1911 not going into battery

I just dug out the Kart stuff for fitting their barrels, including the detailed instructions. It's been a long time and my brain cells are getting farther apart with age anyway. The Kart barrel hood is deliberately over length they say, so that it can and must be fitted. They intend for you to file it until it will not bind against the lugs when closed. At least that's what I get from it. I just now tried to pass a .003 feeler gauge between slide and hood when in battery, and it has to be forced in but there is a hair space. So if the hood is supposed to take the force of firing, then I did it wrong, because it's not that tight. It does make a wee bit of contact, but I'm guessing it springs back a tad when returning to battery. When I spotted it in it just evenly missed, maybe 1 or 2 thousands? The barrel won't budge when in battery, but it's the lugs holding it, not the hood. The kit book says minimum .003 on the sides and .001 to .002 in back is "ideal". Of course "ideal" is in the eye of the beholder I guess. I claim no expertise, but am having fun with my projects. What a great website.

I do really appreciate the interest and advice on my project.

Thanks again,


Mike
 
1911

Dear Mike:
You did no harm to your bbl because few "factory" bbls. have any Hood Fit!
I just want the hood and the lugs to take the strain of firing together.
To do this, after I've fit it I press the bbl. into the slide against the hood and there should be no light between the hood and slide - then pull the bbl. back and there should be a slight movement and you'll see light.
Also, ramp the bbl. back against the frame and there should be approx' 1/32" between the bbl and edge of feed ramp.
I even lap the hood into the frame (not into it but so you have perfect contact.)
You will see after you fit the hood properly, on a quality bbl. that your headspace will be O.K.
The head of the cartridge should be about .005 plus or minus, below the hood - I've never seen a case that meets the specs. so don't worry too much about headspace unless it's excessive. I've got a P12 that must have ..025 headspace (factory fit not mine) and it's never boobled and shoots great.
This 1911 (and clones) stuff is funny! I guess everyone fits a bbl. differently.
We're glad you are on the Forum and working on 1911s.
Harry B.
Oh! Also, You, on your slide stop pin have marks, by now of just where your botton lugs are hitting! You should have equal and even marks.
Also, be sure you lapped in your bushing to slide and bbl.
 
Mr. Bonar has some good points. You very seldom see a "drop-in part" drop right in and that no two people fit a part the same. Projects like yours is the perfect project to learn on and every body has to start somewhere. Also just another note on your Kart barrel I've seen where kart does not get both sides of the lower feet the same, you sould be able to tell from the marks the slide stop is making and since they make the bottom lugs drop-in they use an enlongated bottom link hole which is somtimes a little long. The wilson #3 link gives me a better place to start somtimes. After you get your problems worked out I think you will be very happy with the barrel, they have always been very accurate for me

Good luck
James
 
I'm a little late to this thread so I'm not going to rehash everything that's been said.
On the discussion of barrel fitting, the first thing I check is the spacing of the radial lugs in the slide and on the barrel to see if they are going to mate correctly.
I have seen slides that were so far out spec that it would be impossble to mate the radial lugs on the barrel to the slide.
The correct spacing for both barrel and slide should be 0.324 on the first lug and 0.649 on the second lug. For optimum performance these should not be off more the 0.0005 either way.
Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
bbl. fitting

Guys:
All of us have the right motive! I hope we have not confiused anybody (probably have!) and I've probably helped.
Given to say, as far as one aspect of fitting procedures is this: when in battery the bbl. is up in the upper lugs with hood properly fit the bbl. is captured by the upper lug fit and the lower lugs on the slide stop pin and the link is just sitting there.
Harry B.
 
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