I have decided that I am going to start a new project to replace my old “break my P2000” blog. The HK was just too perfect. I have always had a love/hate relationship with the 1911. I love the potential and the history, but I hate the finicky nature of the 1911.
I have decided that I am going to commit the next 6 months to shooting and customizing my Colt Series 70 reissue. But, instead of sending it to a gunsmith, I am going to do it myself.
I have always been facisnated by customizability of the 1911. You can basically make it exactly the way you want if you have the ducats and a Brownell’s catalog.
To that end, here is my goal:
1. Reliability. My Series 70 has been 100 percent reliable with ball since I tensioned the extractor. Before, it would feed jam on the last round. It was inspiring to be able to fix it by turning it around in the extractor hole and just bend it.
I plan to expand the ejection port to modern dimensions. This should be doable with a dremel and patience.
I really don’t think I am going to do much else, since I don’t really shoot anything but hardball. I might experiment, since the gun did have feedway jams when I tried to feed it 230 grain Hydra Shocks.
2. Ergonomics. I plan to add a Wilson Beavertail. I hate to do this, but the classic design just cuts my hand to bits. It cuts back into my hand, and the hammer nicks me a bit. I can install this myself, but I will need to refinish after.
I also plan to dehorn the gun. This gun is RAZOR sharp on the edges. Again, I will have to refinish.
I may install a short aluminum trigger. OTOH, the steel one it has now is fine.
3. Hammer. If I replace the grip safety, I pretty much have to change the hammer. I guess I could file down the old one. This necessitates some stoning since the hammer isn’t a pure drop-in part.
4. Bevel the mag well.
5. Stipple or checker the frontstrap. Maybe.
6. Night sights. This is the most tricky thing. I can’t do this myself unless I buy a mill (unlikely) or send the sights off to Novaks’. There are some options that use the existing set-up, but the front sights are rumored to fly off.
I also plan to run 500 rounds a week through this baby, not including the week I will be at the Rogers shooting school, where I will fire 2000+ rounds in a week.
I have decided that I am going to commit the next 6 months to shooting and customizing my Colt Series 70 reissue. But, instead of sending it to a gunsmith, I am going to do it myself.
I have always been facisnated by customizability of the 1911. You can basically make it exactly the way you want if you have the ducats and a Brownell’s catalog.
To that end, here is my goal:
1. Reliability. My Series 70 has been 100 percent reliable with ball since I tensioned the extractor. Before, it would feed jam on the last round. It was inspiring to be able to fix it by turning it around in the extractor hole and just bend it.
I plan to expand the ejection port to modern dimensions. This should be doable with a dremel and patience.
I really don’t think I am going to do much else, since I don’t really shoot anything but hardball. I might experiment, since the gun did have feedway jams when I tried to feed it 230 grain Hydra Shocks.
2. Ergonomics. I plan to add a Wilson Beavertail. I hate to do this, but the classic design just cuts my hand to bits. It cuts back into my hand, and the hammer nicks me a bit. I can install this myself, but I will need to refinish after.
I also plan to dehorn the gun. This gun is RAZOR sharp on the edges. Again, I will have to refinish.
I may install a short aluminum trigger. OTOH, the steel one it has now is fine.
3. Hammer. If I replace the grip safety, I pretty much have to change the hammer. I guess I could file down the old one. This necessitates some stoning since the hammer isn’t a pure drop-in part.
4. Bevel the mag well.
5. Stipple or checker the frontstrap. Maybe.
6. Night sights. This is the most tricky thing. I can’t do this myself unless I buy a mill (unlikely) or send the sights off to Novaks’. There are some options that use the existing set-up, but the front sights are rumored to fly off.
I also plan to run 500 rounds a week through this baby, not including the week I will be at the Rogers shooting school, where I will fire 2000+ rounds in a week.
