Continued update report: The SIG GSR XO With The BH Spring Solutions/RDIH SFS System
(Also updated in my concurrent long-running 2006 SIG GSR XO thread for those wanting everything in a comnplete thread)
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....d-Improvements
I recently shot the SIG in our Washington State IDPA Championship, a Tier IV IDPA match. The gun ran like a proverbial sewing machine, but regarding the operator, well, let's just say that I had a great time, had a great squad, and successfully avoided being DQ'd. There's room for improvement for JonInWA with a 1911...
For the last year or so, I've been running my FN High Power with the BH SS/RDIH SFS system. As I detailed in the High Power thread, I was a reluctant (in fact, intitally VERY reluctant) participant in experimenting with the SFS setup, thinking that it basically was a solution in search of a problem.
After finally (the kit sat on my desk gathering dust for 6 months) deciding to try it out of a sense of objective fairness, as well as yielding to the continued {and gently unrelenting-kind of like a dripping faucet} persuasion of one of the BH SS partners, I did in fact install it. And I rapidly concluded that I was flat-out wrong in my initial reservations, that there actually were some tangible and worthwhile advantages to the system. And, like most BH SS components and kits, it was a drop in proposition, easily installed by the individual High Power user (and if you didn't like it, just as easily removed and restored to OEM configuration).
So, after my State IDPA match, I decided to see how the SFS system would perform in a 1911. My 1911 for the experiment was my venerable (and long suffering) 2006 vintage Generation 2 SIG GSR XO. The GSR/SIG-Sauer 1911s are Series 80 guns, so my kit was appropriate for the Series 80, adding 2 components to the basic/Series 70 BH SS kit (a plunger lever and a trigger bar lever).
Tactical Fast Safety (SFS V2.0) for 1911s Series 80 | BHSpringSolutions LLC
https://bhspringsolutions.com/index....11s-series-80/
The kit comes nicely boxed with detailed instruction sheets, but your best bet for understanding and installation are the following two YouTube videos:
1. BH Spring Solution's video, "1911 Fast Safety SFS Demonstration,"
2. "BEST Series 80 Reassembly Video" (it's predecessor, "BEST Series 80 Disassembly Video" is equally excellent if needed)
Necessary tools are minimal; appropriate gunsmith screwdrivers (for grip screw removal) appropriately sized punches, a Wheeler Engineering Universal Bench Block (armorer's puck), and appropriate lubricants. While my personal SIG already had installed the BH SS/RDIH Extended Slide Stop and Ambidexterous Magazine Release, if you don't have those and desire them, order the "Tactical" level SFS kit, which is the one I provided above as it most fully reflects what I have installed.
I'm a huge believer in the inherent qualities and consistancy of BH Spring solutions springs, so the kit essentially fills out the re-springing my 1911, as I'd already used their springs for the RSA and magazine release; the kit includes a new, stronger mainspring and plunger tube springs, both critical to the SFS system. The Wheeler Engineering block is particularly welcome in facilitating the mainspring housing spring switchouts.
Although I'm a proponent of regular firearm cleaning and lubricating (as in, after each use, thanks to my Army background), this was the first time I've actually done a complete detailed disassembly and reassembly of my 1911 receiver. It's actually quite straightfoward and easily executed, and a little know fact is that John Browning's 1911 was designed with the ability of a user to perform a detailed disassembly and reassembly with absolutely no necessary tools; the various components can serve double-duty as the requisite tools.
Disassembly went swimmingly. However, when I got to the point on reassembly/installation of the SFS components, specifically the Series 80 components, things came to an abrupt standstill. The short version is that the provided BH SS/RDIH Trigger Bar Lever was thicker, significantly so, than the OEM SIG part, and it was only with extreme difficulty that I could basically get the trigger bar positioned in place adjacent to the sear/disconnector components. And, when emplaced, it was simply too tightly wedged against the sear to successfully align the three components for the insertion of the sear pin-let alone there being sufficient free play to allow for the necessary movement of the components.
Expeditious discussions with BH SS (and they were quickly responsive in getting back to me regarding to my dilemma) revealed that if you had a Colt Series 80 for SFS installation, then yes, you needed the provided BH SS/RDIH Trigger Bar Lever and Plunger Lever-for other manufacturer's 1911s with the Series 80 setup, you need to ascertain the following: If they were Colt or exact copies of the Colt Series 80 components, you'll need to use the BH SS/RDIH Series 80 components; if not, you would simply continue with using the Series 80 components inherent to the gun. Basically, if you try to install the BH SS/RDIH components, and they don't fit, stick with the gun's OEM Series 80 components; No harm, no foul. Otherwise, you'll use the components of the BH SS/RDIH kit, such as the mainspring and plunger tube springs. This should probably be clarified in both the kit's instruction sheet and in the BH SS YouTube video.
Once I switched back as directed to the OEM SIG Series 80 components, everything installed swimmingly and worked superbly.
While the kit includes a necessary BH SS/RDIH hammer assembly, and you have the option when ordering the kit to get a shorter tang "GI" grip safety, I deliberately chose to remain with my OEM Caspian grip safety that SIG used with my earlier vintage GSR (later production models switched to a memory bump grip safety as the OEM one); I've come to really appreciate the vertical fin with the Caspian part, because wherever the web of my hand hits the grips safety, it'll deactivate it. I like that particularly if I execute a fast, but somewhat imperfect hand positioning on draw; I figure it's a nice feature in real-world use.
In the kit installation video BH SS partner Mark Howe demonstrates and recommends some judicious re-bending of several of the tines of the sear combination leaf spring; I induced a more foward bend to the left tine (controlling the sear) and the far right tine (applying pressure to the grip safety) although I was a tad bit more conservative then the bends Mark performs on the video. I also have a Wilson Combat Bulletproof sear spring enroute, but decided to experiment with the OEM one.
Re-assembly went very smoothly-watch the videos, though. They were a huge help to me (and the "BEST" videos use a stainless steel 1911, which makes things easily visible) Again, the Wheeler Engineering Universal Block is worth its weight in gold, particularly with the assembly steps concerning the mainspring housing.
The BH SS/RDIH kit provides a set of replacement manual safety levers; the left is well-shaped and metal, the right well-shaped but polymer (which BH SS is considering switching to metal-a highly recommended change, as the polymer right lever is attached by a flange to the safety lever axle, so I question the long-term viability of the polymer right side safety lever. If mine successfully irritates me or loosens in use, I may simply take it off and dress the flange so that it's flush with the frame, and run mine as a single-side manual safety as it was originally. The BH SS/RDIH right side safety lever does not require an ambi safety lever cut in the right grip, as there's no necessary intrusion of the component under the grip.
So-mechanically, the system works very nicely; triggerpull seems nominally a bit heavier than the triggerpull as provided on mine by the SIG Custom Shop with the OEM action , but it's crisp and without creep. The ergonomics of the replacement safety levers are excellent.
My initial thoughts:
-Carry comfort is significantly enhanced with the SFS as the hammer forward position (but cocked-and-locked) hammer is not protruding into your side as with the traditional hammer position at cocked-and-locked;
-The safety levers are capable of only manually off-safeing the gun, as on-safeing is accomplished only by manually moving the hammer forward; with that mechanical motion the safety levers automatically cam into their upright on-safe position. Conversely, you can ONLY activate on safeing by mechanically moving the hammer foward, as the safety levers have lost their operator-induced capability of upward on-safe motion. If you're one of those who likes to on-safe between strings of fire (but before holstering the weapon when all finished), you're probably not going to like SFS. Of course, mechanically moving the hammer forward isn't a big deal, but it's another muscle memory to learn. It's easier to do with the more vestigal GI beavertail than my swept beavertail; I have to grasp the hammer by its sides to move it foward, using both thumb and forefinger.
-The SFS is a far safer way to get the hammer forward if necessary, especially with a loaded cartridge in the chamber.
-As with the SFS with the High Power, the physical hammer configuration is a bit different looking, but it in my opinion is sleek and not aesthetically jarring. It's configuration and grooves facilitates moving the hammer, particularly nice for protracted dry-fire practice.
One additional minor upgrade to report: As mentioned previously, I paint my iron front sight faces with florescent orange paint (over a white paint basecoat) for faster sight pick-up. However, I noticed that the finish when dry was somewhat glossy, even more so with an application of my wife's nail polish top coat for protectiveness, so I got a bottle of paint-on Testor's Dullcote top coat, which superbly eliminates any surface finish reflectivity, nicely enhancing the sights/sight picture regardless of light conditions.
I'll run the gun with the SFS system and let everyone think of my continued impressions, but so far I'm favorably inclined towards it.
(And for those interested, as seen, in actual use I'm continuing to favor the gun with the VCD left thumbscoop grip and the BH SS Masters walnut right grip)
Best, Jon
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Originally Posted by Stephanie B
