9mm Major PF Build Thread

[Bkreutz]

I decided it's time to put my current competition pistol out to pasture. It's coming up on 90K rounds, still works great but I don't like shooting major power factor loads through it for USPSA. I've decided to use it for local Tuesday night matches (no major PF) and Steel Challenge (no major either). My current pistol was developed as I shot it so there was no real "plan" to it. The new one is going to be purpose built from the start using things that I've learned over the past few years. I know most people will tell me that a 2011 is the way to go, but I've always followed a different drumbeat, so I'm going to do it my way.

Starting with a 9mm 9L from Buds "Qualified Professional" program

And the collection of parts.
Apex FSS kit (of course )

SJC 90 degree mount and C-More sight

KKM barrel and Carver compensator

Collection of recoil springs for tuning

Still waiting for some parts, Magwell from Speed Shooters and extractor from Apex. I'll update this thread as I go along. I thought some of you may be interested.

 

[Bkreutz]

End of the first day, got it all stripped down.

These are the parts that get relegated to the "spares" box

After getting down to the bare slide and frame, there was some factory grease (more like cosmoline) so I threw them into the ultrasonic cleaner.

After a few minutes, a rinse and a blow off with compressed air, here's my starting point.

These frame mods are ones that I figured out shooting my Core for the last 2 seasons. First thing is the mag release button. I've tried different extended buttons, but didn't like any of them, so I grind off the shroud on the left side so the button projects out. Works well for me.

Before

After (not the prettiest job, but it's not a beauty contest ) I may try to clean this up later (or not)

And with the release button installed.

Next was the trigger guard, I found that the stock roughness was hard on my middle finger, I was getting sore about halfway through a match or practice session.

Before

And after smoothing the texture and relieving the corner.

And the last thing on the frame (until I start drilling to mount the CMore mount) is the backstrap. I got used to the Core texture, and this pistol came with the stock texture, since I plan to still use the Core, I needed to do something. This is what I came up with.
Heat source

Old hand rasp heated up

And homemade texture.

More to come in the coming days, got a match tomorrow.

 

[tenntucker]

Looking forward to pt 2.

 

[Bkreutz]

Today I started with the Apex trigger kit. step one (after removing the old stuff) was to push the pin capturing the trigger bar. This is the only way I've found to reliably do this on an aluminum trigger

And all the Apex parts ready to go in. (I won't go through how to do this, there are plenty of videos on the net)

In order to use the sight mount I have to remove the rear sight (and leave it off), so I had to come up with something to retain the striker block and spring. I cut the sight part off an old rear sight I had lying around (this pistol came with night sights, which I'll save for some other project).

And here it is installed. I think it looks kinda cobby, so I may run it through the mill and see if I can make it look better. But that will come later. (the other slide is where the night sights went, it's my 4.25 slide for IDPA)

Put an extra strength striker spring on my striker (I'll be using small rifle primers in my 9mm Major loads), and put the slide together with a slide racker.

And finally install the barrel into the slide and glue the compensator on. It has to cure for 24 hours before it can be handled. That blue spring won't stay, it's just holding the barrel in place while the Loctite cures.

I think I'm done for a few days, next step is to machine the lower frame to accept the mount. I can't do that without the hardware kit and SJC sent me the small parts kit for a Glock. I've already talked to them and the correct kit is on the way.

 

[tonesurfer]

Curious why you didn't go with a .40 instead of of loading 9mm to major. And a wouldn't a Core model have worked out of the box with your red dot?

 

[Bkreutz]

Curious why you didn't go with a .40 instead of of loading 9mm to major. And a wouldn't a Core model have worked out of the box with your red dot?

I chose 9 major because of round count in the magazine, we're limited to 170mm and that's 28 rounds of 9mm(+1), The .40 would only give me 23. I have a core, the reason I went this way is that I'm mounting the dot to the frame not the slide. The concept is that it's easier to maintain target acquisition if the sight isn't slamming back and forth with the slide. A Deltapoint could have been used, but I wanted to try something else. (besides, all the top guys use this dot, must be a reason, I'll find out)

 

[OKFC05]

First thing is the mag release button. I've tried different extended buttons, but didn't like any of them, so I grind off the shroud on the left side so the button projects out. Works well for me.

You don't know how many times I've wanted to do that to that obnoxious bump. However, since I am running Stock and Production, well, you know: no frame mods.

 

[Bkreutz]

You don't know how many times I've wanted to do that to that obnoxious bump. However, since I am running Stock and Production, well, you know: no frame mods.

Yup, the exact reason I shoot Open, I don't like rules or reloads.

 

[Johnmuratore]

An excellent pictorial.

Thanks B

 

[Bkreutz]

Can't do much today, I'm still waiting for the correct trigger pivot screw, on this mount the rear mounting screw replaces the trigger pivot screw. Once this screw is in place, I need to use the mount to locate the front screw location, drill the holes, and then mill out the inside of the pistol to accept the stainless steel thread inserts. Don't want to screw this step up, if I do, the frame is junk and since Smith won't sell bare frames, it means another new gun. (no pressure here ). So I hung the parts on the bare frame to get an idea what it's going to look like and here's what I have.

Now it's waiting for parts.....................................

 

[tenntucker]

Ejection port is covered up.

 

[Bkreutz]

Ejection port is covered up.

Not when the slide goes back. You can see the back end of the barrel in the picture.

 

[Nelsgee]

I'm not familiar with c more sights. Why do people mount them side ways? Is it to get them lower to the bore?

 

[Llando88]

Cool thread Bkreutz.

 

[Bkreutz]

I'm not familiar with c more sights. Why do people mount them side ways? Is it to get them lower to the bore?

Bingo .................

 

[Bkreutz]

The trigger/mount pin came in yesterday, didn't get a chance to work on it until today. Put the trigger pivot pin in and taped the slide in position so I could mark where the front holes need to be.

First I leveled the pistol in the vice, then shimmed the mount so that it was level.

Used a self centering bit to drill a pilot hole centered in the mount hole.

Drilled the pilot holes in both sides (no turning back now ) and moved to the drill press

Drilled full size hole for the insert

Test fit bushing, perfect diameter (BTW it was an L bit, not a 17/64 like the directions said.

Now the tough part. The insert needs to be inlet into the frame, a mill end didn't work all that well.

The directions talked about heating up the insert and then putting it in to get a tight fit. I couldn't see heating up the insert and then try to fumble it in while it's hot so here's what I came up with. I put the insert in from the inside, screwed a bolt into the insert and heated up the bolt.

When the bolt got hot enough to soften the plastic, a squeeze with pliers did the trick.

Now assemble the trigger and sear blocks to the frame

And install the mount. This was really tricky to get the trigger pin through the mount, trigger block, trigger, and trigger spring. This is a somewhat difficult trick without the mount, but the mount adds a couple of levels of difficult to it. If anyone decides to do this mount on their pistol, contact me, there are a couple of tricks I had to invent.

Now I'm waiting for parts again.

 

[Bkreutz]

Last few parts were in the mailbox tonight, finished putting it together and amazingly everything works (imagine that) 2.2# trigger.

And here's a closeup for tenntucker that shows that the ejection port is indeed clear. (just kidding tt, couldn't resist. I actually thought the same thing when I first fit it, then I thought about it and went "Doh")

I'm calling this build done, still need to smooth off some rough edges and do a bit of tuning, sight in the dot. Then I need to develop some new 9Major loads (and re-zero the dot).

Hope everyone enjoyed the trip.

 

[vinny77]

That's an incredible job! Craftsmanship and due diligence really looks like it paid off, Thanks

vinny

 

[Bkreutz]

Thought I was done, when dry firing it I noticed the the rear leg of the CMore mount rubbed the trigger finger wrong so I fixed that with the grinder. The tape is to keep the grinding grit out of the internals.

Little paint and hopefully this is the end of the construction.

It's harder than one would think to get a picture of the dot.

And the last picture.

 

[Capt_Destro]

Does the M&P9L have the same dovetail cuts as the standard M&P? Looks different in comparison to the Core/Pro Dovetails. Looking to get one, I'd love to have some Truglo TFX on it though.