Smitty4313 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Hey gang! I'm in the middle of my 2011 Limited build, and I ran into a BIG snag. Everything has been going pretty well, so far I've only had to yell for help once with how to get the ambi-safety into the right side of the frame. Slide/frame fit-up is done, all the frame internals are fit and installed, grip safety and stainless MSH are all done, slide assembly is complete-minus sights. My BIG problem is the barrel fit-up. I've done several 1911 barrels before, but, they were the easier drop in stuff like the Brown, and the Kart E-Z fit. This bull sized beast has put about 10 thousand gray hairs on my scalp! It's an STI Bull, ramped .40. Came with a bead blasted finish, but after all the stoning, filing and sanding, it looks like a freshly machined jobbie. I like to rely on all the info I get here, and other places to learn. I'm old school, I like to fit this stuff up by hand. I don't own any fancy jigs, inserts, or cutters. Here is a rundown of what's been done. All outer surfaces have been covered in blue sharpie and run through the slide to find all the bind points. It was tight in the slide under the bore, and at the Bull ramp swell on the top. To gently knock those down I used a fine file, and then 400 grit emery strips to get the file marks out. Same for the top of the barrel hood where it bound and dragged across the bottom part of the slide during the cycle check. I have trimmed the hood down, until I can actually see the first lug recess just ahead if the forward edge of the hood. By measurement comparison, its about 15 thou shorter than the hood on my factory Colt. Being a professional tig welder for a living, I'm not too worried if I have to weld it up to close the gap. That may not even be an issue. As the barrel sits right now, there are no bind points, but, the lugs just don't seem to want to engage all the way-lug engagement is extremely shallow. I'm not sure if there is still too much on the bottom part of the barrel that it may be interfering with lock-up. I can rock the barrel a little from the hood to the muzzle. The BIG problem is this-when the slide/barrel is put onto the frame, it cycles just fine, with the shallow lug engagement, until I attempt to go to full lock-up. As the slide travels down the rails, it gets to about 175 thou from full lock-up, and it goes FULL STOP! No binding anywhere, no scraping anywhere, nothing. It's like there is a wall in there, and it just will not go any further. Now then, prior to attempting the barrel/slide/frame fit-up, I put a #4 link into the barrel. There is no binding on the travel of the slide stop pin, when its done out of the frame, in the frame, I can't tell. I haven't done anything with the lower part of the barrel/link area yet, because I cant get the slide to close all the way, or the lugs to seat any deeper. I'm at a loss to know how to get this ironed out, and am pleading for your help! Thanks Gents! Smitty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKT1106 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Could the slide stop be torquing on the link causing the barrel to turn in the slide and catching? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianATL Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Check the depth of your ramp cut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick88 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 You need to consult with a professional gunsmith, forum opinions will only lead to you chasing a greased pig... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kl7883 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Check the depth of your ramp cut also my suggestion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xdcr Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 From your description it's hard to tell the sequence of events you followed but here is summary I have used: Fit the width of the barrel hood (need an alignment block) Fit the length of the barrel hood (need the EGW gauge) Fit the lug engagement (lot's of dykem and careful filling in the 1st barrel lug groove) Dykem works better than marker. With a bull bbl if by filing in the lug you are not increasing the lockup dimension then the contact point on the top of the bbl towards the muzzle (~0.5" back maybe depending on bbl manf) needs to carefully filed/sanded. Repeat the above two steps until 0.045 or whatever your goal is (0.045 or more?) When this is done then proceed to the lower lugs. Note: as kl7883 suggests, of course the frame has to be cut properly for the ramp style you have to proceed from this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianATL Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Last couple STI frames I got were significantly to shallow and would cause the issue I think you are describing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
openmike Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 XDCR is right. The barrel is "springing". It's likely still tight from top to bottom in the bull part of the barrel/slide. It will never go up to correct radial lug engagement until that is fitted. Coat the bottom front of the barrel (about 1 inch from muzzle) and the entire top half of the barrel about 3 inches from muzzle with dykem or sharpie. Put the barrel in the slide, all the way back and tap smartly with soft mallet. Look at the dykem. There will be 2 marks on the bottom of the barrel and two marks on the top. The bottom marks will be at 5 and 7 oclock. The top marks will be long and kinda at the 10 and 2 position and farther back. Like xdcr says, it should lock up .045 or greater. Cut a piece of brass with no primer short enough to go into the chamber just short of flush with the end of the hood. Put clay, wax in the primer hole. Install the firing pin and with the barrel held in the highest lock-up, push the firing pin in with a punch. The impression the pin makes should be very close to centered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smitty4313 Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 Hey Gents! Got it all figured out and fit up. Turns out my biggest point of hang up was the bottom of the barrel. I just didn't whittle it down far enough. Once I started knocking that down, lug engagement got better and better, and the slide moved further and further out until I got full lockup. I always had the barrel bathed in blue sharpie, but with the surfaces being polished out really smooth, nothing ever wore off to give me any bind spot indicators. I thought I was in the clear. Now, everything does what it's supposed to, and she locks up nice and tight. No gaps, no high spots, and full slide travel. Thank you all!! Smitty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExtremeShot Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 (edited) . Edited January 21, 2014 by ExtremeShot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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