The Art and Science of Keeping Your 1911 Running

[Trukinjp13]

Trying to reroute the derail….


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[awp_101]

Let’s take some of these questions HERE because I’m just as guilty for thread drift as anyone else.

[45dotACP]

If you're trying to set up a 1911 for throwing bowling pins off the table, I suggest making absolutely sure you change the mainspring to a 21lb spring and the recoil spring to an 18lb spring. That combo also will reliably cycle ball ammo for me, but if you're shooting some very energetic JHPs (like a 230gr JHP at 950+fps) I would suggest that or maybe even a 20lb recoil spring.

You might also look into a flat bottom firing pin stop.

I might also suggest using the WC ETM +P HD mags.

Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk

[Jason Burton]

I posted this on another forum a bit ago... might be useful here too...

Magazines...

There are a number of magazines on the market now and I’ll be the first guy to tell you that if you have a gun/magazine/ammo combination that works for you then stick with it. That said, here are some general observations and thoughts (not 100% inclusive) specifically regarding my preferences for 45ACP magazines. I find that 9mm magazines have other considerations so this is only about 45ACP magazines.

I like and use Wilson Combat magazines, I have used others (name the brand I have tried it) but over the long haul I have found the consistency and quality control on Wilson magazines to be superior. I like and use Wilson 47 (not 47D), ETM 8rd (500C-HD), and ETM 10rd (500-45FS10) and all of these (including more) live in my range bag and get shot with every gun I build.






The three guns pictured here are all set up internally the same (feed ramp dimensions, barrel throat, extractor) and each works with all of the aforementioned magazines. However, the gun can and will play a part when using certain magazines and as such my general recommendation for a magazine is the Wilson 47 (7rd) as it presents the least amount of variables. Generally speaking, if the gun won’t work with a Wilson 47 you need to start looking at the gun. I have seen guns fail to work for various reasons and with various 8rd magazines that end up working perfectly with the Wilson 47... in fact these exact magazines pictured here have been loaned out more times than I can remember to cure a gun that would not work with a grumpy 8rd magazine.




Among other benefits, only holding 7 rounds removes the variable of the top round in the magazine having to nose dive as much it does with an 8rd magazine or a 10rd magazine. The Wilson 47 remains my preferred carry magazine.




People often need an 8rd magazine, myself included, so for a magazine that holds more than 7 rounds Wilson ETM (500C-HD) is the best I have used hands down. The ETM magazines pictured here were sent to me by Wilson when they debut them 2013. To this day they have been shot with every gun I have tested since, every match I shot, every range practice day, and have never been cleaned or even disassembled.




This gun, which is my main shooting gun, has been shot almost exclusively with the same magazines since getting them. The magazines continue to work flawlessly.




10 round magazines…




I do have an occasion to use them but generally they become very dependent on the gun being set up just right (feed-ramp depth, barrel throat, extractor pick-up point, etc). Given good springs, which most magazines have now, the feed-lips on the magazine are the weak point and contribute to the most odd malfunctions that I have seen. The more bullets you stack with more spring behind it the more stress there is on the feed-lips. Combine this with slide lock reloads (which is actually the biggest stresses of magazines) and 10rd magazines can become very problematic in guns that are not set-up correctly.

Lastly, I number all my magazines. No matter how good the magazine is it will eventually wear out, I like to be able to readily identify a problem component.

[Pepper]

Thanks Jason! It would be great to hear your thoughts on 9mm magazines too.

[Robinson]

Dang that is a nice looking pistol.

Okay they all are and I'm a sucker for a semi-worn blue finish, but that one really looks great.

[SW CQB 45]

this article was in an email that I got from Tucker Gun Leather.

I find it fitting as four of the five are packing 1911. This is a cool article.

https://topgunmotorcycles.com/new/?p=1465



Shot a qual with my duty carry, cleaned it up but I cant recall round count on this 17 lbs spring. Down 2 coils. New spring going in.



Our qual changed to every staged timed. I am using every bit of those seconds and a couple of shots got out of the center.

The qual was set up for 10 round mags, so I had to get low capacity and revolver adjustments to the course approved.

I am doing mag changes in the 10 round stages as I don't trust 10 round mags for duty carry. (had some fails in competition)

[revchuck38]

You usin' dem old targets, yeah.

[SW CQB 45]

You usin' dem old targets, yeah.

there is a crap load of old paper targets at the range I shoot. I am cheap, even when I have access to new stuff.

I just shoot at the old paper before it turns crisp and breaks apart.

[awp_101]

Am I remembering correctly that the only part I need to swap to convert a .45 frame to 9mm/.38 Super is the ejector?

Sure, the mainspring and slide stop need to be changed but the ejector is really the only .45 specific frame part, right?