The Art and Science of Keeping Your 1911 Running

[03RN]

Welp, the TRP is going back to Springfield today. I just noticed the front sight is bent to the left and one of the tritium vials in the rear sight is protruding a bit from the hole it sits in. The front sight is also not finished very well (see pics).

Attachment 105848

Attachment 105849

While it is with Springfield, I am also going to go ahead and order a GI plug and cap from Wilson to replace the annoying, impossible-to-keep-tight full length guide rod it came with.

While I am at it, I am also considering replacing the ILS, but am not sure if that’s possible without changing the entire MSH (which I don’t want to do as I like the magwell). Any advice would be appreciated!

I love Springfield but not their sights. Save the trip and put on better sights

[Steven T]

Welp, the TRP is going back to Springfield today. I just noticed the front sight is bent to the left and one of the tritium vials in the rear sight is protruding a bit from the hole it sits in. The front sight is also not finished very well (see pics).


While it is with Springfield, I am also going to go ahead and order a GI plug and cap from Wilson to replace the annoying, impossible-to-keep-tight full length guide rod it came with.

While I am at it, I am also considering replacing the ILS, but am not sure if that’s possible without changing the entire MSH (which I don’t want to do as I like the magwell). Any advice would be appreciated!

https://www.1911forum.com/threads/ho...ptions.135279/
This should help.

[thatguybryan]

On some Springfield guns with the ILS you can just replace the MSH internal parts with a standard MSH rebuild kit. These are available from vendors such as Brownell's.

HOWEVER -- on some guns this may allow the lock to be engaged after the hammer is cocked and possibly prevent the gun from firing. So my recommendation is to replace the entire MSH and the internals with a MSH rebuild kit, or live with the ILS.

Yeah, that’s what I was afraid of. I may just live with the ILS for now.

I love Springfield but not their sights. Save the trip and put on better sights

Unfortunately I don’t have a sight pusher or a trusted gunsmith nearby, but that was my first thought as well. I may call Novaks and Harrison to see what they can do. Harrison seems a bit pricey for installation but I do like their sights.

https://www.1911forum.com/threads/ho...ptions.135279/
This should help.

Thanks. I actually read that thread as well, but really don’t want to have to replace my MSH because of the magwell.

[Elwin]

I sent a slide in to Heinie for installation and thought the price was reasonable.

I’ve also installed sights with just a vice, a file, and a punch. A pusher is a neat tool but not strictly required.

[thatguybryan]

I sent a slide in to Heinie for installation and thought the price was reasonable.

I’ve also installed sights with just a vice, a file, and a punch. A pusher is a neat tool but not strictly required.

Fair enough. I may consider doing that but we shall see. Harrison quoted me 282 for front and rear night sights and install, which seems insane.

[DDTSGM]

Fair enough. I may consider doing that but we shall see. Harrison quoted me 282 for front and rear night sights and install, which seems insane.

IDK if that's out of line if you want the Harrison's

The Extreme Service Rear goes for $154.95; fit and install is listed as $55.00.

The Tritium Fronts go for $65.00; fit and install is listed at $45.00

So, on the website the sights would be $220.00ish and the install would be $100.00 for a total of $320.00

Looks like they came down $32.00 from list on the quote.

I install thinds myself when I can, and have dinged a couple of sights and slides over the years. OTH, I've sent slides off to have Heinie cuts milled and received them back pristine despite the gunsmith admitting he had first cut it for a Novak and asking permission to weld and recut for the Heinie. Pristine, despite gunsmith oopsies is what you are paying for IMO.

Does that make sense?

[thatguybryan]

IDK if that's out of line if you want the Harrison's

The Extreme Service Rear goes for $154.95; fit and install is listed as $55.00.

The Tritium Fronts go for $65.00; fit and install is listed at $45.00

So, on the website the sights would be $220.00ish and the install would be $100.00 for a total of $320.00

Looks like they came down $32.00 from list on the quote.

I install thinds myself when I can, and have dinged a couple of sights and slides over the years. OTH, I've sent slides off to have Heinie cuts milled and received them back pristine despite the gunsmith admitting he had first cut it for a Novak and asking permission to weld and recut for the Heinie. Pristine, despite gunsmith oopsies is what you are paying for IMO.

Does that make sense?

Yeah, what you’re saying totally makes sense but I just can’t personally justify that just because the factory sights are a bit wonky (especially when they are replacing them for free). I sent out one additional email to Novaks, and if they come back with a more reasonable offer I may go that route. I am still tempted to just send it back to Springfield to have new ones put on and sighted in for free. We shall see.

Part of my hesitation is that I really enjoy the Novak style sights, and the other part of my hesitation is that some of the replacement sight prices are up near Nighthawk IOS cut territory (which would make more sense in the long run probably).

[Trooper224]

John Harrison has done sight work for me and I've found the work excellent and the cost reasonable. (There's more to fitting 1911 sights than whacking in and out).

Send a photo to Springfield and see if they'll just send you a replacement set. That might be the easiest route. I've never found a sight pusher to be neccessary with SA front sights. On the other hand, I've had some of their rears sights, particularly the adjustables, seem like they're welded in place.

If you wind up replacing the night sights yourself, you may want to invest in a sight pusher. It's possible to break the vials through impact with a punch and hammer.

[Gary1911A1]

Welp, the TRP is going back to Springfield today. I just noticed the front sight is bent to the left and one of the tritium vials in the rear sight is protruding a bit from the hole it sits in. The front sight is also not finished very well (see pics).

Attachment 105848

Attachment 105849

While it is with Springfield, I am also going to go ahead and order a GI plug and cap from Wilson to replace the annoying, impossible-to-keep-tight full length guide rod it came with.

While I am at it, I am also considering replacing the ILS, but am not sure if that’s possible without changing the entire MSH (which I don’t want to do as I like the magwell). Any advice would be appreciated!

Here's a video on replacing the ILS mainspring. https://youtu.be/qSaxB5iZqtk I wouldn't use the original mainspring like he did. I think you would get misfires and the slide would be battering the frame. I would use a combination of either 18ib recoil spring and 23lb mainspring or 17 lb recoil spring with a 19lb mainspring depending on your load and how it feels to you.

[Trooper224]

If you're going to replace the ILS, don't use half measures. Replace the entire unit.