scottlep

Here is a new version where I removed the specs and recommended tolerances . Download and print the PDF version. 1911_builders_slide_fitment_sheet.pdf

I highly suggest doing one of the Brazos Zig Rackers (http://www.1911store.com/slide-racker-bcg-zigracker.aspx). They are held in the slide with ball detents instead of set screws. The ones with set screws, like the Sidewinder, always come loose and eventually strip out. I have done many of these racker cuts for other shooters using my mill. Where are you located?

Yes. I agree. I actually have a 1911 slide and frame on the way from them. After the last few builds I have done using STI parts, I am hesitant to use their parts due to the very poor QC.

Yes, I definitely wasn't using any of the "Frame Blue Print Specs" or their recommended tolerances. I was just using the drawing part to note the specs of the parts I am fitting. Considering the sheet was "borrowed" from an 80% 1911 builder site, I wouldn't trust much of what's on it. If you notice it says "Slide Back End View", but the ejector cut is on the wrong side. Which brings me to the next topic.....who in their right mind would want to build an 80% 1911? I have a hard enough time finding consistent quality in the frames and slides from the manufacturers that know what the are doing (supposedly). One pin hole off by .001" and your trigger is crap because the geometry it off. Frame rails cut out of square.....nevermind.....I will leave that discussion for another thread.

I thought this might be helpful to some new 1911/2011 builders. I used to just do horrible drawing of the profile of the slide and frame and then note the measurements. Once I found this it has made things a bit easier. Great for taking your measurements before fitting slide and frame. 1911_builders_slide_fitment_sheet.pdf

If contamination was the cause I would think that I would have way more problems. There is no water or oil kept anywhere near my reloading equipment. My equipment is also in an extremely clean room where I run a dehumidifier to keep the room at about 35 percent humidity. I am loading on a Dillon 650 with brass feeder and bullet feeder. My brass is dry tumbled and I inspect all brass after tumbling to look for cracked cases, rocks in cases, berdan primer brass, etc. The only part of my reloading process that is probably slacking is checking the primers in the flip tray before I load them into the tubes.....which I will be paying much more attention to in the future.

Primer looked fine. As I said, after the first incident I loaded a new batch of ammo. I checked every single round and also case gauged every round in a 50 round EGW case gauge where I checked for high primers, crushed primers, etc.

Nope, dry media for cleaning.

Anyone else have recent problems with possible bad Federal Small Pistol Primers? So, for the third time in a row when I am out practicing, I have gotten what sounds like a squib. When I clear the gun and the brass extracts, a full load of powder spills out of the brass and all into the mag and bottom end of the gun (see pictures) and I have to remove the bullet from the barrel with a squib rod. After the first time a few weeks ago I took all that ammo and set it aside and loaded a whole new batch watching extremely carefully that the cases had powder, primers were seated correctly, etc. It also basically ends that practice for the day since so much powder is all in the gun that I have to take it back home and do a full cleaning so it will run correctly again. I am started to get irritated since I have 10,000+ primers that are all from the same lot and a thousand or so rounds loaded with those primers, all of which I would not trust at a match. Just wondering if anyone else has had similar issues? I recall a somewhat well known shooter posting something similar on Facebook back in the fall, but don't recall what primers he was using. Not that it matters, but this is loaded on a Dillon 650 and the gun is a 9mm 2011 Open gun.

Do both guns have the same shape firing pin stop? Meaning are they both rounded off where it cocks the hammer or is maybe the CK squared and the Trubor is rounded? Most STIs I have seen come with a rounded. Not sure what CK uses. If the CK is squared, or not as rounded as the STI, that will make a huge difference in the amount of force needed to rack the slide/cock the hammer. Many smiths and shooters will play with the shape of the firing pin stop to change how the gun feels during recoil since a more squared firing pin stop will take more force to cock the hammer, thus slowing down the slide much earlier in the recoil cycle. Difference in the force needed to rack the slide could also be the difference between say a 15lb and 18lb main spring. Just throwing some things out there to check that haven't been mentioned yet.

I had a Gold Team for a while in 38SC. Shot awesome, but took a ton more powder to make major due to the V12 porting. Parts are expensive and hard to come by. You can get the triggers pretty nice in the Tanfos, but never as nice as a 1911/2011. I am pretty sure the lack of parts in the USA and lack of competent gunsmiths to work on them is why you don't see them being used more often. I went back to the 2011 platform after a few matches and sold the Tanfo.

Here is link that lists ZZ and DT, but not TT. Lots of other good stages there if you want to set up some Outlaw stages. My Google-foo turned up nothing for Triple Threat, but I will keep trying as not you have me interested in seeing it. http://www.handgunsports.com/AMERICAN-SP.HTM

If you are talking about the marks on the very bottom of the ramp then make sure that area is not contacting your mags. That section of the ramp should be to be flush with the ramp in the frame when the slide is locked back. If it isn't then it may be coming back and making contact with the mags when the gun is cycling out of battery. The contact with the mag could shift the mag and cause feed issues.

I am a big fan of all EGW parts, but for a high ride safety I use the Wilson 6S "Wide Competition Lever". I have them on all of my 1911s and 2011s. I ride my thumb on my safety while I shoot and never any issues with strength.

Looks alot like Max Michel's older Steel Challenge Open gun. Also looks similar to Max's new gun he had built this year. Max's is a single stack in 38SC, but this gun looks alot like it. Slide cuts are very similar and the single line down the top of the slide is almost a dead giveaway. Bedell does all of Max's 1911/2011s.

Was this Jim's birthday present?

This is a gun I just finished building for Steel Challenge. Slide weights 9oz. Shoots great with 130pf ammo (5.5gn Autocomp with a 115 plated bullet). Weights about 40oz total. Balances well. Has a Trubor T1 barrel. I definitely would not shoot major with it as the slide would not last long with all the lightening cuts.

Seems like a decent deal. Email EGW with the pics. I am sure George would be more than willing to let you know if he built it or Jim Milks did when he was there. I am at EGW alot and George is always willing to help. I don't think he build many guns on 2011 frames, but he would know best. You can always re-barrel it, reuse the comp, then just have barrel fit by a competent gun smith. A KKM barrel would be under $200, plus maybe another $150-250 for fitting the barrel. Either way you could shot it for a while as a super and decide if you like open ans not have alot of money invested. Good luck.

Yeah, that one is a little more complicated. Can be done with the ejector still in the gun with the correct narrow file. Best to do it with the ejector removed, but probably not something I would recommend if you aren't comfortable tinkering. Remove too much or get the angles wrong and it will just make it worse and might even have to start over with a new ejector.

If you are even the slightest bit capable with hand tools you can do it. Go to a local hardware store and buy a good quality fine cut Nicholson file. Remove the slide stop and start taking some material off. Take your time and just make sure it is square. Keep test fitting it until you can feel with your finger that it is flush. The cost of the file is way less than what you might pay a gunsmith. Having a quality file or two in your arsenal of tools is priceless.

No, you don't want a detent in the slide lock. If you are good with a file, you can flatten the end of the slide stop pin where it protrudes through the right side of the frame. Basically take the round end and make it flat so it sits flush or very slightly below the frame. Actually, alot of gunsmiths do this anyway becuase it looks cool too. See attached pic.

#1 - I just went through figuring out this same issue for a left hand shooter shooting that I built a 1911 for. He would push out the slide release a very tiny bit with his right thumb when he would grip the gun from a draw. It would lock the slide, but not at slide lock. Just enough to jam the slide release against the slide and stop it. I eventually had to file down the right side of the slide stop pin so it sat slightly below the frame. If you arent a lefty, maybe you are somehow bumping the pin on the right side of the frame when you are drawing, maybe with your trigger finger trying to keep it out of the guard while drawing?

For issue number 1, how far out of battery was it? If you take the gun apart and do the plunk test, do the rounds drop all the way in the barrel and is the brass below the hood of the barrel by at least a few thousandths (try with a bunch of rounds)? This would not have anything to do with how long the rounds are loaded but how deep the chamber itself is cut. I have seen where chambers weren't cut deep enough and the some brass was sitting out past the hood of the barrel by a few thousandths. This would cause slightly longer brass to jam against the breach face when the gun is going into battery and totally lock up the gun. Here is some info on #3, for tuning the ejector. On my of the open guns I have and have built, the point of the ejector is about 1/3 or less from the top - http://www.brazoscustom.com/magart/ejection perfection.htm

EGW ignition kit #10211. It is pretty much a drop in ready kit. Yes, you could fine tune it more later but it is probably the best drop it ignition parts available. They also have excellent pin kits, slide stops, thumb safeties, ejectors, extractor, etc. Their EGW/JEM #10731Beavertail is excellent too. It probably requires the least blending I have seen with a 1911/2011 frame. They are having a 10% off sale this weekend too with the code "HONOR". They also sponsor a ton of matches so it is always nice to support the companies that support our shooting community.

Taking a loaded sight picture is 100% legal in official SCSA matches. Outlaw matches may be a different set of rules. Once you are told to make ready you can handle a loaded gun which includes taking a loaded sight picture on the first string or every string if you want. I frequently take sight picture before a subsequent string to get myself realligned if I have a miss during one of my strings. As I have commented in other SCSA rules threads, ROs not knowing the rules and making things up as they see fit is one of the biggest problems right now with SCSA.