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Thread: The Art and Science of Keeping Your 1911 Running

  1. #1851
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    Quote Originally Posted by Trooper224 View Post
    See that plastic tool in that second video? If you haven't already, get yourself one or two. They're very handy.
    And not just for 1911s.

  2. #1852
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    Quote Originally Posted by 358156hp View Post
    Speaking of safetys, I need some help picking an blued ambi thumb safety for a Springfield 1911. The prime candidates appear to be Wilson Bulletproof, which is currently backordered direct, but I've found a couple at well over Wilsons direct retail price, then there's EGWs HD ambi, it's got some extra things going on, but I really like that it doesn't require a grip cut for retention, then there's Ed Browns HD version, solid steel and commonly available. I've heard mixed reports on Ed Brown quality for a few years and have very little first-hand experience with the company.

    Any recommendations, or other potential suppliers? I'll pay what is necessary for good quality.
    I had good luck with EGW products in general. Unless it has changed, you can call and talk with a knowledgeable person. Midwest is another good vendor. Brownell's too. You might ask EGW to recommend a competent outfit to install the safety.

  3. #1853
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    Jun 2014
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    Quote Originally Posted by willie View Post
    I had good luck with EGW products in general. Unless it has changed, you can call and talk with a knowledgeable person. Midwest is another good vendor. Brownell's too. You might ask EGW to recommend a competent outfit to install the safety.
    EGW is good stuff but the bulk of it is not "beginner" friendly...a lot of the stuff I've gotten from them required a bit of fitting to be perfect. Which is fine, don't get me wrong - but if I'm looking for a "drop in" thing, or if it's a part I'm not super familiar with how to fit, I'd probably go with WC or Ed Brown or some other company that has their own 1911 line, and probably specs their parts to drop in as much as possible for their own sake.

    Having said that - I've got a pile of EGW parts strewn across a bunch of guns and fitting aside...if EGW makes it, it's worth having or at least researching.

    As far as ambi safeties go - as much as I like EGW parts...the Novak ambi safety setup is rock solid and a great buy. It's also the default ambi of the Colt Custom Shop - I'm sure that's a solid %50 prior business relationship with Novak (sights are also standard on lots of Colts), and %50 "This is good stuff" - I don't see Colt using cheap pieces of crap for their Custom Shop builds unless a client specifically demands substandard parts.

    It's a little more involved to disassemble; need to drive out a pin...but it's also solid because of said pin. If I had any criticism of the part, it's that the rear edge isn't as well beveled or dehorned as say a Wilson Combat bulletproof thumb safety...I really like the profile on that. Easy enough to duplicate with a file and some emery paper, but it's still a thing to do, if that rear edge bothers you - it doesn't bother everyone.

  4. #1854
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    Mar 2016
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    South Texas
    In the 90s, I overcut my frame fitting a beavertail grip safety. It's a COACP and some 6 years ACW before he went to Cabot attempted to fix most of my screw ups (mainly cosmetic)

    He was able to weld the tangs to refit the grip safety but the sides (contour in the frame - grip safety area) are too thin.... so, I have to live with it.

    I found an ambi EGW stainless for cheap and been saving this project for wintertime. I finally started it, and I am having to reshape the thumb safety flat to match the over cut frame.

    I have a lot of work still to do!







    I want to go one more line, but the left side would only be two lines wide.

    https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....=1#post1415626
    Last edited by SW CQB 45; 02-02-2023 at 09:47 PM.
    If you're going to be a bear….be a GRIZZLY!

  5. #1855
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    Mar 2013
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    south TX
    Quote Originally Posted by RJ View Post
    I'm sure he does not remember, but many many months ago @Chuck Whitlock remarked that a 1911 had the ability to customize the trigger reach for each user by changing out the trigger with one with a shorter reach pad. I had filed that away until a few weeks ago, when I ordered a WC "TRIGGER, ULTRALIGHT MATCH, 1911, SHORT PAD" to try out as an alternative to my stock pad in my Springfield Garrison.

    https://shopwilsoncombat.com/TRIGGER...ductinfo/190S/

    (SNIP)

    Got the gun back together with no drama. Dry Firing with a snap cap, the action is crisp, and the trigger reach is much, much more satisfactory for my hands. Thanks Chuck!
    Thanks for the shout out, Rich. I apologize for the late response, but we were in Omaha for 2 weeks taking care of grandkids ( whilst their parents spent a week in Jamaica) and I was offline. I'm glad that you are enjoying your 1911 journey, and that I was able to inspire some small part in it. I put the short Harrison triggers in both of my 1911s.
    "It's surprising how often you start wondering just how featureless a desert some people's inner landscapes must be."
    -Maple Syrup Actual

  6. #1856
    Quote Originally Posted by Evil_Ed View Post
    EGW is good stuff but the bulk of it is not "beginner" friendly...a lot of the stuff I've gotten from them required a bit of fitting to be perfect. Which is fine, don't get me wrong - but if I'm looking for a "drop in" thing, or if it's a part I'm not super familiar with how to fit, I'd probably go with WC or Ed Brown or some other company that has their own 1911 line, and probably specs their parts to drop in as much as possible for their own sake.
    That's a really interesting observation, and very likely dead-on, too.
    Thank you!
    Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem
    I prefer the tumult of liberty to the quiet of servitude
    -Thomas Jefferson
    I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.

  7. #1857
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    Jun 2014
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    Minnesota
    Don't take that as a knock against EGW - so totally not that; as an example, their extractors are about as close to drop-in as you can get these days...you may need to do a little bit of fitting on the locating pad on the inside so the extractor makes the appropriate amount of contact without a whole lot of pressure/deflection, but dimensionally they're better than nearly everything else out there. Most extractors are too long requiring you to shorten the hook end of things until it doesn't contact the case...EGW doesn't aim for the max length which makes it waaaay more drop in than a lot of the alternatives.

    But, things like their thumb safety; the paddle your thumb interacts with itself is just...fat, on all of their versions IMO.

  8. #1858
    Site Supporter farscott's Avatar
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    Dec 2011
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    Dunedin, FL, USA
    George Smith and the crew at EGW are great. The parts are well considered and improvements on most of what is marketed today. The parts are manufactured by EGW onsite. The parts are usually oversize so the person fitting them can deal with issues from manufacturing messes to Bubba and his Dremel. I really like the ability to measure the slide and barrel and order an angle-bored bushing to those measurements. It is the easiest and least expensive way to improve groupings from eight inches at 50 yards to three inches.

  9. #1859
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Jan 2014
    Section All - Magazine Catch Springs

    I did a little experiment today with a set of five Magazine Catch Springs for my Garrison I ordered; $9 direct from Wolff:

    https://www.gunsprings.com/COLT/1911.../mID1/dID1#812

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    Being a retired Engineer, I tried to think of a way to quantify the force of the spring, when it dawned on me I could maybe use my Lyman Digital Trigger pull gauge.

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    So I set things up on my bench, and kinda sorta hooked the end through the trigger guard, with the black circular part on the gauge (that normally sits on the trigger face) resting against the mag catch. I reset the gauge and through a combination of finger holds, my chin, and sticking my tongue out at just the right angle, was able to hold the gauge to get a "reading", as the hook just depressed the mag catch. This was a mm or so; enough to generate a number. I did each one two or three times, trying for consistency, rather than absolute values. The results are an average, but I would not bet on the actual values being more accurate than +/- 1/2 lb. I could have put the gun in the vise to do this, but I just wanted a quick evaluation.

    Anyway, the data I got was as follows: **

    Springfield OEM spring: 7.8 lb
    Wolff “Factory” spring: 7.7 lb
    Wolff “#1” spring: 5.4 lb
    Wolff “#2” spring: 4.5 lb

    **Measured with Lyman Digital trigger pull gauge; all results are approximate**

    I stopped there, and decided to go with “#1” in the pistol. Mags are still held very nicely, and there is a very real reduction in the force needed to compress the mag catch and seat the mag home. When released, they still pop out of the gun like candy bars at intermission.

    PS This is the first time I've taken a 1911 Mag Catch assembly apart. What a well engineered little assembly. It is it's own operation and latching mechanism; just two machined parts and a spring. Very cool.

  10. #1860
    Wood burnin' Curmudgeon CSW's Avatar
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