- Joined
- Sep 6, 2001
- Messages
- 657
Hi, everybody. Just thought I'd share with you some pics from my other favorite hobby. That's right, fireams--specifically 1911 pistols. What a surprise? 
This was a project I conceived of about 18 months ago. It started off as a hairbrain idea for a magazine article submission--and may well yet bear fruit. You guys get the first preview of my pet project. It was to take two 1911 pistols, leave one in stock military configuration and "customize" the other.
Gunsmithing is part and parcel of my firearms hobby, so I performed the majority of the customization myself; excluding only installation of the front/rear sights (don't have the proper milling machine to do the job right myself) and re-bluing (too messy and toxic). The latter two outsourced tasks were done by King's Gun Works in Glendale, California. My tasks included, among other things:
- install/fit new match barrel, bushing, barrel lug and swing link (Storm Lake)
- polish barrel hood and feed ramp
- tuned extractor
- scallop the ejection port
- checker frontstrap (buggered this job a bit, but hey it was my first try ever)
- replaced all pins and springs with Ed Brown & Wolff parts
- complete trigger job: install new skeletonized trigger, match sear, commander hammer, extended safety
- bevel magazine well
- install/fit beavertail grip safety
- added new rosewood grips (for aesthetics)
All in all, about 30-40 hours or work or so (try finding 30-40 hrs of free time with a 3 yr. old!
)...but a true labor of love.
Below are pics of the two pistols, both Argentine Modelo Sistema 1927's (the serial numbers were only 3 numbers apart!). A little history lesson is in order. In the '30's the Argentine government approached Colt's Manufacturing in Hartford, Connecticut to license production of John Browning's 1911 pistol (technically the model 1911A1). Well, what ensued were near exact copies of 1911A1 pistols, manufactured under license--and on Colt machinery--in Argentina by their domestic ordnance factory, DGFM. 1911 collectors and historians will tell you that the Argentine licensed-pistol were made as well--if not a shade better--than even the Hartford-made pistols. All are in agreement that the Argentines used a bit more steel (because they weigh a ounce or so more), and arguably better steel!
First, the military version (notice the original Argentine military issue flap-holster and double-magazine pouches in green leather):
And, here's the customized version (in picture: Sinn EZM-2 (watch), MOD CQD Damascus, Galco Combat Master holster):
This was a project I conceived of about 18 months ago. It started off as a hairbrain idea for a magazine article submission--and may well yet bear fruit. You guys get the first preview of my pet project. It was to take two 1911 pistols, leave one in stock military configuration and "customize" the other.
Gunsmithing is part and parcel of my firearms hobby, so I performed the majority of the customization myself; excluding only installation of the front/rear sights (don't have the proper milling machine to do the job right myself) and re-bluing (too messy and toxic). The latter two outsourced tasks were done by King's Gun Works in Glendale, California. My tasks included, among other things:
- install/fit new match barrel, bushing, barrel lug and swing link (Storm Lake)
- polish barrel hood and feed ramp
- tuned extractor
- scallop the ejection port
- checker frontstrap (buggered this job a bit, but hey it was my first try ever)
- replaced all pins and springs with Ed Brown & Wolff parts
- complete trigger job: install new skeletonized trigger, match sear, commander hammer, extended safety
- bevel magazine well
- install/fit beavertail grip safety
- added new rosewood grips (for aesthetics)
All in all, about 30-40 hours or work or so (try finding 30-40 hrs of free time with a 3 yr. old!
)...but a true labor of love.Below are pics of the two pistols, both Argentine Modelo Sistema 1927's (the serial numbers were only 3 numbers apart!). A little history lesson is in order. In the '30's the Argentine government approached Colt's Manufacturing in Hartford, Connecticut to license production of John Browning's 1911 pistol (technically the model 1911A1). Well, what ensued were near exact copies of 1911A1 pistols, manufactured under license--and on Colt machinery--in Argentina by their domestic ordnance factory, DGFM. 1911 collectors and historians will tell you that the Argentine licensed-pistol were made as well--if not a shade better--than even the Hartford-made pistols. All are in agreement that the Argentines used a bit more steel (because they weigh a ounce or so more), and arguably better steel!
First, the military version (notice the original Argentine military issue flap-holster and double-magazine pouches in green leather):
And, here's the customized version (in picture: Sinn EZM-2 (watch), MOD CQD Damascus, Galco Combat Master holster):
)--all to improve the ergonomics and reflecting the "advances" of modern 1911 pistols.
