1911 Tinkering

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  • ilintner

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    I have been working on 1911's a lot lately, ordered a few checkering files, a beavertail, commander hammer, new sear, new mainspring housing, and went to work on a milspec springfield that I traded Ben for a little while back.

    e04cfef1.jpg





    After picture of the beavertail / commander hammer / sear install. I used a wilson combat hammer / sear and I had already installed a new trigger in it for Ben before I traded him. The trigger pull is crisper, and lightened from what it was, very clean break. Installing the beavertail required cutting a good bit of the frame and then blending it all in with the beavertail. I also installed the ambidextrous safety that I took off of my EMP while I was at it, it had to be fitted to the new sear when I installed it.


    8ef3b14d.jpg





    When I began the checkering, I started backwards from what most people do, and cut the horizontal lines. Those were the most time consuming at 3-4 hours. I liked the way that the serrations felt a lot, I almost chickened out and left it that way but decided to keep going with the vertical lines.




    04cba556.jpg






    Starting on the vertical lines.




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    I also undercut the trigger guard while I was working on it, i still need to smooth it out some and get rid of some of the grinding marks.




    ~finished, I am probably going to go over everything again and refinish again to get it as close to perfect as I can. I used a cold blue on the checkering and it doesn't match the parkerization, so I will do a complete re-finish on it at some point soon.




    23c63007.jpg





    Need to take it all down, and get it all cleaned up and decide what I am going to do finish wise. Pretty happy with how it all turned out :-D



    I definitely need to take a reassembled after picture too.

    With all of the time that I put into that and as nice as the checkering turned out, I wish I would have done it on one of my nicer guns, although I'd be kicking myself if I had messed up.
     

    wildrider666

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    From what you said, I take it that this is your first checkering job. Well done! Clean straight lines, even depth and symmetrical precision. I wonder if your fingers will have divots after a full mag? Lol. You going to try engraving next?
     

    ilintner

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    It was my first attempt at checkering. It is pretty sharp for sure, definitely the most aggressive that I have on any of my guns.

    I thought that starting out with the coarser 20lpi file would be easier than the 30 lpi file I also picked up. I doubt that this gun is one that you will want to put 500 rounds through at a time though.

    Not sure on engraving. I really have my heart set on getting a milling machine and doing some more custom modifications.
     

    ilintner

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    You could do the the front sides of the slide too!

    If I ever get around to getting myself a milling machine I plan to learn to flat top the slide and add serrations to it. For now I am probably going to blend the extractor on the back of the slide and do some serrations by hand on it for some more practice.

    On the front of the slide I would want the cuts to match the factory cuts, and I don't think that I am capable of that by hand!
     

    oneshot

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    Be very caefully on the front part of the slide, It is heat treated difference from the rest of the slide, very hard, I have just about misssed up the first couple that I worked on before I learned my lesson. Use very hard tools. soild tun. type. or good files. JUst my75 cents jj
     

    ilintner

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    Yeah, That springfield right there is going to be my learning gun, that way not a huge loss if I do mess it up a bit. Thanks for the heads up.
     

    Stanley13

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    Question about black sights

    Ok ill include a pic but do u have any idea if amyone sells sights that are not black and plastic? My Tarus is shiny and the plastic looks really tacky. Thought about removing completely and going with a concealed laser as only sighting tool?Thanks

    O and i did look for a long time online and found nothing metal or better looking.
     

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    MrFish

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    Yeah, That springfield right there is going to be my learning gun, that way not a huge loss if I do mess it up a bit. Thanks for the heads up.

    That's some nice work. I have a Taurus that I've never shot and it's about to become my tinkering gun. I think I'm going to try some of the Brownell's Alumahyde on it and see how it turns out.
     

    ilintner

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    That's some nice work. I have a Taurus that I've never shot and it's about to become my tinkering gun. I think I'm going to try some of the Brownell's Alumahyde on it and see how it turns out.


    I have had pretty good results with alumahyde II, I refinished a colt with it and it turned out nice. The only thing that I would mention is to watch how thick you put it on and warm both the gun and the paint up to ensure smooth and uniform coverage.

    With the colt, I put it on thick, and ended up having much more work re-assembling and refitting all of the parts.


    here is the colt partially reassembled

    20b87831.jpg
     

    ilintner

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    Is that coyote?

    No, they had been out of Coyote for a couple of months until this week actually. I just ordered two cans of it. That is the desert tan color, When I get my can of Coyote I plan checker and refinish the frame in it and make it two tone.
     

    Stanley13

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    http://www.brownells.com/items/taurus-pt-1911-rear-sights.aspx

    Stanley, You should be able to find something that you like there!

    Thanks for trying to help but they have the same issue i been running into BLACK sights.I need shiny or gold.

    O and should a Tarus 1911 .38 super trigger be really really easy pulling from new? IS any way you know of for a person to test pull wieght? with house hold stuff and normal tools? Lightest trigger pull i have ever felt.

    And is it normal for the first shot requiring the hammer pulled back?
     
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