Let's see your 1911's
- Thread starter GSF6493
- Start date
pokute
Active Member
Here's one you don't see often anymore, originally put together a few miles from my house, almost 30 years ago, and re-fitted/updated in 2010 by Garey at the Cleveland location. I managed to beg Ace's super-secret-squirrel loading data from Garey, too
View attachment 4434
That's one fine gun. I see little details on the frame that betray the amount of work that went into that.
pokute
Active Member
Maybe this is the funniest one of all. Probably the greatest pistolsmith of all time. I have yet to see a gun built by him, and I've spent hours hanging out in his shop! I have no idea what it takes in the way of cash and whatever to get Alan Tanaka to build you a gun, but I have no doubt it would be truly awesome:
pokute
Active Member
I built this one myself, from scratch, with hand tools:
It's a 10mm. Took me about 18 months to complete. The Nowlin barrel had the chamber only almost complete. I had to buy a reamer to finish cutting the chamber, a quarter turn at a time, over three days. 2lb trigger with a recut C&S Marine Corps hammer (because C&S hammers are hardened through, so you can recut them at will and still get a long-wearing trigger) and other internals from EGW, plus a Clark 4 finger sear spring. Another nasty bit was fitting the slide to the frame... I learned that if you want to use Caspian slides and/or frames, you want to call Caspian and tell them what you intend to do. They will custom match a slide and frame for you and save you many hours of grief. I swapped out the 1913 slide stop when I finally found a nice checkered SS stop. All my 1911's wear WWII triggers, which are the shortest triggers I could find.
I think the single most important tool I purchased to do that build was a granite surface plate. 80 pounds of flatness.
It's a 10mm. Took me about 18 months to complete. The Nowlin barrel had the chamber only almost complete. I had to buy a reamer to finish cutting the chamber, a quarter turn at a time, over three days. 2lb trigger with a recut C&S Marine Corps hammer (because C&S hammers are hardened through, so you can recut them at will and still get a long-wearing trigger) and other internals from EGW, plus a Clark 4 finger sear spring. Another nasty bit was fitting the slide to the frame... I learned that if you want to use Caspian slides and/or frames, you want to call Caspian and tell them what you intend to do. They will custom match a slide and frame for you and save you many hours of grief. I swapped out the 1913 slide stop when I finally found a nice checkered SS stop. All my 1911's wear WWII triggers, which are the shortest triggers I could find.
I think the single most important tool I purchased to do that build was a granite surface plate. 80 pounds of flatness.
Ian
Notorious member
Well, if Mr. Tanaka uses a Bridgeport milling machine for a storage shelf, he's bound to have plenty of money. I only have two hands, so I only have four 1911s. Also, having two in ACP, one in each of the Super calibers pretty much covers it. If I ever get a 9mm it will be a Hi-Power.
pokute
Active Member
Sure. 30 Carbine! In the Automag III.
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
Mr. Tanaka's Chevalier (Bridgeport clone) mill doesn't get used much. It's way too clean. He even has a stepper or servo motor on the quill. An NC conversion probably.
pokute
Active Member
Actually, the Chevalier in that pic is a surface grinder. The Bridgeport is just behind it. His shop is actually quite large, with many mills, lathes, grinders... and a few dozen centrifugal casters, whatever you call those things.
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
It has been reliably reported that Colt made 1911A1's also in .30 Luger and .30 Mauser for the Italian commercial market in the 1950's and 1960's. While I have seen two re-imported .30 Lugers, I have yet to see a .30 Mauser.
pokute
Active Member
I would dearly love to see one of those. Until I do, and decide I can't live without it, I'll keep my TT33. I'd swear that TT33 could kill a man out to, oh, about 3 feet if the bullets felt like going in that direction that day. Terrific gun. I'd turn it into an accurizing project if I could learn to solder shim stock so I could build up the places that don't need to be filed down. Maybe I'll just use paper shims made from old manila folders.
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
I used JB weld epoxy on the shims in my TT.
pokute
Active Member
I'm not trying to make a Glock!