My Sprinfield "Loaded" rebuild...

MStarmer · 02-16-2012, 13:41

Went out one day looking for a blued mil spec and ended up with the NM prefixed loaded instead. Got a great deal trading in a shotgun that my wife didn't want but then a project was born and spiraled out of control.. I fell into the MIM is garbage crowd and stripped it down to frame/slide/barrel and bushing. Plunger tube was poorly attached and somewhat bent. I went with Hilton Yam's recommendation on parts from his webpage and started ordering parts. Got a bug and wanted to try checkering too.

Wilson BP firing pin stop
Wilson BP firing pin
Wilson BP extractor
Cylinder and Slide ignition set and hammer strut
19lb mainspring
STI short Trigger (have a med length Cylinder and Slide too)
Ed Brown pin and spring rebuild kit
Ed Brown plunger tube housing
Ed Brown Grip screw bushings
Ed Brown Mainspring housing
Ed Brown Thumb safety (this is temporary and kind of crap)
Ed Brown standard recoil spring guide / plug
Wolff 17lb standard recoil spring
10-8 Slide Stop
10-8 Rear Sight
10-8 grip screws
10-8 mag catch
Dawson Precision front sight (wrong one, need a ramped)
VZ black cherry double diamond grips

I probably forgot a few things but this is the just of it. Put it together but still need it bead blasted. Ordered a Novak's thumb safety as the Wilson BP is shaped funny and gets somewhat poor reviews on finish and the EGW is out of stock till the end of time. The Novak's is the perfect shape but has the logo, but I can live with that. After sight in and I know the proper height I will order a correct front. Other than that it's pretty much 95% complete I figure.

High Caliber · 02-16-2012, 13:50

Sure finished up nice, didn't it?

MStarmer · 02-16-2012, 14:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by High Caliber

Sure finished up nice, didn't it?

Getting closer, I think it will really look good bead blasted everywhere!

***faawrenchbndr*** · 02-16-2012, 15:03

Looks great,........I'm a bit behind schedule with my Loaded Project.

MStarmer · 02-16-2012, 15:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by faawrenchbndr

Looks great,........I'm a bit behind schedule with my Loaded Project.

I thought I saw a post where you bought another 1911 too? That slows you down, I ended up with a TRS last week. The only 1911 I wanted was a good Commander and now I have two 5" guns and no commander.

***faawrenchbndr*** · 02-16-2012, 15:38

Yes,.......saw a deal on a Les Baer Concept IV.
Just HAD to get it.

Hawker Man · 02-16-2012, 14:01

You need to move to Arkansas so you can checker the front strap on my 1911. That looks GREAT!!!!

MStarmer · 02-16-2012, 15:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawker Man

You need to move to Arkansas so you can checker the front strap on my 1911. That looks GREAT!!!!

Just order a file and get to it! What's the worst that can happen...

Actually it wasn't all that bad I can imagine the more you do they easier it gets. I definitely would do it differently on the next one as I didn't cut nearly deep enough on my verticals, should have laid out a good horizontal at the top first etc... Lot's I did wrong so there was a lot of cleanup after the fact. I took off a lot of metal above the checkering cleaning it up.

steve1911 · 02-16-2012, 23:36

Very nice!

1911club#410

***RMTactical*** · 02-17-2012, 01:43

sweet gun!

***Travclem*** · 02-17-2012, 09:08

Looks great, I did my loaded similarly.
Wilson innards
Wilson guide rod
Baer slide stop
Nighthawk trigger
Wilson barrel bushing
30lpi front strap checkering
C&S strong side safety
S&A mag guide
VZ Alien grips
Full bead blast

It was my first project 1911 and I enjoyed doing it.

MStarmer · 02-18-2012, 01:44

Trav looks good did you do the bead blast yourself?

***Travclem*** · 02-18-2012, 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by MStarmer

Trav looks good did you do the bead blast yourself?

Yes I did.
Here is a better picture (different grips)

bac1023 · 02-18-2012, 05:45

Very nice indeed

flyingillini · 02-18-2012, 06:23

Details on the glass bead media ? I have some from Harbor Freight but I tend to get a very soft satin finish. I would like a more aggressive finish that I see on some factory guns.

***Travclem*** · 02-18-2012, 12:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyingillini

Details on the glass bead media ? I have some from Harbor Freight but I tend to get a very soft satin finish. I would like a more aggressive finish that I see on some factory guns.

I did mine with #8 glass. It is a softer finish. If you want agressive look into the aluminum oxide media, just be careful with it. It will remove material.

***faawrenchbndr*** · 02-18-2012, 13:07

Looks great Trav'

glock2740 · 02-18-2012, 13:07

Looks great!

MStarmer · 02-18-2012, 11:01

What size do you get from harbor freight and what kind of setup do you use? I thought HF only had 80grit which should give you quite an aggressive finish I would think. From what I've been reading 220ish (AH or No.13) is what most use to get the soft satin polished finish.

Jim S. · 03-16-2012, 12:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by MStarmer

What size do you get from harbor freight and what kind of setup do you use? I thought HF only had 80grit which should give you quite an aggressive finish I would think. From what I've been reading 220ish (AH or No.13) is what most use to get the soft satin polished finish.

I use a 60 grit Glass Bead. It is a nice matt finish on Stainless or Carbon.
Not at all rough, but a nice satin matt.

MStarmer · 02-28-2012, 11:57

Scheduled to get it blasted tomorrow and my Novak's thumbsafety came in. The only thing I have left is a front sight once I know the correct height.

***faawrenchbndr*** · 02-28-2012, 12:16

Lookin good!

MStarmer · 02-28-2012, 14:26

Thanks wrench, I'm wondering if I will like it more than my Baer just because of the work I did myself or if it will just be a back up... I never really ever intended to start this one but like so many projects they just take off. I have a complete back up AR when my wife surprised me with a Zombie lower (stripped) from Spike's and instead of just swapping out my old Olympic Arms lower I ended up building a whole complete gun...

***Travclem*** · 02-28-2012, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by MStarmer

Thanks wrench, I'm wondering if I will like it more than my Baer just because of the work I did myself or if it will just be a back up... I never really ever intended to start this one but like so many projects they just take off. I have a complete back up AR when my wife surprised me with a Zombie lower (stripped) from Spike's and instead of just swapping out my old Olympic Arms lower I ended up building a whole complete gun...

I definitely take a lot of pride in the ones that I did the work on.

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***okie*** · 02-29-2012, 07:09

Looks good my friend