Incredibly exceptional series of barrel fitting vids. I realize this is old but one of the best series on this topic. No fluff, very good video quality and CLEAR explanations. Thank you so much!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge in a straight forward, no bs way. I thought that I had a pretty fair understanding of how the 1911 functions but learned quite a bit just from the few videos of yours that I have been able to watch. Looking forward to seeing more of your work.
Thanks for explaining this in terms that I can understand. Especially for us first-timers this is one of those very interesting areas of building a 1911 that requires a complete understanding of what is actually happening in order to get a good result from your efforts. There seems to be a lot of bad advice and misinformation floating around about barrel fitting, but these 3 videos were clear and informative. Thanks again!
Thanks for a great video. Very informative. As a veteran who has fired many thousands of rounds through 1911's, when I retired I couldn't wait to start doing all my own work. I have now purchased all the tools needed to fit my own barrels but found it really hard to find instruction for a beginner in this realm, until now. Thanks for teaching me how to kick off my game. I have 2 RIA's and my well used Les Baer 1911's for which I have already purchased replacement barrels (2 from Ed Brown and 1 from Wilson Combat). As they say, that should keep me off the streets for a while. Thanks again for helping me to get started.
if the barrel fit on the bottom lug is not too tight meaning the gun locks and unlocks freely then it's probably going to be the rear most portion of the lug where it's radius stops against the slide stop. it needs to be deepened till the slide goes flush but I would check the fit to make sure that its not too tight causing the problem before you file the radius to move the slide forward . I will try to do another part to 1911 videos and go in detail on the bottom lug fit. hope this helps.
Thanks for the most informative videos I have ever seen regarding the fitting of a 1911 barrel. I thought I knew about all there was to know about this, but I learned a lot. I use this kind of info to keep my two 1911s running superbly.
excellent video, I've been thinking about building a 1911, but fitting the barrel was a part of the process I wasn't sure that I could do. Thanks to your video, it cleared up a lot of what I've read and watched, and now I'm a little more confident. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for the video. I have read about how a 1911 locks many times but seeing it and hearing about the fit makes all the difference in my understanding.
Man you did a very good Job. I wish you would do more. You can tell you know what you are talking about and could be very helpful to many people out here. I have found that someone that is Very mechanical may have not done very many presentations, so that does not matter and you will get more comfortable as you do more, but again you did a great Job and people like you are what we need. You can put it where everyone can understand and that is what matters. Thank You!
Thanks for the videos, I am looking at fitting my own barrel to my 1911. This series help me greatly. You did mention to offer suggestions, and if I could request a video would be drilling and tapping a 1911 slide for a scope base.
I'm getting ready to fit a 1911 barrel. You should just do a whole tutorial start to finish if possible. From trying to drop in the barrel from the factory to taking measurements and filing, to final product that would be great.
Thank you for showing how and why something is done and the affects of that part. First person iv seen mention the 1 degree angle! Can you do a video on that? Filing fitting feet with 1 degree angle and explanations?
I am interested in everything you suggested. Where did you learn all of these skills. I'd like to become a Smith but I am not sure what the best route is.
Sir, Good video series on barrel fitting. You answered some important questions for me. Could you explain how centering the firing pin port with the barrel bore axis fits into this?
A suggestion: a sub 10 minute video on lengthening the throat so you can shoot WFN bullets. Going longer than SAAMI and CIP so that forward heavy bullet profiles can seated longer.
Very informative, I learned a lot, as also from 1911tuner in the forums, who explained the lockup so even I could understand it. Thanks, and please keep it up. partsproduction
Awesome. Exactly what I needed to see to fit a Kart bbl. What about fitting, so the back of the slide mates up with the frame. I know they don't always, but still, it would help.
I have a question, my barrel fits perfect in the hood area and lug area. Locks up fine, however, looking at the rear of the slide, the slide is not even with the frame. it juts back about 1/32' from the frame. What could b casing that? I have not fired the gun like this. Thanks!
I have a .460 Rowland kit. It's super tight on the very last bit of slide travel. I've done just basic deburing and removing sharp edges on the feet. I can shut the gun completly with a tap of a rubber mallet then un-lock by hitting the muzzle. This is driving me a little nut of what part I need to take off next.
I am having a problem with the unlocking of my 1911, when I rack it stocks before the barrel fully drops, but if you press the top it clicks down then you can rack it fully, any suggestions?
the tencion on the recoil is the one who locks an and unlock the barrel the link was jus a decicin of john broning what the 1911 can be coverted into none link a pistol
Great videos. They enabled me to 75% fit my new Ed Brown drop in match barrel. I say 75% because the fit is not yet correct and I believe it is because of the last part of this 3rd video. My fit in the slide recesses and overall length seem correct, my lock is is great but on final assembly my gun will not go fully into battery. I am at.085 away from lockup. Meaning my slide needs to go forward that distance to lock up. Am I correct in thinking that this means I need to address the last portion of this video regarding barrel fit. MeaningI have to file the barrel feet to get my slide to move forward and go in to full battery.
Hey thanks im just getting into gunsmirhing ans 1911 is rhe first gun ive started with, im excelling quicly but i forget or dont know walhat a part is suposed to look like especoally se8nce im tacking t@nfoglio and turning themb into legit guns, your videos help me alot top 5 guys with the best info on yourube for someone crafting 1911s and parts. Thanks
Do you have a video on how to install a barrel link and link pin? I have a barrel that needs a barrel link installed but I'm not sure how to do it. It doesn't really fit. Can I file the hole for the link pin just a little?
Soo maybe you can help me I got a sistema colt Argentina 1911A1 and the IG barrel is practically shot it shoots super high so I got a USGi colt replacement barrel for it because the gun is made from a colt blueprint anyway Ithe barrel fits nicely in the slide so it feels ya know not match grade quality but it’s fits and locks up like you showed but when I put the frame on the barrel gets stuck and super tight and I can’t rack the slide back only about a half inch or inch it will come back then I have to smack it back forward with a hammer I’m usu pretty good with 1911’s but this I’m stumped on it feels like the barrel is rubbing somewhere and getting bound up not sure will have to mess with it again after work but yeah I’m getting frustrated cuz it’s a like new GI replacement barrel and it just don’t wanna for right when the frame is on any help is much appreciated thsnks
Your videos are stacked backwards so video #3 plays first, then video #2, ending with video #1. The 700P and Garand videos are the same. I have no clue how to fix it, but they should cue up in order.
Hey: Very good video. I wished you would have demonstrated how to cut the feet on the 1911 barrel by hand. I am at that stage in fitting a new .45 compact bull barrel. Can I upload the picture of the feet makings and get some feedback from you, please? Thanks, Dan
+Don Tuttle The plunger in the slide? That locks the firing pin, keeping it from moving forward in case its accidentally hit, theoretically preventing accidental discharges. When you intentionally pull the trigger, the plunger is simultaneously pushed up, unlocking the firing pin, allowing it to strike the primer. There is also a plunger tube on the side of the frame that contains a spring and two small plungers, one end rides on the safety as a detent, the other end rides on the slide stop also acting as a detent. I hope I helped.
Im not really sure where the barrel and when the barrel is binding up,so I will make a short video on what I think you're asking. And a couple other situations related to the question. I will try to post it tomorrow.
If someone puts a fixed barrel lug on it, pins it from the side to stay stationary and removes the upper locks by welding and grinding them down on both the slide and barrel. Then the gun would act as a blow back operating system and not a tilting barrel. Colt actually removed an additional link from the barrel of earlier model guns that became the 1911. Blow back has its advantages and disadvantages and Browning did create a few blow back designs and then came up with this system. Now why did he change from a blow back and what gave him the idea of tilting the barrel that almost every gun designer adopted. Simple answer is reliability in feeding rounds. It was intended to aid in feeding the round. The locks were a result of needing a way to lock the barrel since it was not a stationary barrel like blow back guns. So the locks act on the link to hold the barrel closed long enough for pressure to safely drop. Browning's blow back designs usually locked under the barrel into lock recesses cut out. Welding a new lug and shaping it to fit and possibly modifying the feed ramp would essentially make the tilting barrel not needed. Also being stationary the gun would be more accurate. Now comes the downfall of most blow back designs. There is usually just a simple piece of metal that stops the slides rearward movement. If this piece of metal fails it will blow the slide rearward off the frame and could kill the shooter. So in conclusion can the gun work without the link? yes it can and will if modified to do so and render the tilting design obsolete. Will it make the gun a little more unsafe to fire? Yes it will because most of the force is slammed back into the lower portion of the frame. Is it something to worry about? Well if your a good enough welder and fabricator then no you can easily reinforce the areas needed to make it stronger and you really wouldn't need to worry. This can also be achieved by welding the slide rails closed only up to the point the slide is suppose to stop and that would essentially help stop the slide. Also a buffer pad can be added if its a big concern to soften the impact on the frame. Any gun can be modified to use a different operating system an the 1911 is no different. Think about that company who designed a Glock upper in .50 cal to work on a glock 21 frame. A lot more of a round than the gun was designed to handle but through some ingenious planning and modifying the company accomplished it. But I will say that most blow back guns are made in smaller calibers and larger rounds use this system. I assume for safety as a tilting barrel acts as its own slide stop along with the built in slide stop on the slide because it makes any more rearward travel impossible when the barrel is in its tilted position.
