Building a 1911 from raw forging

[thehouseproduct]

Does anyone have useful links for starting a 1911 from a raw forging? I have one and wanted to begin the process over the Xmas break.

[MtGun44]

How much experience machining do you have, and equipment? I have looked at the design
a bit from a manufacturing standpoint and the trigger way cut looks like something that can
only be done with a very special custom made broach. Most of the rest of it would be just
a LOT of precision machining.

I don't have the links, but there are sets of blueprints out on the web somewhere. If you
have a 1911, tear it down and look hard at the trigger ways and figure how you are going
to make that cut before you get too far along. I think it is nearly a show stopper for most
of us. OTOH, there may be some cool trick that I didn't think of that would make it with
a mill.

Bill

[thehouseproduct]

I have a good amount of experience as well as access to mills, grinders, etc. I've finished 0% AR lowers. I can go from a blueprint only but I like making my life easier if there are examples or tutorials.

[perotter]

While this is doing it from billet & not a forging it may help give you some ideas as how to proceed.

http://www.cncguns.com/projects/1911a1frame.html

I did couple of AR15 0%, but now do been doing 80%. Just for myself, I don't want to try a 1911. Yet.

[MtGun44]

Have you specifically looked at the trigger way cut in the frame? I am serious - this is
NOT a cut you can make with a mill or grinder with any sort of a setup that I know of.
I am not a machining expert but have a mill and lathe and have done a reasonable bit of
hobby smithing.

How did you do the mag well in the AR lower?

Bill

[stubshaft]

Just curious as to whether or not you have a Mfr. License? since your forging has no Ser #.

[perotter]

Just curious as to whether or not you have a Mfr. License? since your forging has no Ser #.

Federal and state(mine) law is you don't need a Mfr. license if it is for personal use.

[perotter]

How did you do the mag well in the AR lower?

Bill

I used end mills. For the finishing cut I used a extra long 3/16. And broke 1 per lower. I'd never do it that way again. But have only given other milling methods some thought. And would most likely get an EDM machine to do it(lame excuse to buy a machine isn't it).

I decided that it was cheaper to buy 80%. If I felt a need today to make one that didn't have mag well, I'd do a bolt up or weld up one. In fact, a few months ago a local guy wanted sell me six 0% lowers for a fair price, but quickly told him I wasn't interested. Plus I still have 1 laying around.

[35remington]

I'd buy a frame, slide, and barrel already made from a forging and save myself a lot of money, time, and aggravation.

Such a self made forging would probably be the most expensive pistol you could own in terms of return for the time and money invested.

[thehouseproduct]

Have you specifically looked at the trigger way cut in the frame? I am serious - this is
NOT a cut you can make with a mill or grinder with any sort of a setup that I know of.
I am not a machining expert but have a mill and lathe and have done a reasonable bit of
hobby smithing.

How did you do the mag well in the AR lower?

Bill
I drilled holes in all corners with an aircraft 1/8" drill and then milled with a 1/4" end mill. I made up the difference between the 2 with a file.

[thehouseproduct]

So to stay on topic. I examined the 0% more and realized it is a casting not a forging. Also, I finished my AR lower by making one cut at a time. It took nearly a year. I just do it little by little. I'm still working full time and have plenty or working guns. If I have to get or make a key way cutter to make cuts little by little. I'm fine with that. The keyway for the tigger bow is cast into the casting. http://img.tapatalk.com/440535db-88c9-ce2c.jpg

[theperfessor]

Hopefully this wont be off topic but just as a general comment. I believe the frame cut was originally designed to be made with a broach. Not a problem in a large factory, using the best technology of the time, but not something easily done in the small mill-and-lathe hobby machine shop. Nowadays that feature would be designed around wire or plunge EDM or some other process. I have a 7" South Bend shaper - not a common shop tool anymore - and I bet I could figure out a way to cut that slot if I had too. I think a lot of other people could too.

There used to be an attachment that could be bolted to the lug on the opposite end of the ram of a vertical Bridgeport style milling machine. It was a small vertical shaper/keyway cutter. You could spin the arm 180 and cut keys slots and grooves in parts on the table. Haven't seen one of those in a long time but that could do it also.

I wish the OP success, and to take pleasure in the work, 'cause there will be a lot of it!

[MtGun44]

Perfessor,

I'm glad you chimed in. I have always assumed that the trigger way is broached, but have
wondered if you could get enough stiffness in a shaper tool holder to cut them that way.
I have seen a few shapers around, but they are pretty much an oddball and it would almost
seem forgotten machine tool these days. I've seen one demoed MANY years ago, but never
have operated one or seen on used "for serious".

I had not thought of plunge EDM. What surface finish will this obtain? We do a good bit
of wire EDM at work, but that is about all we do with EDM.

The OP said "raw forging" which would not be possible to include the trigger way, and I
always figured it would be a tough one to do.

As to the AR mag well, I thought that a really good 1/8 drill for the corners and then filling it
in with mill cutters may work in the absence of the proper broaching equipment to do it right.

Bill

[theperfessor]

I used to run planers when I was employed as a machinist. We had a lot of strange tooling made up to allow us to cut large keyslots and internal surfaces. That said, I've never cut a .45 frame so I'm not sure exactly how I would go about doing it. I just know that if you have a machine tool designed to cut with a reciprocating motion it can be adapted to cutting many internal shapes with the right tooling.

How easy or cost effective is another issue. I think the tool I would use for a one piece job would be my iPhone - to call one of my machine-shop-owning friends with an EDM machine. I'd cash in an old favor or trade some services. Amazing what a box of donuts and 100 cast hollowpoints can be traded for if the EDM operator is a shooter with a sweet tooth!

[scrapcan]

go here for some info on partials, tools, prints, etc..

http://www.roderuscustom.tzo.com/

[aarolar]

I have a spare casting if you need it I bought it cheap thinking I would do the same thing as you and quickly realized it was over my head and now it just sits around...

[thehouseproduct]

Made my first tiny steps. Pics tomorrow.