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I got one of those m10 frames from jgsales and a 2" barrel from numerichs. It hand tightens to about 9 oclock.
Im tempted to do it myself but part of me wants a professional to do it.
Im handy and am totally confident fitting 1911 parts.
Can someone at least list the tools i need?
A revolver frame wrench, a vise, and a leigh.
How do you like the kit from JGsales?
It was worth $150 imo. Once I cleaned the insides out it has a typical worn in k frame trigger.Quote:
Originally Posted by feudist
Ive done several, maybe 8. I make pine or oak blocks to sort of fit the frame and barrel contours, I use a sanding drum on a dremel to get the rough contours shaped in, and some hand rasps and files. I clamp the frame with barrel upright in a vise, and made a barrel clamp tool from scrap 1" angle iron. I found that having handles on both sides instead of one gives more even torquing. I also made a barrel clamp tool from 1x4 rough cut pine boards that worked fine, I left about 2 feet of handle, which was way more than needed. On the wood one I used 1/4" carriage bolts, on the angle iron one, regular hex head 1/4" bolts.Quote:
Originally Posted by 03RN
Ive done them without formal, fully fitted frame blocks, but prefer to have something to support the frame better under the barrel where the yoke normally is. Ive borrowed the delrin blocks from a guy I know once, and also just put the yoke back in the frame to give better support, which seems to work fine. On K frames the gas flange thing interferes with the barrel turning. I took an old one and filed it to give clearance so that wasnt a problem.
I put a couple layers of painters tape on the inside of the frame to protect it from the files when fitting the gap and getting the forcing cone squared up. I put shrapie black on the back of the barrel, check where its touching, file and clean up, check, repeat until the side the cylinder first touches is good, then work it back until its evenly touching the feeler gauge when checking. Be sure to have the end shake set first. A coarse double cut file gets larger amounts of metal out of the way to rough fit, such as a 38 barrel with 357 cylinder, a small fine cut file does the smaller amounts. A triangle ceramic file does the cleanup of file marks, as does small jewelers files for small areas. Always stop before you think its good, then check, again, and again, and again....its hard to put metal back on. Be patient. Often its take 3 or 4 file strokes, check, repeat.
The barrel clamp tool is about 24" for one piece that is the handles, the clamping part is whatever length is required to fit the bolts safely around the frame. I sometimes drill the wood blocks also so the bolts hold the blocks in place. I use the barrel rib and/or the extractor rod lug to help get a decent grip on the barrel. So far havent had a problem with that. If it slips easy, torque the clamp screws down more. Hardwood flooring scraps make decent blocks and dont squish like pine, when turning parts, but the pine has mostly worked ok.
Not sure I have pics handy, but can get some within a week.
The barrel clamp tool isnt in this, but shows some of the other odds and ends used.
Attachment 57453
This is my most often used gun workshop, the chopping block by the porch, and the porch itself. I dont have space anywhere else at the cabin right now. This was fitting a hand to a 29.
Attachment 57454
Thanks for that.
Some will say that barrel changes and some other work should only be done by gunsmiths or people with large amounts of special tools, because of all the possibilities that could go wrong. Yes, there are things that can come up, but I say if you avoid doing anything because of all the possibilities you may not be equipped to deal with, youre missing out on a lot of interesting and satisfying things in life, not just gun work.
Yes, a barrel may need to be set back because it has too large of a gap. Cross that bridge if you come to, it, no point making hurdles for yourself before ever starting. This isnt directed at anyone in particular, just saying, much gun work is well within the semi-talented hobbyist realm. If you come up against something you cant deal with yourself, then stop and figure out what to do next, rather than think of all the possible negative possibilities, then never proceed. Ive started on projects, then realized i didnt have the tools or parts to proceed, then returned the gun to its former configuration, but thats the minority situation. Most of the hair brained things ive done have turned out OK.
You can do this.
I know it's been awhile since you posted the question, but I rented all the tools I needed from 4D Reamer Rentals. www.4drentals.com. for my recent Model 10 build. Buying the tools would have been around $450 from Brownells, but I rented the same tools for $87.00 with shipping. You get them for a full 7 days and ship them back.Quote:
Originally Posted by 03RN
I have no affiliation with the above company, they took my money just like anyone else...