1st time 1911 frame build just in time for the Muster

[cpt dan blodgett]

Had a Colt National match slide complete and an Israeli GI slide complete with US GI Chrome lined barrel and a frame that came with the Colt Slide.  About 2 weeks ago got a Rock Island frame from Sarco the parts kit was on back order.  They arrived yesterday.  The delay allowed me to get a Strobel Staking tool from Midway and a left handed drill set to drill the notch in the front leg of the ejector.  Theory is drill from right side of frame with ejector the torque pulls the ejector in tighter.  Good theory but in practice the drill bit must have been ground wrong because it would not cut worth a darn and yes I had it turning the correct direction.  Finished hole from other side carefully with standard Drill bit and the pin went in tight so did not bugger up anything.

Getting the main spring and associated parts into the Main spring housing was a pain.  Had to re drill the retaining pin hole as the pin would not go in even with getting a bigger hammer. Thank God for a harbor freight fractional, letter and number drill set.

Everything else on the assembly was pretty straight forward until the recoil spring guide.  It would not fit into the slide at all.  Noticed the spring guide I had been sharing between the two uppers had been fitted with a file so about 10 min or so this AM the job was complete and now the number of complete 1911 slides matches the number of complete frames with a few slide parts left over as spares like firing pin, extractor, front sight, firing pin spring and retainer block.

After the rotator cuff surgery may have to shoot it two handed for the expansion era match.