Thought I'd share a couple of my ongoing diy 1911 budget projects.   Last month, I finished checkering the front straps of the two 1911's.   One has checkering that wraps around the front strap with a slimmed down and checkered, arch mainspring housing.  The other has a factory checkered, wedge mainspring housing and checkering that doesn't wrap around.  Point is, the wrap around checkering feels better in my hand and I can checker the other 1911 when I feel like it.    Beavertail grip safeties, ambi safeties, and short triggers needed to be fitted.  I bought a few of the parts at a time and spent less than $100 bucks per order.  The upper halves were bought second hand from a forum member and is completely stock.

You can diy this.  Other stuff like slide tightening, trigger jobs, oversize bushing and oversize barrel installs would need special tools.  And maybe a willingness to f-things up as part of the learning process.  I once cracked a colt 38 special slide trying to get a tighter fit.  That one hurt. 

Anybody want to try the easier stuff, I'd be glad to help.  From a prepper's view, the least you should be able to do is fit replacement extractors, imho.  That is a wear item.

 

nice work. I'd imagine if the frame was parked - I'd need to repark after checkering?

nice work. I'd imagine if the frame was parked - I'd need to repark after checkering?

Thanks; managed to buff out the filing gouges.    Have no good answer to that.  Only questions.  If you reparkerized the frame, will it match the slide?  If you cold blued the checkering and undercut area will it not match/look good?  Does matching color matter to you? 

I've used the Wilson front strap and have sandpaper on a blued series 70.  Works ok. 

Got a new 9mm 1911 Taurus years ago.  It shot about 8" below point of aim at 25 yards and the barrel bushing was poorly fit (slop).   Customer service person said there was no replacement rear sight available and I would have to send the gun back on my dime.  A year later I found a Dawson taller rear sight made for the Taurus proprietary sight dovetail.  This year, decided to keep the thing and make it right for me to possibly use as a home defense gun.  Bought the parts from Brownells; mostly Wilson.   What helped the most imo, was the series 80 delete.  Did the parts fitting on a tabletop.  Fact is I'm clumsy so took me a while to do.   Heres a pic of the parts I replaced.

The M45A1 has a smooth area under the trigger on the grip.  A few review vids all mentioned that they wish it was textured.  And because it's a metal frame, 1 cannot just stipple.  I saw in the other thread that you can send in the gun to Wilson Combat or like companies and they can add the texture. But to me, that seems like way too much effort.  So I'll shoot it as is and possible add some grip tape if needed. I get very sweaty hands in general.  So on my VP9, I have the Talon sandpaper grip.

Thanks; managed to buff out the filing gouges.    Have no good answer to that.  Only questions.  If you reparkerized the frame, will it match the slide?  If you cold blued the checkering and undercut area will it not match/look good?  Does matching color matter to you? 

I've used the Wilson front strap and have sandpaper on a blued series 70.  Works ok.

What made you only sandpaper that area and not the entire smooth surface?

Got a new 9mm 1911 Taurus years ago.  It shot about 8" below point of aim at 25 yards and the barrel bushing was poorly fit (slop).   Customer service person said there was no replacement rear sight available and I would have to send the gun back on my dime.  A year later I found a Dawson taller rear sight made for the Taurus proprietary sight dovetail.  This year, decided to keep the thing and make it right for me to possibly use as a home defense gun.  Bought the parts from Brownells; mostly Wilson.   What helped the most imo, was the series 80 delete.  Did the parts fitting on a tabletop.  Fact is I'm clumsy so took me a while to do.   Heres a pic of the parts I replaced.

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nice project gun

I dunno about using a project gun for home defense though.
I had experience with attorneys in a local shooting case before.

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nice project gun

I dunno about using a project gun for home defense though.
I had experience with attorneys in a local shooting case before.

^^^I would consider this very heavily. Wise words from OF.  Same goes with using reloaded ammo for home defense.

What made you only sandpaper that area and not the entire smooth surface?

lolz,  got the series 70 used from gun broker as an optics only bullseye gun.  Sandpaper was already on it and the only reason I shoot it like that was it didn't fall off yet;  it stayed on for more than 15 years.   Just got dicropan cold blue from SEC.  Think that would be dark enough to match the series 70 bluing so checkering will be a near future project.   I started checkering this year and did four of my guns.   Just want to encourage people to work on and more importantly,  fix  their own stuff.  Will go on a limb and say it's not hard.

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nice project gun

I dunno about using a project gun for home defense though.
I had experience with attorneys in a local shooting case before.

Good point to consider.   I can use the Taurus for training now and save it for a  SHTF scenario if/when that happens.