1911 Modifications Thread:

[Kdude89]

I wanna order a few parts for me para 1911 from Brownells in the states. I have yet to look it up but do they ship to Canada?

I know some things will require my licence number but are there any other forms, papers etc.. That i will need?

 

[mikeyb]

I wanna order a few parts for me para 1911 from Brownells in the states. I have yet to look it up but do they ship to Canada?

I know some things will require my licence number but are there any other forms, papers etc.. That i will need?

Yes they ship to Canada, provided the manufacturer has an export permit. Just place your order, they'll cancel it if they can't ship the item.

 

[Wolfstrack]

I wanna order a few parts for me para 1911 from Brownells in the states. I have yet to look it up but do they ship to Canada?

I know some things will require my licence number but are there any other forms, papers etc.. That i will need?

re 1911 parts:
Brownells ship to Canada order up to 100bux - no papers or licence needed

Fusion Firearms ship to Canada - no order value limit, has fast & cheap shipping

Numrich Gun Parts ship to Canada - no order value limit, but has a fixed $25 export fee plus shipping costs

 

[leverboy]

Fugly, the Wondernork!

I humbly submit my latest acquisition. This is an older Norinco, and appears to have been around a great deal - I suspect it may look familiar to some of you! Yes, I snapped it up off page three on the EE. For me, though, this is the perfect gun. It's my first semi-auto, my first .45, and my first 1911. I was really looking for an entry level 1911 to learn on, and also to experiment with some refinishing, and that's just what I now have!

The frame of the gun came with an armacoat/spraypaint type finish, wearing off in the key areas. Upon stripping it right down, I discovered that all internal frame surfaces are also sprayed/oversprayed with this same substance, much of which came off with just a general oiling and wiping down. The stock hammer has been ground off to clear the beavertail, whose fitment was achieved with the same angle grinder used to shorten the hammer Thankfully, the frame was left alone, and just the grip safety butchered. The only other obviously nasty bit is the drilling of four holes per side on the forend to facilitate the mounting of. . . something large and ungainly requiring eight mounting holes The holes have cut off screws in them, and there was a strip of shiny aluminum cold-welded over top to cover up the mess.

Mechanically, the only concern is the barrel, which has some severe rust/leading issues near the breech. The shooting I have done has resulted in very bad leading, which I suspect is a result of the bullets being scraped undersize by this nasty patch of fouling. I have scrubbed and scrubbed, and while it is somewhat better, I suspect a new barrel is in order. A range trip proved that it does shoot. I fired about 35 rounds of homebrew, and all 3 mags ran well and locked the slide back when empty.

As this is a modifications thread, I have a few more pics to show that I have begun to (hopefully) bring this old piece back from the abiss I have removed the finish from the frame, and have begun to fit and polish some of the small parts. For now I plan to just fit and finish the parts I have, and see where that will take me.

With any luck, I'll also learn how to take some better pics as well!

 

[leverboy]

Mainspring housing now roughed down flat, ready for texture and finish. Also, I bobbed a little off the tail and squared off the base of the magwell and spring housing. Looks and feels much better.

 

[deadman]

Bought a rough old Norinco commander-sized .45 a while ago, figured I'd use it for a guinea pig. It was cold blued, had tan paint on it, a real looker! Advertised as worked over trigger, but very disappointing on arrival.

Started stripping and cleaning it up, and removing some of the stampings:

Removing and replacing the sights with a set of Colt's high profile, and installing an Ed Brown bobtail msh.

At this point I've got the frame rough shaped, ready for fine tuning. The msh sits proud of the frame because the Norinco simply didn't have the material there. I tried to maintain a consistent reveal because of this, although I may build it up a bit so it blends into the surface of the msh (not sure what coating I'll use to finish the pistol but it should hide it). Not ideal, but I'm working with what I've got.

Once this is done, I'd like to do something funky to the slide, maybe carry cuts a la the BHP.

 

[Dark-Tide]

I'm about to purchase a Norinco 1911, and have a question about the iron sights.

I know most sights need some work to get them to fit, but which of these would be best for the Norinco?

Brownell Sights

As far as I've been able to make out, the Norinco has dovetail sights, but there are different versions of the same sight posted above (for Colt, for Springfield, for Taurus), which would be an easier drop-in?

EDIT:

Also considering this front:

Front sight

And this rear:

Rear sight

 

[Wolfstrack]

Bought a rough old Norinco commander-sized .45 a while ago, figured I'd use it for a guinea pig. It was cold blued, had tan paint on it, a real looker! Advertised as worked over trigger, but very disappointing on arrival.

Started stripping and cleaning it up, and removing some of the stampings:

Removing and replacing the sights with a set of Colt's high profile, and installing an Ed Brown bobtail msh.

At this point I've got the frame rough shaped, ready for fine tuning. The msh sits proud of the frame because the Norinco simply didn't have the material there. I tried to maintain a consistent reveal because of this, although I may build it up a bit so it blends into the surface of the msh (not sure what coating I'll use to finish the pistol but it should hide it). Not ideal, but I'm working with what I've got.

Once this is done, I'd like to do something funky to the slide, maybe carry cuts a la the BHP.

I like what you've done so far...keep us posted with your final results and thank you for sharing with us such a nice work on yr Nork !

 

[deadman]

Thanks! Will do, its kinda been on the back burner for a bit here, too many projects on the go.

 

[Ntloukas]

1911 mag cach lock

Looking for a mag catch lock hex head. Brownells wont export and other are trying to rape me for $40 shipping. If you know of any fail online retailers let me know.

 

[Brocolt]

Looking for a mag catch lock hex head. Brownells wont export and other are trying to rape me for $40 shipping. If you know of any fail online retailers let me know.

I'm guessing Brownells won't export that part because the manufacturing company has not paid for an export licence from the US State Deptment. So they can't legally sell their good outside the USA.

I would fined another part you like from Brownells and see if you can get it. what company made the part you were looking for?

 

[Brocolt]

I was watching the Wilson Combat Gunsmithing video on 1911's last night covered all aspects of the 1911 from trigger jobs to complete custom builds well over 4 hours of video. lots of info & I still have 1 more cd to watch yet.

 

[Ntloukas]

I'm guessing Brownells won't export that part because the manufacturing company has not paid for an export licence from the US State Deptment. So they can't legally sell their good outside the USA.

I would fined another part you like from Brownells and see if you can get it. what company made the part you were looking for?

The part was made by EGW.

 

[deadman]

Might be taking the cheap and cheesy way out, trying to do this pistol on a tight budget. Blending the frame to the msh, I masked off the msh (in hopes of preventing it being glued permanently), and filled the frame edge with JB Weld. Not really a structural issue, so I figured it was worth a shot. Once dry I'll file and sand to the profile of the msh.

Also working on fitting a wide tenon Colt hi profile sight to the front of the slide. This is proving tedious, as I only have very basic hand tools.

 

[bradofcanada]

Found a great site for custom grips.

http://www.stingerpaintballdesigns.com

 

[EvaCorp]

anyone have any idea if where i would be able to buy those 1911 magazine base plate that is not completely flat but have silver part extruding from it ?

 

[deadman]

Thinking about deleting sights completely on my Norinco "commander", since I've bobbed the frame I've been contemplating smoothing out the entire pistol. Its simply a guinea pig project, I'm not planning on using it for anything practical. My thoughts for sighting are: mill the top of the slide flat and checker or serrate, or mill a sight groove full length a la the Colt New Agent. Yay or nay? Any thoughts?

 

[T&G]

Re-inventing the "Guttersnipe"?

 

[deadman]

Not exactly, more like the new version of the straight full length channel. I don't know how effective it'll be, but it might be interesting to try it.

 

[T&G]

Sounds like the topstrap groove on S&W fixed sight revolvers, but they also have a front sight. If you mill on the slide top of a Norinco, there are two issues - the metal is HARD, and it is really only about 75 or 80 thousands over the locking lugs. If you go with a groove it is going to be quite shallow and probably hard to pick up. Take a look at a S&W "Asp" to see what a Guttersnipe looks like and how it is intended to function - doesn't seem to me to be intended to function beyond 10 metres.

Dr Jim