newbie 1911 questions

[valnar]

I'm looking at the available 1911's to buy and narrowed it down to a couple like the Colt XSE, SW1911 and Dan Wesson Patriot. I've started other threads asking about the merits of each model, so I don't want to duplicate that here.

I don't own a 1911 now, at all. If I need replacement parts for my S&W revolvers or Sig autos, I usually send it in to the manufacturer for service. Fortunately, I haven't had to do that much either.

With 1911's, I assume this is a different animal altogether. Unless something breaks where you want to send it for service, my assumption is you have the option of replacing the part yourself because 1911 parts are interchangeable, right???

So if I bought a new 1911 clone for instance, and I wanted to replace the firing pin stop, or thumb safety or beavertail grip, all I have to do is buy one and drop it in? Does it require any more than that? Any special gunsmith fitting?

Thanks,
Robert

 

[Jim Watson]

There are too many companies making 1911 guns and parts for there to be the interchangeability of the WW I and WW II military weapons. Do not expect major working parts to install without knowledgeable fitting. And that does not include the changes made by companies who think they know better than John Browning, Colt, and the US Army. Things like firing pin blocks and external extractors with less know-how but more pieces required to make and install.

Springs, recoil spring guide rods, and grips are about it for untutored shooter replacement.

A firing pin stop would be a drop in or a simple installation. But why?
Thumb and grip safeties you cannot count on going in without fitting.
Hammers, sears, and triggers, definitely not.
Even a mainspring housing can affect trigger pull because it bears against the sear spring and it only takes a little difference in thickness of an aftermarket part to be noticeable.
Sights? There are three different GI type mortises, two main front dovetails and several minor ones; GI dovetails, Bomar, Novak, and Heine cuts the primary rear sight installations.

I don't wish to burst your bubble, but two different makes of so-called 1911 can be almost as different as a SIG Sauer and a Glock.

 

[dsk]

Jim has it right. Originally all 1911 pistols followed the original military design specifications and had compltely interchangeable parts, with only one or two parts like the thumb safety occasionally needing slight fitting. However these days the term "1911" covers a lot of ground, and a lot of makers have strayed considerably away from the original blueprints with their guns. For example, even the very GI-looking Springfield WW2 Mil-Spec has a firing pin that is a different size than what the originals used. And when we're talking about something like the S&W SW1911, we're down to only a small percentage of parts that remain interchangeable with the original military and commercial guns.

 

[McNutt]

I bought an Ed Brown grip safety without the memory groove for my Patriot. I tried installing it and while the tang matched up fine the grip safety wouldn't depress all the way. I realized it was going to take some minor filing to fix, but unfortunately that would also leave the gun needing to be refinished. I returned the safety.

The parts are everywhere for the 1911, but don't count on a drop in installation.