2011 .22 conversion

[tomv]

I'm thinking about building a dedicated 2011 frame with a Nelson conversion unit for winter indoor practice. I already have a grip, magwell, sight mount and C-more slide ride and plan to buy the rest of the frame components from Brazos. Does anyone have experience with this?

My main concern is that the frame normally would be fitted to a slide in a typical 2011 build. I assume that the raw frame is a little undersized to facilitate the fitting process. Will the Nelson unit fit on the raw frame dimensions?

[zzt]

It very well may, depending on which frame you buy.  If STI, maybe not.  At any rate, the fitting is not critical.  The slide on a Nelson is fixed and the barrel is locked in place.  Only a small portion of the slide is reciprocating.  I have owned both a Nelson conversion and the Marvel Precision Unit 1.  The Unit 1 is a more precise instrument.  Also, it is way more forgiving of magazines and mag catch shelf heights.

[dawsonprecision]

Hello,

  You will have to fit the slide to the frame. You can do it with lapping compound. It will take a while, but it will work great when you are done.

 

Edited November 27, 2017 by dawsonprecision

[Dranoel]

Your biggest problem is not going to be slide/frame fit.  The real problem will be finding .22 mags for the 2011 frame.

[candiru]

I'm thinking about building a dedicated 2011 frame with a Nelson conversion unit for winter indoor practice.

Isn't that what a 9mm top end is for? :-)

FWIW, I found using a 22 unit on a 1911 not really any better than dry fire and much more annoying given the finicky operation, cleaning, and crappy mags.

[tomv]

There are a couple of sources of 2011 .22 mags that I know about. Nelson Custom and Marvel Precision both make them. I already have a Nelson conversion on my 1911 which runs 100% so I'm not too worried about getting the 2011 to run.

The point about dry firing vs .22 is well taken and if practice was my only consideration that is just what I would do. However, if I build this I could also shoot it in .22 steel events. I already have 3 STI 2011's so the benefit of shooting exactly the same grip, trigger, etc. would be an advantage for me.

[candiru]

There are a couple of sources of 2011 .22 mags that I know about. Nelson Custom and Marvel Precision both make them. I already have a Nelson conversion on my 1911 which runs 100% so I'm not too worried about getting the 2011 to run.
The point about dry firing vs .22 is well taken and if practice was my only consideration that is just what I would do. However, if I build this I could also shoot it in .22 steel events. I already have 3 STI 2011's so the benefit of shooting exactly the same grip, trigger, etc. would be an advantage for me.

Aha! Carry on.

[Dranoel]

On 11/28/2017 at 7:13 AM, tomv said:

 ...I already have 3 STI 2011's so the benefit of shooting exactly the same grip, trigger, etc. would be an advantage for me.

 

This is what I have preached for more than 25 years. Pick a platform and stick with it. Shoot it until you are so intimately familiar with it that you can put the sights on target with your eyes closed. If you are constantly changing platforms you will never really do your best with any of them.

 

As for the advantage over dry firing....   Using .22s you can't lie to yourself about where the sights were when you squeezed the trigger. Being accurate is what it's all about, right?

[IowaNewbie]

Did you look into Tactical solutions 22 upper, they also make mags for the 2011 for the 22. Just another suggestion/option.

 

There is a group on Facebook called Rimfire Raceguns, you can look at the posts without joining. Have a look, there are a few 2211s on there, especially by Kurt Grimes. I've learned a few things on there, I'm sure you will too, that will help you in your eventual build.

 

Do post your final build here for us to see :).

[zzt]

I have three friends using a Tacsol conversion on their 2011s.  All of them work, but none of the mags drop free.  They are all the Tacsol Al mags.  One of them tried a poly mag (don't know the make) and it didn't work at all.  None of the Tacsol conversions are as accurate as my Marvel Precision unit One, or my custom full race upper.  Neither of these will work with a 9/40 ejector, so if I were building a dedicated frame, I'd leave the ejector out and use the Unit One.  The optional 8 lb. spring is required for high speed ammo.

 

On the subject of practicing with 22s vs. dry fire, I'm of two minds.  Yes, 22s tell you where your sights actually were when you fired, and can improve your trigger control.  However, there isn't any recoil so it tells you squat about the accuracy and speed of your splits.  I do some of it during the winter, just to cut down on reloading time.  I will say, it is no substitute for practicing with match ammo.

[tomv]

I agree with maximum benefit from shooting with match ammo and do this as much as I possible when the weather is good. One of the clubs I belong to which is 5 minutes from my house has an indoor range which only allows .22 cal guns. I plan to use this during the Winter for practice.

One of my guns is an STI DVC Limited in 9 mm. Until recently I wasn't able to shoot iron sights due to some vision problems (eyes are the second thing to go :-)). I've since been able to correct my vision and really need some time with the irons to get up to speed there. I have a Nelson conversion that goes on that gun to make that happen.

[phil plesetz]

i own an STI Edge and shoot it sometimes with the Nelson 22 Conversion. NO FITTING.  shoots nice.

[pjb45]

I run a TACSOL on my SV Wide Bodies and Single Stack, as well has my Wilson Single Stack frame.

The wide and single mags all drop free.

Here's the deal for me, I had a Marvel conversion unit.  The guide rod snugs the slide to the frame.  If you clean it, you unscrew the guide rod, however, the reassembly which uses the guide rod to tighten the frame now has to be sighted in again. PIA

 

This is a non-issue with the TACSOL.  Take it off, clean it and the zero stays the same.

 

The top rail is another great feature: one rail has a C-More mounted to it, take it off and put on the other rail and it's a limited/SS  iron sight gun.

 

I do not get any pricing discount by recommending TACSOL, it is a superior product IMHO.

 

BTW: the accuracy is excellent, I am so-so.  I have shot my steel target at 50 yards, actually I shoot the .22 better than my .40.

Edited December 6, 2017 by pjb45

[zzt]

My Marvel Unit One has never needed to be rezeroed after disassembly, cleaning and reassembly.  I cannot imagine why it would, unless there is a major defect somewhere.

[tomv]

I goth the frame finished with everything functioning and trial fit the conversion unit. Larry Nelson told me that the unit would fit on unfinished frame rails but that was not the case with mine. Not a big deal but I had to stone the rails just enough to get the unit to go on and for the slide to move freely. now I need to get the frame drilled and tapped for scope mount and get the frame finished.

[tomv]

Here's the gun all done with a temporary Nighthawk conversion on it. I have another 3 weeks or so before Larry ships the unit I bought for this gun. That one has a plain rail that will fit under the sight mount and a comp. The gun will weigh 2pounds 8 oz., about the same as my DVC Open and DVC Steel guns.

[tomv]

I used a Brazos competition hammer and sear kit. The trigger is really super!

[tomv]

It was a lot easier to do the fitting on this gun than I expected.

[Bluemooncricket]

5 hours ago, tomv said:

I used a Brazos competition hammer and sear kit. The trigger is really super!

Did you use the Brazos “Pro Series” ignition kit that is already prepped and polished? If so, did you have to do anything to set it up or did it pretty much drop in? 

[tomv]

Yes, that's the kit I used. It cost $155.00 and dropped right in, nothing more for me to do.