[CWarner]

Having three and 1/2 gunsmiths around here leads to a lot of interesting discussions.
Recently, while going over barrel fitting, we had quite the discussion on the various techniques employed. I have had a theory for quite some time, given modern materials and components, that maybe their was room for simplification.....



Given that we have a few setting around, the lugs mostly disappeared off of this one. Since that much material was removed, special 1911forum heat treating was necessary.......



...OK, Joking about the heat treating, but the barrel is real.
Next was finding an old clunker of a shop gun to put it in.....



That one will probably fill the bill....
This might be fun.....I'll leave it at this for now, let you guys share your thoughts
....more to come.

CW

 

[jimdgreat1]

What kind of test do you have in mind? Curious myself to see how that holds up.

 

[CWarner]

Fit it with no lugs....shoot the heck out of it.


CW

 

[log man]

Correction, one lug, and its been re-heat treated, so no problem! Dangit!

LOG

 

[Jerry Keefer]

Fit it with no lugs....shoot the heck out of it.


CW

I predict....That it will work just fine... Many of the modern high pressure .357 Sigs, 40 cal. etc. are running one lug... I have seen some massive pressure failures, yet I have never seen a lug shear...

 

[1saxman]

Very interesting experiment that does bring up quite a few questions.

 

[Red-5]

I'm just wondering who the 1/2 of a gunsmith is.

 

[CWarner]

Our broker up front,Mark Smith. No slouch on revolvers. He only counts as half. ....lol

CW

 

[busdriver]

Isn't the theory that the softer steel of the past would equalize the lugs over time? 3 lugs always seemed like overkill for .45acp when you compare the 1911 to a Glock.

It'd be really neat to see a square cut single lug version of a 1911....

 

[Daniel Watters]

Of course, the next step would be to relocate the barrel lug forward, so you could open up the ejection port to clear loaded rounds.

The monolug barrel would also be handy for short slide models if you absolutely insisted upon using a conventional bushing on a sub-4" barrel.

 

[CWarner]

Daniel,
That part will be later in the thread....lol. The loaded round idea I like, but a new slide would be another 2-3 year nightmare, though I could go to the farther lug....

CW

 

[Greg Derr]

How long do you heat treat that barrel?

 

[log man]

How long do you heat treat that barrel?

I think, but don't quote, that a 1911 barrel calls for 2 1/2 Bics.

LOG

 

[Texar2]

Next thing will be square slides and glock barrels! And then what will debate about! Your going to ruin everything! Lol.
Seriously though, this is great.

 

[CWarner]

Next thing will be square slides and glock barrels! And then what will debate about! Your going to ruin everything! Lol.
Seriously though, this is great.

Not from us. I recall that road being explored by .....new Detonics? Useless and expensive.

We are gonna have some fun with this though....lol

CW

 

[Retired AF CE]

I am not pistol smith, but I love your T-Shirt!

You are missing one thing. Duct Tape!

 

[Daniel Watters]

Daniel,
That part will be later in the thread....lol. The loaded round idea I like, but a new slide would be another 2-3 year nightmare, though I could go to the farther lug....

That's roughly what Dan Coonan did to open the ejection port far enough to clear a .357 Magnum round.

Of course, trimming a barrel back one lug was the old school method for clearing the bushing skirt in a Bobcat .45 in the pre-Detonics/Colt OACP era. Even Rock Island Arsenal did that when building the M15 General Officers Pistol from issue M1911A1.

 

[Daniel Watters]

Not from us. I recall that road being explored by .....new Detonics? Useless and expensive.

Worse, the Detonics barrels were octagonal. Machining the matching slide had to be fun.

https://www.google.com/patents/US8087344

 

[CWarner]

Im thinking single lug bull barrels soon...lol

 

[US1911]

That's a bold statement, not everyone could get away with purple carpeted stairs.

Ok, just kidding about the stairs. That's an interesting build, looking forward to end results.