The “I need a .45 but do I need a 1911?” thread

[fatdog]

Would this work? Or is it a gimmick and I should just go buy a strip of stick-down sandpaper tape at Lowes?!

That amazon item is nothing but a cut strip of the stick down 3M "step tape" from the paint department at lowes or home depot! $10 will buy you a lifetime 500 gun supply....

I too like the granulate from those guys, I used to tuck it under the grips like the amazon item but last few years I leave a tiny gap, just be sure to degrease the front strap or it won't stay....

It does everything for me that a $300 dollar front strap checkering job does, except look cool. I am one of those people who really cannot manage a 1911 well without rough tape or checkering....not true for everyone however.

[fatdog]

I really like the Talon PRO .

I have grown to really like that stuff too, buy sheets of it from them now and cut my own for various projects...

[RJ]

That amazon item is nothing but a cut strip of the stick down 3M "step tape" from the paint department at lowes or home depot! $10 will buy you a lifetime 500 gun supply....

I too like the granulate from those guys, I used to tuck it under the grips like the amazon item but last few years I leave a tiny gap, just be sure to degrease the front strap or it won't stay....

It does everything for me that a $300 dollar front strap checkering job does, except look cool. I am one of those people who really cannot manage a 1911 well without rough tape or checkering....not true for everyone however.

Cool. I am pretty inept when it comes to "cutting things out with scissors". My wife doesn't let me have the sharp ones, that's for sure.

I had some issues with Talons sticking on earlier plastic guns; I'll see how these go when they get here, but I'm optimistic about the granulate; I know how it feels.

[CSW]

That amazon item is nothing but a cut strip of the stick down 3M "step tape" from the paint department at lowes or home depot! $10 will buy you a lifetime 500 gun supply....

I too like the granulate from those guys, I used to tuck it under the grips like the amazon item but last few years I leave a tiny gap, just be sure to degrease the front strap or it won't stay....

It does everything for me that a $300 dollar front strap checkering job does, except look cool. I am one of those people who really cannot manage a 1911 well without rough tape or checkering....not true for everyone however.

Yup, a roll of tape is almost the cost of those 2 pieces.
The tape works well. In the picture, I was a week before applying a new piece.
You can see the wear just under the trigger guard.
That piece was on the grip for close to 3 months.

[Trooper224]

Have you considered adding a magwell?

[Chuck Whitlock]

Magazines, Ammo and Tools

Ammo has been a range of ball and HP. Everything except for the Winchester Flat Nose 230 has run fine. 3 malfunctions in three magazines with Winchester; very smoky as well. No bueno. The spiciest load by far was the Hornady +p XTP hollow point, the weakest probably the PMC Bronze or S&B ball. I’m cycling through options to try and narrow down a pin load for The Pin Shoot. So far the choice for pins for me is Federal American Eagle 230 FMJ.

However, comma, arrived just today in fact by the Brown Truck is a couple boxes of olde skool Federal Hi-Shok. This older gen JHP has been eclipsed on Doc’s list by better options, but it doesn’t break the bank, and well, it’s from Federal, so I anticipate it will run. So that’s going in the mags for next range session.

I have accumulated the following 1911 specific tools: 10 8 armorer’s tool, Tekton 1/8” roll pin punch, a Wilson Combat polymer bushing wrench , Dawson Extractor tool, Grobet USA #4 file, a Maglula 1911 insert and a set of Guitar picks.

Since you're shooting pins and not people, those Hi-Shok JHP's should do just fine. I seem to recall reading (probably from @Mas) both that 1) JHPs tend to grab pins whereas ball glances at angles, and 2) the Federal Hi-Shok .45 stuff is practically match accurate.

In addition to those tools you've got, Wilson has a neat little kit that I've gifted to my dad and sons, but haven't treated myself to yet:

https://shopwilsoncombat.com/CLEANIN...oductinfo/730/

Which has some neat tools, such as the channel tool and chamber brushes, which can also be bought individually.

still needs a small strip of 3M step tape or skateboard tape on the front strap.....try it, you can peel it off if it does not help

Would this work? Or is it a gimmick and I should just go buy a strip of stick-down sandpaper tape at Lowes?

https://www.amazon.com/1911-Front-St.../dp/B01J919XSU

Edit - No worries; I found Talon has a 1911 front strip in Granulate (I had that on the G34 and liked it a lot). I ordered one to try. Thanks for the tip!

Since noticing that the lower outer portion of my Pearce finger grooves are wearing away, I'm going to try the Talon Pro stuff next. I just think that I will get along better with a rubberized component rather than granulate.

[RJ]

Thanks all, much appreciate the sage advice. I had no clue about the grip screw bushings, or them coming loose in fact. Now looking at my picture, I see the little slots in the bushings (which I assume means I will finally need to order those gunsmithing screwdrivers I hear about.) Geez, it's like they designed this pistol in the early 1900's or something.

Well this finally came up on my "to do" list.

My Springfield Garrison 5" .45ACP has standard thin grips, and I want to install a set of normal thickness grips I bought recently. I bought a set of normal size bushings/o rings from Challis, and while I was at it, I added the thin-bushing Challis removal tool to the order. This is en route to me from Utah, and should arrive next week sometime.

With regard to what I am going to expect, I understand it's possible my gun's grip bushings are "staked" on? I looked carefully at the frame interior, and don't, really, see any steel material that I would call "staking", but I'm not 100% sure what I am looking for. If I have staked bushings, will it be pretty obvious from inspection with a bright flashlight?

Second, I've read where some manufacturer's use red loc tite on the bushings. Again, not sure what I will find, but does anyone know if Springfield typically uses loctite on the grip bushing threads? I will try the tool first, and apply some torque, but I have half a mind to heat it with a heat gun or soldering iron beforehand, just in case.

PS the granulate Talon front strap arrived, so I stuck it on. Feels nice and secure. I like it; but I had the granulate Talon grip panels on my Glock 34 and really liked how it keyed into my skin; I guess I'm used to it.

[fatdog]

RJ I will tell you that for me, the standard size grips don't usually require changing the bushing, all my current guns have the thin bushings but if I use standard grip screws they are secure enough for standard grips while keeping the thin bushings in place. I use the Chalis o-rings always. I have seen factory bushings staked, loctite red or black or other adhesives, and some that were just torqued in with nothing else, no idea what the Springfield crew is currently doing. But having the correct driver bit is priceless when it comes to changing them.

[awp_101]

@RJ, I just pulled the right grip panel on my Garrison and I don't see any evidence of staking.

[MountainRaven]

I bought a Springfield Operator last fall and swapped the grip screw bushings for Challis bushings using the Challis tool to remove the old grip screw bushings and did not encounter any issues with either Loctite or staking.