The Art and Science of Keeping Your 1911 Running

[Evil_Ed]

Factory seconds with at least one oversized hole being sold as gunsmith specials.

Oh! Paperweights! I have a bunch of those

Great for learning how to true front straps and checkering them, practicing fitting grip safeties, etc. The amount of work to turn one into a working gun...well, there's a reason the manufacturer said "fuck this" and decided to try to recoup the losses of machining the forged chunks into frames that they can't use otherwise.

I learned long ago...factory seconds/gunsmith specials are by and large not worth the cost or time unless your dad's a television repairman and he's got this ultimate set of tools...

There's exceptions to be sure and if you do have the time/energy/lack of give a shit, then go for it...but if you're looking for a hit-and-run "make it work" kind of a thing, anything more complicated than a P80 build fails on the time/energy/success continuum. For me, at least! YMMV of course. And you could always get lucky and find that is the only thing wrong with it.

The thing is, if they fucked up a grip bushing hole, that probably wasn't the only thing they fucked up...so be prepared for a cascade failure - first you find that one thing, then you find the sear and hammer pin holes aren't parallel to each other, then you find the magazine well was broached at an angle to the side, then you find that the thumb safety window is too small, then....you get the idea.

[RevolverJIM]

Before welding I would try Stay-Brite low temp silver solder.

[RJ]

Thought I would ask here in “The Big Book of the 1911” thread:

Can anyone tell me the sizes of the scoring rings for the test target that Colt’s used for verifying accuracy at the factory, originally?

It seems to be called a ‘T-10’ or ‘T-10A’. It available for purchase, apparently:

https://www.customshopinc.com/produc...0-test-target/

In use it looks like this:

Attachment 106205

Basically I’m trying to create one using my drawing tool, but I can’t find the size of the scoring rings.

Thanks in advance,

In squinting at a lot of old photo's using my Mk 1 eyeball, I ended up with the following for ring sizes on this "T10 target":

10 – 1.0”
9 – 2.0”
8 – 3.0”
7 – 4.0”
6 – 5.5”
5 – 7.0”
4 – 9.0”

If any of ya'll have one of these old Test Targets around, I'd be obliged if you could check me on this.

I went ahead and created one, at least graphically with my 1911 on my test target, it does not seem a million miles away from the ones I see online, so I think I am close.

Random picture of a Colt Gold Cup+Test target I found on the internet on the left, my Springfield sitting on my "T-10" target on the right.

[awp_101]

@Evil_Ed, yeah I’ve learned the hard way to ask questions first and decide if it’s a “good deal” later.

I’ve got less time for projects than I’ve had in the past and I’ve already got more than I can count on one hand that really need to be finished before adopting any more strays.

[awp_101]

Ok, despite saying I don’t need any more projects I need to lead this irrational desire down the primrose path.

Besides Caspian and JEM, who else do we like for new stripped frames and slides?

[Trukinjp13]

Results of buying a pistol that was sent to a supposedly good smith. But in actuality the trigger is horrible, grip safety is fitted to the point of not working and thumb safety figment was brutal.

So, you replace all springs, fit new trigger shoe throw in drop in trigger assembly to replace all fire control. Fit bulletproof Wilson safety and grip safety, replace arched with flat mainspring. Sprinkle a few 10-8 parts for the feels. And viola gtg.

Needs a range session to verify sight height for replacing with new 10-8 sights and coat the small parts to match the frame. Which was at least melonited by the smith.


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[RJ]

Dropped in a new WC BP Plunger Assy today, part no. 821B.

I was curious, seems like the Springfield part (at right) spring had foreshortened quite a bit in 735 rounds, or maybe the WC part (at left) spring starts out bigger? I admit these are the only two plunger assy's I've eve examined., so I dunno. Both springs have 13 coils.

The TS is definitely a little crispier to engage/disengage now.

[theJanitor]

BTW, you might want to put a little kink in that spring. It'll help hold it in place when you remove the thumb safety.

[SW CQB 45]

BTW, you might want to put a little kink in that spring. It'll help hold it in place when you remove the thumb safety.

I would like to know your method on this kink?

I recall some using their fingers and twist.

I don’t have the fingers or finesse for that type of work.

[theJanitor]

I would like to know your method on this kink?

I recall some using their fingers and twist.

I don’t have the fingers or finesse for that type of work.

The smallest kink works. It just needs a little friction to keep the spring from shooting out of the tube. You could just put the spring at the edge of a table and press it with your thumb. I'm not keen on using a plier for this as I fear it'll put a stress mark on the spring. The spring isn't stressed much, but I'd hate for it to break in the plunger tube, and have to fish out the other piece

If you buy a good spring, like EGW, the kink is preset