Lim Build - crazy to think Caspian?

[Suicycle]

What kind of weight could a guy expect a bushing barrel hi cap steel frame 5" gun weigh with a regular gi recoil system. I am looking to build an esp gun and basically ben full tilt on sti then swayed toward a single stack 9mm and now these are looking really nice. Especially that bottom stainless one. I wouldn't have lighening cuts or anything that a limited gun would to trim weight. Just looking to come under 42 or 43 oz, have to check. The sti would do it and a single stack would be doable too. Sorry for the thread jack. Also are parts very specific for this frame? Any wide body trigger? Looks like a para grip safety? Any wide body mag release?

Edited November 6, 2012 by Suicycle

[rishii]

Can't really help on the weight, my 6" bushing barrel gun with a lightened slide weights 50 ounces

The parts specific to the frame are, mags, mag catch, trigger, ambi safeties, grip safety, grips & mainspring housing, all other 1911 parts fit

Everything, minus the mag comes with the frame

The only aftermarket parts suppliers are Dawson (magwell) & EGW (magwell, basepads, and they used to sell a trigger, but I haven't seen it listed lately)

The readily available grips are die cut from caspian (I don't care for them), hogue, and alumagrips

The biggest knock against caspian is the mags, the original looked & felt cheap, and they hold a couple of round less than the sti's. and after the 94 AWB, they refused to sell mag bodies, which dropped Demand for their guns down to nil.

But I'm still running 4 of my original 6 mag that I got prior to 94, that have been drop, kicked, half buried, and in continuous use for all that time

And they just continue to run, no tuning, no fancy parts, very little maintenance, while I listen to the sti guy talk about how they have to

Tune their mags, use fancy spring, followers, base pads, clean their mags whenever there dropped,and they still have feeding problems

Match after match.

For the past couple of years the sti shooters are wanting metal grips that won't crack or cost a grand to install, because it feels better, balances

The gun better, etc, and honestly the one I've felt, felt like a caspian

[a.roberts]

Can't really help on the weight, my 6" bushing barrel gun with a lightened slide weights 50 ounces

The readily available grips are die cut from caspian (I don't care for them), hogue, and alumagrips

What's the weight of your slide with all reciprocating parts?

Also, I've exchanged a couple of emails with Larry Davidson of Monkey Grips and he has the ability to make grips for a Caspian HiCap frame. Lead time was 12-15 days as of this morning. So if you want G10 grips that's probably the way to go.

[kimberacp]

have you seen the Dan Wesson Mayhem 6" gun? Am sure after you do, you might want to build one just like it.

[rishii]

Can't really help on the weight, my 6" bushing barrel gun with a lightened slide weights 50 ounces

The readily available grips are die cut from caspian (I don't care for them), hogue, and alumagrips

What's the weight of your slide with all reciprocating parts?

Also, I've exchanged a couple of emails with Larry Davidson of Monkey Grips and he has the ability to make grips for a Caspian HiCap frame. Lead time was 12-15 days as of this morning. So if you want G10 grips that's probably the way to go.

My slide is a sti w/ factory tritop, bomar rear cut, and weighed 12.4 ounces

I haven't weighed my slide after I got it back from Matt cheely

Also the grips I really like are by navridex, which are nearly impossible to find

Edited November 7, 2012 by rishii

[P-Zak]

I have never been much of a fan of the carbon fiber look on mag pouches or holsters and such, but I gotta say that gun on Travis's jersey looks pretty nice. Thanks for posting some pics guys. Rishll, I know you use mostly the older Caspian mags, but what problems have you had with the newer mags if any?

Jason

[rishii]

I have never been much of a fan of the carbon fiber look on mag pouches or holsters and such, but I gotta say that gun on Travis's jersey looks pretty nice. Thanks for posting some pics guys. Rishll, I know you use mostly the older Caspian mags, but what problems have you had with the newer mags if any?

Jason

I have the new mags in 40, and before I had my barrel throated to take long loaded ammo, it was driving me batty, it would feed factory length jacketed ammo all day, but it wouldn't feed lead.

Once I had the barrel throated, I can now load to 1.200, and it feeds everything I've tried, including the same lead bullets that it choked on before, that might be more of issue with 40, than the mags. There are 2 issue that was directly related to the mags was a couple of my tubes were a little fat, and would stick in the magwell of my 3rd gen frames, a little sanding on the high spot took care of it.

The bigger issue with the new mags is they don't always drop free on my older 2nd gen frames, I never bothered to look for the cause because those guns are in super & retired for now,

But it seems the taper at the top of the mag may have something to do with it.

On the plus side, the base pads are a huge improvement over the old ones, the tubes are polished inside and out, and the metal is hard.

[P-Zak]

have you seen the Dan Wesson Mayhem 6" gun? Am sure after you do, you might want to build one just like it.

I have seen the Mayhem. Great looking gun. They are a bit out of my range price wise. And when I say a bit, I mean by alot...

[Guest]

Henning's base pad will give a bit more room so the last super comp round won't be as tight. Caspian's new mag tube is made by the same company as the Tanfoglio tubes, they started making an improved tube for the Tanfoglio/EAA a year or two ago. The Tanfolio tubes can be modified to work in the Caspian frame, I don't know if Caspian has switched to the new style of tubes yet.Rich

Thanks for the reply.

Don't think that caspian has switched yet as I believe they have a quite a few of the existing mag tubes in stock. I got a few of the new MecGar Tanfoglio/Witness mags for 38 super a couple days ago and did the mods to one to get it to work in a Caspian, it wasn't difficult at all. A dremel and file is all that is required, however a small mill or mill/drill and a 1" belt table top sander would make it a snap. The new Caspian Cape inspired base pads fit great and getting 23 in with gram's spring/follower was easy. I talked to Henning and he is making a new H-141 base pad with the cuts to clear the EGW Caspian magwell, so I ordered one of those to try (he was super helpful, BTW). The new MecGar Tanfoglio/Witness mags are identical in overall length compared to the Caspian mags, and nearly identical in shape with the MecGar having rounded front corners and more pronounced ribs and funneling indentations (a very good thing!!). Haven't actually shot this mag yet, but using dummy rounds they stack tight (no rattles) and feed well without any nose dives. Didn't get any 2nd round gaps. There is a slightly different geometry and spacing with the ribs, so i wonder if that might be helping with the stacking, too. I like the finish better on the Caspian mags as it is like a rich and deep blueing, the MecGar is more a flat slippery coating. Anyway, I'll use it at a match this weekend to see if it actually runs in the gun.

As a reference, here are the MecGar part numbers for mags that could be modified for use in a Caspian wide body.

.40 - MGWIT40LFAFC

.38 Super - MGWIT38LFAFC

The "AFC" on the end stand for Anti Friction Coating and some of the places I checked list these same mags without that "AFC" on the end.