[sloejoe]

In re-assembling my aluminum framed 1911a1 clone pistol I inadvertantly broke off the left corner pin hole area that holds the mainspring retaining pin. There is enough to hold the pin but the lower 1/3 section of the pin hole is missing. I'm thinking of reinforcing this with a thin plate that will fit over the grip screw holes & extend down over the pin hole & using a longer retainer pin. -----Or making a special pair of grips that doesn't have the cut-away for the access & re-enforcing the pin hole thru the grip on both grips with a metal bushing thru the wood & again with a longer pin use this as a fix for the damanged grip area. If I have described this plain enough for you to picture what I am thinking, what is an opinion of the repair? Comments please--
sloejoe

I'm sorry I forgot to mention this is in .45acp caliber.

[spittinfire]

Any way you could post a picture so we can see it?

Part of me says weld it up and remachine it but I'm sure others here won't like that idea.

[NGIB]

Originally Posted by spittinfire

Any way you could post a picture so we can see it?

Part of me says weld it up and remachine it but I'm sure others here won't like that idea.

Actually, that's probably the best suggestion for a permanent fix. Can't remember the type of welding aluminum requires though. That is not a high stress area so a plate under the grip would probably work as well...

[spittinfire]

You can tig or mig aluminum but tig would be better. It's not a friction area so if the hardness changes slightly there shouldn't be an issue. Slowly build the material back keeping it as cool as possible and then remachine it.

[robocop10mm]

Part of me says you have a FUBAR gun. Another part of me realizes the amazing things that can be done with aluminum these days. I had an aluminum alloy car wheel repaired recently. It was cracked and split. The shop here in Austin repaired it and it looks like new. As long as we are talking about the butt end of the gun below the grips, it should be possible to weld it up.

Look at alloy wheel repair shops.

[danf_fl]

Or a shop that specializes in building aluminum trailers for boats.

[spittinfire]

Just find a guy who can actually tig weld. I know a guy who would do it and he is one of the best welders I've ever seen.

[rjd3282]

Bob tail it.

[sloejoe]

I don't know what I'm doing but here goes---this is a picture of the damaged grip frame on my .45acp aluminum frame. I don't have a good camera & I hope you can see the damage---

[stalkingbear]

I'd recommend you get somebody that's a good tig welder like Spitty suggests. There's no reason it can't be as good as new if you find somebody skilled enough. Build it up & redrill.