GunTalk-Online.com

First off, Bullseye, love the site! I primarily shoot .45, but after moving to Rawlins, WY, I discovered our rec center has an indoor computerized pistol range. It is FREE with a rec center membership. I have gone from shooting a couple times a month to 6 days a week. My biggest problem is that I cannot afford shooting that much .45 or even .38. Actually, I can't reload fast enough to keep up anyway... which finally brings me to my point.

A friend gave me an old bull barreled Mark 2 about 5 years ago. I have plinked with it a few times, but really nothing more. Now, I am shooting it almost every day. PPC, NRA, Baricades, Military, falling plates, etc etc. Great fun and cheap to shoot.

From reading your site, I have already put in some fiber optic sights, hogue grip, Volq sear and extractor. All good mods. I have written to Volq about the miniscule safety on the Mark 2. Scott told me that he was hoping to have one out in January. Would that be cool!

Anyway, if it doesn't happen, here are my thoughts... I pulled the safety today and have some concerns about drilling and tapping it as you suggested in a previous post due to the possibility of hitting the spring. The safety button measures .280. I was thinking about getting a cap screw as you suggested, cutting off the threads, drilling out the center, chamfering the back, and tack welding it through the center to the original. Any thoughts? Anyone ever tried it?

I will post a pic if I try it. I also plan on adding a tab to my mag release and slide lock. I am too cheap to buy what I can fab up myself. Besides, I enjoy messing with it.

Speaking of which, I do need some advice. I like the clean break of the new sear but the pretravel on the trigger totally unnacceptable. I don't want to spend $30 on a trigger. Anyone modded one yourself? I would LOVE to see a pic of where you drilled and tapped to make it work. I am scratching my bald head trying to figure it out. Please post me a pic and some measurements.

Thanks for the awesome site! I have already soaked up a lot of knowledge from you guys.

John

Welcome, this is a great forum.

You don't need a extended slide release. If you use the slide release enough you will round off the slot in the bolt and it won't lock open anymore.
The best way to release the bolt is to "Slingshot" it. Pull it back and just let it go.

For the mag release just drill a hole in it and put a steel pin in it use JB Weld to epoxy it in.

Welcome to Guntalk-Online lutherfetch!

I'm happy that you find this forum useful. You brought up a few interesting points in your posting. One, I did not add my own pretravel screw installation procedure to this forum. It appears on other sites with my permission but I overlooked adding it here. Well I've corrected that oversight with this posting http://www.guntalk-online.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=651

I had to go back to my friend Yzguy's website and copy my own procedure. A little modification and bingo it's here.

Next, if you want to add a button to the thumb safety then you can tap through with a cap screw. You will have to remove the spring and detent ball first. Then re drill the passage for the spring and detent ball once the screw is installed. Another option would be to use JB Weld epoxy to fasten an extension onto the thumb safety. I wouldn't go the weld route unless you have access to a good MIG welder.

You can fab/add an extension to your magazine release as Recumbent suggested or pick up one of the aftermarket ones like the Ranch Products extended mag release.

Like you I enjoy shooting the 22 rimfires. They are far less expensive to shoot and you'll get lots of quality practice out of these pistols. Shooting the 22 rimfire cartridge will vastly improve your centerfire scores.

Good shooting.

R,
Bullseye

Welcome!

Hope you have as much fun with yours as I have had with mine. These are truely great pistols with a lot of options for "tinkerers" too. Have fun!

JJ

Welcome lutherfetch!
This is truly THE no nonsense gun site.

SD

Thanks for all the great replies. Shot a round of Practical and a round of Advanced Miltary Pistol. The new extractor was flawless. Thanks for the tip. Didn't notice a significant difference in the trigger with the sear change... but again, I have about 12 inches of pretravel still. That is going to have to be fixed. Bullseye, thanks for the post. I am going to work on that mod. Your other posts really helped me with the sear change last night. Thanks again.

I am going to be the one Nay sayer of JB Weld on a firearm. I prefer projectiles leaving my firearm only through the barrel. Long story. Nope, I am using my welder.

Interesting note on the slide release wearing out. Thanks. Won't mess with it.

Had 2 Remington misfires today. One didn't off, and then my personal favorite, the explosion with the slide have open and the next cartridge bent at a 45 degree angle. What's up with that? Anyway, only a couple hundred round of Remington left, and I will be into my Federals.

Will let you know about future mods. Thanks again for all the great posts.

John