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HangFireW8
03-20-2011, 08:16 PM
All,

OK, I've had enough of my .452/.453/.454 oval Colt barrel. I can load
CB to not lead foul, or I can load CB to feed, but not both.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a drop-in replacement barrel that will feed and shoot MP's .452-200 just fine?

I'm not using a special bushing or spring rod.

-HF

BD
03-20-2011, 08:35 PM
Go to Brownells website and have a look. There are all kinds, most any of which would work just fine. Nowlin, Clark, Wilson, Les Baer, Kart.

BD

35remington
03-20-2011, 09:12 PM
Pretty much all of them, that happen to not have a too short throat.

Believe it or not, Colt barrels are not especially problematic with lead, any more so than any other brand.

HangFireW8
03-20-2011, 09:15 PM
Go to Brownells website and have a look. There are all kinds, most any of which would work just fine. Nowlin, Clark, Wilson, Les Baer, Kart.


Been there, done that. With prices ranging from $50 to outa sight, was hoping for some personal experience.

-HF

HangFireW8
03-20-2011, 09:15 PM
Pretty much all of them, that happen to not have a too short throat.

Believe it or not, Colt barrels are not especially problematic with lead, any more so than any other brand.

I'm sure they're fine when they don't measure .454" across one axis.

-HF

KYCaster
03-20-2011, 09:31 PM
Try Storm Lake.

http://www.storm-lake.com/products/barrel/builder/NE

I've had a couple of their barrels and have been completely satisfied....

....I see their prices have about doubled since I bought mine.

Jerry

MtGun44
03-20-2011, 09:58 PM
Kart's 'quik fit' or whatever he calls them, barrels are very high quality, much easier to fit
into a 1911 than most.

Bill

jmsj
03-20-2011, 10:08 PM
Try Storm Lake.

http://www.storm-lake.com/products/barrel/builder/NE

I've had a couple of their barrels and have been completely satisfied....

....I see their prices have about doubled since I bought mine.

Jerry

+1
I have installed two of these and have been pleased. One was for a Comander and the other was a for 5" Goverment model, both of these were bought w/ a pre-fit bushing.
Good luck, jmsj

pistolman44
03-21-2011, 12:02 AM
Just make sure the barrel is throated and the feed ramp polished.

35remington
03-21-2011, 12:46 AM
I guess my point being that I haven't heard of anybody's 1911 barrel not shooting lead well, and I honestly can't say anything I've used hasn't been suitable.

A few lemons may get out now and then, but I have heard of no maker absolutely having the market cornered, and I wouldn't expect to.

I bet almost all the makers will get a favorable post here, assuming the thread becomes reasonably mature.

bobthenailer
03-21-2011, 07:31 AM
I have 1911 s with 2- Clark , Heini , 2 - Nowlin , and 2 -Kart barrels all shoot and feed cast bullets excellent . i size bullets to 0.452 for all of them and 0.357 for 2- 38 supers

Char-Gar
03-21-2011, 10:55 AM
I have had good luck with Colt barrels and cast bullets. Recent production Colt barrels will handle 200 grn SWC cast bullet with ease.

Forgive me, but mt gut tells me to question the underlying assumptions/conclusion that it is the barrel that is the problem. It could be the ammo, the magazine or several others items. The barrel is the Least likely culprit. The notion that you can load rounds that feed or round that don't lead, but can't load rounds that feed and not lead makes no sense to me.

If it truly is a bum Colt barrel, then contact Colt and get them to make it right.

In fact I have never had a 1911/45 ACP barrel that was properly throated fail to feed or lead excessively that could be traced to a barrel fault. I did have a two piece Springer barrel that gave poor accuracy. When I replaced it with a Colt barrel, groups shrank in half.

oldhickory
03-21-2011, 11:03 AM
I bought one of these Swenson barrels a few years ago from Midway USA when they were on sale for $39.95. Had it almost a year before I tried it, and to my surprise, it out shot my Wilson Combat barrel. Just dropped it in and shot. I'm very pleased with it, top notch accuracy, and no leading problem.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=693897

zomby woof
03-21-2011, 04:14 PM
KART don't waste your money on anything else but a Kart. Bullseye shooters choose Kart.

lbaize3
03-21-2011, 04:31 PM
+1 with Zomby Woof

lesharris
03-21-2011, 04:43 PM
I have a Colt Gold Cup with original barrel and bushing.

I have shot 230 gr. lead and 200 gr. swc lead cast bullets for years with no leading or feed problems.

My magazines needed tuning when i changed from jacketed to cast.

I also polished the feed ramp on the barrel,nothing else.

It will not feed the snubbie 185 gr. cast lyman .

I could modify the feed ramp to feed this round but then it might not feed the other bullets I use.

Clean the chamber area polish it if it needs it.

I have seen very few 1911's that wont feed and be accurate with lead cast bullets.

HangFireW8
03-21-2011, 09:56 PM
If it truly is a bum Colt barrel, then contact Colt and get them to make it right.

It's about 40 years too late to ask for warranty work. As I said, the barrel is oval, and has 3 different measurements across the 3 pairs of grooves, all oversized.

It is possible that there's a combination that might work- I've only tried a half dozen 452-460 loads including beagled and not, sized to .452 and .454" and a couple of MP 452-200 loads sized to .454". One 452-460 load is absolutely flawless in fouling and fails to go into battery only once every 50-60 rounds; the rest about every 12 to 30 or so.

In addition I have a Lee 230RN 45 TL 6-cavity mold that casts like a house on fire; and feeds great, 100%, and leads the barrel horribly, with LLA or mixes thereof.

My GI Ball duplicate loads run 100% reliably as well.

Anyway, I'm tired of fooling with the cast boolit loads that get me most of the way there. I want to practice shooting not fool with 20 different kinds of lubes.

I'm willing to throw money at the problem, and getting a properly sized barrel is the fast ticket there. 45ACP was never intended to be a .454" bore, even if I can make it work I'm only proving it to myself, I'd rather have loads that will work in any 45 not just reserved for this one.

My dream was to own a reliably 1911A1 and practice with it weekly, casting with my 4-banger and 6-banger and cranking out huge mounds of cast boolit practice ammo with my gang molds and progressive press.

It took me 10 years to get rid of my first piece-of-**** 1911A1 and get a good one; a year of fiddling with a highly burred undersized Lyman 452-460 mold and get it Lee-mented into shape; half a year to get Lee to fix my 6-gang mold (sent it back twice); half a year to receive my MP 4-gang mold, and 2 years along with that finding combinations that kinda sorta work.

I'm getting old, I'm not going to wait any more, and I don't see the point of wasting another year of my life with an oversized oval barrel, when $200 or less will make the problem just go away.

-HF

HangFireW8
03-21-2011, 10:03 PM
At the risk of turning this into a 1911A1 debugging thread, let me say I went through that with my last one, fixed 9 out of 11 major problems with it myself, then sold it.


I have a Colt Gold Cup with original barrel and bushing.


This ain't no Gold Cup.

My Colt feeds 100% reliably with three different lead bullets plus jacketed; or it shoots without leading. Not both.

Do you have a .454" bore Colt 1911A1? If so, I'd love to hear your experiences. If not, perhaps you can recommend a replacement barrel.

-HF

HangFireW8
03-21-2011, 10:08 PM
I have had good luck with Colt barrels and cast bullets. Recent production Colt barrels will handle 200 grn SWC cast bullet with ease.

I forgot to say, Chargar- thanks for the recommendation. I would have one by now, but Midway is always out of stock of standard Colt when I check. Don't want a Stainless.

Thanks, also, KYCaster, jmsj, oldhickory, zomby woof and lbaize3. I have until payday to make up my mind.

-HF

mpmarty
03-21-2011, 10:20 PM
I'd go to a local gun show and buy any 1911 barrel that I found. I've never had a 1911 that wouldn't feed and fire lead without leading. Accuracy has been another matter. I have wound up using long links and tight bushings as well as peening the frame rails to tighten up the slide. All is possible with the 1911 it is a wonderful platform and the 45acp is the or one of the most forgiving cartridges to load.

HeavyMetal
03-22-2011, 09:10 AM
Haven't had any experience with Kart Barrels but have heard good things about them.

Call Bar-Sto now that they have finished the relocation to the new place in, Montana/S. Dakota??

I have a ton of experience with thia brand and it is all good! They used to advertise a 2 inch 50 yard garranty not sure if they still do.

Everyone I have will stack the holes on top of each other at 20 yards!

HangFireW8
03-22-2011, 12:23 PM
Thanks, HeavyMetal, I just called BarSto but 16 to 18 weeks is just too long to wait.

I made a decision-

I had to give up on my "no stainless" (unless I went with Swenson, which would probably be OK), so I went with Storm Lake, based on three things- recommendations here, it's a semi-drop in, and it's in stock!

I'll post a follow-up thread after I try it out. I have a good basis of comparison, as I have at least a few magazines of everything I've tried to date (yes, that's a lot of ammo).

-HF

Doby45
03-22-2011, 01:11 PM
I have numerous Storm Lake barrels, not in 1911 45ACP though, and they are all very good barrels. I switched to Storm lake after the hassle of dealing with the retards at Lone Wolf.

405
03-22-2011, 02:06 PM
+4 for Storm Lake. Not the the el-Cheapo but not the most expensive either. Have had good luck with the SL in 45 with both jbullet and cast. I use the ones with the prefitted bushing- then just a matter of fitting the bushing to gun. Let us know how it works. When I first got one I was a little worried by the "appearance" of tool marks in the bore's surface. BUT, it turned out to be an illusion as the surface was very smooth and almost feels lapped. No leading and very accurate. :)

C1PNR
03-22-2011, 06:28 PM
Well, Hangfire, all I can tell you is that sometimes you have to wait for the best. I'd have gone with the Bar-Sto and never looked back.

Got two of them on mine.

derek45
03-22-2011, 07:00 PM
KART :drinks:

HangFireW8
03-22-2011, 08:15 PM
Looks like there is more than one good brand!

*Paladin*
03-23-2011, 08:36 AM
Another KART fan here, but I will say I have an 80 Series Colt that has a barrel with a bore that is like glass. And this gun shoots nearly as well as my Les Baer Nat'l Match.

HangFireW8
10-12-2012, 11:41 PM
Just a follow-up on this thread, I bought a Storm Lake Semi Drop-in barrel last year, got tired of waiting for Colt barrels that never came back into stock (probably did the moment after I ordered). I'm sure there are other good choices.

Slugged it, came out round with perfect dimensions, no tight spots.

I installed it with the stock bushing, it locks up real tight like a match barrel, the first time I racked the slide it felt like there was some interference, it went away with a just a few more racks. In my usual fashion I then got distracted by life and other projects.

I tried it out today with 75 rounds of MiHec 200 LSWC's over 5 grains of Bullseye. Reliable. Accurate. Cleaned up completely with 5 patches, there was some lead flakes that came out at first, but no real fouling.

I think I'm going to like this barrel. :)

HF

Bagdadjoe
10-13-2012, 08:39 AM
I have a Springfield Armory barrel in mine. No problems and is accurate. It's the only barrel I had when I unconverted the gun from a Pachmayr Dominator top end, so in it went.

What about fire lapping it? I had a Taurus 24/7 that was leading and 15 rounds of firelapping cured it. Just a thought.

Moondawg
10-13-2012, 09:18 AM
I have used Kart, and stock Springfield Arsenal barrels. I currently have a Kart barrel with many thousands of lead boolits through it. No problem with feed or leading. In fact, the barrel has never had a J-word through it. All I shoot in my 45 are home cast boolits.

Dannix
10-13-2012, 09:27 AM
One post I came across (http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=57882&view=findpost&p=1509624). Take it for what's it worth.



Posted 14 August 2011 - 09:38 AM
Kart used to be the standard for the military pistol teams years ago because of their consistancy and accuracy. When I researched this issue out a couple a years ago, I pretty much came to the conclusion that if I wanted a carbon barrel with a blued finish, then Kart was the only way to go, but since I wanted a Stainless barrel, Bar-Sto was my 1st choice after talking to several reputable smiths, and I managed to find one for sale on a reputable builders (Brazos) shelf (40sw bull for 2011), so no 8 month wait. Bruce Gray fit my barrel and fit my slide to frame on my gun and I couldnt be happier. I also came across several opinions about karts shooting lead more accurately than jacketed and the reverse for Bar-Sto because of the depth of the lands and groves, but that was less of a concern for me since I shoot a mixture of everything and both were more than acceptable for accuracy with either.

Shiloh
10-13-2012, 10:15 AM
Never had an issue with the factory Colt barrel.
SWC, RN, TC. Digests them all.

Shiloh

HangFireW8
10-13-2012, 12:20 PM
What about fire lapping it? I had a Taurus 24/7 that was leading and 15 rounds of firelapping cured it. Just a thought.

I don't think fire lapping would cure a .454" oval bore. As for smoothness the original barrel was well beyond broken-in.

The new Storm Lake barrel doesn't seem to need any breaking-in. I broke down and bought a Stainless despite wanting a blued. It was just a matter of what was in stock. There are plenty of listings for out of stock blued barrels.


Never had an issue with the factory Colt barrel.
SWC, RN, TC. Digests them all.


I'm glad to hear your Colt's barrel is fine. Mine wasn't, well, it worked fine for jacketed, if not particurly accurate. Does your slug out to .454 with an oval cross-section? Because mine did. Of course it's over 40 years old too. Who knows how many rounds have been through it.

The chamber is a little tighter on my SL then my Colt's as well, I can't help that my brass will last longer.

HF

Char-Gar
10-13-2012, 01:48 PM
I am glad you got your problem worked out and found a barrel to your likeing.

I have three 1911s

1. A stock 2005 vintage Colt GM
2. A Norinco 1911A1 with a Colt barrel and bushing bought used
3. Another Norinco 1911A1 with a Bar-Sto barrel and bushing, again bought used.

Both Norincos require a bushing wrench to remove and replace the bushings, which is a good thing. Other than that, both the Colt and Bar-Sto were drop in fits.

Accuracy is all I could want on all three pistols with cast or jacketed loads. I am happy.

I have had one or more 1911 45 ACP for 50 years now. I have lost count how many have passed through my hands, but it would be dozens. I have never had the issues that I see so frequently on this board with cast bullet handloads. I started shooting cast bullet handloads in a Remington-Rand 1911A1 in 1962 and it has been smooth sailing every since. As can be seen from the pistols I own now, I don't go in for duded up pistol, but stick as close as I can to John Browning original design. I think that may account for a good portion of my lack of problem. Although this would have nothing to do with your bad Colt barrel. Colt has had some quality control issue and labor problems over the years and I suspect your original barrel may reflect that. Recent Colt barrels are of good quality and fit.

Looks like about all barrels are stainless. Both Cole and Bar-Sto are stainless, but this doesn't cause me any angst. My eyeball tells me that Bar-Sto barrels have rifling that is deeper than the original Colt style. That is a good thing for cast bullets.

ShooterAZ
10-13-2012, 02:02 PM
I have used Ed Brown barrels & bushing with excellent results.
http://www.edbrown.com/cgi/htmlos.cgi/02406.3.297493443913415483

Frozone
10-13-2012, 05:17 PM
I just put one of these (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/693897/swenson-semi-drop-in-barrel-1911-45-acp-1-in-16-twist-5-government-steel-matte-black?cm_vc=OBv1465068) in a 'cheap' 1911A1.
They were on sale for $32 last month.

Not a drop in, but not bad.
Just a touch on the hood, Fit the Bottom lug and polish the chamber and ramp.

I recommend a box of FMJ ball before using cast - Everything is parkerized including the chamber/bore.
Now it actually Likes lead.

A pretty sweet deal at the price.