Biden rhetoric spawns a pistol

[Magnumite]

Well l, I stopped for a spell on the Caspian/Baer 1911 to take care of a special project. For more info follow this link:

https://www.1911forum.com/threads/biden’s-influence-spawns-a-pistol.1041659/

The story goes….
After Biden’s anti-gun and 9mm tirade my niece texts and asks me to build her a 9mm 1911 before 9mm gets banned. I told her he, Biden, couldn't push the 9mm legislation through because it is so immensely popular. BUT…we could still do a pistol. Just pay for parts. We talked about an estimated price range…and a frame was ordered. I had a new take off upper assembly and other necessary parts. Some were included gratis.Some highlights from the build.

Here goes some highlights…
- Mapping, just some of frame is shown. Not all dimensions were mapped, some aspects if this slide and frame combination indicated further mapping was unnecessary;
- Slide mapping was drawn below the frame map;
- Slide/frame lateral and vertical clearance measurement, only one of each shown;
- Measure barrel lower lug depth;
- Selecting a link.

 

[Magnumite]

Grip safety fit to frame. The grip safety was fully blended (Except for the top of the beavertail). My niece has small hands so more work was required. Sometimes you don’t know until the pistol is built. Here are pics of fitting to frame and contouring after polishing..today! EeeeIiiiii !!!

 

[Magnumite]

Barrel chamfer was highly needed;
Making a trigger freeplay and pretravel adjustment tab on front of trigger bow;
Installing and fitting ejector, relieve slide to ejector interference.

 

[Magnumite]

Tuning a roughly tuned extractor…

First two are as acquired.
Last three are after tuning.

 

[Magnumite]

From machined bevel to widened magwell…

 

[Magnumite]

Because my niece has small hands I am reducing the front to rear and peripheral dimensions. I am cutting corners where I can. The hole in the housing will be plugged or become a sear tension adjustment.

Using a different mainspring housing I filed off the serrations and a little more. I stippled it because smooth is not very effective for grip security. I also relieved the rear of the frame slightly. I also beveled the front and rear border of each grip panel.

 

[Magnumite]

Preparing to test fire…
Post cut the front sight.
Roughed in the bottom of the trigger guard straight back.
Reduced the amount the memory bump protrudes. Pics before and after.

 

[Atrox88]

Just an awesome piece of work and what a gift! I love watching skilled craftsmen at work.

 

[Sundazes]

Nice!
So are you making a ghost gun for your niece?

 

[Alan3413]

Simply gorgeous! Your niece will treasure this for years to come.

 

[Magnumite]

Thank you all.
This is a serialized frame ordered for this project.

 

[cantstop]

Really nice work. Your niece is a lucky gal.

 

[Magnumite]

^^^

 

[Magnumite]

Test fired. Shots well, smooth. Extraction and ejection is flawless, passes the empty magwell test. Metalform mag tested, my go to, worked perfectly. I did change the recoil spring to keep the front sight returning to the same position after slide returns. More tuning there since I will be upgrading to an EGW square bottom firing pin stop and extractor (RIA extractors have a rep for fatiguing fairly early relative to firing cycles). I had two malfunctions:

1. The MecGar mag failed to lock slide back after last round. This frame is .020” thicker on the slide stop side of the frame. So the 9mm slide stop lug is not reaching the follower in that mag particular mag.
2. Top round of full mags did not feed from open slide. Top round nose diving. Mag springs good. I expected this really since I didn’t address the feedramp/magwell interface yet. I was waiting to see how it ran. I’ll need to work on that transition and perhaps move the ramp forward a bit.

Accuracy…good for a factory fitted barrel and slide on a ‘stranger’s’ frame. Pictures shown. Sights were fuzzy…need new Rx for the eyes.

Target 1: Getting a feel for the sight setting at 8 yards.
Target 2: Same as 1. Reloaded 4 rounds and shot the 4 shot group circled.
Target 3. Two groups shot at 7 and 17 yards. Two groups at 7 yards show the sights were fuzzy. Each group was shot separately. 17 yard group has a low flier.
Target 4: Group 1 in green…scatter gun, baby! Group two shots were called and close, but for best accuracy even with thos factory loading a new barrel. But I don’t think she wants to do the Kart barrel thing.

 

[Magnumite]

What I have done post test:
1. Fitted a Wilson/Dwyer Group Gripper and link to the barrel. This has made an obvious improvement to lock up;
2. Blended the relieved area behind and under trigger guard;
3. The reveal in front of the grip on one side of the pistol was not as great as the other side. So I evened them out and put more bevel on the leading and trail edges of the grips.

 

[Alan3413]

Great attention to detail. I hope your niece appreciates just how much work you've put into it.

 

[DadOSix]

Beautiful work!

 

[BADSHOT]

Hey uncle magnum I might need one too!! LOL

 

[Magnumite]

Uncle Magnum…been called a lot of things but never that!

Thanks, all!

 

[Magnumite]

Face off bottom of barrel ramp, move ramp forward and polish.
Reblend grip safety.