1911 hammer bite, and other 1911 questions

[American_Fusilier]

Hey guys,

I made a post before about Rock Island Armory 1911s, and heard many good things about them.

I saw that Tisas SDS imported A1 1911, which also has good reviews.

I'm not buying a 1911 to be a "1911 guy", I just want one because America, and I feel like everyone should own one. So I'm getting a cheap shooter grade gun. Probably between the Tisas or the RIA. I'd rather get the RIA, than the Tisas, because I really don't lie the thought of my money ending up in Turkey.

Anyway.... Do any of you guys have one of those SDS imports Tisas M1911 A1s? If so, what has been your luck with them?

I've always heard the best 1911 magazines are the Wilson Combat ones, are there any that are cheaper but still work well?

I've been hearing a lot about hammer bite. I know most people say that to completely mitigate that, you most have a gun Smith install an extended upturned beaver tail and skeleton hammer. I know there is a guy who makes lower profile slightly bobbed hammers. Again, not drop in pieces.
My question is this: could one not file down the rear of the hammer? Like a 8th of an inch? Would that still work?

I apologize for my ignorance of this subject!

 

[Cemetery21]

Many guys don't get hammer bite. I do, so, yes I bob hammers on standard GI style guns without beavertails and no more bite. I doubt most people could tell they were bobbed.
Example:

 

[12Bravo20]

I haven't got hammer bit either. I've been shooting 1911 pistols for 30+ years to include my time in the Army. Yes some do get bit. If you do, you can bob the hammer or get a beavertail grip safety.

I have no experience with the Turkish pistols other than handling them at my local shop. I have been very happy with my Rock Islands. I own 3 of them.

 

[Jim Watson]

I am not much subject to hammer bite, I can shoot pistols with spur hammers ok, including a 1918 USGI. But I had a friend fire three shots from my Sig P210 and hand it back "You might want to wipe the blood off your gun."

If you DO get hammer bit, the cheap fix is to bob the hammer. Take as much off as necessary. Why do you need a hammer spur anyhow? (Unless you are in the Condition 2 Club which I got out of many years ago.)

Yes, a burr hammer and beavertail are more stylish, but they aren't cheap. And you will be told they require "fitting." While I know there is file and stone work putting Brand X parts on an Acme gun, I wonder what would happen if you bought them from RIA/Armscor. I doubt there is a whole lot of "fitting" goin on at the Armscor factory. Has anybody tried putting RIA parts in an RIA gun?

 

[CapnMac]

Hammer bite on a 1911 (or 1911A1) occurs when the flesh of the shooting hand rides up over the "spur" of the grip safety in the area where the hammer recoils back to,

Often that just takes moving your hand down a smidgen.

Bobbing the hammer is an option, but usually it's far more than an 1/8 inch.
Alternately, installing a "beaver tail" safety works as that is wide and flared, and usually also has a recess for the hammer to retreat into. Those are not what you'd call "drop in." They typically want a lot of filing to fit just right (does not help much to eliminate hammer bite to replace it with "safety bite"--where the gap between the frame and safety is large enough to pinch).

The Tisas are tough birds, and compare well to the RIA and Armscorp guns. Mind, stylistically, I find it inapt to call a pistol with a flat mainspring housing a "1911A1" (the difference between the 1911 and 1911A1 is that the latter gained the arched mainspring housing, and a shorter trigger, and scallops on the frame behind the trigger), but, that's a pedantic argument.

 

[jhb]

never got hammer bitten on a 1911 or hi power or any hammer pistol. so cant comment on that.

either one. tisas I have has been solid. dont currently have a ria one but shot many of them and all worked well for me. shot all kinds of mags through both brand 1911s. all worked well with 230gr. fmj ammo.

you sure you'll get hammer bit? it's a rare few with real thick padding/meat between thumb and trigger that get bit. vocal minority. most people do not get bit. even if they hold up high. I've tried to get bit and havent been able to.

 

[Jimster]

(( Photo removed because of gross misrepresentation and impersonating a 1911 style pistol without 100% accuracy. The original poster has been warned about posting misleading pics))

Example of a 1911 style, not a 1911A1. It’s a Rock Island.

 

[JTQ]

The two things I always point out to folks considering their first 1911 is to decide...

1. Do you want/need a beavertail grip safety.

2. Do you want/need adjustable sights.

Choose wrong on either and you're going to either have your gun filed on or welded on.

Not all beavertail grip safeties fit all 1911 grip tangs, and in this era of Glock's, not all 1911 sight dovetails are the same.

It is a whole lot easier, and usually cheaper to find a gun from the start that has the features you want than trying to find a competent gunsmith that will change out parts for you.

 

[Jim Watson]

A friend has had one "adjustment" and one breakage on a Tisas, I think I'd go Armscor for a cheap gun.

Interesting, Jimster, I haven't seen a RIA with slab sided frame before. But it has so many non-GI features that it is hardly a 1911 anyhow.

 

[12Bravo20]

Here is a photo of my RIA pistols. The top one is a FS GI in 9mm, middle is a FS Tactical Model 45, and bottom is a CS 45. I bought the CS used so couldn't tell what brand grip safety it has.

 

[Jim Watson]

Interesting, no two A1 finger scallops alike.

 

[JTQ]

I've always heard the best 1911 magazines are the Wilson Combat ones, are there any that are cheaper but still work well?

Wilson makes a solid line-up of mags. My mag of preference is the full size 7 round 47 https://shopwilsoncombat.com/7-Round/products/370/

While all Wilson mags are pretty good, every line-up has their weakest model and in Wilson's line-up, it is probably their historically most popular mag, the 8 round 47D. They aren't really bad, but the 7 round 47 is better, and if you just have to have 8 rounds, the ETM line-up is better choice than the 47D. Wilson ETM https://shopwilsoncombat.com/45-ACP/products/378/

I also like CheckMate mags. They are original equipment for a lot of makers (Colt included). I usually buy them from Top Gun Supply https://www.topgunsupply.com/magazines/1911/check-mate.html

As with Wilson, I prefer the full size 7 round CheckMate options, but if you have to have an 8 rounder, make sure you get the 8 rounders with the extended tubes, as their non-extended tube 8 rounders are really hard to seat with the slide forward.

 

[Howland937]

Wait...what? You want one because America but you want an import???
I'll probably get hammered (no pun intended) for this, but personally I'd spend the few extra $ and get a Kimber. You can get their basic model for around $550 and no worries about hammer bite. Unless you're set on the GI style...
Wilson mags are a must AFAIC.

 

[WhoMe?]

I've always heard the best 1911 magazines are the Wilson Combat ones, are there any that are cheaper but still work well?

I've had great luck with the Springfield Armory mags in all of my .45 1911s. I own about 15 of their mags and they've all been 100%

 

[tarosean]

Wait...what? You want one because America but you want an import???

Doesnt make much sense to me either.

 

[JR24]

I get hammer bite if no beavertail, same with the Hi Power. It's really not an issue until after shooting and I notice I'm bleeding, don't notice until then.

If it's just a range gun a simple bandaid in the trouble spot before shooting resolves it for me.

For mags, I always use Wilson's and Chip McCormick mags for my .45s but the stock mags from a few brands (not Kimber, those were garbage) worked fine for me.

In 9mm I've had quite a bit of good luck with metalform mags, and those are very cheap. I'd be willing to give them a try if I didn't already have a pile of Wilson and CMC .45 mags

 

[Ed Ames]

Doesnt make much sense to me either.

I think that from a 1911 perspective, the Philippines are about as American as a place can get without actually being in the Americas. Something about being a US territorial possession from 1898 until WWII.

 

[12Bravo20]

As far as magazines go, I have had no issues with the Novak and MecGar magazines that came with my RIA pistols. I also have Colt magazines that work good.

 

[bannockburn]

I never had a problem with hammer bite on any semi-auto I have used. Probably because of my small hand size the web of my shooting hand is well below where the hammer could reach it. Just as comfortable with the original 1911 grip safety or any of the various beavertail style ones as well.

 

[.308 Norma]

I know most people say that to completely mitigate that, you most have a gun Smith install an extended upturned beaver tail and skeleton hammer.

I'm really not trying to be a wise guy here, but no, "most people" do not say that. I'd never heard it before, and I've been around 1911s a long, long time. Let alone the fact that I'd heard people talk about 1911s for years before I ever owned one of my own.
Note I didn't say that you can't get "hammer bite" from a 1911 - even though I personally never have. I simply said most people do not say "to completely mitigate that, you most have a Smith install an extended upturned beaver tail and skeleton hammer."

 

[Zerodefect]

Checkmate are great mags for a decent price. I think Wilson base pads interchange just fine. Haven't tried Dawson base pads for a Wilson yet, on them.

Check out the DW Vigil or A2 if you're in the market. I'm done buying 1911's. I've got one good one, and that's plenty.

 

[Ed Ames]

I never had a problem with hammer bite on any semi-auto I have used. Probably because of my small hand size the web of my shooting hand is well below where the hammer could reach it. ...

I’ve never had a problem with it either, and I wear what are currently sold as XL gloves (meaning I have medium hands in real terms).

I’ve found that beaver tail or not doesn’t matter to me, but the shape of the grip safety can be important. Some 1911s have grip safeties that my hand doesn’t reliably engage unless I shift my grip down.

 

[redneck]

For what it's worth I have large wide hands and I get slide bite on S&W Bodyguard, Sig p232, hammer bite on the ruger SR22, but my buddy brought over a brand new RIA GI model in 9mm and I shot several mags through it without a single problem. It was comfortable, very accurate, and didn't have a single malfunction in the first 200 rounds. Hammer bite is going to be dependent on each individual, the size of their hands and how they prefer to hold the gun, but I think it is much less of a problem on larger frame guns like the 1911.

 

[Tallball]

I have XXL hands. I've never gotten hammer bite from a 1911 with or without a beaver tail.

"For mags, I always use Wilson's and Chip McCormick mags." Me too.

I had a Tisas "GI" 1911 that worked just fine.

I have three RIA 1911's right now. It's well worth it to pay the extra $50 or whatever to get decent sights and a beavertail.

This one is my 9mm ("Citadel" is made by RIA). I think I paid $300 for it used. My 45acp was about $400 OTD NiB, but I had to haunt Gunbroker for a little while to get that deal.

Citadel 1911 9mm

• Tallball
• Apr 6, 2019

 

[whisler]

I had hammer bite on a LLama 1911 variant but a few swipes with a file on the tail of the hammer and problem gone. A little cold blue and no one could tell.