Gunsmiths

[dsrtuckteezy]

Recommendations around the Dallas area? Need a thumb and grip safety fitted to my colt m1991a1

[CJ]

Have you considered doing it yourself? Its not that bad of a swap.

[dsrtuckteezy]

I have and am. I filed the trigger down so it would fit, no big deal. The Ed brown beaver tail I want put on is about 1/8" misaligned with the thumb safety hole. Now I got the Sti extended thumb safety to snap in with the stock gs, but it doesnt engage all the way into the slide so there's something going on there too

[txminime]

Dave Berryhill.

http://www.berryhillguns.com/

[dsrtuckteezy]

Dave Berryhill.

http://www.berryhillguns.com/

Website states he's not taking installation work

[txminime]

DOH. I guess he recently stopped taking small jobs due to his backlog.

I've heard positive reviews on Advanced Gunworks, but no personal experience with them. http://www.advancedgunworks.com/index.php

Ken Crawley is also highly recommended, but probably have a pretty long waiting list... http://www.crawleycustom.com/

[dsrtuckteezy]

where am i removing material from on the GS?

[AnthonyS]

I'm going to get into smithing slowly over the next couple of years. I'm not sure exactly when I should get my FFL.

Now from that photo that beavertail is too far out to remove material alone. You'd have got cut that beavertail inside radius back the full 1/8" and make the tang long enough to hit the hole. Or you'd have to machine the frame and tang both and meet in the middle.

It's honestly hard to believe a frame and beavertail could be that far out.

Most any 1911 parts fitting and installation info / work can be found on m1911.org. That and a copy of the Kuhnhausen book and you can do most anything to a 1911 yourself.

[John -- '02 HAWK]

I'm going to get into smithing slowly over the next couple of years.

Are you taking any classes?

[dsrtuckteezy]

i got the idea from this link. he doesnt mention any major modification to fit this gs, so it makes me wonder. why i might like a smith to do this. just hoping it doesnt cost an arm and a leg.

http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-colt-compact.html

[AnthonyS]

Are you taking any classes?

Yes I will definitely be taking classes. The NRA sponsors summer classes at various colleges around the US. I will be taking a class or two each summer for the next 3 to 7 years at Murray State. I get enough vacation time a year now and have a good enough paying job. My plans are to take the 1911 classes, refinishing classes, and any others I find interesting. I'm also going to retake some machine classes here at DCCD. I did my machine classes in the navy but it's been a while. I'm currently looking for a good deal on a used lathe or mill or lathe / versa mill. I'm going to need a mill first. A mill will allow me to do any sight install on a 1911, make custom serrations or flat tops, etc. The cool thing about the NRA classes is you get to work on your own guns. I have quite a few RIA 1911s already and will get a few more for the classes. I'm tempted to get a bare Les Baer frame from Midway or Brownells and build my own dream 1911 too.

http://www.nragunsmithing.com/murray.html

And also when it comes to classes, there are some great college programs out there in gunsmithing. If a young man wanted to get into it, that would be the way to go. I won't have time to do that for several years though.

Yavapai, Trinidad State and PA gunsmthing school. Those are the three I'd look into if going to a full time school.

In all honesty in another 10 or so years, I will open my own business for oil and gas consulting. My business will also be gunsmithing on the side. I enjoy working on firearms now more than I do cars mainly because I can do it inside and it's cleaner etc. yet it's still very mechanical. I'm just a mechanic by nature. I started helping dad with race cars before I started grade school and I got my first degree in mechanical engineering.

So my timeline to be a full on gunsmith is 10 years.... This next year I'm probably going to get my FFL and get a MGW universal sight pusher with all of the slide cradles that way I can change sights on all the pistols I own as well as anyone else's. I also want to find a small mill so I can mill 1911 frames to take Novak sights. I honestly hate standard mil spec sights. I doubt I'll chuck up anyone's all chrome special edition for milling though. You run the risk of chipping the finish too much. Now milling a blued or standard stainless gun for Novak's no problem. Measure twice, thrice and cut slow. Machining steel is actually a lot of fun. We made some seriously cool stuff in machine shop class in the Navy. I have a globe valve I built every part for. I also have a gear I cut complete with tapered teeth. Indexing and cutting individual gear teeth is a real pain in the butt.

The problem with gunsmithing is a classic one. The equipment and knowledge seriously cost way more than gunsmiths earn. The easy way is to inherit equipment. For me it is something I like enough and my real job pays enough that I can get into it. It will be my old man job along with consulting. I'm definitely not getting into it to make money because there isn't any money in it. That's why gunsmiths are so hard to find and if you do find one they are backed up.

I'm only going to take jobs I can get done in a short term timeframe. If that means turning away a lot of folks so be it. I'm also not going to take jobs I'm not comfortable doing or don't have the right equipment to do yet.

So yah when the course listing for the summer classes at Murray State comes out in January or February, I'm going to sign up. My wife works in the hotel business so she can set me up with a cheap roof over my head. And the courses are awesome for the cost. Between the classes, some more machining education and working on my own firearms, eventually I'll be a full on gunsmith. My guns I want to specialize in are: 1911s, XD/XDMs, Glocks, M&Ps and Sigs. I'm a semi-auto guy and not a revolver guy. For rifles I'm going to specialize in pump shotguns, the M1A/M14, M1 Garand and M1 Carbine. I actually plan to pick up another M1 Garand of my own soon. I also want to get a carbine. These 3 rifles are all very similar in function, operation, tuning etc. And yes I can do all the normal AR build stuff. Honestly AR "builds" should be called AR "assembly." It's quite easy. As for finishing I'm going to get equipment to do good cerakote and bluing jobs. I'm not going to chrome. I could polish SS though, that's actually quite easy, just time consuming. Not sure if I will learn to parkerize or not, but it's relatively straight forward too.

I'm not going to engrave. I'm not going to be an optics guy. I'm not going to get into revolves (at least I don't think so today). I'm not going to be a bolt action expert either. If I ever did any engraving it would be CNC driven as I'm not amazing artist.

So yah, I'm gonna take a lot of classes over the next few years.

[John -- '02 HAWK]

Yes I will definitely be taking classes.

Cool I've seen you mention it. But didnt know if you had an plan of action, which it appears you do lol.

[S_K]

That frame is set up for a spur safety. You are going to have to grind down the frame for that beavertail to fit. If you plan on doing it yourself, buy a jig and video from Brownell's. It is not hard, but don't try and wing it.

OR buy a beavertail that fits. Get a caliper and measure the frame before you order.

[AnthonyS]

That frame is set up for a spur safety. You are going to have to grind down the frame for that beavertail to fit. If you plan on doing it yourself, buy a jig and video from Brownell's. It is not hard, but don't try and wing it.

OR buy a beavertail that fits. Get a caliper and measure the frame before you order.

I was noticing that today. I've been looking at 1911 frames and slides and it seems there are two different beavertails, a short and longer one.