Posted: 7/15/2009 3:39:55 PM EDT
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I have an Interarms Silvercup that I THINK I want to put a fitted beavertail on. I have been looking all around but with limited experience I dont know what would work for the frame as far as fitting goes. I have already replaced the barrel, bushing, hammer, trigger, MSH, and springs. They were all drop ins so there hasnt been any modifications made at this point.
Here is a picture of the gun. The frame looks like a Colt 1911A1 Series 70/80 from what I can tell. I need to know the radius or how to figure it out. Any help would be appreciated. I am trying to avoid buying the wrong parts. I dont think I would want to use a drop in but I dont know what they look like on a gun either. If anyone has a pic please let me see Thanks Gunny 
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Quoted:
I have an Interarms Silvercup that I THINK I want to put a fitted beavertail on. I have been looking all around but with limited experience I dont know what would work for the frame as far as fitting goes. I have already replaced the barrel, bushing, hammer, trigger, MSH, and springs. They were all drop ins so there hasnt been any modifications made at this point. Here is a picture of the gun. The frame looks like a Colt 1911A1 Series 70/80 from what I can tell. I need to know the radius or how to figure it out. Any help would be appreciated. I am trying to avoid buying the wrong parts. I dont think I would want to use a drop in but I dont know what they look like on a gun either. If anyone has a pic please let me see bp.blogspot.com/_0o-OIkfR3R4/RgTBqraLbEI/AAAAAAAAACg/ZmgSTFsAN1Q/s320/1911.jpg]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0o-OIkfR3R4/RgTBqraLbEI/AAAAAAAAACg/ZmgSTFsAN1Q/s320/1911.jpg[/url] I've always wondered Why a beaver tail? To me it looks funny ( No harm intended) but since I'm not paying for your's ..I wil not complain...lol..Was there any place in time or reason why they made it? |
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The beavertail helps me. I have larger hands and the standard grip safety is not very comfortable for me, it presses down on my hand sorta hard. I wanted one on mine so I got one (check my post to see the epic fail that a so called "gunsmith" did to mine.
OP, learn from my mistake, do it right or have it done right the first time. |
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A high-ride beavertail will put your hand a little higher on the gun, which will make for better recoil control and an easier thumb-on-safety grip. Installing one also gives you the chance to smooth and melt the upper backstrap area, making for more comfort when shooting. IMHO they are a truly essential upgrade.
Do NOT get a drop-in, as they universally suck. Instead, look in the Brownells catalog and choose one of the many good brands of high-ride beavertail. Be advised that there are typically two sizes, with slightly different radii of frame cut (0.220" for Springfields, and 0.250" for everything else - 0.250" gives a slightly higher hold). I used STI (0.250"), simply because the product is good and the price was right (free, off a match prize table). Once you identify the beavertail, you will need to buy a beavertail jig (with the same radius), which will act as a guide so you can remove the excess metal with a hand file. You will remove all the internals, install the jig, file away the excess material, fine tune the fit, melt the beavertail and the frame, and then lastly you will have to refinish the frame. Brownells give an excellent overview of the process here. Fitting a beavertail properly takes a lot of time and patience, but is also very rewarding... you will be able to point to it and say "I did that". If you are not confident about doing it yourself, then any competent 1911 smith can do it for you. I'm not sure I would trust the local gun butcher to do it though. I installed a beavertail on my 1911. In my case, the frame was an OD green Springfield GI, so I used OD spray-and-bake KG Gunkote to refinish the back only (I chose not to refinish the whole frame). I used a 0.250" beavertail to get a slightly higher hand position, and you can see the slight gap (just above the beavertail where it meets the frame) that is characteristic of Springfields... I just prefer the better function, but for people who prefer better looks, they can have the frame welded up or they can use a 0.220" beavertail. Some pictures: 
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Do NOT get a drop-in, as they universally suck
No, some don't mate well and some work fine. They are a fine alternative to cutting your frame if you think you might want to go back, or to preserve the original looks of the the gun. Yes, beavertails do look goofy, and the more time you spend around 1911, IMO the goofier they look, not less! Years ago I modified all my guns to have .250" radiused beavertails and I really had no complaints - things worked well. A while back I got a pair of Series 70 guns to keep stock, so started shooting them with the normal frame tang/hammer. I found it just did not make a heck of a lot of difference. If I were going to go shoot several hundred rounds in a day in long strings of fire, I would prefer a beavertail. For casual shooting, it's a cumbersome modification of little value. I say "Cumbersome" as you do have to spend time modifying the frame carefully, fitting, and then re-finishing the frame. This is not an inconsequential amount of labor, time, and unless you are a gunsmith, cost for the refinishing. I have already replaced the barrel, bushing, hammer, trigger, MSH, and springs.
Sounds like you've already dropped some money on it. IIRC, the Interarms "Silver Cup" was a RR slide on an Essex frame that they marketed in the 80s and 90s? I don't know what they used for barrels. Basically, it was designed to be a 1911a1 "GI" style shooter I believe (despite the "Silver Cup" name, which sounds like a different style gun). The frame looks like a Colt 1911A1 Series 70/80 from what I can tell.
Well, the frames haven't changed since 1924, so yes. But basically it is what you would call a "1911a1" style gun has the "a1" mods but it lacks the features of a Series '70 commercial model or Series 80 type gun. My opinion would be to consider what you want to do with it - if you want a high-end shooter that is tight and custom, then you will need to do the beavertail, probably have to have the slide/frame fit, sight cuts and install, refinish, and maybe even the barrel re-fit. Once all that is done, you still have kinda mis-matched parts gun and it won't be worth but a fraction of what you have in it. Consider maybe just stopping and buying a high-end gun 2nd hand and not losing money on it. then you could keep that one all "GI" style for nostalgia and carrying and plinking in the woods. People are much more nostalgic for the WWII guns and thus booming sales of the SA GI model, the new IAC Regent, and other "base" guns in the marketplace. This would be similar to those but cooler as it has a US frame and RR surplus slide - so it's at least US and 1/2 legitimate (the RR slide). |
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Quoted:
A high-ride beavertail will put your hand a little higher on the gun, which will make for better recoil control and an easier thumb-on-safety grip. Installing one also gives you the chance to smooth and melt the upper backstrap area, making for more comfort when shooting. IMHO they are a truly essential upgrade. Do NOT get a drop-in, as they universally suck. Instead, look in the Brownells catalog and choose one of the many good brands of high-ride beavertail. Be advised that there are typically two sizes, with slightly different radii of frame cut (0.220" for Springfields, and 0.250" for everything else - 0.250" gives a slightly higher hold). I used STI (0.250"), simply because the product is good and the price was right (free, off a match prize table). Once you identify the beavertail, you will need to buy a beavertail jig (with the same radius), which will act as a guide so you can remove the excess metal with a hand file. You will remove all the internals, install the jig, file away the excess material, fine tune the fit, melt the beavertail and the frame, and then lastly you will have to refinish the frame. Brownells give an excellent overview of the process here. Fitting a beavertail properly takes a lot of time and patience, but is also very rewarding... you will be able to point to it and say "I did that". If you are not confident about doing it yourself, then any competent 1911 smith can do it for you. I'm not sure I would trust the local gun butcher to do it though. I installed a beavertail on my 1911. In my case, the frame was an OD green Springfield GI, so I used OD spray-and-bake KG Gunkote to refinish the back only (I chose not to refinish the whole frame). I used a 0.250" beavertail to get a slightly higher hand position, and you can see the slight gap (just above the beavertail where it meets the frame) that is characteristic of Springfields... I just prefer the better function, but for people who prefer better looks, they can have the frame welded up or they can use a 0.220" beavertail. Some pictures: http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg34/stealthyblagga/SA1911A1.jpg http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg34/stealthyblagga/SA1911A1backstrap1.jpg http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg34/stealthyblagga/SA1911A1backstrap2.jpg You did a much better job than a smith did on my Para 10 years ago. Nice work! |
Frame tang radius has been roughed in. Pic shows the lack of material for proper blending on the upper portion of the frame tangs.
Upper portion milled away to allow for adding some material. 
Two oversized steel blocks hi-temp silver-soldered in place. 
Ready for blending. 
Getting there. 
There! 
Well........almost there....... This thumb safety needs some Dremel! 
Done. 
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Quoted:
Frame tang radius has been roughed in. Pic shows the lack of material for proper blending on the upper portion of the frame tangs. http://www.the-gunsmith.com/sarge/1-20-07/1before.JPG Upper portion milled away to allow for adding some material. http://www.the-gunsmith.com/sarge/1-20-07/2machinedpockets.JPG Two oversized steel blocks hi-temp silver-soldered in place. http://www.the-gunsmith.com/sarge/1-20-07/3soldered.JPG Ready for blending. http://www.the-gunsmith.com/sarge/1-20-07/4ready.JPG Getting there. http://www.the-gunsmith.com/sarge/1-20-07/g5gettingthere.JPG http://www.the-gunsmith.com/sarge/1-20-07/gettingthere6.JPG There! http://www.the-gunsmith.com/sarge/1-20-07/fini2.JPG Well........almost there....... This thumb safety needs some Dremel! http://www.the-gunsmith.com/sarge/1-20-07/fini1.JPG Done. http://www.the-gunsmith.com/sarge/1-20-07/done1.JPG http://www.the-gunsmith.com/sarge/1-20-07/done2.JPG Holy Crap.... That's dern near perfect! |
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DAMN, Pistolwretch!!!! That is awesome!!!!
To the OP: I personally find extended beavertails mostly unneccessary for the average guy. By simply rounding the rearmost tang of the grip safety and softening the edges and then softening all of the edgeds of the frame where the web your hand comes in contact with the rear of the frame you can easily make a 1911 extremely comfortable to shoot without going into the extensive time and expense of having a beavertail fitted. Shorting the hammer spur and rounding all of the rear edges of the hammer completes a bite free package. Here is a pic of a 1911 with the edges simply softened. After this, the hammer was cut back 4 notches and was also softened. Note the re-profiled spur of the hammer. This created a completely bite free gun. Notice how little metal was removed from teh grip safety and the frame? Only the spur of the hammer was "heavily" modifed. Your gun is of nearly the same design and would benefit in the same fashion. 
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