1911 FIMI

[grinanddull]

I was sitting around feeling old and tired so I decided to do what may well be my last 1911 build.
Started with stainless Foster 1911 Government size receiver in 45 ACP for $100.00 (will be $145.00 by the time it gets to me with shipping and FFL fees).
Next came a new in the box IMI NM7791435 slide with a shark fin front sight that started at $99.00 (like the world was going to let me have it for that) went at $180.00 or $191.XX with shipping a CC fees. I should note while "new / never installed" this slide was not pristine there were areas on the rails that had been dinged from handling / being tossed around for 50 years or so that required some file work and smoothing.

Let me make a note here these 2 parts did not want to just fall together a lot of blue dykem, with on and off, file some, and repeat, and repeat went in to getting these parts to meet as a working unit.

So now I have the base 1911 FIMI (Foster Israel Military Industries's).

Then a whole big pile of parts and cost:


While for a true bullseye build I should have gone with a different barrel I picked up the semi drop in Storm Lake one at a bargain price with the bushing and link and it fit beautifully. I also remembered the last time I did a barrel fitting and decided to save myself the time, energy, and possible disappointment this time. Now days I don't have the access to a full machine shop with all the measuring and tooling equipment so figured pick my battles to stuff I could win on.

Some interesting issues happened along the way the rear sight came and it looks like the right one while that sounds good I discovered the slide has to be drilled and tapped for the elevation screw on this one. Let me add it has to be drilled and tapped in the dovetail so once its on there chances are if you take it off you'd never get the threads lined up again. Now I'm thinking maybe I should get the cerakote done and then put the sight on. Let me say tapping your slide right in the area of the dovetail cut with a #6-48 tap leads to a fear factor.
I don't know. the sight is on a base held on by a hinge pin, so maybe put it on punch the pin remove the sight and leave the base on the slide for coating. They always say they don't make them like they use to, this set up hasn't been popular since the 60s now I know why.


Well about 99% thanks to a friend of mine Ed H. the gun is complete, but is still not quite finished. Still have to stake the plunger tube (super glued for testing today), cerakote the slide and trigger a flat black, and the receiver a gloss grey / silver something. Trigger pull is actually pretty good with the $8.00 Remington hammer while the $48.00 the STI one still needs to be addressed. 1st let me say it runs fine even with the short stubby LSWC I had (2 mags worth).
This was not a build it was an adventure putting an Israeli slide and sight design from the 60s on a frame for 2016. Chances are I could pick mine out of a big stack of them not many running the old shark fin front sight or the overhanging rear sight now days
Grip and thumb safety both work fine. Slide lock and mag release both fine. I can’t shoot worth a damn but cranked the rear sight up some and was hitting sticks and rocks in the yard I will pick up some ammo and see if I can get some stuff on paper tomorrow but regardless of how all that comes out at this point I’m pretty happy with the whole thing.

[grinanddull]

Shot of an old National Match Gun from the 60s. As to why build a gun that you can’t even get into a holster with that front sight: In the 60s I was at a shooting range with my stepfather Richard who was career Army (I'm retired Air Force) shooting his new Ruger Blackhawk when a friend of his showed up to get in some practice with his 45. While Richard was a hell of a helicopter pilot he was not much with a pistol, his friend shot competition and with the 1911 he was using could pretty much make one hole in the center of the target.
Later I started shooting matches and at best am was mediocre C class shooter I've had a lot of fun with it over the years. Used a S&W 14 at NRA, got some and built some 1911s for IPSC, USPSA, 3 gun, steel plates, bowling pins..., later went more to Glock for the higher capacity, even did a little SASS but I never forgot that guy who could really shoot and his 1911. Now in my 60s I've pretty much stopped shooting matches but would like to build that guys gun with a few twist and I know the gun is no better than the person shooting I still have a vision of that gun so a big part of what set it apart from other 1911s was the profile view of the sights on it. Going to make it look right so the sights have to be like this:



My gun with the STI hammer installed, I think I’ve about got the trigger pull whipped now but if I find someone with a good knowledge of stoning the sear and hammer I’ll let them look at it.



So in a way it’s a tribute to my stepfather and an Army shooter I don’t even remember his name but I remember his ability.

[jdoc]

That National Match reminded me of my first 1911. Mine was a Remington Rand which had been given the National Match upgrades. I can still see the shark's fin front and Bomar rear. I believe I paid $75.00 for it.

[grinanddull]

some of my reading and looking around on the subject of the match guns shows the Remingtons were a popular choice for the builders. the selling price for them has gone up some what over the years. here's one for $2,600.00.
www.gunbroker.com/item/619735551

my slide dovetail cut was for the style rear sight I used it would have been nice to use a Bomar but it just wasn't in the cards on this build.

[AxeHandle]

I was issued these things in the 70s, 80s, and 90s... We had team guns with Triangle and Bomar sights that looked like yours. I had a hardball gun built for Service Pistol matches by the team gunsmith when I retired in '95... It wears the later style Bomar rear sight. That less than stylish "sharkfin" front and rear overhang are simply to have the maximum sight radius allowed in Service Pistol.. These days the original GI 1911s by any manufacturer are valued way more than a first class Caspian frame and slide set. The gun below was built using a Caspian frame and an IMI national match slide.

[AxeHandle]

Here is the other side.. The silde does not wear the NM part number that so many of them do... Isn't it pretty!

[grinanddull]

absolutely beautiful gun you have there Axehandle.
my build started because I stumbled across the receiver on GB for $100.00 and I had a bad taste in my mouth from my last build, gun worked and I sold it for what I had in it but there was no pride about it as something I'd done.
when I started this I didn't have a direction I was going at 1st and I'd even looked at a NM slide for $350.00 but didn't want to spring for that much for a gun I really didn't need, plus I'm no bullseye shooter more of a full size USPSA target at 15 yards than a 5.5" bull at 25 yards or an 8" at 50 yards, those are rifle shots for me now days and most closer stuff is shotgun.
again stumbled across an IMI slide listed for $99.00 that the guy didn't know what is was. I'd always read the IMI slides were good and the opportunity to at least build the gun with the right look was appealing.
seeing how I can't shoot worth a damn as far as I know mine is the most accurate 1911 ever created. anyone who doesn't believe me can come to the house bring their gun, a table mounted Ransom rest, target stands, targets, a large variety of ammo for us to shoot, and steaks to grill. winner gets to keep the brass and loser buys the beer. seems like a fair way to test it to me.
again beautiful gun you have there Axehandle.

[AxeHandle]

On the Kensight and the D&T of the slide... We used a Kensight that looked like a Bomar to replace broken Triangle sights on our guns simply because it did not require a D&T of the slide. The elevation screw of the Kensight was contained completely in the dovetail. The Kensight was much taller than the sight it replaced and required a very tall front sight. We had the Bomar sights too but the gunsmith that maintained our guns was more comfortable silver soldering in a new front sight than he was drilling and tapping the slide.

[grinanddull]

the rear sight dovetail on the slide I got is a Rollo cut so while not common today is still a common size to some degree: .100 deep, .365 wide at the bottom, and a 65 degree angle dovetail with a flat milled on the top of the slide. believe me when I say I didn't relish the thought of the D&T of the slide but lucky for me my buddy Ed has a Bridgeport mill and a steady hand. the 1st sight I ordered was a wrong one and thank goodness Optics Planet does exchanges.
I'd sold or traded all of the last of my 1911s but the Springfield Factory Comp that I gave my son and was going more to just revolvers before this but I guess once a slab side owner always a slab side owner.

[grinanddull]

kind of hard to believe but I think I'm done with this build.
well it's done started with a 3.75 lb. trigger I re-arched (straightened it out some) the sear spring don't know where it's at lb. wise now but it's better.
got it carekoted black and dark gray actually looks better than the photo.