Kart XACT Fit Barrels

Wouldn't it be great if someone (like you, sir) wrote a guide on how to fit a barrel for the BE pistol  Kinda like "Building a BE Pistol for Dummies". Step-by-step guide, examples of what to measure, how to test fit, etc, etc, etc.
I guess I'm asking too much, am I? I believe I've memorized my Kuhnhausen book verbatim, but I'm sure it's not enough...

What would be awesome is a great set of instructional DVD's or Youtube videos from someone like Jon who really knows what it takes to build a BE gun. I'd pay a decent chunk of change for a complete set of videos of the entire process from start to finish.

Having access to the knowledge would be good....it would be better if I also had the skill and patience. 

Don't forget the cost of good tools. Plus there are some jigs that speed up certain fitting parts, making jigs takes more than hand tools. That is why I put my stuff in a box and send it off to my guy. I've always considered sending my parts to someone I know can build as money well spent. Theoretically I could spend that building time dryfiring.

I'm not sure the Kuhnhausen is considered to be the absolute authority as it once was, at least as far as building techniques. Jon, care to comment on that.

Would you say Jon that many shooters would be better off with a new bushing and some work on the legs if the buyer cannot afford a re barreling if the gun is fairly accurate, under 4 inches at 50 yards with a factory fit bushing?

In the old days I have taken stock Colt .45 acp barrels and welded the hood, the bottom lugs, refit barrel and installed match bushing. They will shoot 1.5" no problem. I've shot 880's with stock welded up barrels in the past! But there are other things necessary to accommodate for stock barrel. They recoil more than newer barrels because upper lug engagement. This is how Clark Custom Guns used to build pistols! It was being done long before I got in the game.
Jon

Jim Clark used to sell Brand new Colt barrels all welded up at Camp Perry every year.. $50 ea(?)  and he sold them all. they were takeouts from his builds.. With today's Tig welders the process is much better. Heat sinks are a must.

As Jon noted they would shoot

In the 1980s Kart could not make enough barrels to keep up with demand, Jackie Best would use welded up Colt barrels if the person he was building the gun for did not want to wait for a Kart barrel. All the ones with the welded Colt barrels shot well. I know of a Clark ball gun that the bottom lug broke off of, it had a welded barrel.
Tom Ginovsky

My Clark 45 was purchased new in 1983.  Built on a Colt Series 70 with welded up Colt barrel.  In that period Clark often used a Bomar tuner rib to help with lockup.  I've replaced the slide mount several times, but always milled the new mount to leave the tuner in place.  It has many thousands of rounds through it (mostly cast lead), but will still hold 2" at 50yds.

The Kart XACT Fit or EZ Fit barrels are great for amateurs like me who like to fiddle with their guns.  I've installed 4 or 5 of these and they will shoot sub 2" @ 50 if done right.  Like Jon says, you need a clear understanding of the fitting process and relationship between the upper lugs and lower legs. My first one didn't quite turn out right because I didn't understand this.  The instructions given with the barrel are somewhat complicated and I read, re-read and re-read them until I got a handle on it.  I like that you can get a tight lock up with careful filing. 

TIP: Buy the fitting kit from Kart. Money well spent and makes the job much easier.

I have over the years wanted to build my own wad gun with all the parts that I like. After reading these posts, I ordered all the different parts that I like and built the gun on a Caspian frame and slide and Kart Exact fit in .45. I took my time and hand fit all parts slowly and meticulously. I completed my final testing yesterday and have a very nice gun that will hold Xring at 50 yards with 4.3g BE behind 185g Zero SSWCHPs. It is now my primary gun and cost me half as much as my AXi which is now my back up. I had so much fun doing this I may sell the AXi to fund two more builds. But I do like the AXI.

In other post I have read, Caspian quality and customer support has been less than desirable. I will say that Walt and the support staff were responsive and treated me very well. On the quality aspects, there were only two things that I thought could have been better. The cutting of the trigger channel in the frame, It took me hours of hand filing to get what I wanted in fit and the slide stop could have been better but was ok.

I agree on the Caspian trigger channel but the good thing is they are consistent, so after fitting multiple Greider triggers to Caspian/foster frames I can do one pretty quickly now days. Can't say I've had any issues with the slide stop.. It does pay to figure out what you like in products and use them on all your builds going forward..

Brownells just released a new Forged frame under their name so most likely it's my next project just to see how they are.

now go get the Brownells lug cutter and use the gunsmith fit barrels... if you do so I'd suggest you get the Nolan barrel holder verses the one Brownells sells with their kit. I also use a EGW lock up holder or gauge.. George sells some interesting 1911 tools which help shorten you build time.. a $$ pit for sure but it all adds to the fun.

Terrific group with swaged SWCHP, BTW 

That makes sense why Brownells hasn't been carrying Caspian frames. They're listed on their web site but always out of stock. I even checked with Caspian last time I needed a frame and Brownells didn't have any frames on order. So they're basically permanently out of stock.

I installed a Kart barrel (back at the time called E-Z Fit) in a Sistema Colt M1911. Prior to the install the pistol shot 8 inch groups at 25 yards from a sand bag rest. After the install of the barrel and a new slide, the 25 yard groups measured around 3 inches. While the E-Z Fit barrels are great for the average home pistolsmith, they are not Bullseye accurate, but probably could be if done by an expert at it. I do wonder what the life expectancy is on one these? Probably shorter than a smith fit barrel? Mine still shoots as good as the day installed, but it only has around 5k rounds through it.

Mike38 wrote:I installed a Kart barrel (back at the time called E-Z Fit) in a Sistema Colt M1911. Prior to the install the pistol shot 8 inch groups at 25 yards from a sand bag rest. After the install of the barrel and a new slide, the 25 yard groups measured around 3 inches. While the E-Z Fit barrels are great for the average home pistolsmith, they are not Bullseye accurate, but probably could be if done by an expert at it. I do wonder what the life expectancy is on one these? Probably shorter than a smith fit barrel? Mine still shoots as good as the day installed, but it only has around 5k rounds through it

All my BE 1911's have the Kart EZ or Exact fit barrels.
First one was in 1999, wasn't all that great, but it beat the stock barrel Springfield had installed. It lasted for 32,000 before I changed it out for a second one & had the slide & frame refit at the same time. That one has lasted over 52,000 rounds & still holds 2" or less with 4.6 of BE & Zero 185JHP. Granted the last bbl has seen over 50K of soft lead and <2k of jacketed, but it gives an idea of Kart's accurate barrel life.

The other 2 with Karts, are my hardball gun & a newer Caspian I had built. I expect to see around the same lifespan with those 2.
Al

Were there any additional tools needed, or any you'd recommend for fitting the XACT barrel assembly?  

- beyond the 0.175" swiss file,  0.003" feeler gauge, 'barrel locating block'  
& shop basics like contact marking paste, calipers, vice / fixture etc..?  

And does the bushing come fitted to the barrel in the kit, or is that something you've got to request? 

    - there's mention of 'no charge' fitting for the set in the instructions, but I'm not clear if that's provided by default or upon request.

___

This will be for a Sistema as well, so I'm glad to read that Mike38 was successful + the several other pistols mentioned.  Most of the people who've accomplished that may be on this forum

One additional tool I'd suggest is a small machinist V Block. I use this to hold the barrel when fitting the back of the hood. It will help you to keep your file cuts straight. You can adjust how much of the hood overhangs the block to limit your cut.
All kinds of cheap ones on fleebay. Yes the bushing is fit to the barrel on the ez-fit setup..

The bushing is not perfectly fitted to the barrel and it can't be since they don't know have the whole gun.  After tight fitting it to your slide and everything else is complete, you may still be able to turn it freely.  It is however very close; close enough to get three inch fifty yard groups (for me).
Kart also puts a .200 x .210 slot rather than a hole in the pin end of the link.  This seems to serve to guarantee the lugs and not the link support the barrel through the fitting process.  Not a bad idea I suppose since they don't have your gun.
If you're an engineer then the barrel centering fixture will disappoint you also.  It is not made with near enough precision and you may end up, after fitting the hood and then moving on to the lugs, noticing that more material has to be removed from the hood to ensure no unwanted side loads.  At this point you will file that additional clearance but unfortunately you will not be able to add material to the opposite side.  So you may end up as I did, with more than the recommended side clearance.  I still had a three inch gun.

Yes the EGW barrel centering fixture is much better and recommended if you are going to do more than 1 or 2 barrels. It fits inside the slide rails slots and holds the lower feet centered..

Thanks guys - that all makes perfect sense, and helps to clarify how Fred's comments on the bushing, within the instructions, should be interpreted.

And I'll take look at the centering fixture Kart provides.   Fortunately EGW is right up the road and their version isn't very expensive if it looks like an upgrade is warranted.

I have fit 2.    The first one I got the hood crooked and learned to use a little sharpie or bluing to see where its hitting so I could file it true to the slide.   The second was better.  Both will put 5 shots under 2" @ 50 yards.

The first one I fit to a Kimber Target II.  I pulled it out of the target II and put it in my Dan Wesson Valor.  It fit almost perfect.  Doing the sharpie on the feet test, it does not rub much.  The hood and lugs fit perfect.  Its not riding the link, but its not perfect on the feet.  Just another thousandth on the slide stop pin would do it.    The Valor is not a bullseye gun.   

I am a tig welder, but I tried welding feet and hood on a take out.  Made a mess.  My fingers are too fat.  

David

Jon Eulette wrote:...........They recoil more than newer barrels because upper lug engagement............

Jon, if you ever have time, could you please explain how "upper lug engagement" has an effect on recoil?

I assume you mean "felt recoil".
If so, is the reason that the longer the upper lug is engaged, the more force from recoil goes directly into the shooter's hand?