Project....45 Long Slide...

[SnidelyWhiplash]

I finished a project...I built a .45 Long Slide. I used to have an AMT Long Slide but it was less than stellar in manufacture and turned out to be out of spec in key places so I let it go.

I still wanted a Long Slide so I gathered parts for quite some time...waited for sales on parts, etc. I already had a bunch of 1911 parts sitting around and wanted to use them up...a mixture of Wilson Combat, Ed Brown and other brand parts...as long as they fit and worked I used them.

I used a Brownell's 1911 frame...a slide and barrel from Fusion Firearms and did some research on assembly techniques. I blued the slide myself using Brownell's Oxpho Blue Creme...followed directions and I think it turned out fine. I know cold bluing isn't all that durable but I wanted to try it. Doing the bluing was actually enjoyable...instant gratification as you could see the results with every coat it was given.

The absolutely most frustrating part of the build was installing the sights...lots of hours spread over several days of careful filing, test fitting...filing some more...and over and over. The grip safety wasn't too far behind that with frustration.

It hasn't been test fired yet...it does pass all basic safety tests short of actual shooting. Due to the added mass of the longer slide I expect to have to try several recoil springs to find the right one for best functioning.

Doing this gives me appreciate for what true gunsmiths do...and why the best are so expensive.

 

[Shotguncoach]

Very nicely done!

What part of Arizona are you in?

 

[-BTM-]

P I C T U R E S

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

Very nicely done!

What part of Arizona are you in?

Sun City West.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

In the 80's and early 90's I built about Forty 1911 type guns. Most were built on the Aluminum frame by Federal Ord. (Ordinance) Using rewelded slides and mostly used GI parts. As time went on, I refined a few things. The bushings I liked were the Match/spilt fingered type and I had problems with the Sear & Disconnector, so I went to only Colt Brand for these parts. (Wilson Parts were non-existent back then!)

Come to find out that those alloy frames lasted in the neighborhood of 800-1000 rounds. When my personal 1911 frame cracked at the Slide Release and the dust cover fell off. It still functioned, but I didn't trust it myself. So, I bought a Steel frame from Essex, that was already Parkerized.

After fitting all the parts, I sandblasted all the GI parts "white" and Parkerized them myself. Since I allowed the barrel to be Parkerized inside and out, it seemed to tighten groups up. My guarantee was a function only guarantee! It goes bang every time, no matter what! (which was a lot better than Colt at the time!) However, I tested every gun I put together. Never had one that missed a paper plate at 25 yards with 6 rounds of mixed FMJ and cast SWC ammo.

Every gun I build was a Frankenstein, no two were exactly the same. My gun had a Pachmayer flat MSH, that later got changed to a 1911 GI flat housing w/lanyard loop. My hammer has always been the wide "Beaver Tail" WWI style. I never built a gun with anything "extended"! I also never had a problem gripping any 1911 properly, that meant I never had "Railroad Tracks" across the top of my thumb either!

One of the good habits I developed carrying a 1911 is, when drawing from any holster, the sights go to my eye level and the thumb safety is snapped off on the way. When motion stops, the gun is on target and ready to fire. This is still such an ingrained habit, that I automatically sweep for the thumb safety, whether one exists or not, even on revolvers! (I consider this a good habit!)

Some of the guys that rewelded slides made 7" versions also, but the only long 1911 barrel I ever bought was a 16" barrel to make shoulder stocked carbines with. Still have it around here somewhere but haven't laid eyes on it since the move 11.5 years ago.

I'll be interested to hear how your function and accuracy testing proceeds.


9mm Lugar, the choice of defeated empires since 1908!
45 ACP, Cocked & Locked since 1911!

Ivan

 

[Jebus35745]

Very nice, it came out great. Love the 2 tone like that. Working with a file can be a slow process sometimes and easy to go a little too far. Need a range report, Larry

 

[stansdds]

Looks great! I've never had really good long term results with cold blue. You might consider rust bluing as a far more durable, DIY finish.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

I know cold blue isn’t that durable but I felt compelled to try. I considered having the slide cerakoted…which might still be an option. My major goal was to see if I could assemble a functional pistol…and use up parts I had.

I’ve used up parts…now I need to see if it’s functional.

 

[walter o]

Do not overlook rust bluing .IT IS NOT COMPLICATED AND VERY DURABLE iT JUST TAKES TIME AND PATIENCE.tAKE A LOOK AT A DOUBLE BARRELD SHOTY FOR COLOR

 

[Shotguncoach]

Sun City West.

I drive right past you to go to the range just about every weekend <hint hint>

 

[Grayfox]

looks good. I hope it shoots well for you.

I have two longslide 1911s. The first is a 1964 Clark. This one was built back when they had to weld two slides together and barrels were custom made. Even after all these years, its still tight as a bank vault and shoots way better than I can.

The second one can from an estate and had been stuck in a safe for many years. Near as I can tell, sometime back around the 1960s, the owner decided to build himself a longslide. He started with an Essex frame, no idea where the barrel and slide came from as they aren't marked, got together a bunch of odd and ends parts. Then put it all together. He failed miserably.
The fame and slide were so tight, I had to beat it apart with a rubber hammer. The trigger was 10+ lbs and gritty as hell. The extended slide release and and safety levers looked totally amateur, were just plain ugly and didn't fit any human hand I know of.
The seller knew it didn't work and I got it pretty cheap.
After several months of fitting, tuning, and testing. I managed to turn it into a good and reliable shooter.

What I started with:

The finished product:

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

I drive right past you to go to the range just about every weekend <hint hint>

We may have to connect for a day of popping caps.

 

[Golddollar]

I have a Clark Heavy Long Slide .45 Government Model that I picked up from a little hole in the wall gun shop in a small strip plaza in the Cleveland suburbs. There is sort of an interesting story that goes with it. Back in 2016, I went up to Ohio to get a second opinion from the Cleveland Clinic as to whether I would need to undergo another heart catheterization procedure after two failures. Happily, the Cleveland Clinic backed up the opinion of my cardiologist that another procedure wasn't necessary.

My brother and I were feeling very happy that I didn't need to do the catheterization again, so we decided that instead of taking the freeway back to his house we would run US 322 through some of the towns and villages. We went through the town of Mayfield Heights and saw this little gun shop. My brother found a place to turn around and we went back to the shop. We walked into the shop and at the second handgun case I saw the Clark Heavy Slide. The proprietor was a gentleman about my age and we got to talking about the old time pistolsmiths like Jim Clark and John Giles. I never thought I would ever see a Jim Clark long slide gun, much less have a chance to buy one. My brother figured that the conversation between me and the proprietor could go on for a long time and finally asked for what the out the door price would be. The proprietor gave me a good offer, I laid a Golden Dollar on the counter for a deposit and my brother and I went down to the bank to get the money for the gun. We like to think that our dad was looking down being happy to see his boys enjoying themselves.

 

[colt_saa]

Very nice looking piece

I LOVE longslides. I have bought many and I have built many over the decades

The last one I built was probably 6 or 7 summers ago.

There was some Yute at the firing line proclaiming he now owned the Hammer of Thor. He was firing his Glock 40, I laughed

However that inspired me to build THOR

Chambered for the 10MM Auto cartridge, this 6" longslide was built with a Briley barrel and spherical bushing, Aristocrat rear sight, oversize mag release, magazine funnel frame and it is wearing grips that Esmerelda O'Keefe scrimshawed with a Celtic knot pattern around Thor's Hammer. The trigger is rather unique as it has ball bearings mounted in the trigger bows to reduce the friction. This firearm has a 100% safe and repeatable 2 1/2 pound trigger


I have the parts for a 6" 38 SUPER build waiting to go, I just need the motivation to do it

Among my early longslides were a Pair from AMT/IAI. One was a 45ACP Hardballer and the other is a 10MM Auto Javelina

I was always pleased that Harry Sanford had chosen to use a copy of the Gold Cup trigger in his 1911s. This wider trigger made the trigger pull feel lighter. Both of mine fire and function quite well

Having always been a HUGE fan of the work done by Clark, I was always drooling over the 38 Special long slides that he used to build. I am pleased to say that I am now the proud owner of one and that is probably one that I will never part with. As has already been mentioned those were the days when two slides were cut up and then re welded to make the one long slide. Mine is an exceptional shooter and currently wears a red dot sighting device

My 6" Les Baer Target Master Long Slide is another of my favorites.

This one was built to order. But there were not too many things outside of standard, the most obvious one is the oversized magazine release. The forward cocking serrations were added along with the extended slide release. The firearm was then finished in Baercoat. I also asked Les to laser engrave his logo into a set of smooth grips for me. I like the overall look of this firearm.

But the Granddaddy of all Long Slides is my 10 1/2" LAR Grizzly, chambered in 45 Winchester Magnum. According to Perry Arnett, the firearms designer, only 200 Long Slides were manufactured. He told me that only 20 were finished in Hard Chrome

My example also has a second barrel for using the proprietary 357-45 GWM Cartridge. Here is an image of the 357-45GWM next to a 357 Magnum cartridge

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

Very nice! You like the big boomers!

Once mine is tested and I'm sure it's functional and reliable...not sure whether a stock 16 lb. recoil spring is optimal or do I need a different weight rating...then I want to build one in 10mm. I still have some parts to use plus it was a very enjoyable experience...even with the frustration in fitting sights.

I may do a somewhat different color on the slide...enough to differentiate the two side-by-side...use what I learned with this build to maybe make the next better. Possibly even follow that up with one in .38 Super.

The slide is slick on bothe sides...no markings at all. I've though about having the slide laser engraved to personalize it..."Snidely Whiplash Special" or something like that. With your LAR Grizzly maybe you should engrave it "John Holmes Edition".

 

[stansdds]

With a two inch longer slide, I would expect the extra mass of the slide will require a lighter recoil spring.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

With a two inch longer slide, I would expect the extra mass of the slide will require a lighter recoil spring.

That's what I'm thinking. I've ordered a spring kit with various weight recoil springs. The 14 lb. spring (Gold Cup spec) may the sweet spot but I'll go with the heaviest rate spring that makes for reliable functioning.

 

[Grayfox]

Wolff makes a longer recoil spring just for longslides. Look on their website under Colt 1911. There are also instructions on how to properly fit the spring to your gun.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

That's not an issue...the recoil spring plug is made so a standard 5" spring is used. That gives lots of options.

 

[stansdds]

That's what I'm thinking. I've ordered a spring kit with various weight recoil springs. The 14 lb. spring (Gold Cup spec) may the sweet spot but I'll go with the heaviest rate spring that makes for reliable functioning.

14 pounds would be my guess as well.