Calling on my Springfield 1911 .45 Mil Spec friends re firing pin stop

Guys, I'm back already seeking additional facts and opinions on the Springfield 1911 .45 Mil Spec model. I settled on buying this model until I began wondering if the grip safety was functional or simply there for appearance sake. Then I wondered if the gun had a firing pin block/stop. The literature on the Springfield Armory site doesn't mention anything about either part. When I searched on google, I found the grip safety is functional like the 1911 A1, but the gun doesn't have a firing pin stop. Soon after I came across two different photos of cracked firing pin stops, one of which I saved to post here. So the gun doesn't have a firing pin stop, yet they're known to crack.

https://www.m14forum.com/threads/191...n-stop.505172/

I think I now understand the possible if not probable problems of MIM parts.

I really can't afford to move up in price very much, but I will to avoid owning dangerous junk. I f*$^ing hate junky products of any kind. It may as well have been made in China!

Now I would respectfully ask for suggestions for a good 1911 .45 like the 1911 A1 around 800 dollars.

A smart guy once said, "nothing is easy. Apparently he knew what he was taking about!

Calling again on my 1911 .45 gun gurus!

-the Springfield-Armory 1911s don't have a firing pin safety.
-all 1911s will have a firing pin stop.

-sometimes a firing pin stop will fracture, but not all Springfield-Armory firing pin stops will fracture.

-https://wilsoncombat.com/accessories/parts-for-1911/1911-firing-pin-parts.html
Wilson-Combat firing pin stops are good for replacements and may require only a very little bit of fitting, if any.

-I generally don't recommend a 1911 to anyone, but if someone insists, I'd recommend Springfield-Armory due to its overall quality coupled with good aftermarket warranty and repair support.

All my 1911s, from $1000 to $3000 guns have needed gunsmithing or armorer work. Now, as I'm now my own armorer, I keep a spare firing pin stop as a spare part among many others. My Springfield-Armory is my lowest round count 1911 with ~9300 rounds and I've not yet broken a firing pin stop, although I've seen other folks who have broken theirs.

@Danko

The Mil-Spec is a very decent basic 1911 that with proper care will last a long time. If you intend to be a casual user who shoots the gun only occasionally, there's not much sense in worrying about parts breakage. If on the other hand you plan to run the gun hard and put a lot of rounds through it then you owe it to yourself to learn as much about the platform as you can as you start your journey. There are some repairs and parts replacements you can learn to do yourself, and at the very least you need to know how to keep the gun properly lubricated. Also learn the intervals for replacing the recoil spring and firing pin spring.

Beyond that, just have fun with it.

I carry a 1911 and shoot my guns regularly. Breaking a firing pin stop is about the furthest thing from my mind. If it does happen, it can be fixed.

Just shoot it and see what happens. Probably nothing in all honesty.

You have to shoot most guns lots and lots before things start to break. And if something breaks right away during the first couple hundred rounds, it's faulty and they need to fix it.

You've made a decision, stick with it. Stop over analyzing, because at this point you don't know what you don't know. You're starting to create problems that don't yet exist. You've made a solid choice. The next step is to buy the pistol. After that learning can occur.

Thank you Mr. Robinson! I thought that the stop may be a quick easy swap, but I don't yet have any gun tinkering experience. You're right, I have no intention of carrying it, or shooting it a lot or often. I plan to only shoot a box or two maybe once a month. My thinking is this, am I going to think about something breaking in my gun every time I shoot it. I want to enjoy my shooting relatively care free. Would you suggest having a forged pin block on hand? That seems entirely practical. I guess it may even be wise to replace it before shooting it the first time. Can you suggest a manufacturer or two?

I began reading The M1911 Complete Owners Guide last night, written by Walt Kuleck, 290 pages. It seems to cover everything with good details. I already read the section on complete disassembly. I don't recall mention of a firing pin stop, as that section may only be about the original models. He may bring it up in a later chapter as the book was written in 2010, after the 1911 began to be souped up. I have a little start on my quest to learn about the gun, and will likely buy at least one other book about it.

The Firing Pin Stop (FPS) is an original bit of the classic 1911. It's the brilliantly designed flat bit with the hole on the back of the slide that holds the firing pin & extractor in place.
Heck, my 1962 Browning High Power has one, as it also has the older internal extractor.

As noted above, parts will either break right away- and that's where you contact the manufacturer; or they won't until well down the road.

If it's a range toy and not a carry gun, then just shoot it and see what happens. You're not going to shoot it enough to need to freak about replacing parts.

Trooper 224, thank you, that's very likely sound, solid advice. I'm kind of an analytical anal guy who likes to know all his things are in proper working order!

What do you think of buying a forged pin stop to have on hand? Can you suggest a manufacturer or two?

Thank you for chiming in, L-2! That's valuable information you provided. I've heard from three members who have shot the hell out this gun without it falling apart: You, Tots and Trooper 224. I think it's time to finally stop researching and dicking around. It's time to order the gun, learn new things and have new experiences.

Thank you all once again! anytime you help a senior citizen you gain some good karma!

MIM is not necessarily bad. Poorly done MIM is bad, but so is poorly done anything else. Properly done MIM will work quite well.

If you shoot your gun enough, stuff will wear out and/or break. When it does, replace it with a machined part from any supplier with a good reputation. Wilson and Evolution Gun Works are good places to start.