The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Order of Fit: slide, frame, barrel & bushing

Shorts · July 19, 2005, 04:17 PM

Alrighty, once and for all, the only used parts are on the lower. Those are the parts that came with the stock Colt Officer's Model and yes, it is a .45. Everything else has been converted to 9mm.

The upper is all new and consists of the following parts...in 9mm.

Slide: Essex 9mm Commander, Essex
Barrel: Randall 9mm, Ebay
Bushing: King's #303, Brownell's
Extractor: Ed Brown 9mm/.38super, Brownell's
Firing Pin: Ed Brown 9mm/.39super, Brownell's
Recoil Spring: Colt .45/.38super Comm., Brownell's
Recoil Spring Plug: Comm, Brownell's
Recoil Spring Guide: Ed Brown Comm, Brownell's
Magazine: Metal Form Officers 9mm 8rd, Brownell's
Sights: Novak front tritium, plain rear, Novaks

I even picked up a new Wilson 9mm/.38super slide stop but I didn't use it yet as the Metalform Mag catches the original slide stop and locks back last shot. I realize my project is looked at as completely low budget and a waste of good time. That's fine, but it's mine and I'm learning and don't regret any decisions I've made with it. I realize I took a chance on the Randall barrel. I knew it from the very beginning. But I figured what the heck, I'll get a new one if it doesn't work but I have to see for myself.

Ok, got that out of my system.

As for the ejector, I don't understand how that can be my ejection problem when the gun ejected fine aside from the times the extractor did not pull the case from the chamber. The extractor is a 9mm unit. Is the extractor hook suppose to be able to move at all when it is installed?

As for the chamber, what is the acceptable max. diameter over a case?

I decided to install my sights. I started this project to get the full affect and it wouldn't have quite been the same if I didn't. Not that I don't appreciate the offer, I am very grateful, Dave. But I guess as a kinda right of passage, I sorta wanted and needed to do it for myself. I did keeping hearing in my head from prior correspndence, "...this guy messed up everything..." and kept picturing myself in his shoes

So I got the Novaks installed this morning. I had to do some filing to get the dovetails opened up a little bit, but they sit well. I won't tack them down until after the slide is refinished and the gun is sighted in and in working condition. The rear sight doesn't sit flush with the rear of the slide, but it doesn't bother me none. I'll leave it be. I've gotta do work back there anyway, so if it does haunt me, I might try to get it flush, but really, eh.

Don't have a clue if their on there straight, but the main idea was getting them fit to the slide. How do you get them straight anyway? Do you test fire from bench rest at the range while adjusting them for each shot?

July 19, 2005, 04:17 PM	#116
Shorts Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2004 Posts: 1,484	Alrighty, once and for all, the only used parts are on the lower. Those are the parts that came with the stock Colt Officer's Model and yes, it is a .45. Everything else has been converted to 9mm. The upper is all new and consists of the following parts...in 9mm. Slide: Essex 9mm Commander, Essex Barrel: Randall 9mm, Ebay Bushing: King's #303, Brownell's Extractor: Ed Brown 9mm/.38super, Brownell's Firing Pin: Ed Brown 9mm/.39super, Brownell's Recoil Spring: Colt .45/.38super Comm., Brownell's Recoil Spring Plug: Comm, Brownell's Recoil Spring Guide: Ed Brown Comm, Brownell's Magazine: Metal Form Officers 9mm 8rd, Brownell's Sights: Novak front tritium, plain rear, Novaks I even picked up a new Wilson 9mm/.38super slide stop but I didn't use it yet as the Metalform Mag catches the original slide stop and locks back last shot. I realize my project is looked at as completely low budget and a waste of good time. That's fine, but it's mine and I'm learning and don't regret any decisions I've made with it. I realize I took a chance on the Randall barrel. I knew it from the very beginning. But I figured what the heck, I'll get a new one if it doesn't work but I have to see for myself. Ok, got that out of my system. As for the ejector, I don't understand how that can be my ejection problem when the gun ejected fine aside from the times the extractor did not pull the case from the chamber. The extractor is a 9mm unit. Is the extractor hook suppose to be able to move at all when it is installed? As for the chamber, what is the acceptable max. diameter over a case? I decided to install my sights. I started this project to get the full affect and it wouldn't have quite been the same if I didn't. Not that I don't appreciate the offer, I am very grateful, Dave. But I guess as a kinda right of passage, I sorta wanted and needed to do it for myself. I did keeping hearing in my head from prior correspndence, "...this guy messed up everything..." and kept picturing myself in his shoes So I got the Novaks installed this morning. I had to do some filing to get the dovetails opened up a little bit, but they sit well. I won't tack them down until after the slide is refinished and the gun is sighted in and in working condition. The rear sight doesn't sit flush with the rear of the slide, but it doesn't bother me none. I'll leave it be. I've gotta do work back there anyway, so if it does haunt me, I might try to get it flush, but really, eh. Don't have a clue if their on there straight, but the main idea was getting them fit to the slide. How do you get them straight anyway? Do you test fire from bench rest at the range while adjusting them for each shot? Last edited by Shorts; March 10, 2008 at 09:03 PM.