The Art and Science of Keeping Your 1911 Running

[RJ]

Here's one expert's approach. I used this method recently on a Wilson Combat pistol and it worked just fine. YMMV.

Thanks, I've definitely seen Jason's video, and it's excellent. It’s good info, well presented.

Side comment - sometimes the problem in learning from "experts", or discussions with people who've been doing it "for decades", is frankly, they've forgotten what it's like to not have any understanding of a process, and the possible outcomes. Some people can't relate to someone starting from zero asking a question for the first time. You get odd reactions, as if you are actually offending them by being so stupid, because you just don't have any common shared institutional knowledge.

It's as if I was going to take you (not you, the greater "you") and explain how to take a digitized waveform and do a 512 point Fourier Transform, tell me where the peak frequency value is, and what total power will pass through a band-pass filter at arbitrary frequency limits. I've been doing it for years. It's easy, really. Don't you get it? You must be a dumbass for asking so many questions about FFTs, not understanding how this works, see?

That'd probably be pretty irritating. "Subject Matter Experts" who act like this don't really understand sometimes how condescending and arrogant they can come across as.

The majority of my career was in Instructional Systems Design, figuring out ways to transfer knowledge from SMEs to students. So I tend to approach problems from that same mindset, asking for input and advice on pistol topics but focusing it through the lens of an engineering process. Especially a repeatable, measureable, engineering process. Stuff that goes by "feel" drives me nuts.

Sorry. That kinda turned into a rant.


ANYWAY...Back on topic: So, OF COURSE I had to try this out:



Took me longer to remember how to tie a Bowline in Dental Floss than to do the test.

Average of first three pulls was 51 oz. Weigand suggests a 25 to 28 range, so I put the Extractor in my vise, and wiggled on it a bit with my padded channel locks. Not much, just a bit. (Parenthetically, Kuhnhausen suggests 3 1/2 to 4 lb, which I can't square with Weigand's figure. I don't know the protocol that he uses for that number, but I don't think pulling on a strain gauge and the actual distal "press" value are equivalent, but I'm not sure.)

Back in the gun, the average of three pulls was now 29 oz. Despite being a bit over, I felt it was "good enough" for government work, and am going to leave it there. I did wiggle on the slide with the round in place. With a fairly firm shake, the round pops out, which it didn't do before tonight.

So at least my Extractor tension is now closer to ideal, so if this was a problem, at least I've got it out of the way as a possible cause.

[358156hp]

Oh, no judgment here. I've replaced more than a few FPSs over the years. One can never have too many spare parts. 😀

I didn't take it that way at all. IIRC, my other item on the order was the fiber optic light rods I mentioned earlier. I decided to try orange this time

[Trooper224]

RJ,

You must also understand, when someone who's done it for years is asked for information from a beginner. The old moss back has learned from his own trial and error and knows what works and what doesn't. In an attempt to save the newbie time and effort, he distills his answer down into, "Do A to achieve B." No more no less. The newb then responds to the tune of, " But, I need to determine the 1000th percentile widget factor of A, before I can document the microtolerance failure point of B. I also need a quantum singularity guage so I can account for the variable of C." The moss back tries his best to explain none of that is neccessary, in vain. This goes back and forth a bit until the moss back realizes the newb isn't really accepting of feedback, but seems to be bound and determined to reinvent the wheel himself. The newbs insistence on the quantifiable and repeatable is really just the manifestation of an overeducated ego, which the moss back has no tolerance for.

In the end, the moss back reminds himself engineers insist on turning tying their shoes into the Manhattan Project, and throws up his hands.

[Robinson]

@RJ - when I posted that video with the comment that I had recently used that method what I was really trying to say is -- you are a very smart dude. If I can do it you can do it, probably better.

[RJ]

@RJ - when I posted that video with the comment that I had recently used that method what I was really trying to say is -- you are a very smart dude. If I can do it you can do it, probably better.

No, not you at all. I appreciate you doing that. Jason is a great resource on gunsmithing and 1911s, and his craftsmanship is out of this world. I appreciate folks like you, @JohnO, @Chuck Whitlock, @45dotACP, @farscott, @358156hp, @Evil_Ed, @Trooper224 and @JAH 3rd who have passed on helpful information. I was probably just overreacting to the perception I sometimes get here and elsewhere online about asking dumb 1911 questions. Maybe I'm finally running into "cantankerous boomer 1911 world", I dunno.


Anyway, back to the tension question, searching last night I found several other mentions of dental floss for a makeshift pull gauge, so the idea isn't new. Fishing line is used as well apparently. Nothing new under the sun in 1911s I guess, it just takes a while to figure it out. Next step is to wait until the new HST ammo arrives, and try that at the range with the slow feed protocol and live fire, but that may be a while as we have some travel coming up.

[Exiledviking]

Has anyone suggested the Hilton Yam, 10-8, 1911 Duty Tune videos on DVD available from his website? https://www.10-8performance.com/dvd-1911-duty-tune/

I found it quite informative. I've gone back many times to rewatch segments while getting ready to install or tune parts.

[RevolverRob]

Has anyone suggested the Hilton Yam, 10-8, 1911 Duty Tune videos on DVD available from his website? https://www.10-8performance.com/dvd-1911-duty-tune/

I found it quite informative. I've gone back many times to rewatch segments while getting ready to install or tune parts.

I've got it in my tool box full of 1911 tools and parts. It is a good one to watch.

[358156hp]

Has anyone suggested the Hilton Yam, 10-8, 1911 Duty Tune videos on DVD available from his website? https://www.10-8performance.com/dvd-1911-duty-tune/

I found it quite informative. I've gone back many times to rewatch segments while getting ready to install or tune parts.

I have it, and watched it a few times. Hiltons video is the main reason I spent the time looking for Range Officer/Operator. They're so hard to find around here that I was ready to buy practically anything American made with a rail.

[thatguybryan]

Well, I finally get to post in this thread. Just picked up a 9mm colt commander.

Wanting to stock up on magazines and am wondering if the Wilson ETMs are still the best to buy (best as in most reliable)? Hoping to buy 4-5 of these to start and run the gun through its paces to make sure it works.

[CSW]

Zero issue with the Ed Brown mags I've been using.
Zero.