9mm 1911 project: doable or dumb idea?

[andalusi]

Say I buy an entry level 1911 such an RIA GI, but want to turn it into a 9mm. How tricky a process would this be? I'm not expecting it to be as simple as throwing in a new barrel, guide rod, and slide, but how much more involved would the parts replacement and refitting be?

(Yes, I know I could just look for a 1911 in 9mm and that this might be even be cheaper, but I'm interested in the feasibility here more than the cost.)

[G-forceJunkie]

Your probaly going to need to buy a new slide. The breach face is too wide, and even if you welded it up and remachined it, the extractor is probaly too far outward. You would be money ahead to just buy a 9mm gun from the get go.

[TMC]

Buy a 9mm to start.

Slide, extractor, ejector, firing pin, FP stop, barrel, link, pins, springs, sights, bushing and paying some one to fit it up if you don't know how yourself.

All you can use from the 45 top end is the guiderod and plug.

You'll be into it for far more than the cost of a base model 45.

[Saigon1965]

Now if you get a RIA in 38 super - It would be easier -

[chuckdc]

Keep an eye out for a Springfield Armory 9mm kit. I found one on eBay or GB or similar. It took just a little bit of fitting to mate it up with my Norinco 1911 lower half. You will need to find a 9mm/.38 Super ejector, but the rest of the parts came with it. Barrel, slide (complete with sights,FP,FP spring, FP stop, and extractor), bushing, recoil spring (this one seems to be a 14lb) and 2 9mm magazines.

It came all nicely shrinkwrapped to cardboard like it was intended to hang on peg on a wall in a gun shop.