Caspian build almost done!

[Taz575]

I started this build earlier in the spring and worked for a bit on it, and then work and other stuff kicked in, so I had to set it aside for a while. It's a Caspian Recon Gov't frame, 5" slide all in Carbon with a 5" Kart EZ Fit barrel and bushing.



Plus most of the rest of the goodies:


Not shown were some parts like the EGW HD Extractor, grip screws, recoil spring guide, etc.

Got the frame and slide fit:


Worked on the barrel, but since the frame/slide back end didn't match up, I wasn't sure where to stop. I left it where it was so I wouldn't ruin the barrel.

Started on the beavertail:



I ground down the beavertail to match the frame tangs on the upper side instead of building up the frame.

Got the trigger and mag release fit and installed:


I also fit the extractor and FPS and Firing Pin, using the EGW Square bottom FPS with a tiny bevel.

And this is how she sat for a couple of months while I caught up on everything else I had to do!

[Taz575]

The original plan was to have JoJo's in CT (where I got all of the stuff from) fit the internal pieces like the hammer, sear, disconnector, grip and thumb safeties, stake the plunger tube, pin the ejector, clean up the feed ramp, etc. I figured I would have them take a look at the barrel fit and see how it was and tweak and massage everything into place. They have the know how and the tools, so I let the experts do the internal stuff while I did most of the outside work. This is what it looked like when I got it back! They did an awesome job and did stuff I didn't even think of, all for a great price! I recommend them to anyone in CT!!




Well, it's almost done finally; I still have to blend the frame/slide/ejector/extractor and BT together.
Beavertail, still gotta get some of the deeper scratches out:


Still gotta finish it off, smooth out the thumb safety, etc, but it's pretty close!!


Lone Rider Grips I got from JoJo's; I have them on all of my and my parents 1911's!



G10 or Micarta, I think Micarta. Grippy, but they don't grab at clothing.

Sights will be Novak Lo Mounts, and finish will be either Hard Hat or Melonite after bead blasting everything.

I couldn't wait to get the sights in, so I went out and test fired it w/o the sights!

7yds, 24 rounds:

3 rds Speer 230gr GD, 7 yds:


These are w/o any sights. Can't wait to get the sights installed!!!

I fired around 200 rds overall, mostly Independence, Winchester White Box and American Eagle 230gr FMJ. I shot some Fed HST 230+P Tactical, Speer 230 gr Gold Dot and Short Barrel Gold Dots. I had 2 jams total. One, I though I was shooting a 7rd mag and it was an 8rd mag, so after the 7th shot, I started to move the pistol back towards my body for the reload and got a stovepipe. 2nd jam was with the Gold Dots; I didn't have the round seated fully in the mag when I loaded it, so it stubbed on the feed ramp. Dropped mag, put bullet back in mag all the way back this time, fed fine.

Now I'm working on cleaning up the frame/slide/BT fitting, breaking the sharp corners and edges. I will replace the EGW mag release lock with one with a slot on it (I always lose the allen wrenches) and the Guncrafter MSH. The MSH has the lanyard cutout and my hand sits right there and the corner digs in. I tried to round the corner out a bit and it didn't work. I have one last thing to try and I will pick up a new MSH if that doesn't work.

I've had a ball with the build so far! I have a CBOB and my mom has a Les Baer and I always like the guns that are tight and clean in the back and I got exactly what I was hoping for! Gun cycles smoothly, shoots accurately. The Firing Pin Stop works great; even the +P ammo felt nice and soft and the gun came right back down on target!

[leaddispenser]

love the work on the beavertail. nice and clean. great job

[Taz575]

Got the sights installed, working on breaking the sharp edges and cleaning up the beavertail and the rest of the pistol! Cleaned it up, hosed down with oil.




I hope to get to the range tomorrow to run some more rounds through her to make sure it's working smoothly still and ready for the Hard Hat finish!!

[mkf350]

Nice!!!!

[jimfire85]

Nice work! If you don't want to post it in the forum could you pm me what jojo's charged you for the internal fitting. I am working out the logistics to the same kind of project. They do indeed do excellent work, a guy in the squadron I work with had his 1911 worked on and it came out great. Keep up the good work!

[zachsmith]

First off very nice job on the pistol. you may be just the guy i need to talk to. i am looking to build my next 1911, i own a para gi .45 and love it. but i want to take on the challenge of building one.i'm looking to get the caspian gov. 5" slide and the recon frame in 9mm. I cant find the exact info i want to know on the net so i thought id check here. what kind and how much gunsmithing did you have to do and would you encourage or discourage doing this to someone like me with no gunsmithing knowledge? what kind of tools do i need and things of that nature. hope i dont seem like a complete idiot for the questions. i would just like to do what you've done and own something i can be proud of and shoots good but can say yeah i built it.

[Taz575]

I had done some modifications to a Springfield GI 1911 repro a few years back, so I had some background knowledge of what I would need to do. When I got the frame/slide, the slide wouldn't go onto the frame. I used sandpaper and some fine files to get the slide started on the frame after taking measurements and seeing where I needed to bring down to size and how much. Once it started to go onto the frame, I put some JB Non Embedding Bore Compound onto the frame and slide and used that to lap it in. I would push the slide back and forth a few times and then check the fit, and repeat the process. If I wasn't getting anywhere with the lapping, I would check to see if it was rubbing and where I needed to remove material. To fit the barrel, I got a Kart Barrel EZ Fit barrel and an EZ Fit tool set which included a file, fitting bushing, and a gauge to measure the hood fit and a piece to make sure the barrel was in the slide correctly.

To do the beavertail, I got the frame with the standard GI type beavertail and used a Dremel and files to trim it down to size. The Caspian frame tangs on the top side are lower and I really had to grind down the Ed Brown Highrise beavertail to get it to fit; I would probably use a Wilson or Les Baer next time.

You can have Caspian fit the frame/slide together and from what I have read, pretty much just lap it in.

I also have an awesome gunstore/gunsmith near by called JoJo's in Southington CT. They helped me pick out the components and helped me along with what to do to build it. I got the Kuhnhausen books and read those and a few other 1911 smithing books to see what I would have to do, but I had JoJo's tweak my barrel fit and fit the hammer/sear/disconnector/trigger, safeties, etc. All of that stuff dropped in or was close, but needed to be fit together. I wanted JoJo's to fit the internals together so they would be correct and safe.

I would try to find someone locally who could help you with the build to avoid costly/dangerous errors. On my SA GI, I went through 3 thumb safeties trying to fit them properly, and messed all 3 up, even with books telling and showing me how to do it. You can learn from books/videos, but having someone there helping you along is invaluable. At the very least, have a gunsmith who is familiar with working in 1911's check your progress as you go to catch any issues and make sure the gun is safe to fire.

So I would get some files, Kart EZ fit barrel and fitting kit, sandpaper, Dremel (only if you are CAREFUL!!!), and start reading up on how to build up a 1911. It can be fun to do, but there are safety issues you need to be aware of!

[rushca01]

Bumping an old thread here but that's a nice job! Any pics of the finished gun?

[Taz575]

I still haven't gotten it "finished" yet I started a new part of my business, so my extra $$$ has gone towards that. It's still getting sprayed down with oil regularly to keep it from rusting. She shoots awesomely, though!

[Navy Gunner]

Very nice work, I like the ball end cut with the rail frame and that you left off the front serrations.

[gjl]

That looks great.

[jasond2]

Very nice looking pistol. I will be getting my caspian frame on friday hopefully. I have the top end already just need to fit the two together. When looking for a beaver tail, is there a certain style I need to get to match the caspian frame?

[Taz575]

I used an Ed Brown memory Groove Beavertail to match up with my CBOB and VBOB from CZ/Dan Wesson. I had to grind the BT down to meet up with the low frame tangs. I think someone else noted this and found that either a Les Baer or Wilson fit the Caspian frame closer. Caspian grinds their frame tangs lower and they need to be built up or the BT ground down a lot to fit.

A pic in the first post in the thread describes what I mean. I dunno if Caspian has changed this or not; I started this project a few years ago.
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=145857