want2race

Look for a shop to hard anodize (MIL-A-8625), then you can Ionbond it to add color if needed. Ionbond is a hard finish but according to Ionbond, aluminum will still need to be hard ano'd prior to coating, otherwise it will dent underneath the finish. If you hard ano it black, no need to Ionbond it.

Nice job! Last stage looked kick ass! Pretty fast transitions.

My carry gun started out as a 5" tactical. Chopped the barrel, slide and frame back. Lots of hacksaw blades to get through the slide. Here's the original thread on it with accuracy tests too. Still carry it about every day. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...&hl=hacksaw

Thank you all. No idea this was posted here. Now, to do the same in Single stack so I can keep up with Corey (...awaits next update...)

The tactical frame will be as long as the slide and you may get some complaints about "full length dust cover", even though it's not a full length dust cover if it were on a 5" gun. I cut my frame back to standard length to avoid confusion.

Too heavy for me. Like swinging a sledge hammer from target to target.

I like it. Never been a fan of the swiss cheese looking slides. Do you think back boring, cut enough weight to justify loosing the other advantages of having a 6" barrel? Using a slow powder and light slide it's possible that accuracy will increase by having the bullet out of the hole sooner. Then again, it could go the other way with the gas blow by in the last inch. I only gained 1 power factor by adding an extra inch (5" to 6") so there really was no real big velocity gain. I'm not expecting much loss, I will test and report.

I was going to post this on a thread in the 1911 side but feel it is better posted here. Last week I decided to test out some different settings. One of which was going up 1.5# in the recoil spring to see if I could get what I wanted in slide speed. I noticed an increase in muzzle rise. I was tracking the front sight the whole time and had two called A's. The difference for me, in my gun, was that the front sight went higher between shots. I put the original spring back in to confirm and the gun was flatter which gave me better visibility. I've run as high as 18lbs and down to 12.5. I've tried GI guide rods and FLGR's. Angle cut and radiused FP stops. 17 and 19lbs main springs. What I've found for me is there is most definitely a sweet spot. The trouble is, that sweet spot changes as skill levels change. That's why I tinker. (that was my original post) And to continue... In my quest for 5" performance from a 6" slide: Before plunking down cash for a bushing barrel and wasting numerous hours on how to modify an EGW bushing to stay in a slide that will never see a standard spring plug (see pics), I decided to just remove more weight from the bull barrel. What I'm left with is a 5" barrel (effective length) that fits in a 6 inch slide. My eyes do indeed need the extra sight radius, which is unfortunate because I really like way 5 inch guns feel and shoot. Anyway, more testing to follow. Need to weigh the barrel and bench rest the pistol.

Update time. I posted this one in it's earlier configuration. I've reduced and stippled the grip since the last pics and continued to work on the weight: Started out as a 6" bull barrel and in an effort to reduce weight I had previously fluted it, then turned down the middle to .584" (OD as a bushing barrel) leaving the end full diameter for lock up. Still trying to get the weight off the front end I back bored the muzzle end one inch to .5312" diameter. (edit out fluff)

...give it to a gunsmith to fix it so you can enjoy it. Take the extractor off, re-check to see if it feeds the first round. Take the FP out, re-check. May only need a little feed ramp work at the chamber mouth.

I've gone away from ambi's because my index finger knuckle can kick on all but the thinnest levers(3 serrations or less). When I need to fit ambi's, I use the cut off wheel on my dremel to cut away half the thickness of the paddle, then blend and shape with Brownells MX wheels.

Really? You'd be on the loosing end if you had to do my eyes. One reason that may keep shooters from HM is the rifle choices and the cost. You can't get a very competitive rifle for HM for under a grand. You would think that Limited would be the entry class for 3 gun since you can run a $600 rifle and it will work. What keeps me away from shooting irons at the big matches is the range and size of targets. Perhaps increasing the target size at those distances (man size targets) would help boost Limited division.

If you have a prize table...they will come.

Ah, yes. I forget sometimes that not all NM's are Gold Cups. I also forgot my point in bringing up the GC version: Since the frame is cut out for the bigger trigger, the frame would weigh less. The texture part is from my 20lpi file.

All the NM frames I've seen have a VERY wide trigger and that PITA spring and depressor on the sear (extra two parts that NO other 1911 has). My work gun is a NM and EGW was the only source I found for an aftermarket trigger that I could make lighter.

I wanted a very light SS. I started by milling out the metal in the frame as mentioned earlier then added: Deep cocking serrations, deep ball radius scallop, flat top (don't like Tri's), Filled down FP stop, standard extractor instead of a AFTEC, plastic 2011 mainspring housing, aluminum mag well, home made micarta grips, 1911 STI gunsmith blank trigger, reshaped grip and checkered 20lpi (removes metal, thus weight). Two things I have not done, that could be done is lighten the bushing and switch back to a GI hollow guide rod, I like the Dawson tool less rod but will switch to the Briley Al soon. With an aluminum base pad on the mag, it weighs 39.5. It doesn't sound light but I was able to add/remove weight to make it balance how I wanted it.

Hey...you too in Single Stack!

Last match before the USPSA update. TN Sectional. As much as I love SS, this reminded me why I love Limited division. Although I STILL forgot to reload a couple times...ugh. The washing machine stage was probably my best. The rain stage (in the house) was by far the worst, with the slippery (wobbly) bridge as a close second. Shooting it dry turned out to be a HUGE advantage. Well DUH! We tried to mention it but it fell on deaf (wet) ears. That's how it goes sometimes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNRnwH6QmvQ No penalties. No Mikes. 10 D's. Not happy with the D count, but I am happy I went penalty free all day. The last stage, I needed that make up shot over the car. My first shot skipped off the roof. I didn't know it at the time, I just knew I didn't like my first sight picture.

On Caves II (all targets under cover), it showed that I'm not comfortable pushing the split times faster while moving. I played it safe and I should have pushed it harder after the first two partials. Unfortunately, that's something that can only be drilled with live fire. On the flip side it is perfect example of the cadence drill we teach.

It's been awhile since I've posted. Pro-Am: 4th master, 8th overall in Limited. Had to shoot master since I had won A class the year prior. A bad mag early on set me a drift. Thought it was the extractor, made a change, gun ran worse, changed it back to get it to run, installed wrong firing pin (not an extended one), had light strikes, figured out I had a bad mag, threw magazine away, tried to salvage. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH53IZWd8lM Local match: Just having fun. I'm the second shooter shown, then the last two are me as well. The first couple are with the skinny gun, last one was limited (second run). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM9_9physCA 5th sunday match, SSvsProd: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCKHBslx540 Mostly pretty good, 1st stage excluded. Circleville, OH montly match over labor day. This was supposed to be their big match but that got moved to coincide with the IPSC nationals. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVj8EDwqAX4 Local match: BGSL in Wilmore. Single stack in the AM, Ltd in the PM. Had an FTE with the skinny gun, been a long time since I've had one of those. Lesson learned, K.I.S.S. My mag fell over when grabbing the gun during the classifier (Mini Mart). Not going to count. In Limited, had a pretty good run. Hammer follow 3 times, weird. Can't get it to repeat dry, only happens with ammo. More on that later. Classifier: Mini Mart. 4.81 seconds, down one. 100%. My first. That means I get a new card in the mail after the next update. Master class. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnvvoDhQvQw The hammer follow may have been due to the disconnector. Sear was recently touched up and not worn. Sprung to 2.25lbs. I worked it tonight. Changed the disconnector to one with a larger diameter (at the top). Removed a strange line in the disconnector notch in the slide. It wasn't big, but combined with the old disconnector the trigger had a 'click' just after the take up. Now it's smooth, no click but I need to test it before the TN sectional.

slow is smooth...smooth IS fast....grasshoppa

I have a V10 Springer that I've worked over, but don't carry it anymore. I would, but I can't find a non ported barrel for it (cheaply). Now I carry a chopped and channeled STI Tactical in .40. It's lighter than the V10 and holds more. I have only one full length 1911 and it's competition only due to the mods on it.

After you've hit it with 600g and smoothed it out. Oil it. If you use a buffer wheel and dremel it can build up too much heat and melt the plastic.

If he pinned the front sight, check to make sure it's not protruding into the slide and contacting the barrel.

If you are installing it, go Schuemann. They are a true short chamber, easier to ream. Better feed ramp cut too. Every KKM I've used is a rough cut chamber, not short chambered. Adds time to the install. Both are accurate when installed well.