Built my first lower!

I got laid off 3 months ago, knew I'd go crazy with no work other than looking for work so I got a couple projects to work on in addition to all the little things that need to be done around the house.

Bought a $99.00 Palmetto 1911 frame as a Christmas present for myself. I had the .22 conversion and a number of extra parts in the parts box so it didn't hurt too bad financially.
Fitting the grip safety was the most fun, I didn't do the best job in the world but I've paid professionals and gotten worse. Trigger was easy. The hardest piece was the thumb safety, the most forward edge just touched the plunger tube and it took too long before I realized that's where the interference was.

I ordered a C&S 5 piece fire control group, it actually dropped in and it's pretty decent. Could be cleaned up by a real smith I'm sure but that will have to wait. Beveled the pin holes and rounded the pins off to the best of my ability. It even works! I do have a mag issue tho, the bottom 2 rounds don't want to feed. Week spring perhaps? The bottom 2 rounds want to get canted for some reason and then not get picked up by the slide and chambered. If and when the money starts flowing again I'll get a couple extra mags and see how they work, just have the one at the moment.

I've never done a 1911 lower. I had to buy a couple 1911 specific tools but that's okay. It wasn't that hard, just took a while.

That's a pretty cool project. Sorry to hear about the layoff. Is it compatible with a full size slide?

Yes, I can swap a Colt GM slide on the Palmetto lower. It fits but I haven't fired it as a .45 frame. It's just a dedicated .22.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Robb

I got laid off 3 months ago, knew I'd go crazy with no work other than looking for work so I got a couple projects to work on in addition to all the little things that need to be done around the house.

Bought a $99.00 Palmetto 1911 frame as a Christmas present for myself. I had the .22 conversion and a number of extra parts in the parts box so it didn't hurt too bad financially.
Fitting the grip safety was the most fun, I didn't do the best job in the world but I've paid professionals and gotten worse. Trigger was easy. The hardest piece was the thumb safety, the most forward edge just touched the plunger tube and it took too long before I realized that's where the interference was.

I ordered a C&S 5 piece fire control group, it actually dropped in and it's pretty decent. Could be cleaned up by a real smith I'm sure but that will have to wait. Beveled the pin holes and rounded the pins off to the best of my ability. It even works! I do have a mag issue tho, the bottom 2 rounds don't want to feed. Week spring perhaps? The bottom 2 rounds want to get canted for some reason and then not get picked up by the slide and chambered. If and when the money starts flowing again I'll get a couple extra mags and see how they work, just have the one at the moment.

I've never done a 1911 lower. I had to buy a couple 1911 specific tools but that's okay. It wasn't that hard, just took a while.

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Sounds like a mag follower issue. Or weak spring. Not bad for the first time out. Would you do another one? I keep looking at those G lock 80% lowers.

Id do another. Ive wanted a 3" 1911 for awhile, who knows what the future holds.

One thing I'd really like is a connection to someone who can do blueing. I wanted to polish the flats on this frame, but didnt want to send the frame off for months. Just something to do.

For some reason the rims on the .22 stacking cause the canting and the last 2 rounds don't level out. I tried to stretch the spring, which I know I'm not supposed to, but we'll see if that helps.

Looks pretty dang good.