Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

My First 1911 Build

sperman

By sperman
in The Gallery

 Share

Recommended Posts

sperman Calls Shots

sperman

Posted
Posted (edited)

First of all, I have to give a huge amount of credit to George Huening, who mentored me through this project.  If he had $1 for every e-mail he answered he would be able to retire by now.  (Or at least quit his day job and go back to building guns.)  He also reamed the chamber and prepped the hammer and sear.  As for everything else, the credit or blame belongs to me.

It's built on an STI frame and slide. .40 S&W.  Even with the steel mainspring housing and magwell it comes in just under 42 oz.

IMG_3507.jpg

IMG_3512.jpg

A couple of unique features I wanted to add.

To help with slide bite, I radiused the bottom corner of the frame, and stopped the cocking serrations short.

IMG_3552.jpg

IMG_3523.jpg  

Edited by sperman
Link to comment
Share on other sites
sperman Calls Shots

sperman

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I welded together the grip safety and mainspring housing.  Who needs pins?!?  This allowed me to blend the grip safety to the frame.

IMG_3534.jpg

Because the mainspring housing didn't (couldn't) come out the bottom of the frame, I decided to weld the magwell right to the frame for a seamless fit.

IMG_3561.jpg

Finally, I decided to add serrations to the front of the trigger.  Once I know I'm happy with the length and style of trigger, I'll probably replace the SVI with a 1 piece trigger.

IMG_3539.jpg

In a perfect world I would spend another month or so polishing out scratches, and making sure everything fits just right.  But my hands are destroyed from the filing, sanding and polishing.  Plus the Single Stack nationals are just around the corner.  

I'm taking it to the range this weekend for one final function check, and then it's off to get hard chrome.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
01G8R Finally read the FAQs

01G8R

Posted
Posted (edited)

Nice work. I really like it. Post a range report when you test it out. What barrel did you use? Are you going with matte hard chrome? Can you show how the mainspring housing/beavertail/magwell looks removed from the gun? I'm wondering how you set it up to be able to change the mainspring. You might want to add a slight bevel to the magewell just at the front edge under the checkering. Just to remove that sharp corner.

Edited by 01G8R
Link to comment
Share on other sites
sperman Calls Shots

sperman

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Nice work. I really like it. Post a range report when you test it out. What barrel did you use? Are you going with matte hard chrome? Can you show how the mainspring housing/beavertail/magwell looks removed from the gun? I'm wondering how you set it up to be able to change the mainspring. You might want to add a slight bevel to the magewell just at the front edge under the checkering. Just to remove that sharp corner.

Schuemann barrel.  (Non-AET)

Yes to the matte hard chrome.  

Next time the gun is apart I'll take some pics of the GS / MSH, but that part isn't very pretty.  It wasn't meant for public consumption :rolleyes: .  Prior to welding the two together, I took a ball end mill and cut a groove along the path that the mainspring would need to exit the housing.  After welding I had to to some cleanup in that area.  Like I said, I'll post picks later.

I'll let you know how good it shoots once I get someone who knows how to run these things.  My groups are pretty bad, much worse than what I assume the gun is capable of.

Thanks for the recommendation on the sharp edge of the magwell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sperman Calls Shots

sperman

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Amazing how much work goes into a project like this. Well done. :cheers:

I had no idea how much time this would take.  On top of all of the nights and weekends before and after, I spent most of the week off I had at Christmas working on the gun.  I still need a vacation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jkatz44 Sees Target

jkatz44

Posted
Posted
Amazing how much work goes into a project like this. Well done. :cheers:

I had no idea how much time this would take.  On top of all of the nights and weekends before and after, I spent most of the week off I had at Christmas working on the gun.  I still need a vacation.

Looks great! :cheers: Great build.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sperman Calls Shots

sperman

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Wow! Great job Scott. Shoot it yet????? I can't wait to see it in person and check out the one piece MSH/GSafety.

I shot it last weekend and it ran good with my CMC .45 ACP mags and bullets loaded long for my limited gun. I'll have it at Columbia on Saturday, but just to make sure everything is good before I give it to Jeff for plating.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
spankymac Finally read the FAQs

spankymac

Posted
Posted
Wow! Great job Scott. Shoot it yet????? I can't wait to see it in person and check out the one piece MSH/GSafety.

I shot it last weekend and it ran good with my CMC .45 ACP mags and bullets loaded long for my limited gun. I'll have it at Columbia on Saturday, but just to make sure everything is good before I give it to Jeff for plating.

Sweet looking blaster!

Banks

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bobobooie Looks for Range

bobobooie

Posted
Posted

Thank you Scott. From someone who pins the two together, these photos explain another option. I thank you. I wish you and this awesome looking blaster the best. Wow, did you ever do good stuff!

(ps...I'm stealing these photos...)

Paul B.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sperman Calls Shots

sperman

Posted
  • Author
Posted
That is a great looking gun Scott, something to be proud of. I would like to build my won sometime. Good luck with it and keep us posted on how she runs.

I built this to take to the SS nationals.  I think I'm squadded with you and Paul.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AriM Looks for Match

AriM

Posted
Posted

very cool!!! unique ideas.....good job....it feels great to shoot something you built your self....easy to pay someone to make something for you, but priceless to do it your self.....I did one myself recently, and am just itching to do another....I bet you are too?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shooter_rob Looks for Match

shooter_rob

Posted
Posted
That is a great looking gun Scott, something to be proud of. I would like to build my won sometime. Good luck with it and keep us posted on how she runs.

I built this to take to the SS nationals.  I think I'm squadded with you and Paul.

I believe you are right. This will be my fist SS nationals and I cant wait. I have shot many other nationals but this will be my first big match with a SS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sperman Calls Shots

sperman

Posted
  • Author
Posted
very cool!!! unique ideas.....good job....it feels great to shoot something you built your self....easy to pay someone to make something for you, but priceless to do it your self.....I did one myself recently, and am just itching to do another....I bet you are too?

Right now I'm itching to send it to the plater and not see it for a week or two. :) It was a great experience and I hope to do another some day, but it won't be anytime soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sperman Calls Shots

sperman

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Looks great Scott! Hope to see it at a match soon.

I'm shooting my M&P through the Florida Open, then there will be a big push to get comfortable with this in time for the Single Stack nationals. I haven't shot a 1911 since October of 2008. Hopefully it won't take long to re-adjust.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing


×
×
  • Create New...