Some work on a 1911

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I mentioned in another thread a week or two back that I was doing some work on a 1911. I thought I might show some of the process here.

It's a fair way from being complete...might need another two weeks on the frame and slide, week for fitting internals, and then off to get new dovetails cut and a refinish.

Basic list of what's getting done:

Undercut trigger guard/frontstrap
blend in Ed Brown beavertail, raise beavertail surface for max grip height
full break on most of the hard edges/melt corners
remove all stamped info except serial number
checker front strap
checker MSH
might serrate top of slide
blend slide into frame
recut grasping serrations on rear of slide
Reprofile dust cover
cut slide for Novaks
refinish

Inside bits are WC, mostly WC Bulletproof which are typically my favourites, except for beavertails.

Pics:

Grinding down the frame for the beavertail:

2013-05-31204053_zps6bab4ca3.jpg


Here you can see the beginning of the work around the trigger guard, and also taking the dustcover down - it had a bit of a bulge in the center and was not cut concentrically with the bore, which always bugged me.

2013-05-31204044_zps78705b56.jpg


Also you can see where I've been cutting the front strap higher.

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Had a bit of time on sunday...beavertail is now just about done, just cleaning it up a little.

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Same with the front strap and the dust cover.

2013-06-02183056_zps02d7b1f1.jpg


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Need to sort out the spot around the mag release, but that will only take a few minutes.

A fun process. By the time I'm done, I think the gun will have about $800 in it.
 
Yeah, norinco...good steel, holes in the right places...for this level of build there is not much point in using anything else, unless you want a Colt frame for the name, say. I'm changing everything anyway though, so as long the holes are in the right spots etc, everything else is pretty irrelevant.
 
Thanks for sharing the rebuild as you progress. I recently did a complete build on a Springfield GI slide/frame and it was really enjoyable. Nothing like the pride of firing something that you put together.
 
Thanks for sharing - That's almost exactly what I plan to do. Except I prefer Ed Brown over WC for internals :)

I also found that I had to countersink the left side sear pin and hammer pin holes for the pins to sit flush with the frame. Minor issue, IMO, but unexpected.

OP, where are you getting the refinish (and slide cut) done? I've had some careful DIY cold blue turn out surprisingly well, so I thought I might give that a shot before trying a pro job.
 
skoal said:
Looks good what were you using for the taking metal down around the trigger guard and breaking edges? Dremel?
Click to expand...

No, just files. The dremel is second only to the Brownell's catalogue in terms of the threat it poses to 1911 ownership in general. It can be used, but it's very, very dangerous.


The $800 does include the roughly $400 the pistol cost, years ago. When finished it should be a significantly better pistol than most of the production 1911s available in this country. You have to spend a LOT of money to get a factory gun with hand fit WCB components or the equivalent. I would guess it would be tough to do it in Canada for under $3000.

Additionally there's the question of "which frames are better as raw material than Norincos?" Colt, IMO. The better Springfields. Other than that, nothing springs to mind. I guess the used Caspian frames at Wolverine would be an option, but they're cast.

It used to be that Wilson preferred Colt or Norinco frames and slides for builds...today they accept Colt, Springfield, Kimber, Strayer Tripp, Strayer Voight, and, of course, Norinco.

There is a reason for that...they are better raw material than most 1911s.
 
A number of years ago, before the U.S. banned importing guns from China, Wilson Combat
used to perform custom work on pistols. This is before they started making their own pistols.
They would only work on 3 makes. Colt, Springfield & Norinco. Those 3 they were sure
had good steel & all the holes in the right places. That speaks well of Norinco.
 
Yeah, I had heard that about Wilson as well.

I guess you aren't going to put on one of those aftermarket light rails (Novak makes a nice one). It would probably be hard to find a custom holster though.

Although, with the skills you displayed in this thread, I'm confident you could make a Kydex one for yourself.
 
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Well you motivated me,ordering another norc to piss with what kind of files are you using? Ill need some as I only have big mofo's from the farm.
 
I will admit to having made a few kydex holsters, but I am also sufficiently impressed with the Solely Canadian stuff that I will probably hit them up for any custom kydex work I need done in the future.

Files are nothing special; just a set of fine riffling files files which came from Princess Auto IIRC.
 
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