1911 improvements

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Just shot my first 1911 today. My new RIA 5" I change my answer to beavertail.

beavertail...beavertail...beavertail...beavertail...beavertail.

My hand was killing me, but man, I love that thing.

Jesse
 
Really, as much as I don't like what its become - IPSC.

The sport has:

  • Encouraged the proliferation of after market parts.
  • Driven improvements down from the full blown custom one man shops to affordable, production line levels larger portions of the public can afford
  • Caused every manufacturer, even those not making 1911's, to raise the bar on manufacturing


Better sights used to mean putting S&W revolver sights on them. Now we've got lots of options.
Alloys like aluminum make it lighter for more comfortable extended day carry.
Beavertails that allow a better grip.
Positive, larger thumb safeties.
 
Well, since this about all 1911 pistols, not just self defense pieces:

1. Beavertail with the bobbed or Commander type hammer. Of course, a bobbed hammer and the old 1911 short spur grip safety, properly defanged and contoured works well, too, along with frame tang treatment.

2. Improved fixed and adjustable sights

3. high grip contour

4. oversize match barrel

5. better metallurgy
 
My first 1911 was a Commander... it's bone stock and bites me bloody.

Then a built a custom Seecamp DA 1991a1 with more do-dads that a 1911 should have.

Then I got my hands on a reblued 1919 vintage Gov't model.


1. better sights = good
2. arched vs flat = it's nice to have a choice.
3. long trigger vs. short = I prefer long
4. commander hammer vs. widespur checkered = the old hammer never bit me, though on my custom I have a beavertail to avoid the bite. Again, preference.
5. Stainless was a definite improvement.
6. abidextrous safety = good thing.
7. reliable feeding of hollwpoint ammunition = good thing
 
Been at it a while. Good fixed sights that you can see; a decent trigger; checkered frontstrap. Reliability with SWC or JHP but will run with hardball without much concern.

Really nothing that JMB wouldn't have been able to incorporate into serial #1 if someone had drawn his attention to it.

I have a 1911 shipped out in 1912 that has none of the above (except reliability) and I would take it into harm's way if I had to.

If I had a dog I would want it to have the same endearing characteristics.
 
Grips

I have always enjoyed the jam free operation and solid performance of my A-1 Springfield 1911, but the Pachmayr grips which are solid performance add ons make the gun look plain... Since I am not on the front line, astethetics are important so I went to this site:
http://www.imageseek.com/hakan/
The grips are in the mail as we speak, and I'll be sure and post a picture or two.

KKKKFL
 
The only thing i can think of that the original 1911 actualy NEEDED were visible sights.

Saying that it needs a beaver tail safety or a ramped barrel is like saying your race car needs an airconditioner and power windows: all they do is make the thing heavyer and slow you down. :D
 
Thank you for the replies and keeping this thread open. Lots of good info.

I must agree that the 1911 in its original form, assuming that it is reliable, has very little to improve on as a combat weapon. I would say that the most apparent drawbacks of the original version are its rather small ammo capacity (when compared to today's hicaps) and its teeny-weeeny sights. Does any one know what JMB or the Government were thinking when they specified those small sights? Maybe it was a trend of the time :rolleyes: .

Regarding the ammo capacity, well that has been solved by some manufacturers but what is gained in firepower is lost in ergonomics and ease of use. A double stack 1911 in .45 cal is just too darn fat for my hands.

One of you mentioned the Wilson KZ-45 which is a polymer framed pistol. This is the only polymer framed "1911" that I know of. I have yet to see it in person as I only know of it through pictures in a catalog. The catalog says that this pistol actually has a narrower grip than a standard 1911 and yet boasts an 11 round capacity. Could be interesting. Does anyone own one or had the oportunity to fire one?
 
Nortexed: That is a real nice pistol you have there. Looks very similar to what my dream carry gun would (or will, hopefully) look like, except I would prefer an arched mainspring housing.
 
I started with a Kimber Custom II, I dropped the full-length guide rod, put on an arched mainspring housing with lanyard loop, Trijicon sights, Hogue wrap-around finger grips.

I got a Ciener .22 kit, and next I'm looking into a .400 Corbon barrel.
 
Sign of the Times

Blakenzy wondered:

>Does any one know what JMB or the Government were thinking when they specified those small sights? Maybe it was a trend of the time<
***********

You partly answered your own question. A look at the trend in pistol sights of the era reveals some pretty obscure sights. The reason was simply that very few handguns were intended solely for target shooting, and the rudimentary sights on what was to become a close-range weapon of war were considered adequate for the purpose, while not adding any more bulk to the weapon than necessary. As the late Col. Cooper noted: "Across a tabletop, one doesn't need to be a virtuoso." There was also the point of soft steel used for the sights. High-viz sights...particularly the front blades, are more massive, and subject to higher inertial forces during the cycling of the gun...which makes'em more likely to shear. Also, the greatest percentage of the personnel who would be using the guns had young eyes. If you have good eyesight, you'd be pretty surprised at how precise that thin front blade and narrow rear notch can be when shooting for groups on paper.

The gun was well thought out, but its original intent just didn't apply to the role that it plays today. As insightful as Browning was, I can't imagine that he would have expected the 1911 to be going strong nearly a century after its inception...nor could he have imagined what it's become. He'd recognize it, of course...but he'd probably be a mite puzzled at some of'em. :scrutiny:
 
Thanks Blake, I bought the gun new in 76 for the princely sum of $185.00 (still have the receipt), added the sights in about 78, trigger in 80, mainspring and grips in 80, went through a couple of bevertails till I found the Pachy in 82, and had the slide Tefloned when I worked in Houston in 89.
 
My personal improvements to the 1911 were taken care of with the 1911A1, Maybe a gold bead on the front sight would be all I need other than that I like it as it is.
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When it comes to improving on the original design I would say the most useful improvements are

Better sights
Beavertail Grip safety
Commander "Bobbed" hammer
Longer triggers
Lowered ejection ports
Pachmyr wrap around grips "no need to checker the frontstrap and a whole bunch cheaper"
flared or beveled magazine wells
extended slide releases
Magazine bumper pads
8 round magazines
 
1. Good sights (my 1944 Military Colt had crappy sights)
2. Good Trigger (my 1944 Military Colt had a crappy trigger)
3. Beavertail (My Series 70 Commander "bites")
4. High profile thumb safety which is much easier to hit under stress or when speed shooting.
5. I also prefer a full length guide rod, having experienced a u-shaped recoil spring that locked everything up.
 
Didn't think I'd like the beaver until I got hold of a Defender. Now, MY SA 5" is getting that and a hammer. I think the Defender would be practically unmanageable without that grip safety.

Better alloys.

HUGE grip availability. (Hogue "fingers" in particular.)

I can't think of any esthetic improvements --- they are beautiful to begin with.:D
 
Put me down as:


1. Visible sights
2. Decent trigger
3. Beavertail
4. high cut, checkered front-strap
5. Extended safety.

Chuck
 
Following oup on that, my take is:


1. Better sights -- and dovetail the front sight
2. A prepped trigger -- the one on my Kimber is superb
3. Beavertail grip safety with a bump for positive disengagement when shooting Modern Pistol style.
4. Lowered and beveled ejection port
5. Eight round magazines
6. Better ammo -- something like the BAT round for military use.
 
Terminology

Nit-pick time! (A little comic relief that is technically on-topic.)

Beavertails still come on enhanced Colts, and are downswept to create the same angle as the standard grip safety tang. The upswept, high grip safeties are more correctly referred to as "Ducktails." Go look at a beaver and then go look at a duck and see what you come up with.:scrutiny:

Ducktails and beavertails make the pistol much more user-friendly, and allow us to shoot hundreds of rounds in a day without drawing blood. The only issue that I have...and this is just me...is that the upswept ducktail doesn't provide for a reliable spot-weld unless one makes an effort to literally crush the grip frame to prevent the gun rolling up and back in the hand, much like the old SAA "Plow handle" grip does. The downswept/upswept Clark grip safety is the notable exception.
 
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