blacklab

zzt I was looking up some of the companies on the net. Marvel precision and Tacsol look promising. But they are almost twice the price of a Kimber. What makes them so much better? You also said that brownells has a .22 1911 mag. Does that work with the Marvel? Again, there almost half the price of the Marvel mags. All of this would be on a dedicated lower. I have my eye on a Springfield stainless steel lower that is used. Or would I be better off starting off with a virgin JEM frame. I'm like most people, I have to watch my monies but I want a reliable pistol. If I'm looking at this right it's going to be about a $1000 to $1200 project. Does that sound about right?

I like the idea of a conversion unit, but I know nothing about them. I know there are several companies that make them. Does one clip fit all makes or does each make have there own clip. How hard are clips to get? How hard are repair parts to get for each make? Could I tune the 1911 lower to my liking? I shoot a 2 1/2lbs trigger now, would that work with a conversion kit? Sorry for so many questions, I just want to get it right the first time. My thought train was if I bought a production gun, parts would be easy to get. But I really like the idea of building one exactly the way I want.

I'm thinking about puting together a 1911 in .22lr for steel challenge. I'd like to set it up the same way as my 1911 9mm and my 2011 9mm. Both have a Nitro Fin slide stop/thumb rest and a Gun site lowered thumb safety witha C-more slide ride. Does anyone know what make 1911 .22 uses standard 1911 parts and is reliable? Thanks.

Sorry, I just can't bring myself to do the orange thing.

Edward, That looks pretty good. I have the same RIA, but mine isn't that nice. I thought about hard chrome........It's still in the idea category.

The girls are done and finally broke in. It's time to send them out to get finished and I was wondering if I could get some opinions on what Cerakote colors to get. I was thinking a black/gray combo like Limcat offers but not as shiny. I thought maybe a matt gray frame and slide with matt black in the lightning cuts and cocking serrations would look nice. Or maybe a burnt bronze slide and controls (safety, slide stop, etc.) with a black frame. I don't want to go with any real wild colors but something that would look really nice. Any thoughts or pictures would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

OK thanks. Sounds like I have to change the way I shoot that gun............Or possibly just get a new a new gun.

On my 1911 and 2011 I have a Nitro Fin slide stop/thumb rest, so it is habit to rest my thumb on the slide stop. However when I shoot my Smith & Wesson 22A-1 and rest my thumb on the slide stop about 65% of the time the trigger pulls all the way back but will not release the firing pin, the other 35% of the time it works fine. I paid close attention to how I am gripping the gun and the pressure I put on the slide stop seems constant. So I started to play around with my grip, but it doesn't seem to matter how much pressure is on the slide stop. Sometimes it works sometimes it don't. I took it apart several times trying to see what the problem is, but can't come up with a good reason. Does anyone else have this problem? Is there a simple fix or should I just learn to not rest my thumb on the slide stop? Thanks for any ideas.

I have a thread started about my steelmaster being too loud and a lot of people said they were using both plugs and muffs when shooting open. Just wondering how using both works. How do you hear the range master? I don't think I would like having that much of my hearing taken away. I don't really like wearing muffs anyway, they are hot and bulky. I have been looking into electronic ear plugs. There seems to be a few companies out there, can anyone tell me how good they are and what brand they recommend? And can you still hear people talk but not have the gun shot rattle your teeth? Any insight would be appreciated.

Wouldn't want to shoot with out one.

Not to bud in on someone else's post, but what is the advantage of 3 pouches and a magnet over 4 pouches?

I've been Looking at some of the electronic ear plugs. Sounds like a good excuse to buy a pair. Any suggestions on witch type? I have a hard time with ear muffs, I feel like Mickey Mouse when I wear them.

No way to make it a little quieter? Is there a load I should try?

MikeRush: It's about as loud as a friends 38 super with popple holes shooting major loads. It's just not real fun to shoot. After 100 rounds I was done for the day with a headache. Most people tell me to keep my mouth closed anyway.

I came across a really good deal on a used steelmaster so I bought it. Everything on it is stock, no mods done to it at all. I took it out to the range yesterday and after a few shots I'm not sure I like it. It's really loud. I was only shooting Winchester white box through it but it is way louder then my other 2011open gun. I was wondering if anyone else found steelmaster's to be louder then other guns. Does anyone have a load worked up that might quiet it down, but still let it cycle? I would hate to get rid of it because it does feel nice, but even with my ear plugs in it was still hard on my ears. I don't know if it's because it has a shorter barrel, but I do know it's a little uncomfortable to shoot with the noise. If you have any ideas please let me know. Thanks.

I'm not sure where to post this question so I'll start here. I live in south east Pa. and there's not to many places to shoot in the winter months. However there are a few clubs in New Jersey that shoot all year long. NJ. has a 15 round limit on mags and I think it has to be permanent, dropping a spacer in will not cut it. I can't seem to find any 15 round 9mm 2011 mags. What do people use when they shoot in NJ?

Ok I'll hold off on welding. I'll try shooting it with a heaver spring after I check the slide without the disconnector. Steve, yes the rounds go into the chamber fine, I don't think that's the problem. On a full clip the first round goes in fine with racking it by hand, then after the first round is ejected the second round starts to go into the chamber but then the slide binds. I can take a small screwdriver and wiggle the round that has started into the chamber, so that's not what is binding the slide because it has no resistance on it. Mike, the breech face seems fine. I took the slide off and put a round in. The shell was held in place by the extractor, it's not a tight fit but it's not too loose ether. Is there a measurement for the width, or is it something you have to adjust by feel? I can't shoot the gun for about a week, deer season starts in Pa. and the neighbors get a little mad when I start shooting behind my house, plus I'll be up state hunting myself. Thanks for all the input.

Flatlander, I loaded it with dummy rounds this morning. I tried to get pictures but I just can't get any that show enough. This is what I did learn: 1- When you drop the clip it goes into battery with no problem. 2- It's a progressive problem, the fewer founds in the clip the better it gets. With only 1 or 2 rounds in the clip it almost works fine, but there is still some resistance. Mike, I used the link that came with the barrel. I don't know a lot about links. I don't really know how to measure barrel lock up. It was a drop in barrel. Sounds like I still have a lot to learn. Tomorrow I'm going to weld the ramp I cut in the slide. My thought was the more the better, now that don't seem like a good idea. I'll let you know how it works. I really do thank you all for your help. I forgot to mention that I did put a #8 spring in it. Racking it by hand it didn't make a difference. You can feel something binding.

Flatlander, I'll try to take a picture of how it jams/sticks but I don't know if it will show up to well. The slide closes 3/4 of the way and it's hard to see into the mag area. I did try to put my other slide on the gun but the ejector is fit to the Para slide, the other slide didn't fit past the ejector. I didn't think that was a problem, I thought it was normal for a ejector to have to be fitted to the slide. Do you think something is out of spec on the Para slide?

Flatlander, the mags fit the same as my other 1911. They don't look too high or low.

Absocold, the ramp I cut is a little longer and deeper then the one you show in the picture. Sounds like that might be the problem. Maybe I'll weld and re machine it back to flat. I should have added that I'm only shooting round nose factory ammo @125ish pf. I'll try a #7 or #8 spring but with the comp. I don't know if it will cycle. I polished the ramps by hand, I didn't want to change the angle of the ramps I read that you really have to be careful with the ramps. Thanks for the info so far.

bigboy69, don't say airsoft, people get mad at you.

Glad to see you here. I could use the advise of someone with 50 years experience.

BrianALT, I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. The slide does pick up the next round and starts to chamber it, but before the slide closes all the way it gets stuck. The round going into the chamber is fine. That's not what is hanging up, it looks like the slide is hitting the round still in the clip instead of sliding over it. Is that possible? I didn't think that small of a ramp would make that much of a difference, Does it? Am I missing something else? As of right now I have a lot of time and money in a gun that is only good for a boomerang.

Ok, so I decided to try to build my own 1911 open steel gun. After I put it all together and test fired it I found out it don't work. I could really use some help in trouble shooting it. Here is a list of parts and things I did: Parts: 1 Rock Island 1911 frame 2 Para stainless steel 5" slide 80 series 3 Roto 9mm threaded non ramped barrel 4 EGW fire control parts, extractor, ejector, comp., etc. 5 Wilson Combat beavertail, thumb safety slide stop 6 Wolf #6 recoil spring #14 main spring 7 Metal fab or Metal form mags. (cant remember there right name) Work done 1 Lightened slide to 10.2oz. recut inside of slide to match 70 series slide 2 Fit frame to slide 3 Fit ejector, extractor, safeties etc. 4 Drilled and taped for C-more 5 Polished feed ramps Problem The first round in a 10 round mag chambers and ejects fine, but when the second round starts to go into the chamber the slide gets stuck. It looks like the bottom of the slide is hanging up on the middle of the next round in the mag. The gun cycles fine with no mag in it and when there is a empty mag in it. It does the same thing with 5 different mags and all these mags work fine in my other 1911. One thing I did do is I filed a ramp on the slide so when it rides over the disconnect there would not be a lot of resistance, is it possible that the ramp is not letting the slide go over the next shell at the right angle and binding? Any help with this would be appreciated. I tried to give as much info as possible, if you need more info please let me know. As you can see from the parts list this is not a high dollar build because it's my first attempt at building one. I would like to see it through to the end and fix the problem my self.....it's a matter of pride. I just need to know what to look for. Thanks.