DougGuy
08-08-2015, 10:23 PM
Reinventing the Mouse Trap? I don't think so!
I took an interest in the barrel link that Karl Lippard offers and ordered one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271630576520?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
The directions were pretty straightforward, and we had no trouble setting the frame up in the mill and machining it to spec to install the barrel link. After sneaking up on the prescribed dimensions with pin gages while the frame was in the mill, we finally got where a .364" plus gage would drop into the relief cut and decided to quit there instead of going for the .365" ~ .366" that Karl specified. The link he sent me measured .363" and it dropped in nicely.
I already had a .010" over link and it was locking up correctly so when I ordered, I asked Karl to send one the same size. He says most 1911s take a "2" but the one he sent was a "4" and it worked out great.
This Commander used a Kimber slide stop that measured .202" on the nose and I had zero difficulty reassembling the pistol after installing the link.
All I can say is WOW, and I haven't even shot it yet! The difference in the feel of the slide cycling is night and day. It is a very snappy, confident sound cycling the slide with no recoil spring, it even sounds totally different! the feel in the hands is different. Smoother. The whole operation of the slide is sharp and crisp and you notice the difference like RIGHT NOW.
This link takes no prisoners. At a cost of $25 you get exactly what you pay for! You can't feel any perceptible rocking back and forth just putting the barrel into the frame and putting the slide stop through the frame. I have to give credit where credit is due, this thing is tighter than a new drum!
Here are a few pics:
Cutout in the frame as per the drawing that Karl sent:
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/1911%20Commander/DSC04408crop640_zpsg8pzad1g.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/1911%20Commander/DSC04408crop640_zpsg8pzad1g.jpg.html)
Link assembled onto barrel: (This needed fitting, which is a good thing, as it was very snug)
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/1911%20Commander/DSC04409crop640_zpsrnluqteb.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/1911%20Commander/DSC04409crop640_zpsrnluqteb.jpg.html)
Link and barrel assembled into frame, this was hard to get a pic of, the camera wanted to focus on everything except what I was aiming it at..
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/1911%20Commander/DSC04433crop640_zpsnoxzgvq9.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/1911%20Commander/DSC04433crop640_zpsnoxzgvq9.jpg.html)
A little touch up bluing and put the rest of the pistol back together:
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/1911%20Commander/DSC04421crop640_zpsrsheghbe.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/1911%20Commander/DSC04421crop640_zpsrsheghbe.jpg.html)
My buddy was gracious enough to make me a barrel locator block that fits in the slide pretty good, and it will hold the barrel centered so that the hood can be fitted, or in this case with an older HS military issue barrel, it will let me see how much I need to weld on the hood to tighten it up in the slide:
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/1911%20Commander/DSC04423crop640_zpsqi0f5dpf.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/1911%20Commander/DSC04423crop640_zpsqi0f5dpf.jpg.html)
To be quite honest, once everything is assembled the Lippard Military Barrel Link holds the lower lugs of the barrel SO snugly, that it will turn the frame into a barrel locator tool and when the gun is in battery the slop in the sides of the barrel hood can be measured with filed down pieces of wire as a gauge, then it can be welded up and refit. The lower lugs are tight but it wouldn't stay tight for the long haul with the hood fitting as loose as it does in a GI issue 1911A1.
I took an interest in the barrel link that Karl Lippard offers and ordered one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271630576520?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
The directions were pretty straightforward, and we had no trouble setting the frame up in the mill and machining it to spec to install the barrel link. After sneaking up on the prescribed dimensions with pin gages while the frame was in the mill, we finally got where a .364" plus gage would drop into the relief cut and decided to quit there instead of going for the .365" ~ .366" that Karl specified. The link he sent me measured .363" and it dropped in nicely.
I already had a .010" over link and it was locking up correctly so when I ordered, I asked Karl to send one the same size. He says most 1911s take a "2" but the one he sent was a "4" and it worked out great.
This Commander used a Kimber slide stop that measured .202" on the nose and I had zero difficulty reassembling the pistol after installing the link.
All I can say is WOW, and I haven't even shot it yet! The difference in the feel of the slide cycling is night and day. It is a very snappy, confident sound cycling the slide with no recoil spring, it even sounds totally different! the feel in the hands is different. Smoother. The whole operation of the slide is sharp and crisp and you notice the difference like RIGHT NOW.
This link takes no prisoners. At a cost of $25 you get exactly what you pay for! You can't feel any perceptible rocking back and forth just putting the barrel into the frame and putting the slide stop through the frame. I have to give credit where credit is due, this thing is tighter than a new drum!
Here are a few pics:
Cutout in the frame as per the drawing that Karl sent:
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/1911%20Commander/DSC04408crop640_zpsg8pzad1g.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/1911%20Commander/DSC04408crop640_zpsg8pzad1g.jpg.html)
Link assembled onto barrel: (This needed fitting, which is a good thing, as it was very snug)
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/1911%20Commander/DSC04409crop640_zpsrnluqteb.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/1911%20Commander/DSC04409crop640_zpsrnluqteb.jpg.html)
Link and barrel assembled into frame, this was hard to get a pic of, the camera wanted to focus on everything except what I was aiming it at..
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/1911%20Commander/DSC04433crop640_zpsnoxzgvq9.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/1911%20Commander/DSC04433crop640_zpsnoxzgvq9.jpg.html)
A little touch up bluing and put the rest of the pistol back together:
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/1911%20Commander/DSC04421crop640_zpsrsheghbe.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/1911%20Commander/DSC04421crop640_zpsrsheghbe.jpg.html)
My buddy was gracious enough to make me a barrel locator block that fits in the slide pretty good, and it will hold the barrel centered so that the hood can be fitted, or in this case with an older HS military issue barrel, it will let me see how much I need to weld on the hood to tighten it up in the slide:
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/1911%20Commander/DSC04423crop640_zpsqi0f5dpf.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/1911%20Commander/DSC04423crop640_zpsqi0f5dpf.jpg.html)
To be quite honest, once everything is assembled the Lippard Military Barrel Link holds the lower lugs of the barrel SO snugly, that it will turn the frame into a barrel locator tool and when the gun is in battery the slop in the sides of the barrel hood can be measured with filed down pieces of wire as a gauge, then it can be welded up and refit. The lower lugs are tight but it wouldn't stay tight for the long haul with the hood fitting as loose as it does in a GI issue 1911A1.