Project 45

R

rinoray

New member
Looking for 45 buiders opinions on a slide delima. I purchased a Norinco for a project gun - less than 500 rounds through the gun. The frame to slide fit is very loose. Frame rails are within spec and parallel (Kunhausen book spec). My question is. being my first project, should I opt for a new slide or buy the parts from Brownells to adjust the extisting Norinco. I have a machinist background and can perform all of the task for my project - I think!
I know that there are several slide mft. and I also have seen the guys ad on Auction Arms for the Phillipine slided, any opinions on those?
I'm also installing a new barrel and bushing, Kart, Barsto, Wilson, with match or target bushing?
Appreciate your thoughts and opinions.
Thanks in advance!
 
I've tightened about five pistols using only a padded vice for pinching the slide in (side to side fit) and a ball peen hammer with a polished face to bend the front of the rails down (upper/lower fit). Norincos are one of the few guns Wilson will build on so that is a nod towards their quality. Seems like an unneeded expense to buy another slide.
 
AndABeer

I've tightened about five pistols using only a padded vice for pinching the slide in (side to side fit) and a ball peen hammer with a polished face to bend the front of the rails down (upper/lower fit)
Click to expand...


AndABeer,
Are you talking about front of frame rails or front slide rails - hammer blows to slide or frame?
I have an 8 oz. polished face ball been ready to go. Just tentative!
I did already tighten side play and had heavy rubber faced vise jaw protectors - worked great and achieved the spec I wanted from the Kunhausen 45 book.
 
sorry, should have been more specific, use the hammer on the very front of the top of the frame rails, that is just on the first 1/4 to half inch, just look to bend them down slightly, sometimes, depending on the hardness of the metal, a lip will form, this can either be filed off or used to increase the side to side tightness
 
Have Bar-Sto fit their barrel, or get a Kart EASY-FIT. Use a bushing.

(If you buy a slide buy Caspian, of course.)
 
Point of diminishing returns...

If you have the same Kuhnhausen book I have you will notice that slide frame fit makes only about 5% of the potential difference in mechanical accuracy. Why does everybody think this is where to start?

Bbl/bushing fit is where the money is. Just a thought.
 
Well BigG, it is a relatively simple operation so what the hell?

Accuracy may not be what he is after with this operation anyway. Some argue that a tighter gun is more reliable rather than less since the parts tend not to slop all over the place.

OTOH and off topic, with the Hi Power, which has much the same procedure, slide to frame fit will help the way the trigger feels from the nature of the HP's "around-the-corner-and-down-the block" trigger design.
 
Hi AndABeer!

Not to belabor this thread, but, I have been a regular shooter of Colt 45 ACP for over 20 years and I have noticed that in the last several years where the 1911 type pistol has suddenly blossomed as a "must have" weapon in every gun collection, that the most impressive feature to the tyro is the slide to frame fit. I actually had a gun dealer who should have known better show me the wiggle in a Colt Gold Cup and state that the Kimber was a better-built, more accurate weapon. What he did not say, that I knew, was his profit was higher on selling the new Kimber $1,000 Elite Bazoonga Model, rather that a used $600 Gold Cup National Match.

In my admittedly subjective tests, I cannot really (accuracy-wise) tell a major difference between firing a highly tuned pistolsmith gun like a Wilson vs my Colt Gold Cup or Government Models. I can fire a box of 50 hardball out of any of them and produce a 4 inch group at 50 feet (which looks like one ragged hole) when I have the concentration. Pride of ownership; yes, I can see that the guy with a Wilson, Ed Brown, Heine, Baer, is convinced he got something better -- and I'm sure that psychological attitude is reflected in higher scores for that individual. Nothing beats confidence in yourself AND your equipment. All I'm saying is I have absolute confidence in MYSELF and my Colts have not let me down in my type of shooting. My Gold Cups may wiggle but they shoot, too!

Best,

BigG
 
I bought a "shot out" SA 1911 National Match and measured it out after test firing.

Slide to frame fit based on Kuhnhausen's book was straight NM specs on the gun. It still shot 6 inch groups at 50 feet.

However, when measuring the barrel OD versus the bushing ID I had a difference of 4 thousandths. That is sloppy. The slide's diameter conformed to spec.

I put in a tighter fitting bushing that conformed to the diameter of the slide and .0005 larger than the barrel OD and this is tight to be sure. It also tightened the groups to an inch at 50 feet.

So, my 2 cents is that you first get the barrel/bushing tight first, then worry about the rest.
 
The Best Option by Far

Would be to simply replace the barrel with this> :cool:. With the right barrel you can get better reliability and accuracy and recoil reduction and less wear on the platform that you now have. I had a chance to shoot the gas barrel through a relatively loose 1911 and saw dramatic results. The barrel is fixed to the frame and the slide locks up on the breech, so the slide to frame fit is not critical. (See This) If you want to take that Norinco and give it the accuracy of a fixed barrel single shot target grade pistol with far less muzzle flip and the quickest cycling of any race gun, check this out.> Ultimate

I plan to build a two caliber 1911, since you can have it chambered in anything you want.

Best regards,

eq
 
Norinco 45 update

Update,
After I read the Kunhausen books I purchased a Kart EZ fit barrel assembly (link-pin-bushing in place)and the installation kit. Also had a local smith tighten up the slide/frame fit - just cause it bugged me. I Spent about two hours installing the EZ fit barrel, I wanted to let you know that the barrel bushing installation was a little tedious for a first timer, but, not overwhelming. Results were outstanding. From a bench rest it was as accurate as my Colt 80 (accurized w/Barsto barrel & bushing) & Bul M5 (match barrel & bushing) @ 50ft using target loads 200gr SWC. Of course since I installed it myself, I now am addicted to other self improvements on the Norinco. Sites, safety grip & combat hammer, sear, trigger, disconnector, ect... I bought the items from Brownells and unfortunately have one of their catalogs (I find myself looking at everyday) Whats wrong with me :) ;)
Look what you've gone and done!
Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top