How to build a hard-ball gun?

[Questor]

I want to build a gun specifically for the hardball event in Bullseye. The basis would have to be a GI-style 1911. Beyond that, I can use a custom barrel and have a trigger job. I see this as a learning project as much as anything else. Can you tell me what tools I'll need to accurize the gun? Will I need to go whole hog and have a milling machine? Or can I do it well without such lavish equipment? Do you know of any books that explain how to do this?

[1911crazy]

I'm no pro at this i'm just a guy like you. I picked up a book on the 1911/1911a1's but i got more out of watching the armorers video I got from www.midwayusa.com lets face it there is nothing like being schooled by a smith too.  But if you take your time and understand what your doing as you go I think you can do it. Just lay the parts out on the table and visulize how they move and operate then you will beable to tell and understand where the fitting needs to be done.  I just changed out the barrel on my chinese norinco 1911a1. I bought a $59 replacement barrel and a full length guide rod kit w/18# recoil spring from sportsmans guide and a national match barrel bushing IAI and the rubber wrap around grips IAI from CDNN. The orginal barrel bushing was very loose in my well used norinco so i fitted the new national match barrel bushing to the slide so you need the bushing wrench to turn it in. Its not tight it just goes in snug.  Now i fitted the barrel to the slide and the barrel bushing so there is no spring in the barrel when its in full battery.  If i push it into full battery it won't spring back out so there is no pressure on the barrel when its in full battery but yet its snug in the barrel bushing.  If there is spring in the barrel when its in full battery overtime with the gun being fired the barrel can split/crack so it must be fitted correctly. You have to check the barrel lug fit to the slide too when its in full battery also.  When i took this gun out to fire it and test it i shot 3 shot cloverleafs three times at 25yds so the 1911 is now accurate too. And thats with a $59 new barrel? Its not hard to do just make sure you fit the barrel/bushing to the slide correctly thats the key to accuracy. I'm no pro but my first one came out ok.

There are a few here who told me that the frame rails have nothing to do with the 1911a1's accuracy and they were correct.

[Questor]

D MAN:

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question so thoughtfully. I'll get that armorer's video and see how to go about it, then start looking for a gun to operate on.