Commander Building

[BigJon]

Here's a nice issue (always looking for something new to talk about) that I have not seen discussed on the net:

What is different about building a Commander-sized 1911 from raw parts (Caspian frame/receiver, etc.) than building a 5" 1911?

Best,
Jon

[RIKA]

From an assembly point of view I would think that the build would be the same. From a parts view, aside from using a Commander slide, matching frame and spring plug , you would have to use Commander rated springs and a slightly different height front sight.

RIKA

[BigJon]

That's what I figured, R, but I wan't sure - I know that the receiver is slightly different, and that made me wonder what else. The items you mentioned seemed logical to me too, but you know how "Mr. Murphy" works - you don't find out about something critical until you're halfway through the project.

Best,
Jon

Oh, and by the way, I am really, REALLY leaning toward the glassy, translucent black finish on my upcoming Col/Caspians, and with the staw-fire on the small parts. Still got to get a good mental picture of how it would look if I also straw the bushing.

fun ... fun ... fun!

[RIKA]

Rather than the bushing how about the recoil spring plug. That way you would have straw framed by the blue.

RIKA

[BigEd63]

I need to start gathering more goodies for my build with an Officer's type frame and commander slide.

I can't think of any differnt parts myself past what Rika stated.

[BigJon]

Rather than the bushing how about the recoil spring plug. That way you would have straw framed by the blue.

RIKA


Hmmm. I dunno. That would look like I copped out because I didn't know the right way to go. Sorta like saying "Jim and myself went to the store."
:grin:

[BigJon]

I need to start gathering more goodies for my build with an Officer's type frame and commander slide.


Makin ya' a CCO?

[BigEd63]

Makin ya' a CCO?


Yep, if I ever get-roun'to'it :dgrin: ...either that or build a commander. Short of a barrel and frame I have enough parts for a build.


One shop has standard Caspian gov't model "blem-*" frames for $185 "in the white".

So that's been calling to me. But I have some other projects, firearms and vehicle, I need to finish first:rolleyes:


*-No idea what the "blem" is either in looking them over.

[BigJon]

No idea what the "blem" is either in looking them over.

Wierd. Never heard of that. I'd sure check with them, and if they didn't know I'd check with Caspian. My concern if nothing is immediately visible would be that something went awry in the metal, which might not show up until finish time.

[neolithic hunter]

sounds to me like your heading in the right direction bigjon. i've been putting together 1911's in all flavors for a number of years. for the government and commander models i would recomend using a caspian, essex, or just about any of the after market frames these days. but if your looking at an caspian frame you mite give the essex frame a look. there both cast and the essex is cheaper. i don't know if essex builds an officers size frame but they most likely do make one for someone out there. :cool:

[BigJon]

Hi, Neo. I'm sort of old-school, I guess - when I find something that works I tend to stick with it, and the Caspian frames and slides are what I tend to stick with. Have heard that the Essex stuff has gotten a lot better since their earlier works. The Rock Rivers and others are frightfully more expensive, and I guess it is because they're forged. The investmnet-cast Caspians seem to do me just fine though.

Best,
Jon

[BigEd63]

Wierd. Never heard of that. I'd sure check with them, and if they didn't know I'd check with Caspian. My concern if nothing is immediately visible would be that something went awry in the metal, which might not show up until finish time.



Well it turns out that these are more like "over runs" of some sort but they can only be released as "blems"; production contracts go figure. :rolleyes:

[BigJon]

Well it turns out that these are more like "over runs" of some sort but they can only be released as "blems"; production contracts go figure. :rolleyes:


Wow! SHWEET!!!!

[BigEd63]

Yep I'm getting very tempted but I got a few other projects I need to wrap up first.

[BigJon]

I know what you mean!

I sure have been having fun with this. I finally resigned myself to boogering a few things in order to learn. I have a Kimber slide now that looks like swiss cheese. lol! It's a Series 80 and am going to convert it to 70 anyway (excuse)

[BigJon]

Okay, here's my 1978 aluminum-framed Commander. I had wanted to add an abbreviated GS to it, and I couldn't find what I wanted so, by gosh, I made the durned thang!

Started life as a King's 206C GS. Here are before photos, and after photos but with the finish still left to apply.

Before . . .

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n169/BigJon3333/Colt%20LTW%20Commander/IMG_3959b.jpg

. . . and after . . .

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n169/BigJon3333/Colt%20LTW%20Commander/IMG_4014.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n169/BigJon3333/Colt%20LTW%20Commander/IMG_4015b.jpg

Best,
Jon

[BigEd63]

Jon- That looks like a good idea. I've got big hands and some of both the upswept and regular beaver tail GS's just don't feel right to me.

In fact that looks kinda close to how I reworked my GS on my AMT rebuild.

[RIKA]

Very nice mod though it looks vaguely familiar.

RIKA

[BigEd63]

Here's a pic I cropped to show mine. Hope it's not over pixelated.

[RIKA]

Heres my Combat Commander with its old style King's GS. The wide shelf spreads recoil against the area between my thumb and index finger making the gun fun and incredibly easy to shoot.

RIKA

[BigJon]

In fact that looks kinda close to how I reworked my GS on my AMT rebuild.

Pics, pics, pics!!!

Very nice mod though it looks vaguely familiar.

RIKA

??? Dunno - Did it all by hand and eye. Straight outa what's left of my brain!

Here's some mo . . . Also, the the thumb safety took a lot of fun work. It was a stock, oversized "tactical" C&S unit. I shortened it, thinned the pad by cutting off the outermost two lines worth, recurved the tip and smoothed everything out. I have tried and tried, but I cannot get an accurate photo of it from above - all the photos I take make it look like the cut is rough, but it's very straght and smooth.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n169/BigJon3333/Colt%20LTW%20Commander/IMG_4021.jpg

I also radiused it pretty heavily on the underside by continually checking to see how it fit my hand. Also, it has been blended with the GS and the back of the frame.

Then, I went on up and started finishing the back of the slide. The rear sight was a Wilson unit a local smith had installed a long time ago. As you can see by comparing the original photos in the posts against the three below, I spent a LOT of time thinning the rear sight and also blending it into the slide - at the back, at the front to make it a seemless transition into the top round of the slide and also on the sides. The only thing not blended is the dovetail, and I didn't do that because, frankly, I had no idea how I'd do that and not mess up the lines of the slide. Even so, the sight, rear of the slide, and on down are all nice, smooth and as seamless as I could get them.


http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n169/BigJon3333/Colt%20LTW%20Commander/IMG_4019.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n169/BigJon3333/Colt%20LTW%20Commander/IMG_4017.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n169/BigJon3333/Colt%20LTW%20Commander/IMG_4022.jpg

Best,
Jon

[BigEd63]

Pics, pics, pics!!!

Look back on page 2 of this thread. Only one pic though that I could size clear enough to show the reduction and reshape I did of the stock GS.


But I will try to get some better pics from different views. With my cam it's outdoors for that and time and weather ain't helpful right now.