Tisas GI type 1911 9mm upgrade

[Magnumite]

I was having "mag related" issues on my Tisas until I swapped the mag release for a Wilson Bulletproof. I think the stock catch was lining things up slightly off. No issues since that part change.

The new catch may be holding the mag higher. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Magnumite]

Final phase completed. Well, it works - 100%. Sight regulation was spot on as can be seen in the photos. After some fun warm up on the hostage target and chasing the rabbit (to test first need for sight regulation, accuracy, and...me!

The relinking is good. The relinking, in this case did not eliminate all vertical clearance but it did result in a flatter barrel movement during unlocking. The trigger is smooth, though a tool steel hammer would better it even more. I have always noticed a difference in the character of a pull using good tool steel sears and hammers. Anyway, the original grips I put back on it...will be taken off and replaced with the original wood Baer pattern grips I had on before. I developed the front strap and grip safety with those grips...makes sense. My bad there. Sight install, you'll see in the pics the elevation was perfect for distances contact to 25 yards.

Since this is a practical/utililty type pistol I shot standing at distances of 12, 17, and 25 yards. I typically use a 6 o'clock hold but since the eyes didn't like the yellow/white combination I shot to center of each target. Only the windage needed adjustment via the rear sight. Targets shot at 12 and 17 yards are shown and unmarked except for distance. Ammunition is one of my favorites for blasting in 9mm or shooting steel action matches...Blazer aluminum 115 grain fmj. Velocity is 1145 fps.

 

[Magnumite]

Next is the first two groups at 25 yards shot standing. Ist group was way left. Second group after first adjustment was closer to center. Shown is an unmarked and mark targets.

 

[Magnumite]

Last, is the composite of the last groups shot for sight adjustment and accuracy. Shown are unmarked and marked targets showing the respective groups. It is obvious the second adjustment sent the groups way right. Two additional adjustments brought the group to center.

 

[Magnumite]

After the group testing and sight regulation, time to have fun. I did some shooting drills and the gun shoots very smooth and is nibble to maneuvuer. The pistol does what it is supposed to do…me…well..I do ‘mis-fire’. Discounting called fliers, using best three of 5 shots, other types of assessments, considering the ammo used…even intuitive estimation I would estimate this is a 2” - 2.5” gun at 25 yards.

Being a full size 1911 in 9mm…what’s not to like? Except it isn’t a 45. But when shooting this pistol then a 40 S&W (which I did, same recoil as a 45) I can say there is no reason to use the 45 for most games…except for rules. I feel the heat of the flames now…

Anyway, final form…

 

[Magnumite]

I was handling and dry firing the pistol, liking how it turned out. Debating on using it for a club match. Anyway, I went through this pistol to get it where I wanted it. Not every part was nit picked. Well, I found a part I should have nit picked.

The slide stop. My error in posting this was in not taking a before picture. But I fudged the finished product to show what captured my attention. Here is a pic of what I saw in how the slide stop hold open lug engaged the slide hold open notch.
Imagine the lug fuller (longer) toward the front of the pistol (left end of picture). And both ends of the top of the lug were sharp cornered. It was a military spec size hold open lug. I suspect the notch is a little narrow…but I did the fitting.

EDIT: I did attach zoom pic of a 1911 with similar fitment issues. The Tisas slide stop lug was fuller still.

 

[Magnumite]

I this pic you can see the final shape of the lug. I had to relieve the points in the places of the three arrows. This was not a 1/2 hour job. Maybe I am just slow.

The process at the rear upper corner, went to the top front corner, then the area in front of the lug. I also had knock a few thousandths of an inch off the top of the ‘tombstone’ retaining lug. Not much, a few light needle file strokes. I checked first to make sure fitting on the tombstone wouldn’t allow the slide stop to walk out and disassemble the pistol while shooting. Normally I work under the top of the lug window in the frame.

Also pictured is the textured and touch up Oxpho-Blu'd slide stop.

Pictured is the finished installed slide stop.

 

[Magnumite]

Reading the slides stop witness marks...

Here is the slide stop removed, viewed from the rear as installed in the pistol. The red arrows point to the contact made by the barrel feet against the slide stop from the slide closing into battery. This is nice contact.

The black arrow shows the link’s witness mark and the barrel kind of ‘pole vaulting’ around on the slide stop pin and ‘handed off’ to the lower lugs for a smooth transistion during action closing.

 

[Magnumite]

Here the barely visible and uneven contact marks on the top of the pin where the lug flats should engage. This is not a match fit barrel...those marks should be even and distinct. It is a nice standard stock grade barrel but not match fit. These marks indicate the barrel kind of ‘rattling around’ on the link as it moves into battery.

 

[Magnumite]

Here is the underside of the slide stop pin. The red arrows point to the impact of the slide stop against the pin bore in the frame. Still want to use 22 pound recoil springs for beating the frame of a 45 ACP chambered 1911 pistol?

The black arrow again points to the link witness mark. But here is shows how the link in tension pulling the barrel down as the slide and barrel move rearward.

 

[Magnumite]

Changed the grips again. I didn’t see any sense in modifying the magwell/covered pin type grips for this pistol.

 

[Magnumite]

A little improvement to one original modification. I was conservative recontouring the grip safety for concern of getting into the frame finish (cerakote/park). The pistol didn’t sit as sound in my hand as i had desired it to. Not caring for that I threw reservation to the wind, I marked the grip safety spur to coincide to the frame tangs. I reground, filed and polished the grip safety to more closely blend with the frame tangs and upper backstrap radii. I did this without marring the frame finish except for the sharp edges bordering the frame tangs…form following function.

The change felt in holding and even moreso when shooting the pistol was huge. Thumb safety and grip safety maniplations and disengaement were + 100%. Notice with the grip safety engaged (undepressed) the frame tangs lower edge slightly overhang the grip safety lower contour. With the gs disengaged (depressed) the gs coutour is just slightly lower than the frame tangs. This gives a good hold higher on the pistol without abrading the hand if there is less than full depth of grip on the grip safety.

A little goes a long way. Pics attached. One marked Tisas is after original recontour but before this recontour. I’ll try to get them in order.

 

[Rockzilla]

A little improvement to one original modification. I was conservative recontouring the grip safety for concern of getting into the frame finish (cerakote/park). The pistol didn’t sit as sound in my hand as i had desired it to. Not caring for that I threw reservation to the wind, I marked the grip safety spur to coincide to the frame tangs. I reground, filed and polished the grip safety to more closely blend with the frame tangs and upper backstrap radii. I did this without marring the frame finish except for the sharp edges bordering the frame tangs…form following function.

The change felt in holding and even moreso when shooting the pistol was huge. Thumb safety and grip safety maniplations and disengaement were + 100%. Notice with the grip safety engaged (undepressed) the frame tangs lower edge slightly overhang the grip safety lower contour. With the gs disengaged (depressed) the gs coutour is just slightly lower than the frame tangs. This gives a good hold higher on the pistol without abrading the hand if there is less than full depth of grip on the grip safety.

A little goes a long way. Pics attached. One marked Tisas is after original recontour but before this recontour. I’ll try to get them in order. View attachment 434701 View attachment 434702 View attachment 434703

Great work...once again. Detailed explanation with pictures even I can follow it (lol)

Much appreciated the details, gives me some thoughts.
Thanks

Oh is the rubber band an option?

-Rock

 

[Magnumite]

Great work...once again. Detailed explanation with pictures even I can follow it (lol)

Much appreciated the details, gives me some thoughts.
Thanks

Oh is the rubber band an option?

-Rock

LOL! Rubber bands 2 for $1.00!

Thanks!

 

[Magnumite]

A couple things bothered me about this pistol…’places’ to finish up.

The rear bottom of the mainspring housing was still a little square so I round butted the round butt (like that, do ya?). Goal was to put more curv on the corner with minimal alteration to the frame. So I blended the radii on the housing to work with the factory corner blend on the frame. Comparing Tisas to most other frames you’ll find their blend radius is larger and more vertical.

Opened up the magwell…i.e. bottom of the grip frame.

And that fitted barrel bushing. The flange was too thick for the amount of barrel reveal, square shouldered, and took away from the rest of the pistol.

This book is finished…