springfield custom shop reviews and info - 1911 related

Status
Not open for further replies.
N

nad3ooo

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2008
Messages
46
So I have a SA Mil-Spec (stainless) and I was considering having some slight custom modifications done by Springfield's custom shop.

i am thinking- beavertail grip safety, commander hammer and possibly some checkering...

does anyone have personal, recent experience with springfield's custom shop that they wouldn't mind sharing?

also- other than price, any idea what the difference is in machine vs hand checkering- is one better than the other?

DSCN0014-1.gif
 
Are you aware that the grip safety and hammer can be done in 5 minutes by any gunsmith? As for the checkering, the big difference is price. As a side note, what you want to do is available from the factory at about the same price as modifying your gun, so for the same money or maybe a little more you could have 2 1911s.
 
disassembled and reassembled in 8 min. It just takes practice and the military gave me plenty of that. 100_1873.jpg

Replacing the grip safety and hammer only requires removal of the slide, safety, hammer, mainspring housing pin and grip safety. the triger group stays in, the slide need not be disassembled, the grips stay on the frame.
So time yourself, remove slide (field strip) 30 sec, remove thumb safety 5 sec, remove hammer pin 5 sec, punch out mainspring housing pin 5 sec, lower mainspring housing slightly and grip safety and hammer fall out 5 sec, that leaves 4 min and 10 sec to reassemble without scratching the frame (idiot mark). It realy isnt that hard, try it you'll surprise yourself.:)
 
thanks for all the replies, allow me to elaborate on my thinking

im no gunsmith, and i certianly dont claim to be one, so i would hate to make a blemish on a gun that i really have some attachment to...

the work per springfield's custom shop pricelist breaks down like this:

Fit extended style thumb safety, not ambidextrous … $70.00

Install Springfield beavertail grip safety … $100.00

Machine checker front strap 25LPI (single stack models)… $120.00

(couldnt find anything about a commander hammer)


my main problem with installing a beavertail grip safety is- as i understand it, the beavertail has to be fitted to the frame, that it's not necessarily a 'drop-in' part...i could probably manage the extended safety myself, but i threw it in anyway


so if anyone has some recent personal experience with springfield's custom shop, please feel free to sound off

thanks!
 
IMHO, the best part about having a 1911 is that you can have a lot of neat modifications and upgrades done to them to personalize them and make them more reliable and accurate. For less than $300.00 you can have it set up the way you want it, and I think that would be money well spent. I've had most of the firearms I've owned, including a 1911, worked on in some way by a few gun and pistolsmiths, and when they come back from being worked on there is always a world of difference in the way the gun functions. I have not had any work done by Springfield's Custom Shop, so I can't recommend or criticize their cost, turn around time, or workmanship, but in the near future, I will probably have Evolution Gunworks (EGW) do a reliability tune, and possibly have them install a TFO (tritium fiber-optic) front sight on my Springfield Loaded 9mm
 
Replacing the grip safety and hammer only requires removal of the slide, safety, hammer, mainspring housing pin and grip safety. the triger group stays in, the slide need not be disassembled, the grips stay on the frame.
So time yourself, remove slide (field strip) 30 sec, remove thumb safety 5 sec, remove hammer pin 5 sec, punch out mainspring housing pin 5 sec, lower mainspring housing slightly and grip safety and hammer fall out 5 sec, that leaves 4 min and 10 sec to reassemble without scratching the frame (idiot mark). It realy isnt that hard, try it you'll surprise yourself.
Click to expand...
That might work if you could just drop a beavertail into a gun cut for a regular 1911 grip safety. The tangs have to be filed down to allow the beavertail to fit. It then needs to be "blended" to the frame. For an experienced smith, this would be about an hour's work. For the rest of us it's about 3 hours. Other than that, you would have a very large gap.

1911 Hammers also aren't a drop in part. The hammer hooks and the sear nose must be mated so they have proper engagement. This means a trigger job or replacing the sear also with one of the "pre-prepped" sets.
 
Kruzr got the meaning of my post...I wasn't talking about r&r of the existing parts. I was want'n to see someone "fit" new custom parts in 5 minutes.:scrutiny: The OP did specify custom parts.

Joe
 
My personal feeling is that your money would be better spent buying a gun already equiped the way you want. The package being less than the sum of its parts. That said I have seen the work from SA's custom shop and it is very nice. I have also had dealings with them for parts and accessories (a little slow). Their tendency is to over promise and under deliver so call them and ask how long to complete the work and add 2 weeks for shipping (1 there and 1 back).
 
Obviously sanding and shaping a grip safety and adjusting the hammer takes time but it is not difficult or confusing in any way. The new parts are oversized and the old parts are right there for comparison, remove material from critical areas until new match old and yes that takes time especialy the first few times you do it. My point is that if you can clean your 1911 you can modify your 1911. The only thing that would require a gunsmith IMO is machining of the frame or slide (checkering,serations,dovetails) as most of us don't have the tools for machine operations.

Back to the OP hand checkering is for wood and usually looks better in its finished apearance than machine checkering. Hand checkering is also very expensive because it is an art form. Check with your local high end gun store and look at the checkering on a Perazzi and compare it to the checkering on a Remington.

Let me stop you guys before you continue to hang me over suggesting someone DIY. I sometimes forget that not everyone has the mechanical ability that I have or the calm temperment that I have. Please feel free to send your guns out for service and Ill continue to repair and modify my own toys.
 
Last edited:
im a "Scrap it" yourselfer

Obviously sanding and shaping a grip safety and adjusting the hammer takes time but it is not difficult or confusing in any way. The new parts are oversized and the old parts are right there for comparison, remove material from critical areas until new match old and yes that takes time especialy the first few times you do it. My point is that if you can clean your 1911 you can modify your 1911. The only thing that would require a gunsmith IMO is machining of the frame or slide (checkering,serations,dovetails) as most of us don't have the tools for machine operations.
...
I sometimes forget that not everyone has the mechanical ability that I have or the calm temperment that I have. Please feel free to send your guns out for service and Ill continue to repair and modify my own toys.
Click to expand...


sohcgt2 - i totally agree with your idea that not everyone can tackle pistol customization as a DIY job...in the past i have done a little machine work, but on this particular piece i would feel better with someone who has done this before at the wheel...

and all in all i could have probably saved a few bucks by just going with one of SA's "Loaded" series, but what i really wanted was the mil-spec with a few additions...

thanks to everyone for your replies...

-adam
 
Many of us can procreate as well.
Few of us should.
Chuck
Click to expand...

Now THAT is something that only takes 5 minutes. :)

I did much better with my first "creation" than I did with my first beavertail fitting. Someday he might let me drive his CLS 550. :uhoh:
 
Sorry nad, it seems after I responded everyone but skeeter decided to attack me rather than answer you. I'll withdraw my opinions and leave the others to it. Good day to all I'll be out on the high road.:)
 
Am I wrong on this too? Do you know of some way to hand checker steel?
Click to expand...
You use a metal checkering file and clean up the peaks with a riffer file. They make checkering files in all the lines per inch from 20 to 50. For home hackers, you can get a checkering jig that helps align the file to make the vertical and horizontal cuts or if you are good, you can use a straight edge to start and align the file the rest of the way in the rows you cut.

Blindhogg's website describes this method. Take a look. http://www.blindhogg.com/gunsmith/checkering.html

You can get checkering files at Brownells or Midway or anyplace that sells tools for guns.
 
Last edited:
Many of us can procreate as well.
Few of us should.
Click to expand...

:D

The custom shop will do a much better job of fitting and blending the beavertail than what you'll see on a production model.

IMHO, what you have to decide now is when they replace the hammer, and fit the thumb safety, you're half-way into "trigger-work". So, if you like your trigger feel...fine...if not, now is the time.

Food for thought.
 
The custom shop will do a much better job of fitting and blending the beavertail than what you'll see on a production model.

IMHO, what you have to decide now is when they replace the hammer, and fit the thumb safety, you're half-way into "trigger-work". So, if you like your trigger feel...fine...if not, now is the time.

Food for thought.
Click to expand...

good info, actually, the trigger feels pretty good (also, my feedramp came nicely polished from the factory)- does this mean that if i get a safety and hammer replaced that my current trigger function will be altered?

thanks,

adam
 
Hey all; I just built a full house custom! I had to do something while the brownies were baking...

some .02 are worth more than other pennies...lol.
 
Hey all; I just built a full house custom! I had to do something while the brownies were baking...

some .02 are worth more than other pennies...lol.
Click to expand...

post some pics?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
Springfield Custom Shop???
Replies
0
Views
420
Texas_Archer
T
J
  • Locked
Starter 1911 projects
Replies
5
Views
663
gb6491
G
F
  • Locked
larry vickers blueforce gear 1911 sear...just drop in??
Replies
3
Views
575
flyboy1788
F
M
  • Locked
SA 1911 question
Replies
2
Views
518
mattw
M
S
  • Locked
Springfield Armory: how much does custom shop charge?
Replies
5
Views
3K
EHL
E
Back
Top