The Art and Science of Keeping Your 1911 Running

[Trooper224]

Hah, no worries. Damn smart phones!

In the event that I get a Dan Wesson and it's not as reliable as I want it to be out of the box, are there ANY good 1911 smiths that are currently accepting work and have reasonable turnaround times to do a Reliability Package?

If you go with Dan Wesson, forget the bare stainless guns and for the ferritic nitrocarburizing finish (duty finish). The treatment isn't a surface finish, but rather a chemical process that changes the color of the steel itself, which is also stainless. It also hardens the surface of the steel, which is why you never hear of galling with the black guns, something that's overblown anyway. While more expensive, it is an incredibly hard wearing finish. My Valor was purchased in 2016, has fired around 30k rounds roundabout, has seen thousands of trips in and out of a holster and still looks new. It is true that some of the harsher cleaning solvents can discolor it. But, I've used primarily Ballistol for cleaning and have never had a problem.

[03RN]

Got the C&S extractor installed last night. I just added a little tension and the fp stop was a perfect fit in the slot.

I labeled the old one and put it with my 1911 parts.

Nuts, look like I'll have to do some file work

[SwampDweller]

I was playing around with a CmC PowerMag 8rd in a Colt earlier today. Sometimes I couldn't get it to lock back on the follower. I think I didn't hit it home hard enough, but I've never dealt with mags that needed that much of a slap. I tried it in a couple of Springfields and RIAs, same story.

Anyone else see this?

[03RN]

https://www.1911forum.com/threads/st...itting.829865/

[SW CQB 45]

I was playing around with a CmC PowerMag 8rd in a Colt earlier today. Sometimes I couldn't get it to lock back on the follower. I think I didn't hit it home hard enough, but I've never dealt with mags that needed that much of a slap. I tried it in a couple of Springfields and RIAs, same story.

Anyone else see this?

were you doing this with an empty mag?

[Trooper224]

I was playing around with a CmC PowerMag 8rd in a Colt earlier today. Sometimes I couldn't get it to lock back on the follower. I think I didn't hit it home hard enough, but I've never dealt with mags that needed that much of a slap. I tried it in a couple of Springfields and RIAs, same story.

Anyone else see this?

Is the mag new, is it clean?

[03RN]

[SwampDweller]

were you doing this with an empty mag?

yes,

Is the mag new, is it clean?

It was brand new in the plastic package. Granted, the Colt had a magwell installed that could've interfered, but it also took place on samples without magwells. Could have been user error, but it did not happen with Wilson ETMs on multiple attempts to recreate it. I will have to try more with both at the shop when I go back on Wednesday.

[SwampDweller]

Please enlighten me... what is wrong with it?

[Bergeron]

Hah, no worries. Damn smart phones!

In the event that I get a Dan Wesson and it's not as reliable as I want it to be out of the box, are there ANY good 1911 smiths that are currently accepting work and have reasonable turnaround times to do a Reliability Package?

Definitions of reasonable will vary, but, given quality ammo and mags in a .45 5” bushing gun, it’s such a well-know quantify that almost any Smith or shop worthy of the name will be able to get you fixed up right away.

Clark was taking work and was reasonable timeframes for small stuff in last couple years. A little further back in time, Briley was able to accommodate a reliability job in straightforward fashion, and it looks like a Nighthawk is taking in guns for work. I had a smith do a light bit of repairs, working it in between larger jobs, and there may be several who could make that happen. Mr. Jim Milks was available earlier this year to do a rebuild on a Springfield, but I’m unsure of both the timeline and if he’s available for reliability jobs. I’ve had great experiences with Powers Metal Works, and he’s close to me, but I’m unsure if he’s doing 1911 reliability jobs.