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As you may have guessed, I have been building 1911s for some time, actually since 1965, when I became an armorer in the 101st Airborne. One day I went out to a qualification for all of our TO & E handgun issue, guys. As normal, I brought my armorer's kit with me plus a 50 cal ammo can of spare parts just in case. About half way through the qualification process, I had a Capt walk over to me with his 1911, hand it to me and say, make this d*&#d thing shoot, it will not even stay on paper. I was new at the job so I said, "I really do not know how, sir." So the 3 tour Vietnam vet stood by me and explained step by step how to make a 1911 shoot. I mean I used a piling top as an anvil and beat the slide tight with a brass hammer, then made it function / fit with a flat file, changed out old parts for new parts, right in the gravel parking lot. When WE were done, he would not shoot it until I did, I took the 1911 over to the the line and qualified as Expert. He then took the gun and qualified as Expert. When he handed me the gun back, to put it in the handgun security box, said; "when we get back to the unit area, you issue me a card for that gun and do not ever allow anyone else to check it out." I have been building 1911s ever since. Oh, once the rest of the guys heard the story through the grapevine, I had a lot of issue guns to build and fix.
Gezz, I guess that was 48 years ago.
Ed
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The three Rs: Respect for self; Respect for others; and responsibility for all your actions.
"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"
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