Colt 1911, Maybe

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 9:47 pm

I was browsing through a number of handguns on consignment sale at the range. One was a Colt 1911 with adjustable sights. The exterior was worn, but on a quick look, the pistol seemed to be in pretty good shape. The price was ~$300. Figured at that price, it was worth the risk.

The owner had disabled the grip safety and the FFL holder said he couldn't sell it if the safety had been disabled. I couldn't get him to sell it with my written assurance that I'd fix it. He was having problems fixing it.

I looked up disabling grip safeties and it didn't seem that hard if you knew how it was done originally. Sounds like the worst that could happen is you replace a few parts.

Did I misunderestimate the fix?

Baldy · Post by **Baldy** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 2:39 am

It's not that hard to fix but the fitting might be a little touchy for a kitchen table gunsmith. It just depends on what he has done to it, and how he disabled it to begin with.

Post by **Bullseye** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:39 pm

Depends on the method used to disable the grip safety. If it is on consignment you may be able to contact the pistol's owner and arrange a face-to-face sale. An FFL holder doesn't have to be involved for personal sales in your state (unless of course if you are in Michigan on vacation and that's where the gun is located).

R,
Bullseye

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 2:47 pm

$300 !!! You can't even buy an air pistol that looks like a 1911 for that

I do hope that I see a picture of it in your collection soon greener! Regards

greener · Post by **greener** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 9:13 am

Depends on whether KC remembers I said I would buy it. Won't be at the range for a couple weeks. Relaxing in wonderful downtown Haslett, MI, right now.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Mon Jul 19, 2010 3:56 pm

greener wrote:Depends on whether KC remembers I said I would buy it. Won't be at the range for a couple weeks. Relaxing in wonderful downtown Haslett, MI, right now.

Didn't know that Haslett even had a downtown. If memory serves me correctly when my youngest daughter was going to State she lived a year or two in the BIG city of Okemos, down the road a ways.

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:15 pm

Turns out to be something a smith put together: Essex arms frame, arched mainspring housing, colt slide, bo-mar sights. The FFL said work had been done on the trigger and it was "real light." It has a 14-lb spring. The grip safety had been disabled. He put in a new grip safety and "fixed" the trigger so it wasn't so light. He said it was unsafe and had to be made safe before he could sell it. I fired 12 rounds at 25 yards. The last 5 were in a 2" group.

The bushing is on very tight and I have been unable to move it. The Taurus came with a plastic lug wrench, which doesn't seem to want to move it.

$300 gun. Probably worth messing with.

bgreenea3 · Post by **bgreenea3** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:19 pm

Looks like it could be a good one to tinker with......cant wait 'til our next range session to shoot it......maybe it won't kaboom like your taurus!

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:47 pm

Kaboom was your reload, I think.

Loads of fun getting the Bushing off. The spring arich rides in the groove so I can't get the spring out and remove the bushing. Anyone have a better tool or idea?

Post by **Bullseye** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:55 pm

If that barrel bushing is up to "Match" tolerances then you will need a metal 1911 bushing wrench to turn it in the slide. Once turned, you'll have to use the barrel itself to "tap" out the bushing. This is accomplished by grabbing the front of the barrel and sliding the barrel back and forth like a dent puller. Don't use anything else but a bushing wrench or you'll damage the barrel bushing.

Essex frames were an inexpensive way to build a hardball gun on an "Series 70" style frame. Many folks bought these and then built their own match guns. That pistol also has an old style BoMar "rollo" adjustable rear sight.

Based on what I can see the pistol was likely built to compete in the DCM/CMP service pistol category. This meant it could be used in "Leg" matches, providing it met with the 4 1/2 pound trigger requirement and all applicable safety features are operable. That one wouldn't have made the requirements but sounds like it will now.

Oops, I see you posted another picture while I was typing this message - a full length recoil spring guide rod is not up to "service pistol" requirements.

R,
Bullseye

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 5:21 pm

Got the darned thing apart. Will clean it up and do some pictures in a bit.

Post by **Bullseye** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 5:22 pm

There can be a couple of methods for removing your full length guide rod. One is that rod unscrews somewhere mid-length into two pieces. But, that usually means the end of the rod has an "Allen" recess to rotate it and unscrew the two halves. I don't see one of those. Another method is to push the rod forward some of the way, there should be a hole drilled though the rod to insert a piece of metal to remove the spring tension pressure. Then once the pressure is removed you can tilt the rod out of the rear of the slide.

R,
Bullseye

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 5:54 pm

Aaaaah yeeeeeesssss, I have more guns than I really need but i REALLY NEED more guns, Glad to hear you got that one

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 6:55 pm

bearandoldman wrote:Aaaaah yeeeeeesssss, I have more guns than I really need but i REALLY NEED more guns, Glad to hear you got that one

is it time we had a sale on the ones we don't need and depress the firearms market?

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:03 pm

I thought I could relieve tension by removing the slide and then removing the recoil spring. It looks like the recoil buffer that I totally misidentified made it impossible to remove the recoil rod over the barrel lug. I started reassembling it and managed to relieve enough tension to move the bushing.

The pistol has a solid, one piece guide rod. The barrel has "S&W" stamped on the lug. It looks pretty good after some work with Rem Oil, a fiber brush and Iosso bore cleaner.

I definitely need a steel bushing wrench for this one. The plastic wrench that came with the Taurus is a bit weak. It will work fine on the Taurus, but I don't need a wrench to move the bushing.

I think I'd like to lighten up the trigger. Haven't figured what else I'd like to do with this one.