The Art and Science of Keeping Your 1911 Running

[Catshooter]

this has been my duty carry since 2008.

From the looks of things, you haven't been skipping leg day.

Or is that your arm?

[SwampDweller]

Just an FYI on my piece,

I bought it used in 2008 (supposedly 200 rounds through the tube) when we were approved for 1911 duty carry.

Bone stock MC Operator and it ran, I just wanted something with more. Back then, SACS was the shit and since I was sending it back to the mother ship, I had no worries about it being modified from original factory parts.

I ditched everything MIM and had them install their tool steel trigger group set at duty spec of 5 lbs trigger break, and everything else was 10-8 or WC, front strap checkering and custom fit S&A magwell.

Don Williams (head honcho of SACS) called me and said if we put a match barrel in it, it would be considered a custom. I did not have the money for that and so with sad eyes, I told him we were good as it was decent in the accuracy dept. I should have just done it, but oh well.

here it is fresh back from SACS in 2009


it's been ran hard with 230 hard ball and 230 Gold Dot.

I compared it to a short ownership Pro and the edge in accuracy went to the Pro but not by much. A buddy wanted my Pro bad, so I sold it to him at 100% my cost.




I wish I had another target like the one above as I thought this one would be easier to see. it was not.





It went back to SACS in 2011 (memory loss as I cant recall why) but I had them AK the entire bottom in green. I think I changed to a traditional trigger as I wanted all my 1911 triggers to match and decided to go all green lower. I later added the WC ambi safety.

When I attended 10-8 in 2012, Hilton did not like how my gun was extracting so he filed (tuned) the extractor. There was a shooting portion of this class and I went up against Hilton on steel. He fffffn smoked me and I walked away with my tail between my legs HAHAHAHAHA!

so my MCOP is not really stock. While it has 17K thru the tube, it has twice + that with dry fires and presentations.


Here is the Pro at 25 yards standing barricade

I didn't know SACS ever worked on customers' guns that were already purchased. Do they still do that? If not, is there anyone else still around who does that kind of thing like SACS or Hilton did that is taking work orders and doesn't have a years long backlog?

[HCM]

I didn't know SACS ever worked on customers' guns that were already purchased. Do they still do that? If not, is there anyone else still around who does that kind of thing like SACS or Hilton did that is taking work orders and doesn't have a years long backlog?

Not only did SACS used to work on Customers guns they would do so on non Springfield 1911s. They stopped taking such work several years ago.

The world of competent 1911 smiths is a constantly evolving process.

There’s usually a small window between someone being found to be competent, and then developing a backlog of work.

[SW CQB 45]

I highly suggest you look at Dan Wesson for out of the box performance.

Pretty much anything you would want to do is already done.

There is a nice 2017 Valor .45 5" on 1911addicts. it has not sold at the time of this post.

I did not need another 1911 but always wanted a blue steel Valor .45 5" and they disappeared from market after DW discontinued the blue steel version. They make them in Stainless and duty treat (black) stainless.

One popped up on 1911addicts and I mulled about it for days and it was still there for 16 bills.

I said what the hell.

The extractor needed tweaking (this was before I shot it) and it had a click at the beginning of the trigger press. It did not affect anything other than finger pressure on the trigger and an annoying "CLICK".

my research led to it being disconnector click and a gunsmith on the 1911forum said to replace the disconnector with a EGW ball disconnector. I also subscribed to Hilton on Patreon for 19.11 a month plus tax and he mentioned the same thing.

WTH, they are $24 plus shipping... it got rid of the click without any fitting or tuning on that part. I also changed to a Fiber Optic front sight as that's what my eyes prefer. It was a pain in the azz to install as I went slow as I did not want to over file the sight dovetail cuts. I wanted a nice fit. I also found a NIP Stan Chen Drop in Magwell on 1911addicts for $125 shipped (brand new through Brownells is $150 plus shipping)

It a nice reliable and accurate piece.



10-8 Signatures are grippy

[Trooper224]

I'll second a recommendation on Dan Wesson.

[JAH 3rd]

Thanks for sharing the pictures and commentary on your posts!! You may have mentioned it, but what magazines do you use in your duty 1911?

[SW CQB 45]

I have had great success since 2008 with Chip McCormick Power Mags (8 rounders). My only issue I have encountered with them and it's their inherent design with the follower. The follower is spring type and the lower section has a pointed tip design, and it moves forward when empty. Since I used them a lot, (over and over) the pointed follower acted like a dull center punch and put a dimple inside my mag well, under the feed ramp.

I contacted Chip McCormick and they sent me the Power Mag + followers which has a rounded follower. I installed them and was getting heavy fail to lock the slide to the rear when empty or the follower was snagging on the slide stop lug. I wanted them to work but decided to park that project as I would likely have to get a new slide stop with a longer lug (and then fit it).

In this pic you can see the dimple below the feed ramp and the ejector tip is pointing at it. It has never caused an issue and the raised area around the dimple; I filed flat just because it I can't leave well enough alone.


here is a better pic


it might be difficult to see the pointed tip in this image but you can see there is nothing keeping them from moving forward when it hits the slide stop. Other than the follower making contact with the frame, these mags work.



I have 5 brand new CM PM+ in the package. I need to test them, maybe this winter. I still use the CMs here and there but my mags are old and Hilton recommends well used mags to be tossed.

I don't know if CM has changed anything with its design since they are now owned by WC. I do have a few of their CM railed Power Mags and they work.

I did get rid of my older mags through the Ed Brown trade in program when I bought some of his 9mm mags. I later made the decision to get out of 9mm 1911 pistol except for the one SACS PPC I still have.

About a year or two ago, I started using Wilson Combat ETM (8 rounders) and while I have had zero issues, I prefer metal followers over plastic followers since they make contact with a metal lug when empty. I have kept an eye on the plastic follower, and they seem to be ok.

I did buy 5 stainless Check-Mate mags and the spring is very stiff but so far no issues. I like their follower design where the front section stays within the tube. My new ACW came with two stainless Check-Mate mags.
I also have 5 blue steel Act Mags that came with my first ACW and no issues with them. They have the same follower design.

I am not a fan of 10 round mags for duty use. I have had feed issues with my personal MCOP (Both CM and WC). I will use them every now and then for range use only.

hope this helps

[JTQ]

I did get rid of my older mags through the Ed Brown trade in program when I bought some of his 9mm mags. I later made the decision to get out of 9mm 1911 pistol except for the one SACS PPC I still have.

I did buy 5 stainless Check-Mate mags and the spring is very stiff but so far no issues. I like their follower design where the front section stays within the tube. My new ACW came with two stainless Check-Mate mags.

Expanding on the above,

Ed Brown mags are made by CheckMate, in the event you like them and can't find one, you can use the other.

A cautionary note on CheckMate non-extended tube 8 rounders. They are short and are tough to seat with 8 rounds in the tube and the slide forward.

CheckMate Extended Tube 8 rounders should be fine.

Tube length can be important with 8 rounders. Using the McCormick line-up as an example, the Match Grade is their shortest, it is flush fit; the PowerMag and PowerMag+ are slightly longer, even without a bumper pad they'd extend beyond the bottom of the mag well (non-chute equipped guns); the Railed PowerMags (RPM) are the longest and designed specifically as an 8 rounder and not a converted 7 round mag (they are basically the same tube length as Wilson ETM and Tripp CobraMags).

[Trooper224]

I've had great success with the 8 round, extended tube mags from Checkmate. I have 30+ in inventory with zero issues. For years they were my go-to mags. I also have around half a dozen of the Checkmate 10 rounders. I don't use them for carry, but they see a lot of range and qualification use. Recently, I replaced one spring, but that's it. Other than that, they've worked without issue. Lately, I've been buying McCormick Power Mags because my range has them in stock. I haven't had any issues with the followers.

Wilson ETMs are the only 9mm mag I'll buy.

[JAH 3rd]

Both my Springfield Loaded and DW A2, both 5", function on multiple magazine designs. CM Power Mag and Railed Mag function perfectly in both. Checkmate 7 round blue with the skirted follower, wadcutter feed lips, and high performance mag spring run 100% too. The original factory mags with the Springfield and DW are boringly reliable. I'm comfortable and confident with these two 1911's. Stating the obvious, vetting is the key here.

Most anyone shoots the 1911 more that I do. I do enjoy reading about others' experience with that platform.