Thread: Blackpowder conversion for 1911 style pistol

Originally Posted by Mark W.

NO IT WOULDN'T Not if it's a Muzzle loading Blackpowder firearm.

Alright, alright! You don't have to yell!!

I was basing my assumption on a cartridge handgun. Guess we all know about assumptions!

But, if I was to go thru the trouble to make something like an adapted single shot blackpowder barrel for a 1911 frame, I would want the rifling for accuracy.

Originally Posted by Mark W.

... I got to wondering if anyone had ever made a conversion barrel and slide assembly to fit a 1911 type frame and action....

Sounds like a fun project. I think you'll want some milling capability in addition to your lathe in order to mate up with the frame. A guy really NEEDS a lathe AND a mill anyway...and welding equipment....and...and...but I digress. I agree that you'll want a rifled barrel. I think I'd probably make a frame adapter of aluminum that engages the frame rails that's bored through and mounts your barrel assembly but as always, there's multiple ways to skin that cat.

I once made a .22 cal barrel and magazine for the 1911 but mine used the original slide so I didn't have to make the frame/slide interface. I have mated a slide to a poorly made frame that had to be re-cut to straighten it out. A milling machine and some small keyway cutters will be helpful making your barrel mount.

Originally Posted by orygun

Alright, alright! You don't have to yell!!

I was basing my assumption on a cartridge handgun. Guess we all know about assumptions!

But, if I was to go thru the trouble to make something like an adapted single shot blackpowder barrel for a 1911 frame, I would want the rifling for accuracy.

OK no more yelling.

I was only looking at the idea of the cheapest way to prove the concept by going with a smooth bore. Which has its own little set of advantages over a rifled barrel. But if the concept worked I would buy a section of Green Mountain .40cal 1" Octagon barrel to use as the blank.

And I do have a Milling machine had it since 1987. its the Lathe I just got that got me thinking of fun projects.

How did you survive without a lathe for so long?

Well for years during my knifemaking years I had a borrowed Sherline mini lathe that did almost everything I needed I also did some stuff on a very old small wood lathe I have that has a 3 jaw chuck. Used files to do that work. And of course some turning can be done on the mill.

I found this doing a google search for black powder 1911s... plenty of silly replies on this thread...

Anyway, I have a 54cal muzzleloader conversion for a 1911 in front of me. It came from someone very famous in the gun industry, and was custom built for him by yet another firearms icon. I will post a few photos of it tonight so you can see how it was made!

Theres a whole long article in one of the "handguns " yearly issues.I'm not sure what year the issue was but I got it from the library and in it this guy converted his 1911 to shoot black powder cartridges. Next time I hit the library I'll track it down.