SSP Stuff
Well, I just had the dubious pleasure of detail stripping my 1911 for the first time. It wasn't so bad except for the stubborn pins and installing the sear spring incorrectly and wondering why the hell my thumb safety wasn't going back in. Eventually I found the clue online that if the hammer wouldn't cock the sear spring was under the sear and fixed it. I was also trying to reassemble it the hard way, which was installing the mainspring housing before the hammer.
The purpose of this detail strip was to install my S&A magwell. It looks okay in stainless, though I would prefer it in black... but I digress. I started out by checking the fit, which was a lot better than it could have been; unfortunately I had to bend the leg things the way that's harder: away from the gun, instead of toward it. I figured out a way of using two 2x4s and a rubber mallet that worked alright, though they're not perfect. I decided that slightly too far from the frame was better than too close because that way I could at least install the thing.
Once I got that part of the magwell fitting well enough, I had to file the top of the mainspring housing down so the grip safety would fit. That was pretty simple: I just took a metal file and sawed on it for a while, checking it against the stock mainspring housing every now and then. It took maybe 10 minutes.
Next I took my metal file and beveled the inside of the magwell to blend roughly with the frame. Another simple operation that took only a short time, maybe two minutes, after which I blunted the tips of the magwell to stop pulling the threads on my sweater. That took about 30 seconds.
I decided to install this magwell because I had been having problems with my magazine changes, and with my practice changes this has really helped.
Edit: The extended grip (about 3/8") and added ounce or so of heel weight also really helps with my hold and balances the pistol better for one-hand holds. I'm also more comfortable with a metal mainspring housing than the stock plastic, though I guess plastics these days are strong enough to be acceptable. They're also a hell of a lot easier to checker and trim to fit.All in all I'm impressed with myself. I'm a handy guy but I normally would not take on a job like this, because after all it's my only 1911, the magwell cost 80 bucks, and I have no tools for this sort of thing. I was using nail punches to remove and replace pins, an f-ing curved claw hammer to drive them, and a huge metal file. I don't even have a set of hollow ground screwdriver tips! I don't even own a vise, fer chrissakes.
So after my first taste of real gunsmithing, I think I would really enjoy doing it as a serious hobby, if not a job (supplementary job?). As anyone that read this way back when I first started writing--before the big hiatus #1--knows, I was exploring the Colorado School of Trades as an alternative to traditional college. They have a gunsmithing and blacksmithing school there. Maybe I'll do that after the Army...
I'll probably finish the blending at some point, but it's not a big deal how it looks right now so long as it works. On those lines, I replaced the stainless bushing with the stock black one until I can see if the slightly looser stainless bushing is effecting accuracy/precision noticably. I do prefer the stainless for the easy of disassembly, but if that is what's causing the slightly right grouping (shouldn't be, but I might as well find out) issue, I'll just deal with using a bushing wrench on a less pretty pistol.
I really need to get a dremel and some smaller files, maybe some polish and emery cloth, nylon face hammer, better punches, etc. I also need to put together a better cleaning kit and get organized, so maybe I should get on that... midwayusa/brownells here I come.
