1911 Frankenstein

[JGRuby]

I would like some advice - I obtained a very nice 1911 on this board off from a good man. It has a WWII Ithaca slide and a alloy AR Sales slide. It is very nice but i have a couple of questions due to my own ignorance and the desire to keep this pistol in nice shape.

DO I need to be any more careful with this Ithaca slide than I would a modern slide - how well do these military slides hold up?

Do I need to be careful of +p carry loads in this type of pistol ( alloy slide and military slide ). I see this pistol being carried more than being shot. I load 9.2Grs of HS6 behind a Hornady XTP 230gr XTP is my normal load.

And lastly is there anyone you guys would recommend putting a set of night sights on this pistol - I figure that dove tails would need to be cut as it has the original military sights on it. I do not believe the slide has collectors value. I would prefer to keep local to PDX and please dont recommend ALlison and Karry.

All my other 1911's are steel and hence I am curious about this one.

Respectfully
James Ruby

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[Velzey]

Trijicon make a set that will fit! Brownells #892-101-002wb narrow tennion
Orginal sights come right out. The front can be a bear to get out, most of the time I used a small ball nose endmill so the original sight can be reused.
The Ithaca slides are very well made, you wont hurt it.

As for where to have it done, I will send you a PM.

 

[PinkhamR]

Those old Military Slides are fantastic - Great Steel ......

 

[wichaka]

Am late to the party...but...

There are enough non +P offerings out there, that +P is not necessary.
In an alloy frame 1911 I would not recommend them.

As for the slide, the Ithaca is gtg. There are night sights for both standard dovetails and tenons as well as those that ned to be machined. I would lean toward having the slide machined.

 

[JGRuby]

Thank you all for the information and knowledge. I am having night sights and a commander hammer installed on the pistol currently. The gun did have hammer bite.

Respectfully

James Ruby

 

[JGRuby]

Got my answer yesterday - turns out after taking it to the range once - my frame is cracked in such a way as to not be repairable. I now start the hunt for a complete frame minus the slide and barrel as I plan to use the slide again. I will take some pictures when I get the pistol back. This is the first real failure that I have ever had with a 1911. If you guys hear of a complete frame for a government model that is a fair/ reasonable price let me know please.

James Ruby

 

[iamme]

Kinda feel bad for not posting now but didn't wanna disagree with any of the above posters and get panties in a knot! IF you do a LW frame again you'll want a new barrel- get a frame with a ramp cut and go ramped barrel to save feed ramp.

Give either Remsport Mfg a call or Foster Ind (Foster sells "blem"/overrun Caspian's and can find some very good deals sometimes)

 

[JGRuby]

Iamme - thanks and thank you for the info.
It was a learning experience.

I think I am done with alloy frames - I know that a steel 1911 gets a little heavy but that weight is comforting to me. I also know that I don't have to baby a steel framed pistol.

James Ruby

 

[iamme]

Nothing wrong with an alloy frame, but they don't make for good feed ramps which is reason to go with a ramped barrel.

 

[cookie]

There is really no advantage to 45+P in fact the bullets expand too quick and can loose penetration.

 

[MountainBear]

Am late to the party...but...

There are enough non +P offerings out there, that +P is not necessary.
In an alloy frame 1911 I would not recommend them.

As for the slide, the Ithaca is gtg. There are night sights for both standard dovetails and tenons as well as those that ned to be machined. I would lean toward having the slide machined.

I'd add to it, but that's the right answer...