My first 1911 build... be kind

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Pocketfisherman

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P1030206.jpg


After buying my first Norinco a few months back I decided to build my own 1911 from parts I collected along the way. I wanted a vintage looking rig in Commander length.

I purchased a full size frame from Dlask that the CFC registered as a reciever only.

I then purchased the American Gunsmith DVD on the 1911 and watched it about a 20 times.

I picked up parts here and there. I looked high and low for a Colt Commander slide and barrel with no luck. I eventually found a collection of Norinco parts including a slide and barrel. So far I have cleaned up the insides of the slide and did some garage prep work on the slide and frame so they function well together. I also smoothed the edges on the frame to match the vintage looking slide.

The gun as it sits is as follows:

DLask frame
Norinco slide and barrel
Dlask plunger tube
Dlask Ejector
STI Sear and Disconnector
Dlask pin kit
Nowlin hex grip screws and bushings
I have ordered the Armacoat kit in grey

I am trying to decide what grip safety and trigger. I don't want anything that will clash to much with my vintage looking gun. Since I want the gun to be military grey I think black alumagrips or some sort of black grip. I am also going to shorten the frame to match the slide.

My questions are as follows:

Can I take this gun to the range to test it with it registered as a reciever?

I purchased some .45 Snap Caps at Ancaster. I plan to chamber one live round followed by a Snap Cap to test function. Is this the best way to test a 1911?

Here is the gun shown in "mockup" before I finish surface prep and coating along with the final parts. I am a rookie at this so don't crush my fragile ego

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/Pocketfisherman/P1030206.jpg

[IMG]http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/Pocketfisherman/P1030205.jpg
 
Looks pretty good to me, but then I'm easy to please. What shade of grey did you get in the Armacoat? Going for a dark-park? or more of an anodized look?
In any case, the slide and frame look pretty well-matched. Nice work!
 
I am into this one for more than it will ever be worth. I don't care as I wanted to do this for personal satisfaction and I picked up parts over time.

Frame from Dlask 300.00 aprox taxes and shipping. (these are sweet frames)
Slide and other Norinco parts 225.00
Nowlin screws etc.. 20.00
STI parts 50.00
Armacoat (Will do multiple guns) 70.00
Dlask small parts 40.00

I will spent another 50.00 on grips another bunch on grip safety and trigger. I could have purchased a Springfield for 900.00 but I wanted to learn the 1911 inside and out. The most fun was the AGS DVD on the 1911 I can now strip this gun down to single components in my sleep ;>)
 
Pocketfisherman said:
I am into this one for more than it will ever be worth. I don't care as I wanted to do this for personal satisfaction and I picked up parts over time.
Click to expand...

Good on you. I built a non-prohib Makarov from parts and a butchered frame I got from Ontario Gun, just because I wanted one. Cost way more than it's worth, but it was fun and I like having something different.
 
Now ya gotta shoot your own custom reloads thru it!

Registered as receiver only is OK for a "short" length of time while you are "working" on it. Once the "final" configuration is established
you should register it as a complete gun.
 
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Range Report

Here is the lastest on my Franken1911. Last night I shortened the frame to match the Commander length slide. Today I took it to the range...

It functioned flawlessly! The ejector I shaped worked well as the brass ejected well clear and the spent brass landed almost in the same spot everytime.

This thing kicks pretty good in Commander length. Now on to the final cosmetics and finishing work.

The picture below is after shortening the frame. Will keep you posted.

P1030208.jpg
 
You are a very bad man.

Now many people (myself included) will spend our hard earned money on "projects". My wife already considers herself a "net widow" and a "gun widow"
now she is going to be complaining if being a "project widow"
 
I hear you.

My wife was pretty good about me working on this one the last few months. I just orderd some checkered alumagrips in black. Now that I know it works I am going to strip it and prep it for Armacoat.

I would highly recommend it as a project. Way more satisfaction that just buying another 1911.
 
When I brought home an SKS I need to buy flowers off & on for a few weeks.
After a while she was just acting pissed off as she was liking the flowers and attention. ;)

Good job by the way. I think I will buy one of those cheapie C note frames and see what I can come up with.
 
Some thoughts on your build

Very nice job. Have done similar on a Norinco in the past. By the time I got done with it it was mostly a Wilson gun. I got my Black badge with it. Wilson makes a drop-in beavertail. I have one on my current gun, a 1991A1. If you are not interested in that I do have a Wilson Combat rig for shaping your frame to fit their beavertail. I will lend it to you for the postage. Marstar sells an adjustable trigger, other than the silver colour, it would look pretty vintage. You could even colour it. I can send you instructions on fitting an adjustable trigger when you get to that point. Don't know what you have for internals but you might want to consider a drop-in trigger group and there are some pretty oustanding ones out there. You may want to investigate a two piece extended guide rod or if you are looking for accuracy gains without the pain of tightening the slide check out the Dwyer Group Gripper. Go to Brownells on-line catalog. Most testing is done with two rounds in the mag but the idea with the snap cap is a good one. Good luck and remember "Safety First".
 
petriw said:
Don't know what you have for internals but you might want to consider a drop-in trigger group and there are some pretty oustanding ones out there. You may want to investigate a two piece extended guide rod or if you are looking for accuracy gains without the pain of tightening the slide check out the Dwyer Group Gripper. .
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Thanks for your offer, comments and suggestions Petriw. I picked up a beavertail from another CGN. I have watched the AGI 1911 DVD and it does not mention a guide rod and group gripper. Could you tell what these things do? Forgive the newbie gunsmith questions.
 
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