[jmstr]

Hello,

I have a Norinco 1911 and am replacing the ejector. In removing the current one [loose in frame, but pin installed], I discovered that the Norinco ejector pin is a smaller diameter than the the EGW one I bought.

I have an ejector that requires drilling to 'clock' it properly on the frame and lock it in.

Here is my dilemma:

• get a smaller drill bit [1/16" doesn't even start to go into hole] and drill ejector to the size of pin that the Norinco came with
• or drill frame out to standard Colt Ejector pin diameter, for future reliability issues.

If this were a RIA or Caspian [or almost any other] 1911 frame, I'd drill for the Colt spec pin.
Yet, I hear about how tough the Norinco Steel is [ansi 5100 equivalent?] and I am afraid I'll snap drill bits in the frame in the attempt- and ruin the entire frame.

Does it MATTER how big the ejector pin is?

BTW, now, I am thinking the ejector was loose because it was a pre-drilled GI .45 ejector and the notch was just too large due to the Norinco pin being smaller.

What do you recommend:

• Drill frame to correct size [what type of bit, lubricant and speed should I use, if so]?
• or stick to Norinco spec pin and drill ejector leg for Norinco size notch?

 

[mdslye]

1 drill to colt size . 2 file the leg on the ejector don't try to drill it in the frame HUGE mistake .

 

[log man]

You will have to decide, I would consider, if the pin is useable to simply file the notch in the leg of the ejector to accept the pin and install as is, why risk the broken drill when there is a simple way around it.

LOG

 

[mdslye]

gotta go with log

 

[jmstr]

Thanks Logman and mdslye.

I have no problem using the original pin- as long as there are no functional reasons it is less durable at keeping the ejector in place.

I'll just do that- as I also worry about broken drill bits in the frame [and, with the size, and ez out would not be likely to work].

 

[warp2diesel]

One of my 80% frames I bought had a broken off drill in the 1/16" hole where the roll pin goes to retain the ejector. I had to wait until Brownells got the right size punch with replicable pins back in stock. I got the broken drill out, it was a pain. File the notch in the ejector leg.

 

[jmstr]

Got the new ejector fitted up with the old pin. Snug as a bug!

Then, had to blend the back to both match the rear curve, as well as reduce side profile to let hammer glide past on firing without rubbing.

Just the normal stuff with oversized ejector. I like it!

 

[Rwehavinfunyet]

If you want a perfect fit of the ejector pin, instead of filing the leg to allow the pin to hold the ejector, watch a video of Dave Dawson on you tube:

He uses a reverse drill bit (left hand twist) and the current hole in the frame, to make a perfect fit of the ejector pin on the long front leg of a 1911 or STI 2011 ejector. The ejector pin hole is larger for an STI 2011 frame, so a different reverse drill bit is required......

 

[EvolutionArmory]

So I’m trying to figure out what the dilemma is here. There’s already a smaller pin hole drilled so drilling it out to 1/16 should be pretty straight forward. Since there is already a hole drilled, drilling it out to 1/16 probably won’t walk and you’ll have a straight 1/16 hole. Most of the material is already gone so you should be able to drill it straight without breaking a drill.

If there wasn’t a hole already drilled I could see a dilemma. Locating and drilling a 1/16 hole that doesn’t walk through over .600 of frame material can be a little unnerving but since there is already a smaller hole drilled, you should be able to enlarge it to 1/16 with a common drill press.

I see you got it worked out in the end. I just don’t know why this was made more difficult than it was.

 

[jmstr]

So I’m trying to figure out what the dilemma is here. There’s already a smaller pin hole drilled so drilling it out to 1/16 should be pretty straight forward. Since there is already a hole drilled, drilling it out to 1/16 probably won’t walk and you’ll have a straight 1/16 hole. Most of the material is already gone so you should be able to drill it straight without breaking a drill.

If there wasn’t a hole already drilled I could see a dilemma. Locating and drilling a 1/16 hole that doesn’t walk through over .600 of frame material can be a little unnerving but since there is already a smaller hole drilled, you should be able to enlarge it to 1/16 with a common drill press.

I see you got it worked out in the end. I just don’t know why this was made more difficult than it was.

Hello,

I can understand your thoughts about my initial question. I am new to Norinco 1911s. My understanding was that the Norinco 1911 frame used a steel that was noticeably more difficult to cut/file/shape/drill than the steel used in the vast majority of 1911s. I kept reading about how frame/slide work on the Norinco wore out milling cutters and files significantly faster than on other 1911s. I ran into a real life situation where a gunsmith didn't want to cut/drill/etc this frame/slide due to the hardness of it- and I read anecdotal accounts of the same on the internet.

If this were a Rock Island, or Wilson Combat, or just about anything in between, I'd have just drilled the hole and moved on.

My concern was about the difference in metallurgy, and about snapping a drill bit in it due to how much tougher the Norinco frame was.


I figured the collective here would have more knowledge of the real-world implications of the Norinco metallurgy and doing something like chasing a hole into a larger size, compared to my understanding of the principles of drilling a hole larger- but no application to this grade of steel.

It was all about the differences in the steel- not about the difficulty of chasing a hole larger.

 

[oak1971]

Rumor has it that Norinco frames and slides were made from old train rails. Not sure if true or not.

 

[Maurice-Eley]

I have no problem using the original pin- as long as there are no functional reasons it is less durable at keeping the ejector in place.

Just as a bit of advice, since you asked about the functional aspect of the smaller diameter pin.

1. Can you run a 1911 with NO pin in that hole, letting the slide alone hold the ejector in place? Short answer: Yes, but not ideally
2. What if the pin should snap while shooting? You'd never notice until you took the slide off.
3. What real forces, at what vectors, are applied to the ejector? Almost nil and mostly upward on the front leg. You're more likely to snap a leg off than snap a pin.
4. If attempting to enlarge the hole, jeeze don't do it with a hand drill. You'll need to be square with everything, and control the feeding of the drill. Drill press at least, and Bridgeport ideally.

You can also spot check the steel, just do a little test indent on the right side of the frame, however, I doubt the steel is so tough it cannot be drilled with a sharp drill. I suspect any "snapped drills" are the result of using a hand drill, or poor unstable set up on a drill press.

 

[drail]

It's probably metric. Only Mad Dogs and Englishman still use fractional inches. They also drive on the wrong side of the road.

 

[Maurice-Eley]

Try driving stateside with my ex-pat Brit GF some time. Think in terms of some "opening chase from a 1960's James Bond movie meets Monty Python". I refuse to ride with her any more.

 

[BBBBill]

Rumor has it that Norinco frames and slides were made from old Rail Road ties. Not sure if true or not.

Not likely as they are not wooden components. Perhaps from old rails.... 🙃

 

[Jim Watson]

I have my own anecdotes of low machinability Chinese steel.

But what does a reverse twist drill bit do for you?

Side of the road anecdote alert:
In 1964 Sweden changed from left lane to right lane. With lots of announcements, prepositioned road signs that were uncovered all in one night, and a reduced speed limit, accidents were actually down the following year.

A friend was visiting his ancestors' homeland of Scotland. He was badly injured in a head-on collision. I did not want to embarrass him by bringing up the Yank on the wrong side of the road effect. But he later described the cause as a drunk Scotsman on the wrong side of the road.

 

[oak1971]

Not likely as they are not wooden components. Perhaps from old rails.... 🙃

fify

 

[pistolwrench]

.........Atlas Shrugged.

 

[jmstr]

Thanks all. I just reused the original pin and modified a new ejector leg to be the right side, so that it has no up/down wiggle. That seems safer. I just wish I could easily source a spare pin or two.


I also did a home-brew modification of the front sight that basically made it into a brass bead front sight. No pics though. I got the insights here and a few other places, but describe my process below. Thanks to all who posted how to do this in the past!



This pistol had a very low-profile front sight, but it was a white dot- not the typical half-circle low rise mil spec front sight. This gave me a starting point to add the brass bead.

I used a drill bit the same size as the white circle and drilled back/down a bit for about 2/3 of the length of the sight. It made me nervous about drilling at an angle, but I didn't pop out either side. I then drilled a VERY TINY hole straight down from the top.

Then, I sourced some thin brass rod sections that were a hint larger than the hole, but narrower than the front sight width. I turned down a section the length of the hole I drilled, put some red loctite in the hole and pressed it in. The tiny top hole acted to prevent backpressure. I clamped the rod in place, then used a tiny punch to 'flare' the rod inside the top hole, to further decrease the odds of it slipping out. Then I left the clamp on for the weekend [off on a trip]. I had cut the 'bead' side to be about 1/8-3/16" tall, then used a dremel polish wheel to buff it brigher [and round the edges a bit].

Now, I can actually see the front sight without my glasses! Thanks again to all who have posted tips like this before. I am not doing anything new- but following in established paths and having a positive outcome. Thank you!