Top 5 Modifications you should make to a 1911 - Bill Wilson & Massad Ayoob

[fatdog]

I saw the Springfield ($799) mentioned. Are there other options like this?

I have not owned one but the other "low end of the price range" 1911's I keep encountering where several owners tell me they have had good reliability and where needed, factory service, are the Rugers.

I put about 150 rounds through one of my closest friend's government model Ruger and apart from the tuned trigger, there was nothing major it was lacking when it came to shooting the gun compared to a box stock $1800+ Dan Wesson. He tells me he has had at least 7-8K+ rounds down range in that gun with zero problems (he is very picky about magazines and I think that is a factor for any of them), and considering 1911's, that customer service consideration surely comes into play, Ruger has it.

All to say the Rugers might be worth looking at. I have had great luck personally with the S&W 1911's but I am not sure what the price range is now or which models they are actually cranking out. This Springfield Garrison appears to be a very attractive entry level package.

And most importantly, yes, to be a Renaissance Man in the handgun world, you don't have to currently own, love, or even like 1911's but you need thousands of rounds down range with one.

[claymore504]

I can't recall the exact video, but I remember one where Bill Wilson or Ken mention for under $1000 the Ruger 1911 would be thier pick.

[RJ]

To expand a bit on my previous post, I’m probably now in the target market for this video. I’m familiar with Glocks, but have never shot a 1911, oddly enough. There’s a HK USP .45 DA/SA I’ve got maybe 50 rounds through is as close as I’ve come.

So this has been in the back of my mind for quite a while, that I should ‘have a 1911 experience.’

It turns out I will have the opportunity in June to shoot in a competition that will require a high power factor pistol, like a .45 for example. I’ve recently received a couple gracious offers of being loaned a 1911 for this event, for which I am extremely fortunate, and very very grateful. This has raised my interest quite a bit.

Say this turns out to be enjoyable (and I suspect it will), and I decide to acquire one of these. I saw the Springfield ($799) mentioned. Are there other options like this? I don’t mind learning how to take the gun apart and put it back together, but I also do want to shoot it for enjoyment. It would not be a primary carry of competition gun for me.

Follow up question: being a lefty, I would install an Ambidextrous Safety, I assume.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1070501508

I’ve seen where some of these mention ‘gunsmith fitting’ Is required. Is that a very difficult thing to install, or can the typical home tinkerer accomplish this with some files and patience?

[fatdog]

can the typical home tinkerer accomplish this with some files and patience?

I expect opinions will differ, but my answer is yes if you spend the time to study how and where to file to properly fit one. I am certainly not a gunsmith, on my best day a decent "armorer" for a bunch of platforms, and this is one 1911 task I have done successfully. There are probably a gazillion videos, but the book that helped me the most with my 1911's is Walt Kuleck & Drake Oldham's "The M1911 Complete Assembly Guide".

[JTQ]

I’ve seen where some of these mention ‘gunsmith fitting’ Is required. Is that a very difficult thing to install, or can the typical home tinkerer accomplish this with some files and patience?

There are a lot that do. I would need to have it done by a pro.

It is easiest to buy the gun with what you want from the start, grip safety style, sights, thumb safety.

[jh9]

Follow up question: being a lefty, I would install an Ambidextrous Safety, I assume.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1070501508

I’ve seen where some of these mention ‘gunsmith fitting’ Is required. Is that a very difficult thing to install, or can the typical home tinkerer accomplish this with some files and patience?

It is a fitted part. Nothing wrong with learning, but unless you're well and truly committed to being your own 1911 gunsmith/armorer/whatever the safety-- which is the thing that makes it not unexpectedly loud-- is probably not where you want to start learning or have done less than 100% correct.

From another lefty: Ambi 1911 safeties are a rabbit hole. The less expensive tongue-and-fork types you linked to are reputed to eventually all have problems if you're actually using the lever on the right side (i.e. with your left hand). Wilson's more expensive bullet-proof part is here: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1070821819?pid=896193 Note the parts interface differently.

The Novak ambi safety is another supposedly more durable option: https://www.brownells.com/handgun-pa...prod54625.aspx (scroll down, top results are single sided). You will almost certainly want the right side lever and shaft to be blended very aggressively. Otherwise if you shoot (left handed) with a 'modern' (is it really modern anymore?) thumbs-forward grip the sharp angle will dig into the web of your hand and be just generally unpleasant.

Right handed shooters that only occasionally use the ambi part of the ambi-safety can presumably go a long time with the tongue-and-fork setups. Left handed shooters should probably be a bit more picky. Of the two better designs above I've used both and liked the Wilson bullet-proof part better.

[gato naranja]

Follow up question: being a lefty, I would install an Ambidextrous Safety, I assume.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1070501508

I’ve seen where some of these mention ‘gunsmith fitting’ Is required. Is that a very difficult thing to install, or can the typical home tinkerer accomplish this with some files and patience?

I will go out on a limb and say that it can be done at home by someone who works carefully. Over time I have taught myself a bit about certain firearms (Ruger DA's and .22 semiautomatics, Remington 870's, certain WWII small arms, etc) and have managed to do okay replacing small parts and smoothing things out. Some of this has come through the school of hard knocks and wasted a certain amount of time and money, so I became a believer in buying books on the front end if they are available. A lot of the better 1911 bits that are now available are designed/made so well that it doesn't take a great deal of actual work to fit them if you know exactly what has to be done.

(And maybe what should NOT be done.)

Getting the Kuhnhausen and Kuleck books helped me understand many 1911 things that might be apparent to others but which were not clear to me; they also helped me to better determine what my own skill and equipment limitations were before I went too far. I have less in the books than I probably would have spent buying replacements for the parts I might have screwed up without reading them.

[RJ]

I can't recall the exact video, but I remember one where Bill Wilson or Ken mention for under $1000 the Ruger 1911 would be thier pick.

If you can remember where you saw this, I'd be interested. I'll try and find it also.


@gato naranja @jh9 @JTQ @fatdog Much appreciate the comments on the install of the ambi safety, very informative.


The Ruger SR1911 and Springfield Garrison appear to be leading the pack of p-f suggestions for an out of the box shootable sub-$1K 1911. Of those two, how is the customer service? I've heard very positive things about Ruger, not sure about Springfield. If I have any issues, it would be good to have a solid company standing behind the product.

The sense I get is that if you buy a decent 1911, and don't mess with it, you stand a better chance of having a reliable pistol. This would be a very occasional competition (*) pistol and (I'll admit) BBQ gun.



(*) I did end up shooting a 1911 in the competition. AAR at the link below.

Shooting a 1911 for the first time was...odd. I received a brief orientation in the manual of arms, then proceeded to the plate rack practice range. These were 8" plates at 7 yards. I recall the sights came up, and I missed the first shot high. Hmm. I refocused on the front sight (a FO on this pistol) and hit the next plate. Successive hits, then missed high on the last plate after getting excited. Was looking at the plate, not the sight. Duh.

What struck me was the trigger. Zero take up. I had an "aha" moment, after years of shooting staple guns Glock triggers, "ahhh...this is what they mean by 1911 trigger". It was like, click, bang; click bang, repeat. Cool. Shooting the 1911 was somehow...satisfying...I dunno how to describe it, exactly.

I was surprised at how well the skinny flat grip fit in my size M hands. I didn't look at my gun to forearm alignment, but I would guess thinking back, the slide must have oriented well with my arms. Certainly extending the gun out resulted in a good sight picture. I heard the start signal, gun was up, and on target. Front sight, press, boom.

I really enjoyed it. But then I wear a mechanical watch, and like manual transmissions, too.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....l-Lake-MI-2022

@Chuck Whitlock

[JTQ]

The Ruger SR1911 and Springfield Garrison appear to be leading the pack of p-f suggestions for an out of the box shootable sub-$1K 1911. Of those two, how is the customer service?

Both should be good. If you're a lefty, and looking at the Garrison, you should probably choose the Loaded as it comes with an ambi-safety

https://www.springfield-armory.com/1...aded-handguns/

I almost always try to talk those new to 1911's, out of an adjustable rear sight, as they have sharp corners, are generally more fragile, and your after market options for dots/tritium are limited, but if it's only going to be a range gun, they are probably a good option for you.

I put this in nearly every "what 1911 should I get" thread

The two things I always bring up in these type of threads are to decide what type of sights you want and decide if you need a beavertail grip safety. If you choose wrong on either or both, you could end up spending money to have somebody grind or weld on your gun to fix your error.

1. Sights - not all 1911 sight dovetails are the same. Not all sight options are available for all sight dovetails.

Here is a Kensight article on common 1911 dovetails. Note the difference in the milling of the slides.

https://kensight.com/common-1911-sight-dovetails/

2. Not all grip safeties are beavertail grip safeties. Some folks don't care, but some folks absolutely need to have a beavertail grip safety. Not all grip safeties fit on all 1911 frames, without modification.

Choose the sights and grip safety style you want from the beginning and save yourself some money and effort in the long run.

[45dotACP]

Follow up question: being a lefty, I would install an Ambidextrous Safety, I assume.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1070501508

I’ve seen where some of these mention ‘gunsmith fitting’ Is required. Is that a very difficult thing to install, or can the typical home tinkerer accomplish this with some files and patience?

I use a small safe sided pillar file to fit my thumb safeties...but I don't usually do ambi safeties.

I might recommend something like a Rock Island actually.

Joe Chambers has done a few reviews of them and routinely holds them up as some of the best budget 1911s out there. They are usually equipped with ambidextrous safeties.

Otherwise I'd get a Ruger and do the safety yourself

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