theJanitor
05-21-2019, 03:39 PM
Here's what my CCW pistol has morphed into. Explanation to follow a few pics:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40935306133_a457b9f86d_c.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46985723785_6d8acc5f2c_c.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40935305893_2e33b8e501_c.jpg
So this should be the final iteration of my carry 1911, until I scrape up enough dough to order a Railed LW CCO from wilson with the True Zero optic mounting system.
A few years ago, I decided that I wanted to migrate from a steel 5" 1911, to a lighter weight version. At the same time I had a need to change my carry style. For years, I had a gov't model colt, carried in a quality (Andrews, Garrity, Sparks) rig, at 3:30. One day an police officer told me that I needed a holster that hid my pistol better. This shocked me, because I thought I had a very discreet system. So I parked the 1911's for a pocket-carried 642 while I sorted things out. At this point, I decided that I should give AIWB a real shot, and went head first looking for a rig to carry my Colts. I bought a myriad of holsters at great expense (Garrity, TT, JM, Spencer's, JRC watson special and CDAII). SLG helped me get into a SME, and I bought another SME from Bolke. I bought holsters for G19, G17, and G34's too. in the end, I decided that the slimness of the 1911 was better for AIWB, but my pistols were just too big and heavy.
Enter the Wiley Clapp CCO. I wanted a CCO for AIWB carry, and the clapp is just the best deal in Colt 1911's right now. $1100 gets a nicely finished aluminum frame, checkering, high cut frontstrap, rounded and chekered MSH, beveled magwell, BTGS, and Novak sights. Colt could charge a few hundred dollars more, and the pistol would still have value. I first fitted a Novak thumb safety and an aluminum trigger, just because I can't use the factory safety and I had those parts in my parts bin. Next, I ordered the flatwire recoil spring kit from Nighthawk and paired it with a NH barrel bushing too. All these pieces fitted in easily and didn't need a gunsmith.
https://i.imgur.com/nZ14OmY.jpg?2
Then in 2016, I had some serious vision issues. I'm already blind in my left eye, the result of a blown out retina in 1982. I severely tore the right retina and went in for a scleral buckle and a vitrectomy procedure. I was unable to see for several weeks, and was not able to work for three months. The Victrectomy also resulted in severe cataract clouding in my right eye. I went through a cataract procedure in early 2017 that wasn't as successful as I had hoped. I was then fitted for bifocals. Going from 20/20 vision to using a magnifying glass to read the newspaper was a huge shock, but not being able to see my front sight was completely disheartening. I figured shooting was not in the cards for me. I actually sold off half of my pistols (mostly out of sadness), and most of my rifles (due to an aversion of recoil) during the next few months, as I came to realize that I couldn't see a target, nor could I aim reliably.
My brother, who was just getting serious about pistol shooting, builds a Roland Special. His eyes are shit too (thanks, Dad), and he knew the answer. A RMR shows up on my desk one day, and he tells me to call Nighthawk custom and ask them if they can install it on one of my 1911's. I did. Bob Reeves at NH told me to send everything in, and I was set, except for choosing what 1911 to use. In the end, I chose the CCO for a couple of reasons. First, was that the CCO was such a great carry gun, that it only made sense to use it as the host, second, it was the cheapest 1911 I owned, and if I didn't like it, at least I didn't ruin a favorite custom. I also asked NH to clean up the slide's rollmarks, and sharp edges, and finish it in nitride. They did a great job and in a couple of months, I got this:
https://i.imgur.com/p943Wj3.jpg?1
The RMR was a revelation, as I could finally aim reliably AND see what I was aiming at! I was so relieved, that I had Jagerworks install two more RMR's on gen3 glocks that I had.
Summer of 2018, i fought a battle with tendinitis in my right arm. Brushing my teeth was hard, and shooting a 45 was just not gonna happen. I had found that when I was shooting the Glocks alot, the pain flared up more. I wanted to shoot a 1911, but the recoil of the 45 was just as painful. I negotiated to buy a 9mm Wilson from StraitR, and it was a godsend. Along ith some intense PT, the low recoil, and comforatble grip of the 1911, resulted in very little pain. The problem with that gun was thhe grip. It was a full frame, with a magwell, and it was steel. It was just too damn heavy and long to conceal. Wilson doesn't make flush mags for their full size guns, so it became even longer with the huge baseplates. M2CattleCo turned me on to some flush fit mags, but I couldn't get a standard MSH fit onto the pistol without having the whole thing reworked at Wilson.
https://i.imgur.com/gbW9X2p.jpg?1
In the end, I traded the gun for the Wilson EDC X9. It is the PERFECT carry size 9mm 1911, IMO.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33805810138_cc82d70b35_c.jpg
Holsters for the X9 turned out to be a problem and a solution for AIWB carry. There were no readily available holsters for the X9. Enter the PHLSTER FLOODLIGHT (https://www.phlsterholsters.com/shop/floodlight/). It's a universal-type holster for pistols with an attached weaponlight. I figured that I would get one, and even though I needed to attach a light, at least it was a holster that would fit the gun until I could get a dedicated holster made. Turns out, that I was more comfortable carrying the X9 with the X300, than any other pistol/holster combo I had!
By January 2019, my cataracts has re-emerged with horrible effect. I couldn't see much through them, and resorted to using a magnifying glass AND my bifocals just to read. I underwent a YAG laser capsulotomy, and the improvement to my vision was immense. Front sights weren't clear yet, but at least I could see them.
Right about this time, newyork and a few others are telling me that the DarkStar Rigel is the most comfortable pistol/weaponlight rig around, so I order one, and turns out, the X9 fits in there really good:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46986443225_be93e4972d_c.jpg
I thought I could opt out of using the RMR, and I would give the X9 some time. Well it turns out, that the RMR is still likely the best solution for me. And while I shoot the X9 ok, I'm not as good with it as I am a standard 1911. So I had a couple of choices:
-Buy a pistol in the configuration I wanted (LW, CCO, RMR, Light rail, 9mm) - WAY TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME
-Build one in the configuration I wanted - WAY TOO EXPENSIVE & TIME CONSUMING
-Find someone to install a RMR on my X9 - I couldn't sink another $1000 in the gun if I don't shoot it great. In the end, I think Wilson will get this pistol for the optic install, unless StraitR wants it
In the end, I opted to try and get a light rail installed on my CCO. It was cost effective, since the gun was already cut for the optic, and it was already vetted for reliability. I contacted Steve at MARS and asked if he'd make an exception and install the light rail intended for a gov't model on a commander sized LW frame. He makes small runs of the rails and adapters for the X300, in the same pattern as the old Daswon system. He said he'd evaluate it if I sent in the gun. He thinks this frame was thick enough to be durable. so we went ahead with the install. I told him that I'd keep him abreast of the health of the system, as it's not installed on the optimal frame. I don't know how willing he will be to do repeat this install. But, I think it turned out perfect for what I need, a lightweight, compact, 1911, with a RMR, and a light, carried in a very comfortable DSG rig. I couldn't be happier
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40935306133_a457b9f86d_c.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46985723785_6d8acc5f2c_c.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40935305893_2e33b8e501_c.jpg
So this should be the final iteration of my carry 1911, until I scrape up enough dough to order a Railed LW CCO from wilson with the True Zero optic mounting system.
A few years ago, I decided that I wanted to migrate from a steel 5" 1911, to a lighter weight version. At the same time I had a need to change my carry style. For years, I had a gov't model colt, carried in a quality (Andrews, Garrity, Sparks) rig, at 3:30. One day an police officer told me that I needed a holster that hid my pistol better. This shocked me, because I thought I had a very discreet system. So I parked the 1911's for a pocket-carried 642 while I sorted things out. At this point, I decided that I should give AIWB a real shot, and went head first looking for a rig to carry my Colts. I bought a myriad of holsters at great expense (Garrity, TT, JM, Spencer's, JRC watson special and CDAII). SLG helped me get into a SME, and I bought another SME from Bolke. I bought holsters for G19, G17, and G34's too. in the end, I decided that the slimness of the 1911 was better for AIWB, but my pistols were just too big and heavy.
Enter the Wiley Clapp CCO. I wanted a CCO for AIWB carry, and the clapp is just the best deal in Colt 1911's right now. $1100 gets a nicely finished aluminum frame, checkering, high cut frontstrap, rounded and chekered MSH, beveled magwell, BTGS, and Novak sights. Colt could charge a few hundred dollars more, and the pistol would still have value. I first fitted a Novak thumb safety and an aluminum trigger, just because I can't use the factory safety and I had those parts in my parts bin. Next, I ordered the flatwire recoil spring kit from Nighthawk and paired it with a NH barrel bushing too. All these pieces fitted in easily and didn't need a gunsmith.
https://i.imgur.com/nZ14OmY.jpg?2
Then in 2016, I had some serious vision issues. I'm already blind in my left eye, the result of a blown out retina in 1982. I severely tore the right retina and went in for a scleral buckle and a vitrectomy procedure. I was unable to see for several weeks, and was not able to work for three months. The Victrectomy also resulted in severe cataract clouding in my right eye. I went through a cataract procedure in early 2017 that wasn't as successful as I had hoped. I was then fitted for bifocals. Going from 20/20 vision to using a magnifying glass to read the newspaper was a huge shock, but not being able to see my front sight was completely disheartening. I figured shooting was not in the cards for me. I actually sold off half of my pistols (mostly out of sadness), and most of my rifles (due to an aversion of recoil) during the next few months, as I came to realize that I couldn't see a target, nor could I aim reliably.
My brother, who was just getting serious about pistol shooting, builds a Roland Special. His eyes are shit too (thanks, Dad), and he knew the answer. A RMR shows up on my desk one day, and he tells me to call Nighthawk custom and ask them if they can install it on one of my 1911's. I did. Bob Reeves at NH told me to send everything in, and I was set, except for choosing what 1911 to use. In the end, I chose the CCO for a couple of reasons. First, was that the CCO was such a great carry gun, that it only made sense to use it as the host, second, it was the cheapest 1911 I owned, and if I didn't like it, at least I didn't ruin a favorite custom. I also asked NH to clean up the slide's rollmarks, and sharp edges, and finish it in nitride. They did a great job and in a couple of months, I got this:
https://i.imgur.com/p943Wj3.jpg?1
The RMR was a revelation, as I could finally aim reliably AND see what I was aiming at! I was so relieved, that I had Jagerworks install two more RMR's on gen3 glocks that I had.
Summer of 2018, i fought a battle with tendinitis in my right arm. Brushing my teeth was hard, and shooting a 45 was just not gonna happen. I had found that when I was shooting the Glocks alot, the pain flared up more. I wanted to shoot a 1911, but the recoil of the 45 was just as painful. I negotiated to buy a 9mm Wilson from StraitR, and it was a godsend. Along ith some intense PT, the low recoil, and comforatble grip of the 1911, resulted in very little pain. The problem with that gun was thhe grip. It was a full frame, with a magwell, and it was steel. It was just too damn heavy and long to conceal. Wilson doesn't make flush mags for their full size guns, so it became even longer with the huge baseplates. M2CattleCo turned me on to some flush fit mags, but I couldn't get a standard MSH fit onto the pistol without having the whole thing reworked at Wilson.
https://i.imgur.com/gbW9X2p.jpg?1
In the end, I traded the gun for the Wilson EDC X9. It is the PERFECT carry size 9mm 1911, IMO.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33805810138_cc82d70b35_c.jpg
Holsters for the X9 turned out to be a problem and a solution for AIWB carry. There were no readily available holsters for the X9. Enter the PHLSTER FLOODLIGHT (https://www.phlsterholsters.com/shop/floodlight/). It's a universal-type holster for pistols with an attached weaponlight. I figured that I would get one, and even though I needed to attach a light, at least it was a holster that would fit the gun until I could get a dedicated holster made. Turns out, that I was more comfortable carrying the X9 with the X300, than any other pistol/holster combo I had!
By January 2019, my cataracts has re-emerged with horrible effect. I couldn't see much through them, and resorted to using a magnifying glass AND my bifocals just to read. I underwent a YAG laser capsulotomy, and the improvement to my vision was immense. Front sights weren't clear yet, but at least I could see them.
Right about this time, newyork and a few others are telling me that the DarkStar Rigel is the most comfortable pistol/weaponlight rig around, so I order one, and turns out, the X9 fits in there really good:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46986443225_be93e4972d_c.jpg
I thought I could opt out of using the RMR, and I would give the X9 some time. Well it turns out, that the RMR is still likely the best solution for me. And while I shoot the X9 ok, I'm not as good with it as I am a standard 1911. So I had a couple of choices:
-Buy a pistol in the configuration I wanted (LW, CCO, RMR, Light rail, 9mm) - WAY TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME
-Build one in the configuration I wanted - WAY TOO EXPENSIVE & TIME CONSUMING
-Find someone to install a RMR on my X9 - I couldn't sink another $1000 in the gun if I don't shoot it great. In the end, I think Wilson will get this pistol for the optic install, unless StraitR wants it
In the end, I opted to try and get a light rail installed on my CCO. It was cost effective, since the gun was already cut for the optic, and it was already vetted for reliability. I contacted Steve at MARS and asked if he'd make an exception and install the light rail intended for a gov't model on a commander sized LW frame. He makes small runs of the rails and adapters for the X300, in the same pattern as the old Daswon system. He said he'd evaluate it if I sent in the gun. He thinks this frame was thick enough to be durable. so we went ahead with the install. I told him that I'd keep him abreast of the health of the system, as it's not installed on the optimal frame. I don't know how willing he will be to do repeat this install. But, I think it turned out perfect for what I need, a lightweight, compact, 1911, with a RMR, and a light, carried in a very comfortable DSG rig. I couldn't be happier