1911 Barrels

[Blackwater]

I have been thinking for a long time about putting a couple of really premium barrels in my pair of Combat Commanders. They're "parts guns" made from Series 70 Slides and Series 80 frames by a local renowned 'smith. Also want a few "combat" modifications, but mostly new barrels. I have seen where Ed Brown touts his barrels as having rifling that is a bit more suited to cast bullets, which is 99%+ what I plan on using in these guns. There's not really a lot of difference in price in the premium barrels, or at least not enough to worry about in a job like this, so I'm asking if anyone has found that the Ed Brown barrels have any deeper or different rifling than the normally shallowish rifling that most .45 barrels have? I know all the main brands of premium barrels are likely going to shoot extremely well. If the EB barrels have slightly deeper rifling, it seems likely they'd function better with a softer alloy if I decide to use a softer alloy in a HP bullet, like the Lyman or others. Can anyone comment on this from their experience?

[B. Lumpkin]

Brown barrels are decent, and will shoot lead fine from soft to hard as long as you do your part on bullet fit. I had two Brown barrels in 2 of my 1911 pistols. With a fit bushing, accuracy was more than acceptable at 25 and 50 yards.

[TCLouis]

As an add on to this . . .

Who makes 45 ACP barrels best suited to Boolits?

[country gent]

While not an 45 my 1911 38 spls barrel is a bar-sto and with 38 wadcutters its a real tackdriver. Ive also heard good reviews on Karts. Almost as importnt as the barrel is the fitting of the barrel to the gun.

[samari46]

I've a Knowlin barrel in my tricked out 1911A1, all I shoot in it is a commercial cast 230 grain flatbased bullet. Shoots real nice. Thought all barrels had the same type of rifling guess I was wrong. Frank

[B. Lumpkin]

As an add on to this . . .

Who makes 45 ACP barrels best suited to Boolits?

Any premium barrel will be suitable for cast. The chamber and throat are important, and that is discussed in Jerry Kuhnhausen's shop manual. For a competition gun where accuracy is the name of the game I go for a hard fit Kart or KKM barrel. Better yet is a custom barrel by Jerry Keefer made from a Douglas blank.

[2shot]

Almost all Bullseye shooters are using Kart hard fit barrels. Kart are excellent cast bullet barrels

As a side note Jerry Keefer doesn't except work anymore, he's retired.



2shot

[bobthenailer]

for the 1911 I have hard fit barrels from, 2 barrels from Clark, 2 from Nowlin, 1 match drop in from Henie and 2 Kart EZ fit barrels , I also bought the fitting kit , fitting the barrel is always something I wanted to do myself ! after doing about everything else on the 1911. all shoot cast excellent.

[DougGuy]

Don't stop with just fitting the barrel to the slide and frame! Send it and have it throated for .452" cast boolts as well! Internal fitment of the throat to the boolit is every bit if not more important than fitting the barrel to the gun. Kart will tell you in fine print their barrels need finish reamed to set headspace once the hood is fitted, and the chamber will be on the short side so that the smith can set proper headspace.

[1Hawkeye]

+1 for the kart barrel. Also be sure that the bushing is good and tight fit to the slide as well as the barrel. Brownells has a good selection of them.

[seagiant]

Hi,
I would also rate the KART as a "Best Buy" in price and quality!

[wv109323]

To achieve ultimate accuracy you need to have the correct slide to frame fit. Kart is far and away the most popular barrel at the national matches where 50 yard accuracy is required. Cast bullets are very common in the Kart. Usually Kart barrels are less expensive than some of the other barrels.

[EMC45]

Kart. Brownells has the barrels and the fit kits and they shoot very well.

[DougGuy]

I could recommend a Briley spherical bushing. You order the size .001" bigger than the OD of the barrel tube, and then fit it to the slide. Pretty easy to fit to the slide. The tricky part in fitting a conventional bushing is honing the bushing to fit. By the time you get it to accept the barrel snugly, it often binds the barrel when the gun goes into battery. The Briley bushing does away with that all together and is a wonderful piece to add to a 1911 if you want it accurate but without friction or binding. Comes in both gunsmith fit (the lug AND the OD of the bushing must be fitted) and a drop in which I have had both and the drop in is snug enough to make the gunsmith fitted version just extra work for not much if any gain.

If I am not mistaken, you would be better off using a 5" gov't barrel and cutting it to the Commander slide if you use the Briley bushing. Last I remember talking to the folks at Kart, their barrels have a "series 70" muzzle which is a larger OD in the last 3/8" of the barrel to assist in a tight lockup. The Briley bushing will work with this barrel and it's larger OD at the end, but they work much better with a straight tube.

[B. Lumpkin]

EGW makes really good bushings as well. I use their angle bore bushings.

[Blackwater]

Thanks for all the comments and advice, guys. Much appreciated. The consensus is probably for the Kart, so that's likely what I'll get. It'll probably be after Christmas now, though, but saving a lil' $$$ when you're retired is always appreciated. My guns are old parts gun a local highly renowned shooter/gunsmith originally put together from Series 70 slides and Series 80 frames. He does the best feeling and most generally functional stippling on the front strap I've ever seen. He was a bit of a character, but I liked the guy. He passed away not long ago now, and was well into his 90's. He was in artillery in WWII and finally got so deaf he was near 100% deaf, but he never let it slow him down. The old Colts needed a lot of work just to get them to function, but these have done very well for me. Also thinking about having them e-nickled, too. But I like blued steel well enough that I am still vascilating over that decision. I don't think I've been without a .45 since I got my first one in about '74 I think it was. And don't ever plan to be without one again. I only have 3 now, so I'm jealous of you guys that have more. But at least 3 ought'a hold me for a while, maybe? I'll also be getting a LH holster so that I can carry both. Not sure why I want to, but I DO doggoneit! Should help me practice more with my off hand, at least? That's the excuse I'm stickin' with for the moment, anyway. Good shootin' to y'all.

[M-Tecs]

I could recommend a Briley spherical bushing.

I love these. Frank Pachmayr was the first to use these on their Signature Series Bullseye guns. I had one in the late 70's.


http://www.realguns.com/articles/631.htm

http://www.briley.com/c-511-bushings.aspx

[B. Lumpkin]

Thanks for all the comments and advice, guys. Much appreciated. The consensus is probably for the Kart, so that's likely what I'll get. It'll probably be after Christmas now, though, but saving a lil' $$$ when you're retired is always appreciated. My guns are old parts gun a local highly renowned shooter/gunsmith originally put together from Series 70 slides and Series 80 frames. He does the best feeling and most generally functional stippling on the front strap I've ever seen. He was a bit of a character, but I liked the guy. He passed away not long ago now, and was well into his 90's. He was in artillery in WWII and finally got so deaf he was near 100% deaf, but he never let it slow him down. The old Colts needed a lot of work just to get them to function, but these have done very well for me. Also thinking about having them e-nickled, too. But I like blued steel well enough that I am still vascilating over that decision. I don't think I've been without a .45 since I got my first one in about '74 I think it was. And don't ever plan to be without one again. I only have 3 now, so I'm jealous of you guys that have more. But at least 3 ought'a hold me for a while, maybe? I'll also be getting a LH holster so that I can carry both. Not sure why I want to, but I DO doggoneit! Should help me practice more with my off hand, at least? That's the excuse I'm stickin' with for the moment, anyway. Good shootin' to y'all.

I really appreciate a well done stippling job. Every bit as functional as checkering, and when done right, looks every bit a good!! As for a LH holster to carry both...I like it!! Was it John Taffin who coined the phrase "A pair and a spare!"? Go ahead and holster up all three and carry all three.

[Blackwater]

Great idea! I've actually thought about it. Kind'a "makes a statement," doesn't it? :mrgreen:

[B. Lumpkin]

Better have a good belt!

[Blackwater]

I figured the twins in double shoulder holsters, and the Kimber in the kidney position. "Ready for Freddie," no matter how big and mean he might be .... at least in my dreams???? :mrgreen:

[fourarmed]

I can't comment on the others, but I put an Ed Brown barrel and bushing in my LW Commander, and I have been very happy with it. I had to remove a few thousandths from the hood extension and a bit around the top lugs. Otherwise, it was an excellent fit out of the box.

[knifemaker]

180661I purchased this S&W 1911 for shooting IDPA matches at our local club. The best it would group was about 3 inches at 25 yards. The slide to frame fit was very tight, but smooth and reliable function indicating it had a barrel problem for accuracy. Trigger pull was dead on at a smooth crisp 4 pounds where I like it for a IDPA match or self defense gun.
I sent the S&W 1911 to a custom smith, who now works for Ruger. He fitted a hard fit Kart barrel and match bushing to the gun and tested it at 25 yards in a Ransom rest for a full mag, 8 rounds, of Federal 185 gr. gold match ammo. Here is the results. You can cover that single hole of 8 rounds with a 5 cent nickel. The 1911 has proven to be very reliable with no failures to feed or eject for over 1000 rounds of my handloaded ammo. My total cost in this gun is about 1800 bucks.

[Blackwater]

Now THAT is the kind of accuracy I'd nearly die for! Thanks!

[Blackwater]

Now THAT is the kind of accuracy I'd nearly die for! Thanks!

Oh! And as to the double shoulder holster, Andrews Leather makes a double shoulder rig he calls his "Urban Safari" rig! Love his sense of humor! I bought my McDaniel IWB holster with thumb snap from him at a gun show when he was just getting started, and I really love his leather work! That McDaniel is the ONLY IWB holster I've ever had on that felt as "comfortable" as an IWB holster can be. It truly has amazed me, and continues to do so. My little Lwt. 4" Kimber carries better than a 2" snubby .38 EVER did when I use that McDaniel holster for it!