Help with SA 1911-A1

[XDKingslayer]

A buddy of mine just got a Springfield Arms GI45 hi-capacity widebody 1911-A1. He's asked my help on ordering parts and I don't know the first thing about 1911's...

This one: http://www.springfield-armory.com/prod-pstl-1911-GI.shtml
It's the hi capacity one, of course.

Can you recommend a high grip beavertail safety, trigger, and hammer? From what I understand to run the beavertail safety you have to use a cut down hammer, which makes sense. I'm seeing different hammers, safeties, and triggers. Some for 70 series and some for 80 series and I have no clue as to which one this 1911 is.

From what I can see, most beavertails also need machine work to the frame. Are there any out there that are drop in, that will work with this 1911?

As far as the hammer goes, I think I have that one covered, but I have only found one that is for widebody 1911's. That one was at Brownells I believe. Anyone know of any other reputable dealers that carry them?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[HighVelocity]

Welcome to THR XDKingslayer.

First things first... If your friend wants to modify/upgrade his 1911 I recommend he send the gun to an experienced shop to have this done. The parts you mentioned are not drop in replacements and the gun could easily be botched forever by an inexperienced person.

I recommend he send the gun back to Springfield and pay them to fix it up just like he wants it. That way there will be no doubt as to who is responsible for the repairs if a warranty issue comes up later.

 

[Technosavant]

"Series 80" applies only to specific Colt models with a firing pin blocking safety. Although it is a misnomer to apply "Series 70" to anything but specific Colt models without such a block, it is more often a generic term used to refer to 1911 models without the Colt firing pin block. So "series 70" parts are what you would be looking for.

I don't have a Hi-cap 1911, so I can't vouch for those specific parts, but I keep hearing good things out of things from companies like Ed Brown and Chip McCormick. You are not going to find anything that will just drop in- the 1911's parts require hand fitting (grips, magazines, and guide rods are about the only exceptions). The hammer, sear, and safeties all require competent fitting- while a "drop in" barrel or barrel bushing might just leave you with poor accuracy, just dropping in those other parts might leave you with a gun that either does not function at all or is blatantly unsafe.

If your friend is going to go ahead and swap out the hammer and beavertail safety, spend the money and get a better quality sear. The SA one isn't bad, but since the gun is going to be detail stripped and fitting needs to be done anyway, he might as well just replace all those parts at the same time.

He will find that this is rather expensive, and the price may rise to the point where a loaded model would have just been cheaper.

 

[XDKingslayer]

Thanks for the input guys.

He will find that this is rather expensive, and the price may rise to the point where a loaded model would have just been cheaper.

Unfortunetly a certain someone who doesn't know anything about 1911's bought this for him as a gift. I knew he used to competitively shoot 1911's about 15 years ago but as he's been out of it for so long he isn't up to date and asked for my help...

We only have one local gunsmith and I'll ask around and see if he's any good. If not, I recommend he send it back to SA. Their price sheet on modifications wasn't that bad.