I had to machine the frame for a Clark ramped barrel.
And then I silver soldered (stainless frame, stainless mag funnel) my roughed in mag funnel. Then I had to trim the new grip panels 0.300" shorter to allow for the mag funnel. This funnel will add no additional length to the grip of the 1911, unlike the one-piece main spring housings w/mag funnel.
As you can see in the following pic, the mag funnel's profile is roughed in pretty well, but there has to be a fair amount of hand fitting done to get it done right.
In the following two pics I'm calling the mag funnel profile done. Well, for now anyway (I'm always tinkering with stuff...).
I also finally got the blending of the frame, the mainspring housing, and the grip safety to a good point. I really like how this turned out.
A friend is letting me borrow his plunger tube staking tool, as I seem to have misplaced mine during the last move. To complete the frame I need to machine the magazine opening in the mag funnel and bevel it, install the plunger tube, checker the underside of the trigger guard at 40 lpi, and install the ignition components.
I then need to fit the lower lugs of the barrel, fit the extractor, ejector, firing pin stop, fit and checker the mag release button, and serrate the back of the slide at 40 lpi. So I have a fair bit of work to do to get this pistol up and running.
Yesterday, I decide to start checkering the underside of the trigger guard, but apparently my fingers hadn't healed enough yet from checkering that front strap...
Tomorrow I think I'll find something else to do besides checkering...