- Thread starter
- #21
I finally got to the range on Friday to test fire the pistol. The barrel fit is still so tight that I have to let the slide drop at least half way for it to go in to battery. I was a bit concerned about this, as I feared that the gun might not cycle reliably. There was nothing to worry about. The gun ran like a Swiss watch. I had one failure to go in to battery and after running several tests with different magazines (using the same round that had first stopped the gun), I was able to determine that an out of spec cartridge was the culprit. When I got home, I tried the plunk test (dropping the round in the chamber) and it passed without an issue.
This is a BarSto match barrel. That means it has a TIGHT chamber. I am going to drop a chamber reamer in it and open it up to SAAMI spec dimensions. It is also about .0008 short on minimum headspace (no, I didn't add an extra zero to that), so I will open that up at the same time.
It runs. It shoots like a Les Baer which makes perfect sense, as Baer builds their guns so tight that when new, you can't cycle them by hand. You have to shove the muzzle against the bench to get them to unlock.
I put a sanding drum in my drill press and using a block of wood to raise the frame and keep everything square, blended the beavertail and slide to frame interface. This is as simple as it gets. Sand it till it all matches.
This morning, I tore it down (including removing the plunger tube), grabbed a 32 lpi checkering file and serrated the back of the slide. I also match serrated my three extractors so when I need to replace one, it will drop in and match.
How I did this:
I pulled the slide from the frame and stripped it except for the extractor and firing pin stop (to keep the extractor where it belongs). I sat the slide on a hardened bench block and laid the checkering file on the block as well, so when I started my cuts, the lines would be parallel with the bottom of the slide and perpendicular to the centerline of the gun.
This job was harder than it looks and easier than I had feared. It is a NICE custom touch. I have shot a 1911 with this treatment and there is no flash or glare from the back of the slide.
Once I had my first "file width" of lines about half way cut, I moved the slide to a bench vise with soft jaws and finished the job, pulling and changing extractors till all three were match cut.
Next, was to put the slide back on the frame with the barrel in place and using the serrations I had already cut in the slide, finish the corresponding part of the frame to match. This is a crummy picture, but it serves the purpose.
Back to the range trip:
The gun shot about 4" low at 20 yards, so when I got home, I took the necessary measurements, did the math, and ordered a new fiber optic front sight from Dawson Precision of the correct height to put the gun on target. While ordering the sight, I noticed that they had a front sight calculator, so I plugged in my measurements and their calculator came up with the same answer I had. Made me feel good.
There is a gunsmith at the range and he went over my pistol. It looks like he** because of all the aluminum marks on it from me using aluminum drifts. When he racked the slide and tried the trigger, his eyes got big. Absolutely no creep, crisp as breaking glass, and no perceptible overtravel. Oh yes, it also breaks at 2.75 pounds, consistently. I have a LOT of hours in just the trigger. The range master grabbed it and did the same thing, handing it back to me and in front of the smith, said "Best trigger of any handgun I have ever tried". I thanked them and we left.
Today, I go to Double Eagle Pawn Shop to pick up my new AK47. It's an underfolder built on the Polish design. While I'm there, I'll drop the 1911 frame off to have the serial number moved (under the right grip panel). Once that is done, it will be time to start work on the refinish job. Strip parkerizing, hand polish (after lapping all flat surfaces to keep them FLAT), and hot blue. Polishing a 1911 is way tougher than it looks. Edges must stay sharp, curves must stay uniform and smooth, and most importantly, flat surfaces must be as close to an optical flat as possible. Nothing screams 'amateur' as much as a gouged or wavy flat and smeared lettering.
I'm beginning to think I might actually finish this thing.
Bill.
Edit: Yes, I am doing this just for the fun of it. I took a $500 gun, put another $500 (probably more) worth of new parts in it, and untold hours of labor. I'll have something really nice when it's finished.
This is a BarSto match barrel. That means it has a TIGHT chamber. I am going to drop a chamber reamer in it and open it up to SAAMI spec dimensions. It is also about .0008 short on minimum headspace (no, I didn't add an extra zero to that), so I will open that up at the same time.
It runs. It shoots like a Les Baer which makes perfect sense, as Baer builds their guns so tight that when new, you can't cycle them by hand. You have to shove the muzzle against the bench to get them to unlock.
I put a sanding drum in my drill press and using a block of wood to raise the frame and keep everything square, blended the beavertail and slide to frame interface. This is as simple as it gets. Sand it till it all matches.
This morning, I tore it down (including removing the plunger tube), grabbed a 32 lpi checkering file and serrated the back of the slide. I also match serrated my three extractors so when I need to replace one, it will drop in and match.
How I did this:
I pulled the slide from the frame and stripped it except for the extractor and firing pin stop (to keep the extractor where it belongs). I sat the slide on a hardened bench block and laid the checkering file on the block as well, so when I started my cuts, the lines would be parallel with the bottom of the slide and perpendicular to the centerline of the gun.
This job was harder than it looks and easier than I had feared. It is a NICE custom touch. I have shot a 1911 with this treatment and there is no flash or glare from the back of the slide.
Once I had my first "file width" of lines about half way cut, I moved the slide to a bench vise with soft jaws and finished the job, pulling and changing extractors till all three were match cut.
Next, was to put the slide back on the frame with the barrel in place and using the serrations I had already cut in the slide, finish the corresponding part of the frame to match. This is a crummy picture, but it serves the purpose.
Back to the range trip:
The gun shot about 4" low at 20 yards, so when I got home, I took the necessary measurements, did the math, and ordered a new fiber optic front sight from Dawson Precision of the correct height to put the gun on target. While ordering the sight, I noticed that they had a front sight calculator, so I plugged in my measurements and their calculator came up with the same answer I had. Made me feel good.
There is a gunsmith at the range and he went over my pistol. It looks like he** because of all the aluminum marks on it from me using aluminum drifts. When he racked the slide and tried the trigger, his eyes got big. Absolutely no creep, crisp as breaking glass, and no perceptible overtravel. Oh yes, it also breaks at 2.75 pounds, consistently. I have a LOT of hours in just the trigger. The range master grabbed it and did the same thing, handing it back to me and in front of the smith, said "Best trigger of any handgun I have ever tried". I thanked them and we left.
Today, I go to Double Eagle Pawn Shop to pick up my new AK47. It's an underfolder built on the Polish design. While I'm there, I'll drop the 1911 frame off to have the serial number moved (under the right grip panel). Once that is done, it will be time to start work on the refinish job. Strip parkerizing, hand polish (after lapping all flat surfaces to keep them FLAT), and hot blue. Polishing a 1911 is way tougher than it looks. Edges must stay sharp, curves must stay uniform and smooth, and most importantly, flat surfaces must be as close to an optical flat as possible. Nothing screams 'amateur' as much as a gouged or wavy flat and smeared lettering.
I'm beginning to think I might actually finish this thing.
Bill.
Edit: Yes, I am doing this just for the fun of it. I took a $500 gun, put another $500 (probably more) worth of new parts in it, and untold hours of labor. I'll have something really nice when it's finished.
Last edited: