best to put my work, mistakes and all, out there for others to learn from!

 

[johny5]

Thank you johny! I'm just a beginner myself but doing my best to put my work, mistakes and all, out there for others to learn from!

You may be a beginner, but you are a beginner on another level! I need to gain some more confidence before I cut more metal. There is a great deal of fitting/blending to do on my 1911.

Hopefully, we will get another workshop set up in 2021. Any chance to sit with the masters and learn!

 

[vermilionbird]

Removing metal is pretty nerve-wracking for sure! I have my own pile of "screw-up" parts that grows pretty steadily lol. I actually keep a lot of the take-off MIM parts from stuff like this so I can file on them as small practice.

And if there's a workshop in 2021, I'd definitely be eager to go!

 

[churchmouse]

Are you blending the slide frame relationship.....???

Great work so far....

 

[vermilionbird]

I want to but I only have pillar files right now and I want to grab something like a half-round file in addition before trying to clean up the slide overhang. I'm on break for the next month so it won't be for awhile!

 

[Chaplain]

VermilionBird keep up the good work. Thank you for sharing with us!

To all the 1911 Gurus: I would like to attend an INGO workshop, if another ever happens...

 

[vermilionbird]

alright dumb question for the experts: I have a Springfield range officer elite operator in 45 I picked up last year and I was wondering if a .220 radius grip safety could be fitted to that seamlessly (with filing, of course). I don’t really know what radius I’ve got on that thing and everything on the internet on springfield grip safeties confuses me.

 

[johny5]

VermilionBird keep up the good work. Thank you for sharing with us!

To all the 1911 Gurus: I would like to attend an INGO workshop, if another ever happens...

Keep an eye on the Events section: here

We will post the information there when we are a go for the next session.

 

[drillsgt]

alright dumb question for the experts: I have a Springfield range officer elite operator in 45 I picked up last year and I was wondering if a .220 radius grip safety could be fitted to that seamlessly (with filing, of course). I don’t really know what radius I’ve got on that thing and everything on the internet on springfield grip safeties confuses me.

Most of the time SPFD tends to overcut their frames but I have seen some that look okay, it just depends on your individual gun if a new one could be fitted. To go back to a nice seamless fit would likely require welding though.