Stuck Commander

"Hi Xavier! I've been reading your blog and thoroughly enjoying it. I find myself checking it everyday, and often sending links of your articles to family and friends. You've created a great mix of thoughtful observations and very useful information. Thus, first and foremost, thanks for your writing.

I've recently been trying to get back into shooting after a much-too-long hiatus due to a myriad of factors. While recently shooting the Colt Commander that I inherited from my grandfather, the slide locked up on me. As you can see in the attached pictures, the barrel somehow got itself quite out of place, and the slide is stuck in a position that is not-quite fully retracted. When I pull back on the slide, it only moves about 1/16", and the barrel dips down ever so slightly. I can depress the recoil spring plug, but cannot turn the bushing. ANY advice you might give would be tremendously helpful! Of course, if you feel so compelled, feel free to talk about this in Xavier Thoughts."

Assuming there is not a recoil buffer in there, it appears to me that the pistol may have a barrel link that is too long for it.

I see two routes to take, the first is taking it to a competent 1911 'smith for evaluation and replacement of the link. The second route is to make certain the pistol is unloaded. Spray plenty of lubricant between the slide and barrel hood. Try to wash out the debris of shooting the gun.

Then, using the grip as leverage, press the back of the slide down firmly onto a stable wooden surface. You may have to put your entire weight on it. Hopefully the pistol will go into battery. If not, a smack or two with a carefully aimed rawhide hammer to the rear of the slide should do it. Be aware that you may damage the link or the slide stop.

Once the pistol is in battery, take out the bushing to give the barrel wiggle room, and retract the slide to remove the slide stop. Field strip the pistol and replace the link with one a size smaller.

Hope this helps a bit.

Gripping Piece

Go to Brigid's place to learn about the Hogue Monogrip, and how easy it is to install.

Defender Trigger

I received a brown box of joy from Midway USA today, and inside was a new set of slim grip screws. I installed one in the in the vacant hole left from my last range trip. I am considering using blue LocTite on them, but I might try a bit of gasket sealant instead.

Also inside the box was a solid silver trigger from Cylinder & Slide. The Cylinder & Slide trigger has an over travel adjustment screw, and a smooth trigger face. It was, of course, oversized. Drop-in parts are a misnomer. If you want a 1911 trigger that doesn't wiggle, there is only one way to get it. The trigger must be custom fit to the frame. With a bit of flat file work, the Cylinder & Slide aluminum trigger shoe passed into the trigger guard with a bit of a push. At that point, I lubricated it with Ballistol, reassembled the pistol, and dry fired it fifty times. The result was a crisp trigger with no creep, and no wobble.

Green Glow

I finally broke down, ordered and installed a HiViz fiber optic front sight on one of my Ruger MKII pistols. After a bit of online shopping, I found the best deal at Cabelas, for $29.99. The sight is, I believe worth the cost.

The base is solid metal, about the same weight as the original Ruger front sight. The HiViz front sight comes with six "light pipes" in flourescent green and orange, in three different dot sizes each. They gather and concentrate ambient light and make it appear there is a LED light on your front sight. Placing that glowing orb in the rear sight notch is quick and easy.

It took me all of five minutes to install the sight. I warmed up the barrel and screw, and then used blue Loc-Tite to make sure the screw would not come undone. I will try it out against the black circle on the next range trip.

Ruger MKII Blast Shield

Some of the dirtiest ammunition available is 22 long rifle ammo, and with the high volume shooting that a 22 pistol usually endures, crusty black dirt accumulates in any 22 pistol. The Ruger MKII is a well designed and durable firearm, but it does have it's weaknesses. One of those is the reputation for developing a gritty trigger over time. The reason is simple really, the upper portion of the trigger, the trigger plunger and the disconnect are all exposed underneath the feed ramp. As the pistol is fired and the brass ejected over time, soot, grit and dirt coats all of these parts and makes for a gritty trigger.

To solve the problem on my MKII pistols, I decided to fabricate and install blast shields for the triggers. I went to the local hardware store and purchased some brass shim material that was approximately the same thickness as a soda can. In the past, MKII shooters have actually used the aluminum from soda cans, but I wanted to start out with flat straight metal. I also wanted to use a slightly different design than what others have used.

Instead of making a loop that fits around the grip frame lug, I made a tongue that would fit in the receiver recess on top of the lug. This had the advantage of helping to tighten up the pistol. The light gauge brass shim material is easily cut with sharp scissors. No tin snips are necessary. The tongue extending down into the magwell should have a curvature to it. Burnishing the underside of the curve will help the brass shield retain the curvature. I used hemostats as a bending brake to make nice well defined bends, including the compound bend necessary to fit the piece into the receiver recess. Make certain the disconnect and bolt hold back lever do not bind with the blast shield. Only a small amount of clearance is necessary.

Once I had the first blast shield fabricated, I used it as a template to fabricate blast shields for each of my Ruger MKII pistols. Before the pistol is reassembled with the blast shield in place, the trigger and action should be cleaned. If the grime is really caked on, only a detail strip and individual parts cleaning will do. If the pistol is not too dirty, a spray with Gun Scrubber and a bit of toothbrushing should do the trick. Once the parts are clean, lubricate them and install the receiver assembly back on the grip frame with the blast shield in between. Insert an empty magazine to check function, and then a full magazine for a live fire test.

The same technique can be used on the Ruger 22/45, and the MKI and MKIII pistols. The brass blast shield makes a protective shield that effectively keeps the dirt and grime off the trigger. Hopefully it will be years before my Ruger MKIIs develop that gritty feeling again.

Defender Bushings

This afternoon I took the trimmed down grip safety to a motorcycle shop for a bead blasting. It came out great, and only cost me a six pack of Bud. Bottled, of course.

I swapped out the grip screw bushings to slim grip bushings in preparation for the slim cocobolo double diamond grips. I used Permatex red threadlocker to secure them in place.

I'm considering a stainless steel mainsping housing. I do not own any 1911s other than the New agent that still have a polymer housing installed. I'm actually thinking about swapping them both. I wish a reasonably priced aluminum housing were available for the stubby Officer's Model. The decision would be easy then.

The Defender/Commander Grip Safety

I was unable to find a source for an old style "nubbin" Commander grip safety, so I decided to make my own. I found an old "duckbill" grip safety, and I trimmed the tail so the tang was the width of a standard GI style part. Next, I removed the grip safety from an early Commander that had the profile I desired.

I transferred the profile from the Commander safety to the work piece with a fine point marker. I roughed in the shape with several cuts using a cut-off wheel on my Dremel. Finally, I used a sanding wheel to give myself the finished profile, going slowly and checking the appearance frequently.

I dehorned the underside of my new grip safety, as well as the slide of the pistol. I reinstalled the safety along with a Nowlin "Speed Demon" hammer and went to test fire the pistol. The narrow Nowlin hammer combined with the wider tang of the attenuated grip safety was enough to prevent hammer bite. A trip to the local motorcycle shop with five bucks a six pack of Bud yielded a bead blasting to the part so it will match the rest of the pistol.

New Agent New Trigger

I put a solid trigger into the Colt New Agent today, performed a detail strip and a trigger job on it. I just prefer the look of the solid trigger. The three hole trigger doesn't do much for me, and it's a lint trap.

This pistol is still running 100%.

The MKII Magazine Tweak

While shooting with QJ yesterday, our Ruger MKII pistol began to have occasional stovepipes with one magazine in particular. Stovepipes in a Ruger rimfire pistol occur when a particular pistol is just a little tighter in tolerances than usual. The problem arises with the location of the ejector and the fit of the magazine.

The top of a rimfire magazine has four "lips." The forward lips provide a feed ramp for the rear of the cartridge. The slanted vertical edge lifts the rim of the cartridge up and into alignment with the chamber. Do not mess with it.

The rear lips perform the function of restraining the next round and releasing it at the proper time. In new un-tweaked Ruger rimfire magazines, it can also cause delayed release of the feeding cartridge, and premature ejection of the spent shell casing. These two forces combine to bring about a stove pipe jam.

There is a tweak to be done on the Ruger MKII magazines, that will make every one of them reliable. After a bit of inspection, I realized that I had a "new" un-tweaked magazine in the mix. The rim of the spent casing was striking the left rear lip of this magazine and causing the stove pipes. I took the guilty magazine out of the rotation.

Tonight, while cleaning the pistol, I tweaked the mag. The forward corners of each rear magazine lip required rounding. I used a Dremel, and was careful to keep the rounded corners equal on each side, and the inward curvature of the lip itself unchanged. I cut the final curve with a jeweler's file. When finished, I burnished them.

This performed two functions. The feeding cartridge would have it's rear portion released earlier, allowing for a straighter feed as the bullet approaches the chamber. More importantly, the corner of the left rear feed lip would no longer eject the casing. The spent casing had to remain in the extractor's grip until the ejector itself dislodged it. I removed the firing pin from the pistol, and checked the feed, extraction and ejection with live ammo. Perfect.

Often these stove pipe jams are blamed on the Ruger MKII pistol. It certainly appears the pistol is at fault when every magazine, even brand new ones from Ruger exhibit the same problem. By tweaking the magazines, they perform flawlessly in the pistol with closer tolerances, and they still work reliably in other Ruger MKIIs too. Why Ruger has not addressed this issue and made the rear lips rounded, I do not know. All I know is that the tweaking works.

My Colt Compact

One of my favorite 1911 style pistols is a Colt M1991A1 Compact that I modified for carry. As an unmodified pistol it had an uncanny accuracy despite it's short sight radius. All the work I performed on it was done to enhance the shootability, reliability and durability of an already accurate firearm.

The Colt Compact is the bare bones parkerized version of the Colt Officer's ACP. As with most of the 1911s that I have modified for my own use, I installed an Ed Brown grip safety and an Ed Brown tactical thumb safety. I kept the Colt hammer, sear and disconnect. The trigger, though, was swapped out for a Dlask magnesium and titanium unit. I fitted a Ted Yost retro rear sight into the slide and had a dentist friend fill the original front sight recess with a bit of gold. The Colt slide stop and the barrel that held the pistol's accuracy were retained.

But wait...... There is one modification I forgot to mention, the one most people are interested in. The Colt Compact and Officer's ACP both suffer from a reputation of a recoil plug that depends on a small lug that fits in the dustcover for retention. The barrel bushing is a thin unit, and through the rigors of prolong use, the lug on the recoil plug has been known to shear off. When that occurs, the plug and recoil spring are launched down range, and the gun becomes an amusing club. I wasn't going to have that on a carry gun.

To rectify the problem, I ordered a reverse recoil plug from Clark Custom for $20. This plug has a lug that fits in the original recess, but more importantly, it has a flange that goes around it's rear that prevents it from ever breaking. The Clark reverse plug is a solidly over-engineered chunk of steel, and only a glimpse makes even the most skeptical shooter realize it isn't going anywhere. It uses the original recoil springs and guide, and requires minimal fitting to the pistol.

With the big chunk of Clark steel up front, the thin Colt Compact bushing was looking pretty anemic. I started to shop around, and finally decided on an EGW Melt bushing to replace it. For $22.50, the EGW Melt bushing is another hefty piece of steel. It is designed to extend to the edges of the slide to prevent a seamless blend on the muzzle of the pistol if it is radically dehorned, or "melted." along with the EGW bushing, I ordered the bushing wrench necessary to turn it. The bushing required fitting to both the slide and the barrel, but the specs were so close that I was able to achieve a close tolerance fit with emery cloth and a bit of oil and elbow grease. The bushing extends out past the barrel's crown a bit, effectively protecting it. Between the Clark reverse plug and the EGW bushing, the pistol has all the reliability of a ball peen hammer,

I gave the pistol a subtle dehorning, and I took my new carry pistol to a pro for refinishing. I wanted a tough finish, but also one that was dark and nondescript. I chose a teflon coating with a black slide over an olive drab receiver. Finally, Pearce rubber double diamond grips and a Wilson Combat magazine with a low profile base pad rounded out the package for a durable, reliable and accurate carry gun.

The JohnO DIY High Visibility Front Sight

Tired eyes? Old eyes? Need some way to see that front sight again? Or do you just want to make certain you don't miss it in a crunch? Go to Pistol Training.com and check out how to do it yourself. Then read some more and learn a few new drills.

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 viewing pleasure 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......

The Ruger 10/22

I'm a big fan of the Ruger 10/22. I'm an even bigger fan of getting a sub-hundred dollar gun at a pawn shop, and turning it into a tackdriver. The Ruger 10/22 has been around for over four decades. It is a staple of a child's progression to becoming a rifleman, and it is only surpassed by the 1911 as the most customized firearm of all time. The Ruger 10/22 rifle has a near cult-like following of people who invest more in accessories than the rifle retails for, all in pursuit of one hole groups at fifty yards.

At last count, I had nine 10/22s in my home. These range from an all out tackdriving fantasy rifle to an ancient "super stock" 10/22 with an aluminum buttplate, a "no warning" blue tapered barrel and a walnut carbine stock. The only modifications to the "super stock" is a set back match chamber, a bedded action, trigger work, and a recessed target crown on the floated original barrel. Among those nine rimfire rifles residing in my home are a purple metalflake carbine with a youth stock for my daughter, an adjustable stock target rifle for my wife, a "Wally World Special", and the first rifle my son ever built, a Hogue overmolded stocked 10/22 he used to take squirrels.

My "Turtle Gun" was so named after an afternoon of executing turtles in a pond about 75 yards from the back porch. Modifications include a Barracuda stock, Magnum Research carbon fiber barrel and Volquartsen hammer, sear, and magazine release. The rest of the action was polished, an auto bolt release was installed along with a bolt buffer, and the firing pin was pinned. The trigger group is bedded. The Turtle Gun's glass is a Nikon Monarch 6.5-20X44 scope mounted on Weaver 4X4 rings. This rifle was bought as a $100 pawn shop stainless carbine. All that remains of the original firearm is the bolt and the receiver.

The genius in the Ruger 10/22 is it's modularity. The barrel is held in place by a wedge block retained by two Allen screws. The trigger group is secured to the receiver by two cross pins. The stock is attached with a single screw. As an out of the box .22 rifle, the Ruger 10/22 is admittedly not as accurate as others in it's class, such as the Marlin 60 and the CZ bolt action target rifles, but it has a distinct advantage. It is reliable, durable, and incredibly "handy". It is accurate enough. When the owner becomes bored with the firearm, or when cabin fever drives him to madness, he can open a Midway catalog and order enough goodies to totally transform the little plinker into a precision rifle that will keep ten rounds on a Xeroxed quarter at 75 yards.

This 10/22 rifle started life as a $109 Deluxe 10/22 I found in a pawn shop. The stock is a Fajen Silhouette in orange, green and teal. The barrel is a 20" Whistle Pig matte aluminum, free floated in the stock. The trigger group is bedded. The action has been polished with an auto bolt release, Volquartsen magazine release, and bolt buffer. The bolt has been chamfered and the firing pin pinned. The rifle is scoped with a Nikon 4X32 Prostaff secured by Weaver 4X4 rings.

Many adult shooters grew up with the Ruger 10/22. Those who have shot them compulsively invariably begin to modify them. I thought I had done all there was to do with a Ruger 10/22. Then, I read that Ruger may have finally produced what many 10/22 shooters had always dreamed of.......A 10/22 pistol. I just might have to wander back into a gun store.......

If the gunnie in your life still needs something for Christmas, buy them a Ruger 10/22. Then order a Midway and Brownells catalog to find Christmas presents in the years to come. It's guaranteed to put a smile on their face.

More info:
Ruger 10/22: From Factory To Fantasy
Rimfire Central
Joe's Trigger Group Modifications
Ruger's Serial Number Database

Parkerizing a Sistema

For future reference.............From The Box 'o Truth, Educational Zone #52 - Parkerizing a Sistema

The day will come when I Parkerize a pistol for the first time. I hope my results turn out as nicely.

Colt Series 80 FPS

For all those who disassemble the Colt Series 80 firing pin safety, or have the parts fall out on detail stripping the pistol, and then wonder about reassembly.....

The 1911 Crack

The one crack that doesn't mean a dead gun by Chris Byrne.

Rebuilding a Springfield Mil-Spec

Rebuilding a Springfield Mil-Spec 1911 by Chris Byrne

FLGR Stuff

Thoughts on the full length guide rod by Chris Byrne

The Best Deal On 1911 Mainspring Housings

Midway USA has finally received a new stock of Smith & Wesson 1911 mainspring housings. These are machine checkered at 20 lines per inch, and are lightweight aluminum. They will fit any standard Government Model or Commander sized 1911, and the fit is excellent. The best thing about them though is the price. $11.99. They also come with all the internals, making them a fantastic deal.

To swap out your old mainspring housing, first make sure your gun is unloaded. Wrap a large rubber band tightly around your pistol's grip safety and frame to hold it compressed. This prevents the sear spring from jumping off the sear. Then, make certain the hammer is down. Next, punch out the lower mainspring housing pin. (If you have a Springfield with the internal locking safety, lock the mainspring housing safety first.) Slide out the old mainspring housing, slide in the new mainspring housing, making sure the hammer strut rests in the mainspring cup. Finally drive in the mainspring housing pin, and remove the rubber band. Voila'! Instant upgrade for less money than the least expensive commonly obtainable housing alone!

Edited to add: Tuesday night......Wow, they are already out of stock again.....

SW1911PD Build-Up

One of the few detriments to the full size 1911 as a carry gun is the weight. Years ago, Colt introduced their aluminum framed Lightweight Commander and few if any manufacturers produced a lightweight 1911 afterwards. Then Smith & Wesson began making forays into the lightweight revolver world, using an alloy of scandium and aluminum. The result was a very strong, light gun frame. When S&W began to make 1911s, it was inevitable they would produce a lightweight framed version in the alloy. The first was the SW1911Sc, followed by the SW1911PD.

I bought my SW1911PD at Dave's pawn shop for $650. I liked the idea of a lighter carry gun, and even the Government Model size, but I wanted some details altered from what Smith & Wesson put out. The first item to go was the full length guide rod, in favor of an Ed Brown GI set-up. The cocobolo grips were swapped for S&W rubber panels, and a trigger job was in order. It is difficult to obtain Chip McCormick's trigger, which has become a favorite of mine, so I installed a trigger from Fusion Firearms. The quality and appearance is the same.

I stoned the hammer hooks to 0.020, and I replaced the sear spring with a Nowlin unit. I jammed a Wilson 47D magazine into the pistol. To be honest, the pistol needed no alteration. It has a good factory trigger. I just liked the idea of a blacked out 1911 for a carry gun, and thus, I decided to take it the extra distance. I lubricated and reassembled the gun, and I placed it in my range bag.