Question for Tuner I haven't seen you

[Catshooter]

answer before.

How do you adjust the alignment of the rear of the slide with the rear of the receiver?

I have two 1911s, one of which the slide is about 1/16th of an inch too far forward, the other is about the same to the rear.

If this has been covered, I'm sorry I missed it. I read the Clinic and didn't see it anywhere.

Thanks.


Cat

 

[1911Tuner]

Slide to Frame

Howdy Catshooter,

No quick and easy fix for that one. Either refit a new barrel or blend the
rear of the slide and frame to match. To see which needs to be done,
look at the thumb safety notch, and how it aligns with the safety in the engaged position. If it fits closely, it calls for blending. If the triangle-shaped notch has a gap ahead of the matching angle on the safety, it'll require a barrel. If the slide or frame specs are out of whack, it may need both...or even a different slide.

 

[Catshooter]

Thanks Tuner.

Is the misalignment indicitive of a hazardous condition? Sounds like it might be.

My 1911 that leads doeshave the same sized gap in the front of the safety. It has lead a bit of a rough life, maybe I'll post it's pic. It's a US&S.


Cat

 

[1911Tuner]

US&S

Thanks Tuner.

Is the misalignment indicitive of a hazardous condition? Sounds like it might be.

My 1911 that leads doeshave the same sized gap in the front of the safety. It has lead a bit of a rough life, maybe I'll post it's pic. It's a US&S.


Cat

Hazardous? Not unless the bad barrel fit causes other issues. It's likely that the barrel was replaced during an armory rebuild/repair, or even inadvertently swapped with a barrel from another pistol. Also possible that the slide and frame are mismatched...US&S slide on a Colt, Ithaca, or Remington Rand frame...unless you've verified the serial numbers to be US&S. That happened a lot.

If the barrel times correctly, and the headspace checks okay, it should be safe to fire...but if it's a genuine Union Switch, I wouldn't shoot it a lot...even a rough one. Please do post a picture. I'd like to see the barrel separately too.

 

[Catshooter]

Ok Tuner, I got pics.

They're in My Pictures in my 'puter.

How do I post 'em?


Cat

 

[1911Tuner]

Pix

Hit Reply and scroll down to the box marked "Manage Attachments". Click on it and look for the box that says Upload File from your Computer. Hit Browse
and find the picture in your file folder. Highlight and open the picture. Hit Upload and wait for it to upload. Close the attachment window and hit Submit Reply.

If it doesn't work, you can send it to me on an E-mail. Check your PMs

 

[orionengnr]

and once again

I learn something useful.

Seems like every time I see "1911 Tuner", I have to read the thread...and I have never yet regretted it. In this instance, I learned a bit about 1911s and a bit about posting pics.

Keep up the great work, John!

Best regards, Rich

 

[1911Tuner]

re: Learnin'

Just doin' mah job, man...

 

[Catshooter]

Let's see if this'll work right. I took pics showing the fit of the rear of the slide, the safety fit, the barrel and the overall pistol.

 

[SkyGuy]

OMG!

I say don't shoot that sucker. It looks ready to blow.
.

 

[Catshooter]

In hand, it looks worse than the pics.

I asked the guy I got it from about it, and he said he's put more than 2000 handloads through it. (This is a man I trust absolutey.)

Still scary, though.


Cat

 

[1911Tuner]

Rusty Switch

Sounds like the name of a Heavy Metal group...don't it?

A few years back, a guy brought me a pistol that he had left in the leaky trunk of his car for a year or two. It was so completly rusted shut, that I had to soak it in kerosene and beat it apart. When I started getting the
scale and corrosion worked down enough that I could tell that there actually was a gun under there somewhere...I could also see part of the U and part of Swissvale. I thought about just shootin' the guy...but discretion got the better of me (<---movie line!)

Believe it or not...The gun worked. There was enough rifling left in the barrel to at least give the bullet a nudge, and I could hit a gallon-sized paint can with it at about 10 paces.

I'd have to venture a guess that the slide/frame misalignment may be at least partly due to its condition. To try to say more would require havin' it on the bench so I could eyeball it up close and personal.

 

[Catshooter]

This one's story.

Man brought it home from the war (WW 2 for the kids out there.)

After a few years, it fell down into the wall he had had it perched on. Oh well.

He eventually moved, and the house fell apart. About 20, 25 years later he went back and since the house was abandened he opened up the wall and retreived it. Gave it to his nephew. I think he stored it loaded. It was on half cock for sure as you can see a corrorsion line on the hammer.

Nephew soaked it in kerosene for a month or so, then comenced to beat on the rear of the slide with a hammer until it started to move. Lather, rinse, repeat. Finally it cycled.

So my buddy trades him out of it, and he shoots some thousands of reloads out of it. Says it shoots pretty well, too. I traded him out of it, I couldn't help myself.

I just wanted to be sure it was safe enough to shoot, allthough I know it has been shot plenty.

You can still see the craftmanship under all the pitting. Oh well.


Cat

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

In case you don't know it the rain patterns in Washington State can fill up a leaky trunk in one winter or two. Call me a believing man on that rusty pistol.