FIT AND FINISH

[williamlayton]

I read an awful lot around here about less expensive guns and what makes a good gun.
Over the years I have come to appreciate fit and finish in a gun.
In a semi-auto if you are trying to make it reliable---and you should be and you can---you ought to pay attention to the fit and finish since you are there.
It is kinda like washing a car and not doing the wheels.
Does fit and finish add to reliability? I think it does somewhat.
All guns can be slicked up--even a Tauras--maybe not a Glock---ugly is ugly.
Blessings

[redleg155]

Yes, William, I do think fit of critical parts adds a whole bunch to reliability especially over the long term.  Finish, to a lesser extent.  Of course, when you combine the very best fit & finish, the pride of ownership goes way up - at least for me.  That is hard to attach a price to. 

How's that "barbeque" gun coming along?  My project Colt Combat Commander should be done in a couple months...I hope.  I'll get some photos to share too.

Best regards - redleg

[williamlayton]

BBQ gun is a bust---problems with the engraver I chose. Never the less i am going to get it blued by a boy that has some skills in this area and it will still be pretty nice.
I am not totally disappointed---some things work out--some don't.
Blessings

[SHOOTALL]

If you take the effort and time to pick up and hold a 1911 built by top producers the first thing you notice is almost perfect fit and finish. Its like builing a house , the frame and slide are the foundation on which every other part is placed much like the house has every part built up from  the foundation. If you start with a poor foundation you will have to alter or adjust every part you place on it. If the parts you use are out of spec they will need to be altered. In the end you end up with a sloppy house or gun . The idea that cheap parts put in cheap cast frames and slide with a poor quality bbl can be as good as a well built gun using only well produced forged or tool steel parts is pure folly. Many who cannot or will not spend the money to own a top quality gun try to accept this fact and realize what they have may work but it is not best. They accept less quality by choice.

[Lloyd Smale]

some will say that a closely fit 1911 is detrimental to reliability. Ive got an old  kimber gold match that is so tight that your not getting it apart without a barrel wrench and it never misses a beat and i had a les baer that i follishly sold that was just as tight and it ran flawlussly too. Ive also had a couple spingfields that were loose as a goose and jamed with about everything. So loose doesnt allways translate to reliable.

[williamlayton]

Lloyd
Your shore right.
I just like guns that are easy to operate and do so smoothly.
I have handled a number of Les Bauers and prefer Brown's or Wilsons---just smooth without having to fight the tight.
Blessings

[Axehandle]

An easier example on the subject for me is reloading dies...  IMHO those boys at Redding really care about what they make. I buy Redding first every time.  The little things matter.

[Lloyd Smale]

williamlayton i wish you could just rack the slide on my old gold match kimber. Its tighter then a drump but when you rack the slide youd swear it was riding on ball bearings. Ive had others shooting it that without me saying a word commented on it. I will never badmouth the newer kimbers as there great guns but that old one was put together will some talented hands and a bit of extra care. Im sure that anymore the cost of fitting a gun up like that would make in uncompetitive in the marketplace.