1911 fitting

[Bret4207]

Can anyone recommend a really good on line source for information on final fitting of a 1911 barrel? I've got one I've been messing with for years that still isn't quite right. A few places I've looked have shown guys doing things I'd describe as "ham handed" at best.

 

[Ian]

There are two carved-in-granite tomes on the subject (by Jerry Kuhnhausen), which are very hotly debated by many. It isn't rocket surgery, but it gets complicated if you don't follow each proper step in order.

Most of the debate comes from whether the barrel is supposed to contact the vertical or the horizontal impact surface of the frame first. Most of my troubles have come from trying to reconcile the paradox of barrel link geometry with amount of lug engagement, length of the barrel feet, and height of the slide above the frame. If the slide sits too high, the barrel is going to hit the vertical impact surface first when lug engagement and foot length to the pin is right, so you have to take some off the back of the back of the barrel lug. If you take too much off there, then the barrel overhangs the magazine well and snags bullet noses as they feed. Lots going on all at once.

What's the problem you're having?

 

[freebullet]

Agi makes professional videos if that's what your after. Other info written by the big names in the 1911 industry can be helpful. Brownels has resources for the 1911 enthusiast.

If your 1911 is having issues this bunch could help if you describe the issues.

 

[Bret4207]

Thanks guys. Basically my "drop in barrel" doesn't quite go fully into battery. It shoots, but it's just a smidge tight somewhere. I've researched this over the past few years (no, I'm not shooting the gun like that, but I did test fire it once) and I've never come to a decision on which approach to take. I've seen people recommend going after the hood first, the lugs, etc. I've never seen a hard and fast troubleshooting guide and I'm not that much of a 1911 lover to have put it on the front burner. The slide is back just a few thou or so from where it should be which requires more force than should be needed to engage it. The rear of the slide sits proud of the frame just a bit where it should be flush. It's probably a matter of a few file strokes in the right spot, but I haven't cared enough about it till now to pursue it. My 1911 wrenching has been limited and mostly related to replacing sights, springs, hammers, etc., and that was all 35 years or more ago.

 

[Ian]

The slide is either stopping on the barrel because the barrel is binding between locking lugs and breech face and not going fully into battery, or the barrel feet aren't going all the way against the slide stop pin because either the link is too long for how the slide sits on the frame, or the feet haven't been milled enough. You'll either need to remove metal from the back of the hood, get a shorter link, or work on the barrel feet (last resort), depending on which is the culprit. Always fit the barrel to the slide first, it should "snick" into battery with the barrel bushing installed, the bearing points being the breech face and the back side of the barrel locking lugs against the recesses milled in the slide. If the barrel easily pops in and out of lockup and is going in at least as far as minimum lug engagement, then look at the barrel link, stop pin, and feet to see if the link is too long or the feet are too long and binding up against the stop pin.

 

[fiver]

I'd also look at the bushing on the front.
I remember years ago when the big thing in 1911 accuracy was fitting the barrel to the muzzle bushing.
aftermarket barrels were sold slightly over sized [and you could get undersized bushings] so you could get a good fitment in that area.

 

[Bret4207]

Okay, thanks. I'll see what I can find.

 

[pokute]

Keeping a spare loose (oversized i.d.) bushing around as a fitting tool will help diagnose most problems. Also having an "ordnance spec" barrel around to compare dimensions with. Almost any 1911 will function with a slightly small barrel and loose bushing, and you can work from there to figure out where your fancy new barrel is hanging up. I've managed to get truly amazing fit with both a Kart EZ-Fit barrel and with a Nowlin semi-fit, but the Kart needed a LOT of material taken off of the "bumps", and the Nowlin needed to have the chamber recut to get it to feed (10mm, expensive reamer). I keep a box full of mysterious old chrome-lined barrels made in the 70's around because they seem to magically fit everything with never more than a longer link and properly sized bushing.

 

[Pistolero]

Two fitting areas. Bottom of bottom lugs must be fitted to the slide stop, and the
top locking lugs may need to have a touch removed from the side to go up into the
slide recesses. Also, need to check headspace with hood. Tiny metal removals are
your friend. Bottom lugs first, usually the others are OK. Occasionally hood width
needs to be narrowed. All very dependent on the particular bbl and particular gun.
Take too much off the hood and you will need to recut the chamber to get headspace.
Ask me how I know that?

First thing, mark the bottom surfaces of the bottom lugs and see if the marker is
wiped off. The bottom of the lugs is what lifts the bbl up, no the link, and this is
the very first and often only thing to fit, other than possibly hood width.

Bill