The Home Machinist!

I decided to try building a 1911 lower receiver when I overheard someone say that Foster had them on sale for $125.00 form $250.00.

First was to measure it a bit and find that the sides of the frame are basically parallel with the exception of a raised area on the right side where the roll mark and serial number were applied. The area was worked down using a fairly fine stone until flat.

The rails were then ground perfectly parallel to each other and to the centerline of the frame as well as centered on the frame. The slide I an planning on using now slides about a quarter of the way on without forcing it.


I worked on the setup until it was perfectly repeatable and only a few tenths deviation on the test indicator when sweeping the frame side for flatness. This way I can repeat the setup if I need to grind any further.

I had a little time left, so I went ahead a fit the trigger taking a thousandth at a time off of the upper surface until it just slit into the frame.





That's it for the first Saturday afternoon.
Just ordered some parts from EGW to give me something to do next Saturday afternoon...

I had an hour to tinker so I dug out the rotary table and set it up to where the spindle and table were coaxial.


Then zero'd the thumb safety hole in the frame to the spindle/table axis using a test indicator.


Dialed in the offset and made a couple of cuts ending with a .220" radius.


The grip safety fits as it should. There are beaver tail grip safeties that will fit a G.I. frame without needing a radius cut, but I prefer the radius.


Still lots of blending and finish work to be done later.

This is really neat work. I hadn't expected stamping the serial #s would upset the frame rail that way but it did and you fixed it. Within our family we have Dad's original service 1911, 45 cal. And he taught us how to shoot with it. It was funny be he liked it. It was a whole different deal when you are young and the recoil threw your arm up or you ended up on your back. You had to be there and experience a firearm like this to know what you're dealing with.

spro,

You have a real piece of history there!

The lower cormers of the grip safetywere contacting the frame causing binding.


The relief cut in the frame was then milled .025" longer for clearance.


Now the grip safety drops in and has nice even clearance all around.

Isn't that Neat.!. Btw my Dad's service arm was late WWII, early Korea days. It's easy to say neat and all that but actual gunsmith is another level. I've read your posts entirely and they stand for themselves. Thanks.

When you get there you might consider using a Colt Commander hammer, they look pretty cool and won't bite. Here is a pic of my dad's Remington UMC 1911 that he carried in WWII when he was attached to Patton's army headed for Berlin. He paid $5 for it from a retiring sergeant because someone stole, I mean 'borrowed', his new commercial Colt. He was a 2nd Lt fresh out of Ohio State, and eventually promoted to Major in 1946 when he was put on extended leave. He was never discharged, which we still think is odd. That is an unopened box of Frankford Arsenal ammo, and a magazine that was loaded in 1946. I took out the ammo in the late 90's and the spring was still good, so I put the ammo back and it is still there.
Have fun with your build.
--earlgo

Very nice!

At one time I had lost interest in my normal projects, and I thought I would finish an unfinished AR-15 lower and build out from there. They're still setting in the box they arrived in. It's a big commitment to see a project like this through, and off road desert stuff has filled my plate again, so not sure I'll ever get around to it at this point. Looking forward to your updates.

While waiting for more parts for the frame...

I picked up a Springfield Range Officer just before I started this project and took it apart last Saturday to look it over and install a new set of EGW pins in it, as the hammer pin seemed a bit sloppy. It has some Ed Brown tool steel parts in it from the previous owner and the new pin slid right into the frame but wasn't about to fit in the hammer.

Had a bit of time this evening so I decided to set up and hone the hammer bore a few tenths larger. I had bought a set of small hole honing mandrels years ago for a good price and never used/needed them...until now. It was pretty interesting working with mandrels and stones this size to say the least as I use mainly larger mandrels.

Finally got it all set up using a face plate to keep the hammer square to the mandrel.


it was clear that the bore was not round as soon as I began honing, which is fairly typical of holes that re reamed. I took a tenth or two at a time until the pin just fit in and now it just slides in nicely with no slop whatsoever.


Just a little side distraction...

The strut pin had walked out a bit, so that needs a bit of attention as well. No shortage of little projects...

I've got a couple of main spring housings that will get touched with a hone as well.

While I shouldn't be the first reply, I see fine setups and work involved. There is Nothing like honing for the smooth bores.

10 years ago I did a 1911 from an unmachined raw stainless frame. It took two starts over several months to get it done and together. Certainly not a project for just anyone. It ended up being one of those things I just had to do. Got a few more frames that might get done someday. A real sense of accomplishment to run a couple boxes of ammo thru it without a glitch.