Selecting a barrel for a 1911

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Stinkyshoe

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In the next 2-3 years, I would like to start building a 1911 from a Caspian frame and Slide. I am trying to decide on the parts and features I'd like as well learn how assemble/disassemble and do basic gun smithing.

I'd like my "dream gun" to be accurate as well as reliable. Right now, I am curious about the barrel. I have seen a Ed Brown drop in, Kart easy fit, Wilson drop in, StormLake prefit all in Brownells. It matters little to me if the barrel is stainless or will be parkarized. My first concern is accuracy. Which one of these barrels will have the greatest potential for accuracy? Would fitting a easy fit Kart be very hard to accomplish or should I go with a drop in? What kind of accuracy can be expected from a drop in? I read on www.blindhogg.com that the kart should be parkerized so that it is protected from rusting. Does this mean the even the inside of the barrel is parkerized? Is there a way to "plug" the barrel while parkerizing to avoid from parkerizing the rifling if that is infact bad? I can learn to appreciate a stainless or parkerized barrel, but I can fully appreciate something that isn't as accurate as it could have been.

Also, I am wondering about the main spring housing. I can't decide on arched or flat. Is there one that is better for grip security? Which one is better for a larger hand?

Triggers....I like several. The Caspian and Casull. What is the deal with the flat Caspian versus the Casull. Any differences in quality?
Thanks
Ss
 
I am not a DIY-er but...

Kart makes very fine barrels, I have several installed by my FLG.

They are NOT parkerized and will not BE parkerized. Or blued, painted, or plated. I clean my guns and oil the bare steel. I have not had a barrel to rust.

Parkerizing etches the steel and will roughen the mechanical fit on the outside and ruin the bore. If you just must parkerize the outside, the bore must be plugged to protect the finish of chamber and rifling. As I recall, it is usual to plug the muzzle and chamber with rubber stoppers held together with a threaded rod, washers, and nuts to keep them in place as the hot tank raises the air pressure inside. Better to leave it alone and keep it clean and oiled. If you plan to neglect or abuse a barrel, best get stainless.

Mainspring housings are a very personal preference and not very expensive to swap if you change your mind. My match guns have flat housings and the old Pachmayr wrap-around grips. My carry guns have arched housings and GI walnut grips.

I have heard that Casull has already quit making triggers; and Videcki has been out of business for some time. I think Caspian sells the Greider which is similar to Videcki. The McCormick is pretty good.
 
Beware, match grade and even semi-drop in match barrels have chambers that are machined to minimum clearances. A build up of powder residue can cause a malfunction. Anytime you reduce the clearances in any firearm, you increase the risk of malfunction. I would opt for a stainless barrel, since corrosion resistance seems to be big on your list of desires.
 
Stans and Jim
Thanks for the replies. You both are making a lot of sense.
btw...what is a DIY-er?

The only reason I was interested in stainless is because the way it would contrast a black slide and components. I know that sounds stupid, but I actually think the 1911 is the most beautiful handgun I have seen and I think that some look even better with certain shades of components.
Okay back to the barrel. The only reason I asked about the parkerizing the Kart was because Blindhogg recommended it. I am the kind of guy that prefers a satin finished carbon steel knife because I know they are easier to sharpen and I love taking care of them. So having a carbon steel Kart would be a joy because I would clean it everytime I shot it and oil it well. My only concern with an easy fit barrel like the Kart is fitting it properly and now, the point that Stans made about them being made to tighter tolerances. My goal is for this to be reliable and accurate. Would a quality drop in barrel like the Brown, Wilson, or Storm Lake fit a Caspian slide properly and have good accuracy? Is the easy fit barrel out of the equation? Corrosion resistance isn't on the top of my list, reliability and accuracy are though.
Thanks
Ss
 
Most after-market barrels are going to have tighter chambers, this is one of the things that makes them more accurate. Just how accurate does this 1911 need to be? If you just want 3 to 4 inch groups at 25 yards, a factory Colt or Springfield barrel with a good bushing should work well. If you are looking for 2 inch groups at 25 yards, then most of the drop-in match barrels will suit your needs. If you are seeking 1 inch groups, then a gunsmith fitted match barrel is your best bet. Even the so called drop-in match barrels sometimes require a small amount of fitting. I think BarSto now calls theirs "semi-drop in". The fitting that is required of the drop in match barrels is usually minimal.

DIY-er means a Do It Yourself-er.
 
If your frame is aluminum, you may want to use a ramped barrel, so the steel barrel ramp will protect the soft aluminum frame from battering.
 
For a reference point, I put a Storm Lake barrel into a Systema Colt a year or so ago. The "fitting" involve a tiny amount of stoning to break the sharp edges. Otherwise it fit like a glove. The gun DOES now have a minimum chamber. It absolutely will not shoot "American," headstamped "AMERC," ammunition. It does fine with commercial ammo or good reloads (I shoot Georgia Arms Canned Heat for practice.).

With match ammunition, and, surprisingly, with Winchester White Box HP's, I get less than 2" groups at 25 yards.

Clemson
 
Clem, was this a Storm Lake drop-in model, or did it "just happen" to drop in on the Sistema? I mean would it drop in on any 1911?

Hope my question was clear...
 
Romulus,

The Storm Lake barrel was a Brownells #842-100-045, advertised as "Storm Lake Machine 1911 Auto Pre-fit Barrel Kit." It came with a match bushing already fitted to the barrel. I would suspect that it would virtually drop in to a Colt or a "good" clone. The Systema is a Colt in every dimensional aspect.

Clemson
 
About the Main Spring Housing (MSH) being flat, arched or wedge. I think you will find that is depends on your hand size. Generally, not aways, the larger hands like arched or wedge MSH. The small hands seem to fit the flat better. This just means you try them out. Try other peoples guns for feel and see what it fells like.

Ed
 
AMERC

Clemson said:

The gun DOES now have a minimum chamber. It absolutely will not shoot "American," headstamped "AMERC," ammunition.

Clemson, don't let that be a reliability yardstick. I don't know of many that
WILL do well with that stuff. Absolutely the worst ammunition that I've
ever seen...including Wolf. Awful stuff. I won't even pick up the brass.

Tuner
 
If you are doing a ground up build from parts I will assume that you want it to be the best it can be. Having said that I would go with either a gunsmith fit barrel fit by a gunsmith or if you want "drop-in" I would go with an Ed Brown. Chuck Rogers has said that Ed Brown barrels have the most consistency and he had two guns he built, one with a gunsmith fit Barsto and the other with an Ed Brown. Both ended up just as accurate as the other only the Barsto took like four hours to fit and the ED Brown about 45 minutes.

Barrel fit is one of the most important aspects to building a reliable, accurate 1911. I'm not saying you can't do it yourself, after all, if I can so can you. However, the tools and time to do it may not be worth the investment if one is all you want to do. You can have a match barrel fit for probably $300 (including the barrel) depending on the smith.

BTW, the last 1911 I built I used a Kart NM Barrel (Kart barrels rock) and it has not had a single problem since I built it and will shoot 1" groups offhand at 15-20 yards. I have shot it without cleaning for 1000 rounds and it still hasn't failed. Tight tolerances don't mean it has to be less reliable. It's all about balance.

My preference in barrels is either Kart or Barsto. I plan to try a Schuemann AET barrel just for kicks. EGW has nice barrels. I believe Storm Lake makes EGW's barrels to EGW's specs, but don't take that as gospel.

Good luck.
 
I have several Schuemann AET barrels and they are quite accurate. I don't know if they are as or more accurate than others but I have found that they generally more accurate with difference type of ammo. What I mean is- if you have 10 different loads for 45 you may find one that will shoot 1/2' at x distance with a particular type of barrel but it will then shoot 1"-2" with the rest. With the AET barrel it can shoot 3/4 with half and 1" with the rest. THe numbers may be different but generally the AET's are not as particular as dome other barrels I have tried.
Ed
 
BigD,

How extensive was the adjustment you actually made on the EB barrel when you installed it
I am interested in getting EB Barrel for my Kimber TLE....


All my best....
 
stglock

If you re-read my message I did not install an EB barrel in my pistol, I was relaying information that was posted by Chuck Rogers, a highly qualified and respected pistolsmith. Although, now that I am posting this I am not positive as to whether it was Chuck Rogers or another smith. The original post was at www.1911forum.com/forums but I can't find the exact thread.

At any rate, IIRC, the barrel needed to be fit a little and maybe the upper lugs a bit. These two areas are the easiest I think. It's the lower lugs that get to be tricky, mainly with keeping the lower lugs even while filing. The Ed Brown is machined all in one operation, at least externally, IIRC. All of the CNC machining is done off of the link pin hole, which is what makes the lower lugs virtually fit free on Ed Brown barrels, if I am remembering right.

Search at the above forum to see if you can find the post.

Good luck.
 
I recently installed a 357 SIG barrel on a Colt Delta Elite.

That barrel was an Ed Brown product, and I must say that I am highly pleased with it.

I am not a gunsmith, just a normal tinkerer. I was able to fit the barrel in about an hour, not rushing, and using nothing more than the broken off tip of a small file, and a small piece of emery cloth. Most of the time was taken up by hesitation, believe me.

I would not hesitate to buy another one.
 
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