Timmy the Tanfoglio: Building Amos Burton’s 10mm Semi-auto from The Expanse

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
From “The Churn”, a novella in The Expanse literary universe:

Burton got up, raising a finger. Timmy sat deep in his chair, like a trained dog receiving a command. Sylvia-whoever was singing in the bathroom, the splash of water against porcelain covering the sound of Burton opening the gun safe - pulling out the pistol and its magazine. When he stepped back into the main room, Timmy hadn’t so much as crossed his legs. Burton held the gun out.

“You know what this is?” he asked.

“It’s a ten millimeter semi-auto,” Timmy said. He put his hand out half-way to it and then looked up at Burton, his eyes asking permission. Burton nodded and smiled. Timmy took the gun.

“You know guns?”

Timmy shrugged. “They’re around.” Burton tossed the magazine onto the boys lap.

“You know how those things all go together?” Timmy weighed the pistol in one hand, the magazine in the other. He slid them together, checked the chamber, flicked the safety on and off. It wasn’t the practiced action of a professional, but ‘talented amateur’ was good enough for his purposes. Timmy looked up, his smile blank and empty.

“New job?” he asked.

“New job,” Burton said.

Some of you may be familiar with my previous project threads:

https://primaryandsecondary.com/for...ing-project-nemesis-p320-roland-special.3790/
https://primaryandsecondary.com/for...abomination-let’s-desecrate-a-schofield.9025/
https://primaryandsecondary.com/for...ge-to-19th-century-gangster-knuckleguns.8105/
https://primaryandsecondary.com/for...d-wheelgun-projects-consolidated-thread.9343/

This thread will become the home of my next build, which is based on a Tanfoglio Defiant Limited Master chambered in 10mm:

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This gun will serve two purposes. The primary purpose is as a spiritual successor to my P320-based Project Nemesis. Which is to say, I intend to turn this gun into the highest-performing, most broadly capable, do-anything-I-can-think-of workhorse pistol. This gun WILL BE a practical use, home- and self-defense firearm. It will predominantly take up residence on my night stand and I’ll be using it for just about anything and everything I can think of. The gun will not be built to any particular specification, competition division, or pre-conceived notion of what a defensive pistol can and can’t be. When I originally built my P320, I was building the gun I’d envisioned for decades as the pinnacle of handgun performance and generalized capability. This gun follows the same general spirit, it’s just version 2.

Secondly, and from where the gun, the project, and the thread get their title from - this is the gun I envision when reading about the character of Amos Burton, from the literary version of The Expanse universe, a series of science fiction novels and shorter novellas by James S.A. Corey (also a very successful Amazon Prime series).

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Throughout the thread I’ll be posting short snippets from the various novels, similar to the one I left at the beginning of this thread. When all said and done (if that ever actually happens) not only will the gun be incredibly practical and useable as a modern firearm, it will embody my current perspective on where I see the design philosophy of pistols moving in the future - hopefully, this gun will be fit for the meaty hands of a quasi-immortal grease monkey in the 23rd century. Oh, and there will be some small spoilers here and there if you haven’t already read the novels. You’ve been warned. For those of you unsure, yes: that makes this a gun inspired by science fiction and fully intended for extremely practical, real-world use in present day. That’s kind of how I roll.

As of now, I’ve had the gun home for about 24 hours and I’ve got some initial impressions. First and foremost, holy chunky boy. I knew a fullsize steel-frame gun would be quite a bit heavier than the pistols I’ve become accustomed to over the last few years, but I love the weight and balance of this thing - especially with the Surefire hanging off the rail.

The trigger is - I cannot understate this - phenomenal. The stock trigger comes with adjustable pre- and over-travel screws, and my gunsmith got them tightened up before I took the gun home from my local FFL. There is minimal travel both before and after the break, and the trigger snaps at what I’d estimate is roughly 3.5lbs.

Mechanically, the safety is excellent. It snicks on and off with authority and no wiggle between positions. The gun comes stock with asymmetrical extended safeties, with a much larger shelf on the left side of the gun intended as a thumb rest for your strong hand.

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It’s extremely ergonomic, well positioned, well shaped, and comfortable - for a right-handed shooter. Me being a southpaw, it’s a useless lump of metal on the wrong side of the gun, with a pointy corner that digs into the first knuckle on my trigger finger something fierce.

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I can’t imagine this won’t bite me this weekend when I take the gun to the range the first time. I’ve already ordered a set of symmetrical thumb safeties that don’t include the extended shelf, which come on the Defiant Stock Limited DA/SA model of this gun.

The slide-in-frame CZ-style construction obviously means there isn’t as much real estate for manipulating the slide as one might be used to, but the area that is provided is well utilized. The four little serrations on the rear sides of the slide don’t look like they’d do all that much, but look closer:

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As Amos would say, MOTHERFUCKER are those some sharply serrated little bastards. They stick to your hand like sand paper and make manipulating the slide extremely easy.

I’ll be taking the gun to the range for the first time this weekend. I received a small selection of various common FMJ/JHP loads to run initial break-in and reliability testing with.

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We’ll see how it runs and what it likes and, more importantly, anything it dislikes. I’ll probably wind up buying the Sig 180gr FMJ/JHP combination and stacking it deep, as my understanding is it strikes a good balance between common availability, price, and true potential of the 10mm cartridge.

I’ve also placed an order for a Henning conefit guide rod and Wolff 20lb recoil spring. Both items are intended to help prevent larger-caliber Tanfos from beating themselves to death prematurely, and I’m very interested in making sure this gun stays in good condition well into the future. You might say I’m building it to be the “Last Gun Standing”.

I’ve also got some Henning extended base pads with Grams Engineering spring and follower kits coming for the stock magazines, because MOAR.

There will be plenty more to come for this gun in the future, so if you’re interested in following along please subscribe to this thread. Feel free to post any questions, comments, objections, criticisms, etc and I’ll do my best to reply
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
God damn, Henning and Patriot Defense are on it - all parts I ordered last night/this morning have shipped. Should have new bits on this thing in just a few days!
 

Barry B

Regular Member
Not relevant, but about 25 years ago I have a EAA Tanfoglio Witness in .45. That gun drove tacks, and amazed everyone that shot it. I didn't have nickels to rub together then, probably paid sub $300 for the gun. It had feed problems and I was not gonna' put $$$ in to force it to be a carry gun. Sold it. Man, it was like butter, and amazingly accurate. Miss that one.

-B
 

shoobe01

Established
As long as we're being irrelevant, I also had a Witness .45 for a couple years in the mid-2000s. Good warranty. TWICE (two returns for service) cracked the barrel laterally, apparently they couldn't get the bushing/lockup balanced right so it was stressed and bending the barrel, or something.

When it worked, worked very well, and they seem to have worked out all kinks as at the time troublesome guns abounded, but they seem to work well now esp for match guns when you put the time, find the load they like.

This looks like an honorable project, can't wait till it's all finished, and we get the microgravity range report. With photos.
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
It’s all relevant! I’m excited to get it to the range this weekend. From the feel of everything it’ll be a good tack driver, just need to find the FMJ and JHP loads it likes
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
I’ve got a range reservation at 4pm today and my parts from Henning (guide rod, recoil spring, base pads) are out for delivery and should get to me in time to throw them on the gun before going to the range later this afternoon. Much more to come later today!
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
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Well, the base pads and magazine internals were delivered on time to go to the range today, but it’s looking like the guide rod and recoil spring won’t show up in time for the lane reservation. So I’ll just have a before and after comparison between the stock recoil spring and the Wolff 20lb item. Those base pads were some of the easiest magazine extensions I’ve ever installed, I really like the Henning retention system.

Taking all the ammo with me, I expect I’ll be able to get through at least a couple hundred rounds in the hour and that’ll be a good first trip. Assuming nothing goes unexpectedly wrong, I’ll probably bulk order some Sig FMJ and JHP loads later today. More updates in a bit when I’m home from the range!
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
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It’s good news all around! The Tanfo chugged through his first 250 rounds without a single malfunction or hiccup today. It’s very interesting, the recoil profile reminds me a lot of the 6” Ruger GP100 I used to own firing various 357Mag loads - obviously quite a bit of power coming out of the muzzle, but with a lot of weight to help soak up most of the flip before it gets to my hand.

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The gun didn’t have any issue loading and feeding between FMJ and JHP bullets, including when I did my initial range trip “candy cane” loading of every different kind of ammo I had randomly loaded into the magazines. The Sig 180gr loads are a bit more powerful than the other FMJ, but I like that they duplicate the 180gr JHP loads in recoil profile - so identically I couldn’t tell the difference between the two when the rounds were randomly alternated back and forth in the same magazine. Since the gun didn’t have any issues with either of them, I’m going to designate Sig’s 180gr FMJ/JHP pairing as the combination to purchase in bulk for this gun.

The extended safety on the left side of the gun did dig into my trigger finger knuckle some, but not nearly as badly as I’d expected:

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No matter anyway, it’ll be getting replaced with the symmetrical ambi safety soon. When I got home from the range, the Henning Conefit guide rod and Wolff 20lb recoil spring were waiting. Got those switched into the gun during my once-over and wipe-down after the first range trip.

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It’ll be interesting to see how the heavier recoil spring changes the recoil profile of the 180gr loads, and it’ll be good knowing the Henning guide rod is helping to extend the life of the frame well into the future.

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More to come!
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
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Since I was curious I weighed it up - 3lbs 5.1oz, or 53.1oz. That’s a step up from my P320 which was 43.1oz similarly configured, and the Tanfo doesn’t even have a compensator - yet
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
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Took the time to get a decent picture of pistol tonight. New ambi safety should be here by Tuesday. The pistol WILL be getting a threaded barrel and short compensator, which is currently being worked on by Patriot Defense. They make a threaded barrel & comp setup for the Limited Master but only in 9mm currently. As soon as the 10mm version becomes available, it’ll be going on Timmy
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
Alright, ordered up some more Sig 180gr FMJ/JHP, and went ahead and ordered some Patriot Defense aluminum grips with a little more aggressive texture. Not their most aggressive pattern, but should still help make the gun a little stickier:

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So we’ve got symmetrical ambi safety in transit, ammo and grips ordered. All should be here by this weekend, when I’ll probably take the gun back to my gunsmith to swap the safety, zero the gun at 25yds with the Sig JHP ammo, and I’ll probably have the ‘smith trim the slide lock lever off of the retaining pin. Unless and until someone comes up with an ambi slide stop lever for the gun, I don’t have any use for the single-sided slide stop, so might as well get it off there
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
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Well the ambi safety is a bit late getting here, issue seems to be with FedEx though not Patriot Defense. Not that important though, it won’t be going on the gun until at least this weekend anyway when I can get it all to my gunsmith. Currently on ready standby
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
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We’ve got grips and we’ve got ammo. Hard to believe this is the more mild grip texture Patriot offers, these things are sticky as hell. Very comfortable though!

Still not entirely certain where the symmetrical ambi safety is. Until I have it in hand there isn’t much point in taking it back to the gunsmith. Hoping I get it sometime this weekend and can get it all dropped off before Monday
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
So I’ve opened a question with USPS as to the status of the ambi safety, hopefully they can get figured out where it is relatively soon. Once I have that the gun will go back to my ‘smith, and then it’s pretty much done but for the shooting until the comp and threaded barrel.

Plenty more pics, videos, range reports, etc coming!
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
Apparently the alternative safeties got stuck in a bit of USPS limbo, but they confirmed they have it and it’ll be delivered by this Friday. Which means this gun is probably going back to my gunsmith this weekend.

Also been trading messages with Patriot Defense on potential 10mm compensator setups - standby for that!
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
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New safety got delivered today. Should make the gun much more comfortable with my wrong-handedness while still maintaining all the functionality. So the gun will go back to my gunsmith on Saturday to get the safeties swapped, trim the slide lock lever off the barrel retention pin, and zero with Sig’s 180gr JHP rounds at 25yds
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
Well, because I’m impulsive and can’t leave well enough alone I went ahead and ordered the larger Patriot Defense magwell for the gun. I was going to wind up getting it eventually, might as well be now
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
From “Caliban’s War”, The Expanse Book Two:

Amos had a canvass sack filled with formed plastic boxes of different sizes, each of which seemed to have a firearm of some kind inside. He had unrolled a square of red felt, and disassembled a huge pistol on it. The delicate metal parts looked like sculpture. Amos dipped a cotton swab into a bright blue cleaning solution and rubbed it gently on a silver mechanism attached to a black metal tube, polishing metal plates that were already bright as a mirror. Prax found his hands moving towards the disassembled pieces, willing them to come together. To be already cleaned and repolished, and remade. Amos pretended not to notice, in a way that meant he was very much aware. He dipped the swab into the cleaning fluid again, and started on a metal rod with a spring wrapped around it.

“I really need to get there,” Prax said. He didn’t say, “Every minute here is a minute that they could be hurting Mei. That she could be dying, or getting shipped off-world.”

“Getting ready’s the shitty part,” Amos said, as if agreeing to something. “You wanna get right out into it, right the fuck now. Get it over with.”

“Well, yes,” Prax said.

“I get that,” Amos said. “It’s no fun but you’ve got to get through it. Going in without your gear ready, you might as well not go. Plus which, the girl’s been gone for how long, now?”

“Since the fighting. Since the mirror came down.”

“Chances of another hour making much difference are pretty small, right?”

“But-“

“Yeah,” Amos said with a sigh. “I know. This is the tough part. Not as bad as waiting for us to get back though. That’s gonna suck even worse.” As if in punctuation Amos slid the gun together, the metal clacking.

Gun is with the ‘smith, probably for about a week. Waiting is the tough part
 

rudukai13

Pro Internet User
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Got the Patriot Defense magwell in, seems very well machined and finished. Just need the gun back to put it on
 
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