1911 Mainspring parts question

[Rail Driver]

Ok, so I've got 3 1911s. I've got a Colt Commander, a RIA compact (3.25"), and a Springfield Micro Compact.

I had to order the internals for the mainspring housing for my Springfield when parts took flight randomly.

My problem is this: The mainspring cap Numrich sent me (for a Colt officer's 1911) is too big. It doesn't fit either of my compacts, and also doesn't fit my commander model.

What's the deal? Aren't these supposed to be drop in parts that require no fitting?

I expected the part to be too large for the Govt/commander MSH, but it should fit both compact MSH's.

Can anyone advise me on what specific part to order, and where to get it? Obviously I'm missing something.

 

[MICHAEL T]

I Think the Springer is its own size. and only Springfield has.

 

[Rail Driver]

I Think the Springer is its own size. and only Springfield has.

The part from my RIA mainspring housing fits the springfield (it's in there now and fully functional), however the part I ordered doesn't fit either gun (it's too big).

 

[Jolly Rogers]

Officers mainspring housing and parts are only for Officers or bobtailed standard and commander 1911s. The mainspring is a bigger diameter and all of the bore parts are the same diameter.
BTW the Springer mainspring housing with the ILS doesn't have a mainspring cap retaining pin...but I guess you know that now. It uses a take down tool that comes with the gun to capture the guts for removal.
Joe

 

[Rail Driver]

Officers mainspring housing and parts are only for Officers or bobtailed standard and commander 1911s. The mainspring is a bigger diameter and all of the bore parts are the same diameter.
BTW the Springer mainspring housing with the ILS doesn't have a mainspring cap retaining pin...but I guess you know that now. It uses a take down tool that comes with the gun to capture the guts for removal.
Joe

I'm aware of that. What I wasn't aware of was that the RIA also has non-standard sized mainspring housing parts. The RIA parts fit the Springfield Micro Compact (and I have them in there now, fully functional, including the mainspring cap retainer pin). The RIA parts are in the Springfield MSH.

So since neither the RIA compact or the Springfield Micro Compact are listed on Numrich, and I can ONLY buy the entire MSH from Springfield (~$50 to replace a $5 part?!) where can I find what I need without ending up with an extra MSH that I have no use for and without spending 10x the amount for the part?

So far, all anyone has told me is stuff I already know, with no advice on where to find what I'm looking for.

 

[Onmilo]

Welcome to the world of proprietary parts or 'drop in usually requires a bit of fine fitting.'

In my experience with 1911 pistols, if it isn't a USGI example, drop in is never the case.

 

[Rail Driver]

Welcome to the world of proprietary parts or 'drop in usually requires a bit of fine fitting.'

In my experience with 1911 pistols, if it isn't a USGI example, drop in is never the case.

Thanks.

So how do you propose I reduce the diameter of this mainspring cap by the ~1mm needed? Filing is going to result in an out of round part. I don't own a lathe, and even if I did, I doubt it'd fit this tiny little part...

 

[Canuck-IL]

With a drill press and a strip of reasonably fine sandpaper.
/Bryan

 

[Rail Driver]

A good idea, but another tool I don't have. I suppose I may be able to find a collet that will let me put it in my dremel and turn it down that way. I'd still rather find the proper replacement part without buying a whole mainspring housing kit from Springfield, however. No ideas in that direction?

 

[earplug]

Buy a replacement mainspring housing

Now would be a good time to buy a mainspring housing with a magwell.
My Springfield has a Gi size housing and this makes it easier to tune the trigger pull and you can opt for a arched or flat housing.
Or chuck the part in a hand drill and reduce away.

 

[Rail Driver]

Now would be a good time to buy a mainspring housing with a magwell.
My Springfield has a Gi size housing and this makes it easier to tune the trigger pull and you can opt for a arched or flat housing.
Or chuck the part in a hand drill and reduce away.

I don't want to buy a new mainspring housing, with or without a magwell.

Trying to find my drill has proven to be a major headache, and I don't have a collet that will fit this part to put it in my dremel.

Today seems to be full of nothing but aggravation.

 

[Rail Driver]

Well, now it appears that I will have to buy a new mainspring housing, after I spent 3+ hours blending this one into the frame.

Turned the cap down (found my drill) and got it to where I thought it fit... Put the pistol together and go to cock it... bound up. Take it apart... now the cap is bound inside the MSH, and it's NOT moving. Lovely day to smash things. GRR.

Thanks for the advice guys. I tried.

 

[Rail Driver]

Ok... good news! After calming down (read: drinking a beer and going to bed), I got up this morning and picked it back up. I had begun to drill out the too-large mainspring cap last night, and on looking at it I realized that I had gone through the bound up part (drilled the head of the cap off the post) and the spring is free in the tunnel. The cap was now a ring, bound up inside there. A few seconds with a file and a round grinding tip in my dremel got it reduced down to where I could use the file to buckle the thin steel ring and pull it out. Thankfully I don't have to replace the housing, just the guts. I can probably re-use the spring, but I figure now is a good time to replace that anyway.