One 1911, 2 slides ... is it possible?

S

saands

New member
I have a Springfield full-sized 1911 in 45acp and a 460 Rowland conversion kit. The 460 kit is a little bit of a chore to mount and unmount and I was wondering if it would be possible to get a Colt Series70 slide (I've seen some on sale recently) and mount the 460 kit in that. How closely toleranced were these slides manufactured? Close enough that if I buy one that I could reasonably expect it to fit?

What do you think?

Thanks,
Saands
 
If your Rowland barrel is "drop-in" then yes, just buy another slide to put it in. The Gold Cup is about the only Colt that you can't swap parts around pretty easily.

Occasionally you will hit a snag, but on stock guns they are pretty easily corrected.
 
The Rowland is "drop-in" and it "dropped in" to my Springfield slide just fine ...

I wasn't counting on a slide stop, that is good to know. It means an extra $20 or so ... but I can live with that.

I guess I was most worried about the fit to the frame rails ... is it safe to say that that won't be an issue, 'cuz I don't want to get into lapping a slide to fit a frame when I don't want the frame lapped! If it came to that, I guess I'd have to make a frame rail substitute on the mill and use that for lapping the slide and that sounds like WAY TOO MUCH TROUBLE!

Thanks for the help,
Saands
 
CDNN has Colt Series 70 slides in stock. There should be no trouble dropping one on your Springfield frame.

Slide
Firing Pin & Spring
Firing Pin Stop/Block
Slide Stop
Barrel Bushing
Recoil Spring Guide
Recoil Spring Plug
Sights?
 
Jim V: CDNN is exactly where I saw them. They have some right now with sights and the 460 kit came with everything but the extractor, firing pin, firing pin stop, and the slide stop if it turns out to be required.

Thanks,
Saands
 
I've been thinking of getting one or two of the slides to put on one of my 1911s that needs a slide transplant. One slide set up for everyday use and one with a comped barrel for the occasional pin match.

I have all the internals for the slides in my parts boxes.
 
I have a nice switch top gun. A Colt Delta Elite Stainless 10mm and a Springfield 45 ACP top end. I rarely shoot the 10, but the 45 has been my IPSC gun for several years.
 
I have done this with a Commander. It came with a comp'd slide and I bought another because I wanted to save wear and tear, etc.

I bought a take-off from a guy here who was using the frame for a new project. The slide came with everything mentioned by Jim V, except for the slide stop, plus a barrel and link.

I put in the standard recoil spring and tried new barrel links until I found the one that yielded the tightest lock up and best accuracy.

The slide will not lock back with the stop I had been using, which functions flawlessly with the original slide. This is the only remaining problem; I need to make some measurements with the micrometer and fit a new stop, I think.

Regards.
 
1911 top ens swaps

Along the same idea......I want to use a 40 cal commander top end on my ser 80 govt 45 frame. Is this ok?
 
It seems that if you go to a smaller case head like the 40, then usually they use a taller ejector ... I have not done this, but I was told that I would have a hard time making what you want to do work when I inquired about doing it with a 10mm ... sorry for the bad news. But ... now that I am thinking about it, I probably was also thinking about trying to use a 45acp slide ... so don't give up hope until this is confirmed

Saands
 
dunno why the slide stop would need changing.

Unless the very heavy recoil springs of the .460 wont let the slide fully retract? Nor would there be any need of a different ejector or firing pin stop, to my knowledge.
 
Hit the Links

Quote:

I put in the standard recoil spring and tried new barrel links until I found the one that yielded the tightest lock up and best accuracy.
_____________________

:eek:

Um...Uhhhh...

Link too long= Delayed linkdown timing, and limited barrel linkdown. Might wanna keep a close check on the front corners of the locking lugs for flanging and radiused corners. Also inside the slide at the rear of the lugs.

Link too short= aybe no unlocking at all unless the pistol is held on the horizontal plane...and maybe still have a crash between locking lugs and slide lugs even then. Check for damage noted above.

Locking on link= Eventually beating the link pin hole in the lower lug into an egg-shape and causing linkdown timing problems. Maybe break the lower lug.
maybe shear the upper lugs...All bad JuJu. Vertical lockup is correctly achieved by supporting the lower lug and feet on the slidestop pin. If it locks on the link, it's not stable. Acccuracy suffers and maybe the gun breaks...
depending on how tight it's locking on the link.

Luck!

Tuner
 
It has been my experience that slides are not all that interchangeable. I recommend professional fitting. That being said, multi-caliber, multi-barrel and slide 1911s are a fine old tradition.

I once met a machinist who had a poly caliber 1911. With a .38/45 conversion unit, he could shoot as well as a .38 Special Gold Cup.

Geoff
Who will stick with .45 ACP, thank you. :cool:
 
What are the CUP pressures of the .460 Rowland. You might want to make sure that their slide IS NOT BEEFED UP because it has to be.

Having said that, IF you are having a 'minor' fitting problem, consider using automotive lapping compound. Start at about 320, go to 400 and then to 600. It should solve the 'fitment problems' with your .460 slide.

And that fix is a lot CHEAPER than buying ANY NEW PARTS at all.

Lapping compound is CHEAP.
 
Wallew: The 460 kit doesn't come from Clark Custom with its own slide ... but they do caution that the 460 should only be installed on a high quality 1911 platform. I chose to get an additional slide just to be able to quickly swap calibers ... I now have the ability to shoot 45acp, 460 Rowland, and 22LR on the same frame with essentially the same trigger feel. It's a great solution IMHO.

Saands
 
Saands,
I concour. IT IS A GREAT SETUP. And you get three guns in one. WAY TO GO. I'm a frugual guy myself and that type of setup is great!
 
By the way ... the 460 generates up to 28,200 psi as apposed to the 21,000 psi that the 45acp is supposedly limited to ... while the lugs (barrel and slide) need to be up to the task, I think that the brake/comp on the muzzle attenuates a lot of the battering that the rest of the slide would normally take with that kind of pressure boost. It is the mildest feeling magnum I have ever shot.

Saands
 
Saands,
I agree that 'felt recoil' will be GREATLY REDUCED by compensating any firearm. MY concern was the pressure inside the barrel BEFORE the bullet leaves the barrel. That's all.

AND 28,500 SHOULD BE no big deal FOR ANY BARREL. I was worried that it would be TWICE OR THREE TIMES THAT. Thanks for the first hand knowledge.
 
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