grahamcracka.dns2go.com/1911frame2

This is a Kristi Ordnance 80% steel frame and parts kit from Sarco.  



As it stands now it is unquestionably the ugliest 1911 that the world has ever seen.  

With any luck, by the end of the project, things will have improved.

Very nice, and informative. Please try to keep us updated.

Great project and thanks for the "blow by blow", Ken.
Something about pride in the finished product that makes it all worth while.
RANGE REPORT!

Got the thing put together and will do a range test tomorrow.  It's still ugly but it's a long way from being finished.



grahamcracka.dns2go.com/1911frame2/page5.htm

Nope, trust me: it's pretty fugly.  There's a reason I haven't done any closeups yet...

But I console myself with the thought that the sandblaster, followed by some black paint, will hide most of the nastiness.

Saturday I took it out to the range where some problems became evident.  

Feeding was problematic, requiring tweaks to the extractor, and more polishing of the barrel throat and breechface.  Details below.

grahamcracka.dns2go.com/1911frame2/page6.htm

The good news: it shot straight, and the sights seemed to be well regulated without any adjustments.

I finished my 1911 this weekend. It's now wearing a coat of semi-gloss black moly resin.

The functioning problems were ironed out by replacing the extractor with a good quality part, and upgrading to an 18 lb recoil spring.  It's still a pretty tight gun, so it will probably be a few hundred more rounds before things settle in.

It's kind of strange that when you're working on a gun you really don't know how it will look until you have put a final finish on it.   You visualize it in your mind, but the finish ties it all together in a way that just can't be fully anticipated.  







A photo of it next to my first 80% 1911.

Cool!  Thanks for sharing!
Art in KY