So here's the 2nd part of Grendel and the Desert Bull

[bafsu92]

My other recent project (the other is in tactical rifles) finished up yesterday. I've really like the Kimber Desert Warrior since I first saw one but just couldn't bring myself to buy another full sized / full weight 1911. I already have 5 and really have a bobtailed commander high on my want list so the Desert Warrior just didn't make since to me. Back around Thanksgiving I ended up with a Taurus PT1911AR in a trade. I shot the thing a couple times and felt it had some potential but just hated looking at that stupid lock on the hammer and the damn billboard printing down both sides of the slide and frame (I'm talking to you too S&W).

Then the idea struck me, I had a bunch of aftermarket 1911 parts in a box and some Duracoat SL - #79 Magpul FDE. The build was on, could I turn a Taurus into a pistol that would be as satisfying as a Kimber? I started by stripping every part from the frame and all the fire control parts from the slide. I decided to send it to Brent at Hard Corps Weaponry to have him shoot the Duracoat for me since he does great work at a great price and I wanted to save a little time. I also wanted it done better than I can do myself. I'm fine shooting mags and BCG's but I'd rather have a pistol shot by a professional with better equipment than I have. One reason is I knew he had a nice blast cabinet and I really wanted to minimize the slide engraving as much as possible. Mission accomplished.

I did learn one lesson in the build, if you pre-fit all your internals and then Duracoat them they are no longer pre-fit. I spent a @ss load of time re-fitting the internals and actually ended up using a different sear from my parts box since I just couldn't get things to geehaw after I got it all back. Long story short all I bought for this build was the S&A magwell/mainspring housing, the 10-8 flat trigger, 3 - ACT magazines and the Duracoat. I bartered for the professional spray job and like I said the Taurus came in a trade so I have about $200 out of pocket here (and hours of sanding, grinding and polishing to make it all fit and function correctly).

So, do I have a Kimber Desert Warrior, well no, but I do have a pistol that is every bit as accurate as my Kimber TLE-II. The trigger came in right at 4# on my Timney scale and feels lighter with the long & straight 10-8. Pretty much everything "under the hood" has been swapped out with Wilson Combat and S&A parts. The only thing left factory Taurus are the mag release button and the series 80 style safety crap (I thought about removing all this since I don't plan to carry it but decided to practice tuning the safety parts instead). About the only thing I will do to this now is change the sights, most likely XS big dots. I went to the range today to test the function and was happy with 50 rounds through 1 ragged hole that I could cover with my fist from 20yds. I put another 2 mags through a hole I could cover with one of the new dollar coins at 7 yards. It might not be a Kimber but I'm pretty pleased with my one of a kind Desert Bull.

[PegLeg45]

Damn nice lookin' 1911, Bafsu.


I had a good friend find out the same thing about Duracoating and then assembling. I spent a Saturday afternoon re-fitting a SA 1911 after he duracoated it. It was his first pistol coating and he had not ran into tolerance issues with pump shotguns and bolt actions to that point.

[Timothy]

Question....why coat the magazines?

Good looking gun though, I'm always going to prefer a well blued finish over any other.  My only complaint of my Para 1911 is the less than durable "Parakoat" finish.

[CJS3]

Sweet looking pistol (love those grip panels)

[bafsu92]

Question....why coat the magazines?

Good looking gun though, I'm always going to prefer a well blued finish over any other.  My only complaint of my Para 1911 is the less than durable "Parakoat" finish.

Mainly for looks but it gives them an extra layer of protection and since it's the Duracoat SL (self lubricating) they are very smooth to insert.

[Sponsor]

[bafsu92]

Sweet looking pistol (love those grip panels)

Thanks, I love VZ Grips, great company to deal with and a great product. I've got them on all my 1911's and a few other pistols.

[Timothy]

Mainly for looks but it gives them an extra layer of protection and since it's the Duracoat SL (self lubricating) they are very smooth to insert.

Any problems with fit, loading, release, etc..?

[bafsu92]

Any problems with fit, loading, release, etc..?

Not at all. I think since tolerances are pretty loose on mags it actually makes them feel like they seat in better. It's not the greatest thing to coat tight rails or a hammer hook with but if it's not a super exact tolerance then it seems to work well.