PGB Award PF940C "Cobalt Celtic" Build Diary

[GSW10]

Welp! I figured I'd start with building the slide (upper) first. Easy enough, right? Well, either I'm an idiot who forgot how to do this, or "Houston, we've got a problem"... from the "git-go."

First step... insert the extractor and firing pin safety plunger, right? Except the plunger will NOT go into the slide. It drops in this far without any resistance and then comes to a halt.
View attachment 9829

It's not that it's "tight." It's BLOCKED. By this ridge (seen here at the bottom of the hole in the next photo below). It drops in freely a couple of millimeters and the runs into this machined flat spot.
View attachment 9828

The only way a plunger will go in there is if it had a "flat" or "facet" on one side. The hole machined into the slide for the plunger is not completely round. It's got a flat on the side towards the center of the slide.

Is it possible this slide is not a Gen 3? Requiring a different safety plunger? And as such... incompatible with... well.... a P80 build?

Or am I an idiot? LOL!

Paging @Michele @no4mk1t @GSW10 @USApat

Ooooo, this brings back memories from reading some of your earlier Posts on MGB's Forum!
I remember admonishing a particular someone for trying to trip you up on what order the slide gets assembled: Striker Safety Plunger-> Extractor-> THEN Striker assembly! Wow, it has been a minute since then, hasn't it?

 

[Racer88]

Ooooo, this brings back memories from reading some of your earlier Posts on MGB's Forum!
I remember admonishing a particular someone for trying to trip you up on what order the slide gets assembled: Striker Safety Plunger-> Extractor-> THEN Striker assembly! Wow, it has been a minute since then, hasn't it?

I still can't explain what was holding up the plunger when I tried it at first. Weird.

 

[Bcichlid]

I still can't explain what was holding up the plunger when I tried it at first. Weird.

It might not hurt to have your build blessed by some priest or something just in case to be on safe side.
You had unexplained paranormal event with your slide, what will happen when you put real ammo in?
will you trust it?
"ghost in a gun"?
You put it in your holster and it goes off by itself, why risk it.
Or you might need to etch a cross (or any other symbol) on the slide to have safe.

 

[Racer88]

It might not hurt to have your build blessed by some priest or something just in case to be on safe side.
You had unexplained paranormal event with your slide, what will happen when you put real ammo in?
will you trust it?
"ghost in a gun"?
You put it in your holster and it goes off by itself, why risk it.
Or you might need to etch a cross (or any other symbol) on the slide to have safe.

Of course, this pistol will be finished to FTQ standards, including all safety testing.

That said, it will be purely a range toy / showpiece, not a carry piece.

PS... maybe need a priest to bless ME!

 

[Michele]

Yeah…better get that ghost out before it scares someone. BOO

 

[Alex]

PS... maybe need a priest to bless ME!

From today's reading at the Daily Audio Bible:

May the Lord bless you and protect you; may the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.

- Numbers 6:24 - 26.

 

[Racer88]

Got these final parts "out for delivery" today!

 

[One Ping Only]

You forget how to build after a short break sir

I suggest using a color filler in that etch with colored pins and accoutrements to match.

Oooooh! Noice!!

 

[Michele]

Racer the NDZ fan boi. Great parts sir
Spoze ur cheating with rook too

That’s gunna be a prize build when done. Shoulda keep that one for myself . You better shoot that B and show off the pageant queen.

 

[USApat]

Spoze ur cheating with rook too

It's a shame, but I heard him complaining that you didn't send beautifully prepared P80 rear rails with that beautiful slide. At this late juncture, can you contact UPS and redirect that beautiful slide shipment you sent to him? I will build it with P80 rails with the same crafting love you did to his slide.

 

[Michele]

Send it to P80 Ralph for a review when done

 

[Racer88]

ou better shoot that B and show off the pageant queen.

I'll shoot the shit out of it! LOL! I like shooting guns. All guns. Mind you... I won't carry it. I've got a carry piece... or two... or three.

I may have told this story here before... My wife and I were at Gander Mountain (big box sporting goods store that came and went here within a few years). They had a BIG gun department. We were browsing the glass counter and one of the sales associates asked if I wanted to see the special XXXth anniversary edition S&W revolver. Sure!

He brings it out in its satin-lined wooden presentation case. It's beautiful, of course. Highly engraved. He lets me handle it ("Careful!"). He then goes on to explain how it's a collector piece and... before he could finish his sentence, my wife blurts out, "He'd just shoot it!" The guy looked appalled and quickly took back the gun. LOL!

 

[One Ping Only]

From today's reading at the Daily Audio Bible:

May the Lord bless you and protect you; may the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.

- Numbers 6:24 - 26.

I love this. The “Aaronic Blessing”. The late Chuck Smith, Pastor & founder of Calvary Chapel, would always close his services by reciting that passage, with a big smile.

 

[One Ping Only]

OK... I AM an idiot... or living in the Bermuda Triangle or something....

It just dropped in as it's supposed to. I don't see that ridge there anymore. It's gone! LOL! I swear!

I must have not been "holding my mouth right!"

Cackle and snort. Michele set you up, brudda! Heeharrhee!! “Now you see it, now you don’t.”

Between the Aaronic Blessing quoted, Racer losing his mind for a moment, the nifty things you can do to a polymer frame that Michele displayed… and that awesome etching, I vote this “thread of the year”…even though we’re only into March.

 

[Racer88]

Ah, shit. I guess I need to get going on the frame!

 

[USApat]

I will be interested in your opinion of the extended slide lock lever once you get her running. I've been looking at a few of those from NDZ but haven't pulled the trigger.

 

[Racer88]

I will be interested in your opinion of the extended slide lock lever once you get her running. I've been looking at a few of those from NDZ but haven't pulled the trigger.

I actually prefer a standard length. But I couldn't find one in silver / stainless.

 

[USApat]

I actually prefer a standard length. But I couldn't find one in silver / stainless.

Just interested in seeing if it works and doesn't hang up on shit too much. The standard size can be a bear sometimes for these cobbled fingers. I also want the silver stainless look because it matches the stainless barrels. NDZ was sold out of that model about 6 months ago and I haven't checked back because it hasn't been a priority.

 

[Racer88]

I just got through drilling the holes, removing the tabs, and the RSA channel obstruction. Am I the only one who gets nervous drilling the pin holes? So much is riding on that, it gives me a bit of anxiety. Funny... since my first build my pin holes have been perfect, so I don't know why I get nervous. But I think it's because intellectually I know how important it is to get them right!

I haven't polished any of it, yet. Took me 3 hours to do just this much. I'm getting faster. But nowhere near the "Biden P80 Standard" of 30 minutes soup-to-nuts! I still suck.

Here are some progress photos!

Clamped the jig shut and then taped it before going to the Dremel Workstation for pin hole drilling.

Holes drilled. Next are the tabs. I used my cutting wheel or "circular saw" again. The front rail tabs I did with the jig on and the larger diameter saw.

I did the rear rail tabs without the jig and used a smaller circular saw.

Then I finished the rail tabs with my Micro-Sander. Love that thing!

I removed the majority of the RSA channel obstruction with the Dremel and a coarse bit. Then it was off to the races with the Micro-Sander. Except it's not really a race. It's almost painfully SLOW! But that's actually a good thing, and it leads to an FTQ result!

Here it is, not quite there. But, look how cleanly the micro-sander cuts!

Here's the frame... "rough cut." I've still got a fair bit of polishing to do.

I'm digging the "Cobalt" frame color.

And here it is with the slide just sitting on top of the frame. Oh, baby!

I also installed the standard Glock steel sights. The front sight overlaps the etching a bit. Not sure how I feel about that.

 

[Michele]

Looks amazing Racer. The accessories match the etch , didn’t know y had that cool release.where’d ya get that