MAJOR UPDATE: Phineas C. Zoid - Pistol Whack . . . . . (my first custom 1911 build)

[bakrzdzn]

Did you get the trigger reset/sticking figured out? I will look in the Khunhausen book to see if it addresses that issue, as I have not seen it happen on any 1911 I have come across.
Good luck at the range.

 

[1006]

Often, the trigger sticking is caused by the little arm on the grip safety.

 

[SchmittZoid]

Did you get the trigger reset/sticking figured out? I will look in the Khunhausen book to see if it addresses that issue, as I have not seen it happen on any 1911 I have come across.
Good luck at the range.

Not yet. I had to go back and address the length of the ejector. Rounds were hanging up manually cycling the slide.

I went back to inspect the ejector on a complete 1927 Argentinean Colt. Those ejectors don't have the extension on the fronts of them.

The ejection port on this slide is much smaller and narrower than contemporary 1911's.

I'll get to that issue next.

 

[1006]

That is correct, the standard ejection port requires the standard, non-extended ejector. The extended ones are not needed on a 45, unless you have a light load that hits you in the face.

Do not worry about loaded rounds not ejecting, only empties need to eject. Regardless of the ejector style, your port is only big enough for empties.

The mag should be removed to unload a hot round. I blackened my thumb and had some brass fragments stick in my skin while clearing a live round. The primer struck the extended ejector and exploded.

Lessons learned: remove the mag to clear a live round whenever possible, always orient the ejection port away from you, keep your fingers out of the way of potential blast, wear the safety glasses, extended ejectors are more likely to cause this problem—mine was on a full custom Colt 10mm.

 

[SchmittZoid]

That is correct, the standard ejection port requires the standard, non-extended ejector. The extended ones are not needed on a 45, unless you have a light load that hits you in the face.

Do not worry about loaded rounds not ejecting, only empties need to eject. Regardless of the ejector style, your port is only big enough for empties.

The mag should be removed to unload a hot round. I blackened my thumb and had some brass fragments stick in my skin while clearing a live round. The primer struck the extended ejector and exploded.

Lessons learned: remove the mag to clear a live round whenever possible, always orient the ejection port away from you, keep your fingers out of the way of potential blast, wear the safety glasses, extended ejectors are more likely to cause this problem—mine was on a full custom Colt 10mm.

Of course you are correct, and excellent advice.

Your story about the live round hitting the ejector is sobering. I've never heard anyone report that before. Good to know that is possible.

Yes, removal of the magazine is a good idea. I wanted to make sure a full round would clear as I have had experience with rounds failing to fire due to light primer strikes. All of my testing thus far has been with Snap Caps.

 

[SchmittZoid]

I FINALLY got it out to the range today. I ran seven different types of ammo through it. Light loads, heavy loads, ball ammo, polymer tipped defense rounds, wide-ass hollow tipped rounds.

No failures to feed, no failures to eject, no failures to fire. Slide locks back as it should, and the sticky trigger reset has disappeared once I polished the underside of the grip safety.

I have been going through an evolution with this gun. My initial inclination was to keep the upper all original, but fitting ammo into the chamber of the original 1927 barrel revealed it sits in there pretty loose, so I changed out to a Colt National Match barrel.

Then today, trying to aim with these puny fixed sights against a dark target, made me realize that these old eyes cannot function well with the standard USGI sights beyond 7 yards. Therefore I will change the front sight soon to a Novak brass bead and the rear sight to a Harrison Retro U-notch.

Anyway, it was a DREAM to shoot with that 3 lb. 5 oz. trigger. Here are my results at 7 yards. One magazine each (8-rounds).

I'll do some testing out at 10 yards and beyond when I get the sights replaced . . . . . .