openmike

Those could be Al Marvel cutters.

Red Loctite un binds at 300*. Torch it.

These guys are right. This is a timing problem. That lug mauling is just a wake up call to premature wear and tear or worse. Forget the big chip. All the radial slide lugs are peening over. Let the builder make it right. He will sleep better!

Briley Bushing. Brownells has them. Mic the barrel and order correct spherical bushing. Perfect fit

No barrel maker would warrantee a barrel that was modified by cutting lower impact surface. I agree with AirCooled, Clark Para is the easiest cut to modify the frame. As far as choices go, let's face it it's SVI, Schumann, Barsto, and KKM. These are the best barrels you can buy anywhere. They all have a C/P choice. I switched KKM after building on the others because of their quality, price and (importantly) their customer service. They have always had what I wanted in stock. Their prices are great, and they answer the phone!! I Ransom Rest my builds after they break in, and KKM groups just as well as the others. Fitting them is easy once you know that the bull taper is more oversize than expected.

Here's a build with a steel grip with regular texture. (Cerakote) Great traction without pain. Really changes the balance of gun fantastically! Far superior.......

Jedi is right. (If you're talking about a bull barrel) The KKM front is oversize. The first time you fit one, your perception is that the radial lugs need a lot of fitting but it's the oversize nature of the bull end of the barrel that is keeping the hood end from locking up . (I believe the term is "springing") There are two points about .500 from bull end at about 5 and 7 oclock that need to be worked on for the hood end to go up. The barrel is pivoting on two points on the top of the bull about 1.500 back from the bull end kind of like an inverted teeter-totter. Until you fit the front, the back can't lock up. KKM is a great product and dealing with Kevin and Si is a breeze. Best customer service and they almost always have what you'll need in stock.

.157 reamer. Brownells has it

XDCR is right. The barrel is "springing". It's likely still tight from top to bottom in the bull part of the barrel/slide. It will never go up to correct radial lug engagement until that is fitted. Coat the bottom front of the barrel (about 1 inch from muzzle) and the entire top half of the barrel about 3 inches from muzzle with dykem or sharpie. Put the barrel in the slide, all the way back and tap smartly with soft mallet. Look at the dykem. There will be 2 marks on the bottom of the barrel and two marks on the top. The bottom marks will be at 5 and 7 oclock. The top marks will be long and kinda at the 10 and 2 position and farther back. Like xdcr says, it should lock up .045 or greater. Cut a piece of brass with no primer short enough to go into the chamber just short of flush with the end of the hood. Put clay, wax in the primer hole. Install the firing pin and with the barrel held in the highest lock-up, push the firing pin in with a punch. The impression the pin makes should be very close to centered.

Smitty, Check out this link to fitting Ambi Safety from Bob at Brazos Custom. www.brazoscustom/magart/0601.htm

I am in the middle of two builds with Phoenix Trinity frames, STI slides and KKM Barrels. I ordered one of the frames with PT's steel grip. I cant say enough about how great Phoenix Trinity is turning out! The stuff is beautiful. Both frames are measuring exactly the same. Both the PT grip and/or an STI grip are going on flawlessly. These two builds were Accurailed by Doug Jones and when we talked, he told me he really likes them also. (That is a real endorsement). All the components that relate to frames (grip and thumb safety's, barrels, etc.) are fitting with ease. It's my opinion that these frames and grips will be considered to be a real advancement of the 2011 concept. The price of the frames is right. The grips are a bit of an investment but they are well worth the money.

Are you planning to coat all of the chrome? Or have the chrome show thru certain areas? Im asking because any finish being coated has to be blasted with AO down to about 120grit before coating. Cerakote has a masking tape product that could get you thru this process. There is also a tape that protects finishes from the blasting process. (like if you only wanted to do certain areas.) APW is really great for chrome. I think they do Cerakote also. Show us your idea!

I have recently done business with KKM on a couple builds and a re-barrel. KKM products are beautiful, all the dimensions are consistent from barrel to barrel and Si and Kevin are great to deal with. Highly recommend!

Built by my personal Gunsmith

I just did one with a Harrison Design True Radius Kit with an SVI trigger. Really high quality!

I use the special tool that goes thru to plunger tube bore and trys to dimple to slide stop. (but you're right, it's too hard) It serves only to mark to location for a center drill or ball mill when zeroed in my mill.

They're like training wheels. After a while, you're riding and they're not even touching the ground. Have your Dad take'em off!

Manson

I'm a self taught Cerakote guy. All the projects I've completed have been tight race gun builds. I am getting really great results by being very anal about prep and product application. Upon reassembly, I start the slide and frame together with a lot of oil and a dab of Brownells 800 grit lapping compound. Usually less than 10 strokes and it's perfect. I flush the lapping compound slurry off and lube with my regular oil. I might be in my head, but I think the gun feels smoother after it's refinished.

I do Cerakote. I have figured out to work with it from the prep end, the spray end and the bake end. It is the hardest of all the paint style finishes. Second hardest to only chrome and ION bond and other vapor types. They have the best colors, and it will not stink up my wife's oven.

Man...... That is really nice!! Can you show us how you staked it on to the bow?

I did them however it was a shared design between myself and the shooter I built the gun for. We credit guys like Cheely and Gans for this kind of layout. (Thanks for the compliment)

I just got a build of mine back from Bob and Dwayne a APW. I'll have a hard time giving it to the guy I built it for. It's perfect. The service was perfect. Bob and I talked for about an hour one night after business hours and I'll say that he is a very connected and focused finisher, gunsmith, business man and shooter. I can't wait to get another project to him. My thanks to APW!

This is an interesting thread for me to follow. I am a self taught home shop machinist that has built a handful of race guns both Limited and Open. I did all this self teaching and building on a Harbor Freight Rong Fu (column type)mill. Typical rational: It's cheap and I could get it into my basement by my self. I put a dro on it to deal with amazingly bad backlash and a power feed so I could slow it all down to a pace that would actually cut nice while (in the beginning) I would stand there pinching my cheeks together hoping I wouldn't hack the thousands of dollars worth STI parts waiting for me to turn them into cool looking and good running pistols. I get better and better at dealing with the limitations of this set up but my advice,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,buy up!! If it has to be a bench top type find one that has a knee or at worst, a square column geared head. Having generous Z travel means nothing if while you make Z move your xy zeros can't be held. Get DRO's from the begining and a power feed. If I had to do it over again I'd put a 3 phase motor on the harbor freight geared head mill and make the third phase with a variable frequence drive. Total speed control with very little loss of torque. More sharp tools, big tiltable wilton vise and all the fixtures brownells sells.

I recently borrowed a friends Open pistol, a Bedell shorty with an AET barrel. My pet loads (8gr 7625 Zero 115fmj) were tumbling. Not every shot but never the less,,,,,,It was the crimp. Forget the measuring. Go for a crimp that when the bullet is pulled, there is no deformation of the bullet or jacket. Just minor scratches from pulling. This load woked fine in my Nowlin barrel but the schumann did not like it.