RIA/armscor 1911 frame build
 

just got around to picking up the SARCO supplied 1911A1 frame today.

i assembled the pistol for trial fit with all the parts for the build and checked it for function.

so far it looks very good. the RIA frame and the ww2 slide fit look made for each other. most all parts look to be fine with no extra fitting except for the extended grip safety. no overhanging anything on the frame to slide fit , tight enough but loose enough to function.

trigger pull is very nice with the S&W hammer, dissconnector and charles daly sear --about 4.5lbs with very little creep--nearly as good as my tuned up 1911--and this thing is DRY of oil--LOL

all function test passed with flying colors--


it ain't bad looking, sort of a black & OD green park finish --not as good looking as a caspain or foster though. got a few tiny scrapes from shipping --nothing major.


once i stake the plunger tube and pin the ejector and find that grip bushing that wasn't in the package--it seems midway sent a pack of THREE instead of four!--LOL!

i'll be ready to test fire it!


not a bad deal for a frame really and EVERYTHING fit , if i went with a GI style grip safety it would be as near "100% no fit-drop in" as possible.

i might do a polish on the feed ramp --

so far it looks promising--i'll update when she is finished up and test fired. i am hoping it'll shoot as good as it assembled----

I am looking forward to that report! Sadly, I can't do that in Kalifornia. But I still really want to know!

Keep it coming!

Regards,

well i got her in one piece. it went together well and looks good.

there were a few areas that did require some fitting.

the first thing i ran into was the fit of the S&W disconnctor. it fit OK during the trial fit yet during the full assemble it would fail to re-set the trigger. it was too long and when the slide came buy it moved it too far down the hole for reliable operation. my solution was to trim less than .100" off the top of the thing. then polish it up. it seems OK now--

fitting the plunger tube was not that difficult thanks to a very nice bench vice and an assortment of bent nails i made for the project. the stainless steel plunger tube had dead soft legs. there was one small issue, the holes on the frame and the legs didn't match exactly. so the holes had to be flared slightly to get the proper fit.

i don't know if the frames holes were off a tiny bit or the legs on the charles daly plunger tube might have been a tiny bit not standard.

installing the charles daly ejector came off without a hitch and it didn't need any touch ups.

fitting the beaver tail grip safety went off well just a little grinding on the back of the frame and it fit perfectly.

the feed ramp on the frame looked OK but underneath the black park it was as rough as a cob! it would not feed even FMJs straight from the mag.

i spent most of my spare time this afternoon working over the ramp with a round file, 220 grit and 400 grit paper. it is now feeding rounds from the mags including HPs!

i hope to get to test fire it tomorrow!!

midway is sending me a spare grip bushing , i think i can test fire it with only three if i space them properly.

I'm glad it's working out for you. It's nice when something is co-operative while you're working on it.

I read that the feed ramp needs to be 31-31.5 degrees and NOT rounded over or cushioned at the top.

Seems like everyone is inclined to put a nice rounded bevel on it but your not supposed to.

Hey, what holds the plunger spring and detents in the tube?

I have one that when you pull the thumb safety out, the spring tries to shoot across the room with both ends still attached to it.

Most of them stay in place and I can just push the safety detent out of the way with a pick for re-assembly. This one is a pita.

two of mine do -- one don't-- i think their supposed to have a slight crimp on the ends that locks the big end inside the tube.

i am too afraid i'll mess up the tube to try crimping the big end.


speaking of plunger tubes--


i did have one more issue with the plunger tube on the RIA.

the small end plunger was stepped down too far and the small plunger didn't even touch the slide stop.

so i had to file it back a little to get it to work --didn't take much to cut it down--but it took a lot of work to get a hold of that little flea sized bugger!

you know that swenson small parts kit had to have a few ZINGERS in there--LOL hell it only cost $5 for all the pins so they could not afford to toss the bad ones!

Sounds about right. I would not worry too much about fitting. Take your time, and don't sweat it too much. It usually takes me two or three trips to the range to get a handgun dialed in.

Ha! The more trips to the range, the better life is.
I think you're right. The plunger tubes that don't fly apart look almost like there is a slight roll crimp on the end.
I've considered taking a Stanley 3/16 nail punch to it but I figured unless I come up with a very strong way to support the opposite end in the vice, it will just pop off and then I'll be screwed. The legs are not very strong.
The 3/16 punch has a recess in the end. It looks like it could roll the end of the tube inwards slightly and evenly.
Thanks for letting me hijack your thread with an unrelated question.

Take that sucker out back and test fire it.

it is on the subject--plunger tubes and oh what FUN!--LOL!

The plunger tube is left alone, you put a crimp in the middle of the spring to retain the plungers. Just hit it with a pair of needle nose pliers and bend it just slightly so you have to push it in by hand, it won't fall in or out under it's own weight. And remember to keep about a 1/16" "gap" between the frame feed ramp and the bbl, if you run the two right into each other you will get jams eventually.