RezRocket

Hi everyone I just finished a 1911 build minus a front sight that is in the mail from an 80% RIA frame a colt slide that someone had mildly changed from GI and an RIA barrel with a Sarco GI parts kit. This was the education first build for me and man was it ever an education. I had been told to start with a cheap kit to learn on. Lets just say there wasn't a whole lot that was square or as flat as I would of liked to to been. The mill took care of some but others I just had to live with. I in the end is fired 65 test rounds flawlessly once I ditched the Sarco mag for a Wilson and the gun is very tight. Question is what slide frame combos have you used that you liked and met up well with minor less than full overhaul but still get good tight fit.

+1 for a double stack STI. 750 rounds without cleaning and 10K in a year on ammo for 3 gun. No issues other than that pesky price tag that I sometimes regret.

Ya check out Hayes Custom he has done a lot with the RIA and has some Youtube videos that are helpful. The RIA has what he calls a tail bone frame that sticks out the bottom the XB and some RIA like the TCM frames are flat on the magwell. I believe Cheely Custom was the only one I could find still making a magwell for the XB style frame. I am just getting into some gunsmithing and was researching mods to the RIA to sup them up. they can build a whole gun for less than I can buy parts for. I shoot 3 gun and ended up buying a used STI that I like but felt really guilty spending on. I thought that there may be a market for a modified RIA for comp. we will see in the future if that turns out to be true but Hayes Custom is a few years ahead of me on the game and has tried most things already.

Wow congrats. I was looking at those a while back as well. I thought it was a unicorn.

Have a friend who wants me to mill "custom" picatiny rails milled onto his slide. It's an R1 slide which is a series 80's style. He wants to fit a fast fire with the picatiny adapter on it. I mentioned the adapter plates to it but he really wants the rail cut. Dimensionally I think it would fit but the question of how thin Is too thin pop's into my mind. It would only leave 0.065 thousands where the fire pin block channel is to the sidewall. And every slide I see has just a rail bolted on top after it is flattened. Thoughts? Experience's?

Resurfaced the jig and added hex head support screw under unsupported side of base of the jig. Indexed it to the right height and Problem solved. Rails cut and no more moving. Thanks for everyone's input.

I am not the authority on milling and am certainly not a machinist as evidenced by my asking questions here. I mean no disrespect but am just seeking to learn as much as I can to improve. Correct me if I am wrong. I thought that backlash was a play in the gears or screws that affected movement in the table and head relative to the dial on the handle. Maybe my choice of words was incorrect with "prevents" as I understand that the DRO more so negates the need to ensure backlash is taken out of the gears before starting a measurement based on the handles readings as the Digital Read Out only measures actual movement of the table. If I am wrong in this I would appreciate help to understand better and am open to any input.

I did not consider the jig being out. With a micrometer at the base is 0.020 thinner under the dust cover than the grip side. Enough to make it move apparently

Have a Digital Read out on 3 axis (x,y,z the head and the quill) it isn't moving and the DRO negates backlash. Head is in tram vise indicated is still perfect and square to the table.

Ok boys I need some help. I just bought a 1911 milling jig from 1911 builders. Normal set up indicated level and decked the frame. Problem came in when I went to mill the rails. Used a 3/32 woodruff cutter to cut the rails. Touched off and cut first rail 0.005 with a slow feed rate no problems on a 600 lbs. bench mill. Moved over to cut the other rail half way through the 1st cut my cutter suddenly dipped into my jig. I stopped and indicated and was out by 0.020. Reindicated level and really cranked the vise down. And again same story stupid jig moved. Any recommendations on how to hold it still or any better jigs out there....angle plate....lateral jig? I don't know. Any one else with experience would be very appreciated. Thanks guys.

Used gun I am seconding the mainspring housing spring is week or was changed to such a light weight that it only sets off a certain primer. I replace mine every 2 years on my comp guns. On 9mm I like at least a 17 lbs spring maybe a little more depending on the gun but it is tuned to my load only.

I have about 3k through mine and use it for 3 gun. I had my lifter welded for quad loads. The lifter spring on back side of the lifter got too week and quit feeding right. I replaced it off of youtube recommendation and fixed the issue. Replaced with a extra power spring from X-Rail. I also tried a + 25% extra power recoil spring however on my gun this led to intermittent FTF with bulk federal or winchester and also would not feed light hand loads. I went back to standard power recoil spring and it cycles everything. Every thing else just runs with normal cleaning. As a side note I loved the long TACCOM bolt handle but have bent 2 of them so went back to factory round style and no more issues but I do wish it was a little bigger.

Now that is funny and true!

I do like that. I really looked hard at CZ but settled on a 2011 for 3 gun. After market was my swing decider. This steel insert with a brass top is the bomb for the 2011. I wish the shadow 2 had this. https://www.limcat.com/product-page/steel-insert-magwell-v1-fits-sti-sv-pt-grips

For 3 gun I like the 147 blue bullet PF of 133. Tied Missouri Bullet company too just as good in my opinion. I like to keep the PF up a little for the poppers and KO steel.