1911 modifications, what's first?

[Reverenddel]

A'ight, I can never leave a weapon well enough alone.

I know I want adjustable sights, a Compensated Barrel (not bushing, but actual barrel), bevel the mag well, and ceracote the frame, and slide in either OD, or Coyote Brown.

What should I do first?

[ShotgunBlast]

Make it striker fired.

[M1A4ME]

I can tell you what I do for mine.

Ambidextrous thumb safeties. (not the really extended ones, but longer than factory).

Beavertail grip safety (never been bit and don't want to be either).

I usually remove the factory grips if they are the wrap around the front finger groove type,or the ones with the hump on the side just about where my thumb rests, and replace them with a set of fairly GI style/thickness grips.

I just like flat mainspring housings. My first 1911 was a 1911 and I got used to the flat housing so I remove the humped ones and install flat housings.

I usually go to a slightly stiffer recoil spring. All my loads are hardball or hardball equivalent unless I run into a really good deal on lighter bullets.

I have had good success tightening up the groups on 2 1911s by installing a modified recoil spring guide an barrel link piece called a Dwyer Group Gripper. Some people don't like them, but they've worked for me and they've not broken or caused malfunctions. The thing works by forcing the back of the barrel up into the locking recesses of the slide for every shot rather than letting it sit where ever recoil ended up leaving it. The purists say t just buy a longer/taller barrel link and install it. Well, you usually have to buy more than one (to find the exact correct right length/height) and you have to experiment (install, uninstall, reinstall, etc.) to get the right one in there that works for you. Then you have to keep an eye on wear if you shoot it a lot. The spring in my group grippers haven't worn out yet.

As for the striker fired comment above, I've really wanted to like them. I've bought/shot Glocks, XDMs and M&Ps and so far none of them will hang with my 1911's for trigger, group size, fast/accurate follow up shot (the double tap thing with the bullets as close together as the 1911 will do it). Maybe that's because none of the striker fired handguns I've bought so far have been in .45 acp, I don't know why, I just know I've convinced myself that the M&Ps (after shooting the M&Ps the Glock and XDM guns were oiled up and put away in a safe) have some advantages over my 1911s. They carry more rounds. They can have a light easily mounted on them (and they do) and I don't worry about missing a wet/dirty spot on them when I come in out of the rain and having one rust on me a little bit. It would hurt my feelings to find a rusty spot on one of my 1911s. Even the 40 or 90 year old ones. I don't guess I'll be round to see if the plastic pistols are still working at that age

[DiscipleofJMB]

OP: what are you doing with your 1911? Carrying? Shooting bullseye? IDPA? What are your expectations and what is your budget? As a gunsmith who loves 1911s and has built and serviced several (I have 3 myself), I hope I can be of help.

Beavertail grip safety and an extended thumb safety (ambi or not) are absolutely essential. These two mods will make the gun much more comfortable to operate over the original 1911/1911-A1 pattern arrangement. Then anything that needs to be done to make it function correctly. In my experiences most 1911s need some sort of tweaking, such as: polishing the feed ramp/barrel throat, extractor tuning, ejection port adjustment, ejector replacement/adjustment.

Once you get it running then worry about sights and other little bells and whistles. If your slide isn't milled for sights, consider sending it out to a smith to have it cut for Novak or Bo-Mar style sights. I personally prefer Novak as there are simply more options available.



Si vis pacem para bellum

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[Reverenddel]

Ambidextrous thumb safeties. (not the really extended ones, but longer than factory).

Beavertail grip safety (never been bit and don't want to be either).

I usually remove the factory grips if they are the wrap around the front finger groove type,or the ones with the hump on the side just about where my thumb rests, and replace them with a set of fairly GI style/thickness grips.

I just like flat mainspring housings. My first 1911 was a 1911 and I got used to the flat housing so I remove the humped ones and install flat housings.

I usually go to a slightly stiffer recoil spring. All my loads are hardball or hardball equivalent unless I run into a really good deal on lighter bullets.

THESE already came with the gun, hence the list from above.

I own three striker fired weapons, sometimes you get tired of driving "Honda's", and you want to drive an "F-150 4x4".

[jdonovan]

What should I do first?

come up with a goal.

Hard to achieve what you want, when you don't know what you want.

You want accurate, fast, reliable, race gun, or every day carry.
Budget?
Send it out for work, or is this home gunsmithing?