The 1911

[GreenWolf70]

I bought an AMT SS GI Model back in 1985. The old gentleman that ran the Rod N Gun at Fort Benning told me a trick about how to make sure I got a good one. He told me that most people didn't know that AMT had a couple of top 1911 smiths working in customer service. So under his advice, I ordered a new AMT GI Model and then he preceded to detail strip it and inspect it until he found a chip in the staking on the barrel link pin. I then wrote a letter complaining about how bad QC was on this 1911 and send it back along with the pistol. What I got back was a new barrel hand fitted to the slide, the slide to frame fit tightened up and a very good trigger job, along with the usual fluff and buff. It was very accurate and would feed anything including LSWC, all at a very good price for a stainless steel 1911 at that time.

20 years later, my oldest son is in Special Forces and I'm looking at some very nice custom 1911s his friends have and I think to myself, I can build one of those using my old AMT. Here's what it looks like now.



I stayed away from making any changes that would affect the trigger job, or the accuracy of the barrel to slide fit. So if you notice, rather than replacing the hammer when I ground the frame for the beavertail, I just bobbed it. I kept the old tall GI sights, but added my own glow in the dark white dots. It still shoots great.

[GLSHOOTER]

That is a very nice looking clean pistol. Everyone should have one that has not been heavily altered and is just a good shooter.

Greg

PS: Since you want to make it a DIY project here is a basic upgrade or two on a 38 Super that is now 45. It is my PPC, BE and "stock" IPSC pistol. Price was pretty good at less than $600 back in the Old Days.

[GreenWolf70]

Did you do the stippling on the front strap and trigger?

[GLSHOOTER]

Dec 26, 2011 8:28:21 GMT -8 GreenWolf70 said:

Did you do the stippling on the front strap and trigger?

Actually the stippling is also on the back strap. Done by a friend of mine that was a 'smith in OK. When I firts got it it was set up for 38 SPECIAL but I changed it to a 45 by opening bolt face. A better barrel/bushing and trigger innards have been add over the years. The plating was Accurate Plating out of FLA. that I won at a match. I have a weight around in a box somewhere that you screw on to the trigger loop for help in BE matches.

The pistol does great in sever disciplines and has been a CCW friend at times too.

Greg

[toolsofthetrade]

My 1st build, love me some 1911!

[GreenWolf70]

Nice, I like when our "things" take on a more personal and emotional patina.

I have a tactical folder that I paid $75 for at the Blade Show from a new knife maker at his first show about 10 years ago. I ran into him again just a couple of years ago and he is now considered one of the top custom makers. He told me that knife is worth over $1,100 now and I just smiled. You see that knife has been on 2 combat zone deployments with me and now has that kind of emotional attachment that gets handed down through the family.

[GLSHOOTER]

Dec 27, 2011 6:08:59 GMT -8 GreenWolf70 said:

Nice, I like when our "things" take on a more personal and emotional patina.

I have a tactical folder that I paid $75 for at the Blade Show from a new knife maker at his first show about 10 years ago. I ran into him again just a couple of years ago and he is now considered one of the top custom makers. He told me that knife is worth over $1,100 now and I just smiled. You see that knife has been on 2 combat zone deployments with me and now has that kind of emotional attachment that gets handed down through the family.

What a neat thing to have about your person in a true usage arena!! I think that folders are the best thing since pockets for most of us.

Greg

Well, that and a 0.45 hole punch!!

[GLSHOOTER]

The first one I posted was my basic 1911 that I consider my go to gun for almost any sport or activity.

This is the one that lets me let it all hang out. Kind of like my old Corvettes. With this one it's pedal to the metal and the brakes are bad!!

Para 9X21. Nowlin barrel, aluminum 3 port Nowlin style comp, Delrin FLG, slide has been chopped and channeled, custom mount for the PDP dot. One thing of note is the mag well has been swaged with a mandrel and the funnel added to that. Weight is very low at 38 1/4 ounces. Within a 1/4 ounce of a stock 1911 45 ACP.

This one has won me a lot of Gold over the years and runs like a well greased pig. I shot 160 gr RNL bullets at MAJOR out of Starline brass. Case life is so long you can't read the head stamps on a lot of it.











Greg

PS: The wife shoots one almost like it but hers is a bit prettier with a purple charging handle.

[GreenWolf70]

My other 1911. I only swapped out the trigger and grips on this one from my parts box.


Made my own holster for it too.

[GLSHOOTER]

Nice job on the holster. Lefty?

Greg

[sandsock]

Nice pieces. Here's my Randall mentioned in the other post

Attachments:

[GreenWolf70]

Yep, a Lefty. ;D

Hey, that Randal looks a lot like my AMT Government Model before I started changing things.

[sandsock]

I would have probably an AMT back then as I had heard something similar about them, especially the 7-inch longslide. I was sorry to see them go out of business as they had several interesting designs in their Automag series but any gun company in California is pretty much doomed anyway you look at it.

My first option was a Colt Gold Cup at another store which was about $60 more than the Randall but when I went to buy it was too late and was sold. I would have loved to have that one too even with the Series80 changes (which aren't too bad actually...I installed a Cylinder and Slide firing pin safety kit on a friend's 1991A1 and it made a huge difference).

[GLSHOOTER]

I shot an AMT Hardballer for years in IHMSA matches in Standing. That 45 won me a bunch of trophies over the years. It would push the rams over and was a hoot to watch the bullet hit AFTER you pulled the trigger at 200 meters.


Greg

[GLSHOOTER]

Thought I'd post up my littlest, by bore size, 1911. This is a Colt 22 Conversion setting on a Caspian frame that has had everything done to it I could think of from the S&A mag well to the hand checkering.. It was originally a 38 Super race gun that did not work out thanks to the Paras appearing on the scene.

This one helps me get back in to the irons sights for matches as I like the dots for most of my IPSC duties. It also functions as a super training tool for beginners that want to learn the 1911 format or even get in to IPSC shooting. It is heavier than the average 1911 conversion. Look closely under the shaved Herret grips and you might see some panels sticking out slightly. These are a copy of the ADVANTAGE grips that were prevalent in the early 80's. They add about 6 ounces to the gun with a slight increase in grip size. They really make the transition from 1911 to a Para frame quite easy.





Greg