Homemade .22 conversion progress

Been busy so I didn't have much time to work on my.22 conversion for the 1911. But did little more work. I did make the ejector, fits the frame and the slide. Unfortunately the ejector will have to be changed if fitting it to a 1911 but in my case the frame will be used only for the .22 conversion. Not installed in the photo due to it's much longer than needed so that it can be trimmed to correct length when slide is completed. I guess it's not a conversion but a 1911 in .22 long rifle caliber. Slide is recessed for .22 rim and firing pin hole done. Barrel liner has not been inserted but a short bushing has been placed the the barrel bore and cambering reamer use to "chamber" the bushing. Colt .22 Ace magazine is in the frame and will work with no problem to chamber a round. I did buy 4 TripleK magazines, they some what work, round will enter the chamber but when released by the magazine the round wants to spring forward, follower then pushes it upward so that the rim on the cartridge is above the recess for it. Not sure why the round wants to spring forward but if slide is closed fast as if it would when spring is installed the round will chamber. Photos are the slide closed with round in the chamber., End view shows ejector form. Slide has to be trimmed to finish size and hammer slot cut.
 The finish is a lot better than it looks, seems the camera magnifies cuts and scratches. But the slide is work in progress and finish will be done at the end. I also plan to round the rear of the slide similar to Hammerli 208.

Curious to know what type of steel you picked and whether it's pre- hardened?
Nice work and thanks for sharing on the forum!

I was curious about that as well by seeing how it machined.

I have also found that trying to get a decent image of a machined surface can be frustrating though.

Material I'm useing is S2 1/2 Hard, If I recall it was RC-35. It was material I had left over from another job. Milling was done in Cincinnati ToolMaster , Barrel blank turned from S2 listed above on a Pratt&Whitney New Model C 16" lathe from rectangular stock. All holes were done on Moore #3 Jig Borer. 2 Jigs were made from D2 tool steel (hardened in case I want to make another conversion which I probably will) to put in the rim recess and the firing pin hole from the barrel side. Jigs were needed because of the long length. 7mm solid carbide endmill with short flute length was used to cut the rim recess, the jig was bored to 8mm the endmill  shank diameter. Mill extension made from 1/2 hard 4140 5/8" diameter rod. 12" long aircraft drill was used in the firing pin jig then reamer without jig to finish size of the hole. Dimensions taken from firing pin I got from Nelson. Depth was 5/8". Slide was inverted, indicated, firing pin hole completed in the Jig Borer with drill, Jig bore reamer then special size reamer purchased to desired hole size. Carbide endmills used in ToolMaster mill to cut ejector slot, slot to reach rim was done with 1/8" keyway broach. As to the slide cuts to fit the frame I used carbide endmills to dimensions I measured on the Caspian frame I had. I have all kinds of Starrett micrometers and a few odd types Starrett don't make needed to measure every slide dimension.

Please keep updating your progress here in one thread. This is very interesting!

Thanks!

So the slide on this will be one piece? Compared to a Marvel or Nelson that has a removable breech insert that holds the firing pin.

Yes the slide is one piece, being S2 steel it's not necessary to have steel insert. As shown I also changed the ejector. I made an ejector in the form shown by the photo of the end of the slide. I took D2 tool steel and turned  a piece ro the diameter of the pin that have the retaining pin holding it in. then from the pin I machined all the other surfaces. It was put in the frame so as to check all dimensions worked but didn't cut he half-round slot for the retaining pin yet. For the second pin to stop the ejector from turning I simply measured the distance on the frame and drilled a hole the size needed for the second pin, inserted a piece of drill rod with Loctite to hold it in place. Trimmed the pin so it touched the bottom of the hole so that it could never fall out. Overall length is about 1/8" too long on both sides so it can be trimmed to length after slide is completed. The ejector will fit the Nelson slide except on the end, I had to cut the slot so the slide could be put on.
 I take no credit for design, I have a new never shot Nelson conversion I've taken dimensions from. Some dimensions were taken from the frame so slide fits frame like a high-end accurate 45. Not necessary I know since sights are on the barrel but did it anyway.
 As I mentioned in another thread the barrel has been moved back about 1/4", it is at about the same place the 45 barrel is when dropped out of locking lugs. Makes for a smaller gap the round has to cross to enter the chamber.
 Next step ir cut the slot for the extractor, the extractor and spring I got from Nelson.

I want the .32 model