The Art and Science of Keeping Your 1911 Running

[SW CQB 45]

JohnK

I have not gone any way so far.

Our area was hit with record cold (never been below 20 degrees in south Texas before) and not just for a day, but damn near a week. Resources were depleted.... no running water, electricity outages, store shelfs empty. Seems to be the norm these days.

Low water pressure returned today (yay)..... and one more night of 20 degree weather in south Texas. Today high was a warm 47 degrees. I got to work on my truck.

so I had not worked anymore on this project.

When I go back to work next week.... I will try to call Springer to see if this falls under warranty.

I tried to put an old Ed Brown 2 piece magwell to dump the factor ILS mainspring housing. Something is off/odd. I wonder if the new Wolff 23# mainspring I pulled from the bag is out of spec. It feels like the mainspring is collapsing on itself. I put the ILS back in and have been dry firing it here and there. I will mess with that magwell down the road.

I was comparing the ignition parts on the Gen 1 to my Gen 2 original parts (I saved). Gen 1 appears to be all Springer internals and the hammer hooks are very thin on the Gen 1 compared to the Gen 2 (not in height but thickness, if that makes sense).

Serial Number separation. Gen 1 #NM201xxx and my Gen 2 #NM207xxx . I purchased mine used in 2008. I dont know the year MCOP started rolling off the assembly line.

The Gen 1 slide to frame fit is much tighter than my hammered Gen 2. But my barrel hood has zero push... where the Gen 1 is sorta springy.

The 3 dot night sights (very dim) do nothing for me.

[SW CQB 45]

when I was referring to thin hammer hooks, check out the pic.

They still have the factory finish on them, so they have not been modified.... they are just very thin compared to my original hammer.

Production parts bin is like a box of chocolates.

[farscott]

May be a dumb question, but none of the ILS guts were used in the Ed Brown MSH? That is a no go as the ILS parts are actually shorter than 1911-standard and can lead to the feeling of a collapsing mainspring. I assume not as you swapped the mainspring itself.

[SW CQB 45]

May be a dumb question, but none of the ILS guts were used in the Ed Brown MSH? That is a no go as the ILS parts are actually shorter than 1911-standard and can lead to the feeling of a collapsing mainspring. I assume not as you swapped the mainspring itself.

Yes sir

I dug out all new parts from my 1911 parts box.

I am baffled on this one. Something is out of spec.

When I cocked the hammer, it felt like I bottomed out. I forced the hammer further back but the hammer would not catch the sear.

[farscott]

Yes sir

I dug out all new parts from my 1911 parts box.

I am baffled on this one. Something is out of spec.

That is a great reason for SA to look at it.

[Shorikid]

Yes sir

I dug out all new parts from my 1911 parts box.

I am baffled on this one. Something is out of spec.

When I cocked the hammer, it felt like I bottomed out. I forced the hammer further back but the hammer would not catch the sear.

Almost sounds like the sear spring slipped when you out the mainspring housing back.

Nothing from the ILS went in? I know the mainspring cap is not standard spec and won't function in a regular msh.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[SW CQB 45]

Almost sounds like the sear spring slipped when you out the mainspring housing back.

Nothing from the ILS went in? I know the mainspring cap is not standard spec and won't function in a regular msh.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

The ILS stayed together when I was fitting/swapping.

I had to remove the top and taper the Ed Brown MSH rails, as they bottomed out in the frame and needed half a hole to fully seat.

here is my stuff. I even tried a shorter mainspring cap and still the same.

since we are on a warming trend this weekend (HA!).... I might try again and confirm the sear spring is not moving on me.

[Shorikid]

The ILS stayed together when I was fitting/swapping.

I had to remove the top and taper the Ed Brown MSH rails, as they bottomed out in the frame and needed half a hole to fully seat.

here is my stuff. I even tried a shorter mainspring cap and still the same.

since we are on a warming trend this weekend (HA!).... I might try again and confirm the sear spring is not moving on me.

I would personally trash everything from inside the ILS msh. Just start with a full kit to drop in.

The left leg of the sear spring may have slipped out of place. Without that pressure, the sear will pivot freely and won't engage the hammer hooks.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[SW CQB 45]

I would personally trash everything from inside the ILS msh. Just start with a full kit to drop in.

The left leg of the sear spring may have slipped out of place. Without that pressure, the sear will pivot freely and won't engage the hammer hooks.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Shorikid

I messed with it this morning. I made sure the sear spring did not move on me as I installed everything without the grip safety. It went on with no issues and function checks good. I did notice the hammer rotates further back (to cock) than my Gen 2 MCOP. I wonder if the hammer hooks set further back had anything to do with that.

I am not sure the manufacture of the non Springer thumb safety.... it looks very Wilson Combat but it was mushy upon engagement and it appeared they did not fit the lug to the sear. I used my 10-8 block to keep my diamond file square and now it snaps up into place instead of being mushy.

I need to tweak the grip safety portion of the spring as it seems soft.

if Springer will take it back for warranty.... I will drop the ILS back in it.

thanks for the advice

[vcdgrips]

Those are great looking pistols. The honest wear is quite inspiring

At the risk of preaching to the choir:

That buggered up torx/ etc screw is why I am a big standard/flat blade grip screw believer.

Using a Tier One screwdriver/bit from can lessen that a fair bit. (Wera/Wiha/Felo/Chapman etc.)

Finally, you can carefully dremel a std cut across it if push comes to shove.