This is one of those situations where the solution is about worse than the problem. Folks think that the barrel and slide locking lugs have to be tightly engaged. They think that a long link will achieve that, and it will. But, if the link is too long, the result is that the link acts as a wedge, pushing the barrel up and the slide stop pin down and wearing or even bending the slide stop pin. That also means the barrel is "riding the link" in lockup, that is the barrel foot is not touching the slide stop pin at the top, only the link is. The barrel then becomes like a fat man on a unicycle, it is sort of wobbly sitting on the link alone.
The right way is for the barrel foot to ride up on the slide stop pin, giving solid support to the barrel; the link at that point should not really engage the pin at all or should not be applying pressure. When the barrel begins to move back, the foot slips back off the slide stop pin, and the link drags it downward, unlocking the barrel from the slide and allowing the slide to continue the rest of the cycle. The distance in the barrel foot from the point where the slide stop pin sits to the point where the link takes over is the distance the barrel travels completely locked to the slide. Of course, to get all this to work right requires strict adherence to specifications by the manufacturer; throwing in parts that maybe might sorta fit just won't do it.
Most of us know the 1911 is recoil operated, but rarely consider just what that means. When the gun is fired, the recoil effect applies first to the barrel, since that is the part that contains the moving bullet. The barrel then moves the slide, because they are locked together, until the barrel is off the slide stop pin and the link begins to unlock the barrel and slide.
Many people think gas pressure operates the 1911; that is not really true. Pressure causes the bullet to move, and it is that forward movement that causes the backward movement of recoil. Pressure alone will not do it, as can be proven if the barrel is blocked so the bullet cannot move. If the bullet does not move, the gun does not operate. The same is true of all other recoil-operated pistols, the Luger, Mauser C96, BHP, Beretta M9, P.38, Nambu, etc.
Jim