Reviving a 4516-1

Heymatt

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Felt the need to scratch the itch for another .45. It needed to be a stainless frame, condition was negotiable, cause I know a guy :)
Here’s what I’m starting with.
The good, came with 2 mags, clean barrel, Big Dot sights, spring loaded decocker and no magazine disconnect.
The probably not so bad, some where in it’s life it got polished,filthy as home made sin, has a cut off recoil spring jammed on the guide rod, firing pin protrudes into the decocker which makes it difficult to rotate. More than likely there will be other maintenance related issues once it gets taken down.

Gonna start with a detail strip and a Wolf service pack to get back to square one.
From there it will go to Guzzi’s Spa for a fresh bead blast.
Obligatory pics will get posted as it progresses.
 

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I didn't know XS ever offered express sights for the 4516. Doesn't look like they are available anymore.
 
That there is a pistol that was customized by one of our gradjuits here at Bubba's Skool of Kitchin Table Gunsmithin. :D

Absolutely no argument that there was some questionable decisions made while working on this one!
Also found that there is no trigger play spring. Kinda makes me think that this was a LEO ordered pistol.
 
Slide and frame cleaning up nicely. Everything came apart with little effort. First cleaning got rid of coal like crust, in every crevice. On some springs, the coils looked like a tube. Couldn’t see the coils!
 

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Spring kit from Wolf arrived. Most of the springs were crusty, rusty or just nasty! Pulled a new grip out of the parts bin to replace the beat up one that came with it. On the fence about switching the Tercgen grip from the 457 to the 4516. Small parts all cleaned up. Drawbar was so caked with soot I couldn’t see the rivet from a broken trigger play spring. Back into the parts bin for a different drawbar.
Frame back together, not bead blasted yet. Want to get everything together for a function check. Before it goes to Guzzi’s spa!
 
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Update on this project. Been awhile since I started this one. As usual life gets in the way and slows the fun stuff down.
Bubba had his meat paws deep in this one. Broken springs, filth beyond description plus that awful polish job:(
Pics of the cleaned up slide Guzzi sent me. Picked it up today after an extended visit at the “Spa”.
Looks like a completely different pistol!
Unbelievable transformation with that hideous polish job gone.
Guzzi continues to amaze me with his work!
Will get final assembled pics up soon!
 

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Guzzi is THE MAN ! I'm taking his first ever project , a 457 for me , to the range tomorrow so I had to comment . It's been a while since he did anything for me , it's great to say he just keeps getting better .
 
I think it’s a big dot sight. I like it, Guzzi, not so much��
 
I'm sorry , I don't mean to hijack your build . I just wanted to show those that haven't seen it , Guzzi's first build . I sent him a really beat up Zanders 457 . Hate to even say it was a Zanders , that's how bad it was . Now you have to understand , he had NO power tools , he did all this by hand . Again Heymatt , so sorry about doing this , but I know you're a Guzzi fan also . I figured you wouldn't mind , seeing as it's for our buddy .
 

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