Danny Dremel's Masterpiece
Chuck Rogers of Rogers Precision has supplied a series of photos of 1911 hacking by Danny Dremel, the kitchen table gunsmith. Chuck has graciously given permission to disseminate the photos with one caveat..... This is not the work of Rogers Precision.
Ladies and gentlemen, for your viewingpleasure horror, this what you want to avoid in a used 1911 style pistol.
This first photo demonstrates what you are likely to see when you open the chamber of Danny Dremel's 1911 at the local gun show. The frame ramp is very purty, with a mirror finish. The problem is the curvature of the upper aspect of the frame ramp, known as the bridge. The feedramp must have an angle of 31-31.5 degrees, with a minimum .360" vertical ramp height with no blending at the bridge.
These measurements are coming from Chuck himself, an accomplished, nationally recognized 1911 gunsmith, who has the enduring respect of his peers and all in the gunsmithing community. Chances are, Danny Dremel had a grinding wheel and a felt bob on a rotary tool and a dimly lit bulb above his head.
The frame that Danny experimented on is ruined. Repair of this frame would require welding up and recutting the feedramp. Alternatives include inletting the frame for a ramped barrel, or replacement of the frame altogether. Purchasing such a disaster at a gun show will guarantee that you own a semi-auto pistol that will not feed any type of ammunition attempted. The costs of repairing such a 1911 are so prohibitive that such a pistol must be avoided from the outset. This is why any used 1911 should have this area checked prior to purchase. Danny Dremel's first cousin once removed, Buffin' Bubba is known to do similar work when his blood alcohol content exceeds an RC cola with peanuts stuffed inside.
In the photo to the left, Danny's forays into metal removal is even more evident. Danny has effectively turned a 1911 into a time bomb. He has removed so much metal from the barrel's feed ramp that case head separation of the cartridge in the chamber is inevitable. Of course, Danny had to do this, so the barrel's feed ramp will blend nicely into the frame's feed ramp. What Danny and Bubba do not understand is that the barrel's feedramp is not a feedramp. It is a clearance. Polishing this area will not enhance feeding. Removal of metal will remove case head support. The result is case head separation on cartridge ignition. If the shooter is lucky, he will not be injured.
If you are ever offered a pistol with work ressembling this hack job, pass on it. Tell your friends to pass on it. There are just too many good used guns available not to.
What to look for instead......
Ladies and gentlemen, for your viewing
This first photo demonstrates what you are likely to see when you open the chamber of Danny Dremel's 1911 at the local gun show. The frame ramp is very purty, with a mirror finish. The problem is the curvature of the upper aspect of the frame ramp, known as the bridge. The feedramp must have an angle of 31-31.5 degrees, with a minimum .360" vertical ramp height with no blending at the bridge.
These measurements are coming from Chuck himself, an accomplished, nationally recognized 1911 gunsmith, who has the enduring respect of his peers and all in the gunsmithing community. Chances are, Danny Dremel had a grinding wheel and a felt bob on a rotary tool and a dimly lit bulb above his head.
The frame that Danny experimented on is ruined. Repair of this frame would require welding up and recutting the feedramp. Alternatives include inletting the frame for a ramped barrel, or replacement of the frame altogether. Purchasing such a disaster at a gun show will guarantee that you own a semi-auto pistol that will not feed any type of ammunition attempted. The costs of repairing such a 1911 are so prohibitive that such a pistol must be avoided from the outset. This is why any used 1911 should have this area checked prior to purchase. Danny Dremel's first cousin once removed, Buffin' Bubba is known to do similar work when his blood alcohol content exceeds an RC cola with peanuts stuffed inside.
In the photo to the left, Danny's forays into metal removal is even more evident. Danny has effectively turned a 1911 into a time bomb. He has removed so much metal from the barrel's feed ramp that case head separation of the cartridge in the chamber is inevitable. Of course, Danny had to do this, so the barrel's feed ramp will blend nicely into the frame's feed ramp. What Danny and Bubba do not understand is that the barrel's feedramp is not a feedramp. It is a clearance. Polishing this area will not enhance feeding. Removal of metal will remove case head support. The result is case head separation on cartridge ignition. If the shooter is lucky, he will not be injured.
If you are ever offered a pistol with work ressembling this hack job, pass on it. Tell your friends to pass on it. There are just too many good used guns available not to.
What to look for instead......
Labels: 1911 Basics, Gunsmithing
posted by Xavier at 8:48 AM
6 Comments:
I gather these guys dont understand MILD/VERY LIGHT metal shaping,and a mirror polish.
getting a peice of metal slick and then oiling it makes them slide so easily over one another.
but as for modifying feed angles and leaving such a gaping area of cartridge unsupported??
scary...
but there is still a use for these after you demonstrate and get a "real price versus the damage created"
I'd use them for a 22 conversion which has it's OWN feedramp,or for a TCU carbine,and enjoy ther pistol still being useable,but not for it's intended purpose as produced from the factory.
that's sad...might be a ramped barrel project gun after all
[...] Slasher flicks of gun porn [...]
I bought a Springfield 1911A1 "loaded" model in stainless steel. In it's "as received" condition, out of the box, the feed ramp was literally rough-cast stainless steel. Apparently the factory had failed to do whatever operations (grind/polish) when it left the forging stage.
It would not chamber anything. Springfield was very good about giving me the instructions on shipping it back (at their cost), reworking the frame, and re-shipping it to my FFL. They even swapped out the speed-bump grip safety for a no-bump beavertail at no charge (I'm guessing that to do the work on the frame, they probably had to totally strip it, and putting on a different grip safety wasn't a big deal).
It came back with a mirror-bright finish on the feed ramp, and I haven't had a failure to feed or chamber with it since. It will eat ball, HP, and even semi-wadcutters without hesitation.
I wonder how many of Danny Dremel's works started because of a factory glitch like that?
Started to comment "can you show us what it SHOULD look like?...then I saw the link" thanks
Oh my God... what a disaster.
The barrel can be replaced, but, your right. It would be better to have it "fixed" by putting in a REAL ramped barrel vs putting another barrel in this time bomb.
By chance, was a gal wearing a VPC sticker selling this gem? Easiest way to get rid of the gun vote is for them to commit suicide on these things.
Why polish?
The sliding bits of machine tools like lathes and mills are scraped, to give pockets to hold lubricant and to reduce friction.
Smooth surfaces, like guage blocks will "wring" (stick) together.
all you need is to take the sharp burrs off the top of machine marks, after that the rest of the machine mark holds lube, and gives crud somewhere to go out of the way of the moving parts.
Time for "Dremel control"
let's do it for the guns
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