Buying a 1911? A Primer Awaits Your Reading

Buying a 1911? A
Awaits Your Reading
Colt
“Government”
Pistol
Primer
1911
Model
So, what draws a person to acquire a 1911-based pistol? To
tell you the truth, I have no idea. After all, compared to the
modern wonders of polymer pistols it would seem like the 1911based pistol would simply fall away into oblivion. But, that
is not the case. In fact, there may be a resurgence of the
1911. The resurgence of the pistol is not the point of this
article, however.
I have owned, sold, and handled quite a few firearms in my
short life and it seems that I gravitate to the 1911-based
pistols more than most other types of semi-automatic pistols.
The fact of the matter is that although I don’t need another
1911-based pistol, I will find it hard-pressed for me to turn
one down if the quality is there and the price is right.
I have been in several gun shops lately and have come across
people who are interested in owning a 1911 but know nothing
about the pistol, which contributes to their reluctance in
purchasing one. If I overhear someone asking questions, I have
a bad habit of trying to interject my knowledge of the pistol
and answer their questions. Not that I am a1911 expert – far
from it. However, I do feel that 40+ years owning and shooting
them does give me a heads up on the subject matter and I am
happy to share my limited knowledge with someone who is
interested in owning/carrying a 1911-based pistol. One of
those folks just might be you.
As
a guide in this discussion, we have to come to terms with
terms. If you already own a semi-automatic pistol, you may
already be familiar with some of them. There are cross-terms
that can apply to the 1911 and to other semi-automatic
pistols, but there are some terms that apply only to the 1911.
And, then there are component nomenclatures. Like any other
semi-automatic pistol, the 1911 is comprised of parts and in
our discussion of the 1911 pistol; it is good that we are on
the same page. I have included a parts diagram for that
reason. Throughout the discussion I will refer to a part and
then include the illustration’s reference number in
parenthesis (where I feel it is necessary to do so) for your
ease in locating the part. Feel free to click, download, and
print the “1911 Pattern Pistol Parts Diagram” to use as a
reference while reading this article.
This write-up is not going to be a detailed and exploded view
of the 1911 pistol and I’ll refrain from providing details
about parts like sears, and pins, and such. I am going to
limit the discussion to major categories and provide some
information within those categories.
DISTINGUISHABLE FEATURES:
The 1911-based pistol has several distinguishing features that
may, or may not, set is aside from other semi-automatic
pistols and these will be discussed in somewhat detail later.
All features are contained on or within two functional groups:
Slide and Frame.
Slide:
The slide consist of the barrel, barrel bushing (or not),
machined barrel locking lugs, guide rod components (31, 32,
and 33), sights, firing pin and firing pin spring with
retainer 4, 5, and 6), extractor (3), breech face, disassembly
and slide lock notches, and (depending on the series that is
mentioned at the end of this article) a firing pin block (not
shown).
Frame:
The frame consisting of all fire control components (to
include trigger 14), disconnector (38), grip and thumb safety
(13 and 26), trigger housing, slide stop (29), grip panels and
mounting hardware, magazine housing, mainspring housing and
pin (18 and 22), hammer components, main spring (20), and
magazine release assembly (9).
The slide and frame are mated together through a rail system
that is machined into each group.
The above mentioned groups and associated components are
standard on any 1911-based pistol, regardless of the category
in which they are included.
The major categories under discussion are as follow:
1. Size
2. Manufacturer (or smith)
3. Features and Options
4. Chambering
SIZE:
There are three basic sizes, all originally introduced
commercially by Colt, and thus referred to by the Colt name.
You may see a given size/model of 1911 referred to by the
model of its manufacturer’s choosing, or frequently, by the
Colt designation:
Government:
Colt Government Model
The “Government” model has a; 5-inch” barrel, full sized grip
frame, and a 7 or 8 round magazine. This model may also be
referred to as; Custom, Full Size, or FS. It is most commonly
referred to simply as a 1911, Government, or G.I Model.
Commander:
Colt Commander
The term, “Commander” is actually a trademark of Colt. The
“Commander” model has a 4″ or 4.25″ barrel, full sized grip
frame, and 7 or 8 round. magazine. The “Commander” model may
also be identified by the terms; Pro, Champion. Custom,
Compact, Carry, or MS (for medium size) as the manufacturer of
the pistol see fit.
Officer:
Colt Officer (Now Called the
Defender by Colt)
The Officer model consists of a 3″ or 3.5″ barrel, shortened
grip frame, and a 6 or 7 round magazine. The Officer Model may
also be referred to as: Ultra, Compact, Micro-Compact, UltraCompact, Ultra Carry Hideout, Undercover etc…
Additionally, there are some other variations, including the
long slide (typically a 6″ barrel and slide), the CCO
(commander barrel and slide on the officers frame), and a few
have put an officers slide and barrel on a full sized frame,
with several different names.
Different manufacturers are inconsistent about what they call
their different sized 1911s. In fact, sometimes the same
manufacturer isn’t consistent with model names. Kimber and
Springfield have both changed what they call different sizes
more than once.
MANUFACTURER OR GUNSMITH?
Essentially, there are three levels of 1911 manufacturing:
Factory Standard
Factory/semi customs
Full Custom
Factory standard:
The Smith & Wesson E-Series
Round Butt 1911. A Fine
Pistol For Concealed Carry
Right From The Factory
Factory standard 1911 pistols include: Colt, Kimber,
Springfield Armory, Smith and Wesson, SIG, Para-Ordnance, Dan
Wesson, Taurus, Armscor/Rock Island Armory, and more recently
Sturm Ruger,
All the major manufacturers are roughly equivalent in quality
for a given feature set. All use certain cast or MIM parts.
Most of them have their frames and slides forged in Brazil or
Argentina; and only final machined here in the U.S. (even
though other than Springfield, they don’t label them as such).
Of this group, Para-Ordinance, S&W, SIG, and Dan Wesson are
the only manufacturers doing their own forging, or at least
using forgings done in the U.S. or Canada (Para-Ordnance used
to be Canadian, and did their own forgings in Canada; but they
moved to the US a couple years ago, and I’m not sure if they
still do. At some point, all three of the others have used
Caspian forgings, but again, they may have changed by now.
Someone has reported to be that Para-Ordinance U.S. frames are
all cast in house now) for any models at all; and I’m not even
sure they’re still doing that. I’ve heard from various sources
that all of them have off-shored or moved to investment
casting, but I cannot confirm it.
So, what are the real differences?
Rock Island 1911 FS Tactical
(Top) and 1911 FS G.I.
(Bottom). Both are Excellent
Performers for
Reasonable Price
a
Very
Tisas
(made
in
Turkey
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MK8ffcLL3A#t=180
),
Armscor/Rock Island Armory are at the low end while S&W and
Springfield cost a bit less than the others at a given feature
level, and SIG, Colt and Kimber a bit more. Dan Wesson, S&W
and SIG use slightly higher quality (Ed Brown, Les Baer, and
Wilson Combat) small parts on all their guns. Kimber and
Springfield use higher quality (in house) parts on their high
end models.
Colt has excellent quality control, but poor customer service.
Kimber has poor quality control, and awful customer service.
Both S&W and Springer have excellent quality control and
customer service.
Dan Wesson is now owned by CZ, who has a reputation for
excellent quality control and customer service, but they are
new to the 1911 business and the new Dan Wesson line hasn’t
had much time to build up a market history as of yet. That
said, all indications so far are very good; especially since
they have decided to use hard parts from STI and Ed Brown (two
of the best custom manufacturers in the business). I almost
put DW in the “semi-custom” category because of this.
Armscor/Rock Island Armory, Colt, and Springfield offer some
low end models, with the most basic features. If you don’t
like the “modern” 1911 features, you can get a Springfield
Mil-Spec, or GI model; or a basic 1991 or a repro WW2 pistol
from Colt. The Colts are still Colt expensive; but the
Springfields list out at $600.
Expect to pay from around $600 to around $1300.
The Factory/semi Customs:
From Kimber’s Custom Shop –
The Classic Carry Elite
All the major manufacturers play in this space; but S&W,
Kimber, Colt, Springfield, and Remington have a MAJOR
production effort devoted to it (in fact, all Colts guns
except the basic 1991 are “custom shop”). They use higher
quality parts, and have their in house custom shops do the
final machining, assembly, and QC.
Also, the larger custom manufacturers like Ed Brown, Les Baer,
Wilson Combat, Rock River, STI, SVI, and Nighthawk all have
offerings in this market position as well.
Almost all of the factory/semi customs (except Kimber and
Springfield armory), use parts from Ed Brown, Les Baer, Wilson
Combat, or STI; and most of them (again, excepting Kimber and
Springer) use frames and slides from Caspian or STI. So what
you end up with when you order from one maker, are probably
the same actual parts you would get if you ordered the same
features from another maker. The only differences being the
finishing, and the specifics of gun- smithing etc…
All are excellent; and they have any number of models and
features to choose from, at several different price points.
Expect to pay: anywhere from around $1200 to around $2500.
Full Custom:
Novak Custom
This is the domain of the custom manufacturers listed above;
as well as a few high end custom gun smiths (Ted Yost, Hank
Fleming, Wayne Novak, Bill Laughridge, Clark Custom etc…).
They use the highest quality parts, and meticulous hand
machining, fitting, final assembly, testing, and quality
control. They also fit a gun specifically to you, with
whatever features you want (and leaving off those you don’t,
which can be more important).
The gunsmiths who have good reputations in this business have
it for a reason. They all do great work, and it’s hard to say
one is any better than another.
Expect to pay: anywhere from $1500 all the way up to $5000 for
standard 1911s; without accounting for any fancy decoration,
engraving etc… which can run into the five figures range.
FEATURES AND OPTIONS:
The 1911 is easily the most customizable; and most customized
pistol of the modern era. There are literally hundreds of
thousands of different parts and options to deal with.
I’ll try to keep this as basic as possible while starting with
the slide assembly.
The Slide:
The original slide of the 1911 came with small serrations on
the rear and on each side of the slide that aided the user in
racking the slide to the rear and locking it in place, or to
sling-shot the slide closed to chamber a round.
Modern day slides may have additional serrations on the front
of the slide in addition to that in the rear.
The ejection port of the original 1911 was small and probably
contributed to jams more often than not. Gun smiths soon found
themselves working on 1911 slide to enlarge, lower, and flare
the ejection ports to provide faster and more positive
expended case ejection. Today, lowered, flared, and extended
ejection ports are the norm while true clones of the original
1911 remain the same as when they were first designed.
Barrel:
The original 1911 was equipped with a straight barrel forward
of the locking lugs that slid through a barrel bushing (34) at
the working end of the barrel.
There are two basic barrel styles here, standard and bull.
Bushingless Bull barrels:
Example of a Flush-Cut, ReCrowned Bull Barrel
Bull barrels (also referred to as “Tapered” barrels have
thicker metal machined in a cone shape at the muzzle end. Bull
barrels can mainly be found in “Commander” and “Officer”
models of the 1911 pistol, as there is some additional weight
at the front of pistol to aid in recoil management.
The Bull Barrel may or may not use a barrel bushing as do
standard barrels.
The length of the barrel may also play into the use of a bull
barrel, although I have seen, and do own, “Commander” model
1911s that incorporates a standard barrel in their design.
Since the rear of the barrel drops slightly downward during
recoil, the angle of the barrel at the muzzle is greater than
with a “Government” or “Completion Long-Slide” barrel and a
different type of barrel guide may be necessary.
Most, if not all, “Government” model 1911s have a “standard”
barrel
Standard Barrel:
Example of a Standard MatchGrade Barrel and Bushing
Standard barrels keep approximately the metal the same
thickness throughout, and engage a bushing in the slide.
In keeping with the original 1911 design, most 1911 pistols
today incorporate the swing’ link (37) in the barrels design.
The swing link allows the barrel to pivot downward at the
breech end after a round is fired and the barrel unlocks from
the slide. This downward movement allows the barrel to line up
and receive the next round.
A bull barrel or standard barrel can have either a “standard”
aka “thumbnail” feed ramp; which uses a partial feed ramp
built into the frame, and a partial thumbnail feed ramp cut
into the chamber; or they can be a fully ramped barrel; which
cuts the feed ramp out of the frame, and builds it into the
barrel.
Generally speaking, fully-ramped barrels are stronger, and
feed better, so I prefer them; but some do not (I’m not sure
why, other than perhaps traditionalism).
Guide rods and Recoil Control:
Standard Guide Rod (Top) and
Full-Length
Guide
Rod
(Bottom)
This is probably the single most controversial option on 1911
type pistols (which is a bit odd, because they are standard on
most other types of automatic pistol). The subject is a bit
too long to go into in a paragraph and I will defer you here:
http://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2007/05/muthaflgr.html.
If you don’t feel like moving away from this article, I’ll try
to provide the “Reader’s Digest” version of guide rods here.
The original 1911 came equipped with a short guide rod (31), a
recoil spring (sometimes referred to as the guide rod spring)
(32), and a guide rod bushing (33) that was a removable,
closed-end affair and housed within the slide. The barrel
bushing also served to keep the guide rod bushing in place.
Essentially, the guide rod guided the recoil spring during
compression and expansion. It worked then and it works now.
However, at some time the full-length guide rod was introduced
and it is a very popular, and misunderstood, feature in modern
1911 pistols.
Standard Guide Rod:
The standard guide rod is a short rod that rests against the
inside of the pistol’s frame and has a designated spot to do
so. It provides a base for the recoil spring and is
essentially used to keep the recoil spring straight under
recoil conditions (when the recoil spring is compressing) and
when returning to its rest and pre-loaded state.
The standard guide rod also allow you to perform a “press
check” to assist you in determining if the pistol is loaded –
as if you should not already know.
Full Length Guide Rod:
The full length guide rod butts against the frame and serves
the same purpose as the standard guide rod but in a different
way. The full length guide rod runs through a guide rod
bushing in the slide. The guide rod bushing may be external or
internal to the slide. If external, the barrel bushing holds
the guide rod bushing in place. If the guide rod bushing is
internal, the recoil spring keeps the guide rod bushing in
place against the inside of the slide. The full-length guide
rod lessens any lateral movement of the recoil spring during
its normal cycling (compression and expansion). The full
length guide rod also adds weight (about 1-ounce or less) to
the front of the pistol, which some say, aids in recoil
management due to the added weight.
Also, some say that the full-length guide rod aids in
accuracy. However, even top competition shooters and other
experts have debated this.
The full length guide rod may or may not add complexity in
disassembling and/or assembling the pistol. I have worked with
one-piece and two-piece full length guide rods. With some, the
pistol can be disassembled as it would be with a standard
guide rod. With others, disassembly (and subsequently
assembly) of the pistol is more complicated. What it
essentially comes down to is how lazy you are or what you can
live with.
For example, the Springfield 1911 Loaded comes with a twopiece full length guide rod that runs through an external
guide rod bushing. You must first unscrew the top section of
the guide rod. Then the pistol can be further disassembled as
normal to the 1911. I have since retained the full length
guide rod, but exchanged the two-piece unit with a one piece
unit as it eliminated the need to carry a 5/32-inch Allen head
wrench with me. As a second example, I have several 1911
pistols that include full length guide rods, but are of the
internal guide rod bushing type. For these pistols, the slide
is removed in a manner dictated by the design of the pistol,
but the guide rod must be pressed forward (under spring
tension) until a “captive” hole is revealed. Then, a modified
paper clip is installed into the “captive” hole to hold the
now “captivated” guide rod assembly together, which can then
be removed from the inside of the slide. To further the
disassembly of the guide rod “assembly”, the modified paper
clip must be removed – and this does take a “special” tool to
prevent loss of guide rod parts and possible injury from
flying guide rod parts. This also applies to assembling the
guide rod “assembly.” You can read about my “special” tool at:
http://guntoters.com/blog/2015/12/11/rock-island-armory-armsco
r-1911-standard-ms-product-review/
This is not to persuade or dissuade you from purchasing a
1911-based pistol with or without a full-length guide rod. I
would rather see you with a 1911 regardless of the guide rod
system used. With that, it is up to you to determine what you
want in guide rod systems. With that said, there are many
semi-automatic pistols that incorporate full-length guide rods
in their design and they seem to run just fine.
With a full-length guide rod installed, you will be unable to
perform a “press check” as you can with a 1911 equipped with a
standard guide rod. Some manufactures cut a small notch at the
rear of the chamber so that you can visually see if a round is
chambered. If the slide is closed, I personally consider the
gun loaded regardless if a magazine is inserted or not.
Sights:
TruGlo Night Sights for the
1911
The front and rear sights (43 and 2) on the original 1911 were
wanting, for lack of a better description, but were suitable
for the roll that they intended to fill that, it seems, was to
simply get the barrel in the right direction. The front and
rear sights were built close to the slide in order to get them
as close to the bore-axis of the pistol as close as possible.
The original 1911 was a combat pistol, after all, and meant to
provide CQB protection for the carrier of such pistol. A
simply rounded post in the front to line up with a very
shallow notch in the rear sight and it took quite a pistolero
to achieve hits at the Government’s specification of placing a
round of 230-grain ball ammunition in a target at a distance
of 50-yards. Sights; however, can be damaged in combat and
thus the reason to keep them as low-profile as possible.
The sights are your second most important interface with the
weapon after the trigger… and only slightly less important at
that.
There are many visual options here, including plain black,
three dot, tritium (night sights), fiber optics; as well as
several construction or style options like low profile, high
profile, target style etc..
Basically, again, it’s a matter of personal preference and
your intended use of the pistol. More importantly, I feel, is
how well you use any type of sight to achieve the purpose of
hitting your target.
Most 1911 pistols manufactured today for the general shooting
public, come with quality 3-dot sights, fiber optic,
adjustable rear target, or night sights.
Finish:
There are a lot of options here; with modern polymer based
finishes, nearly anything you’d like in fact.
I personally prefer matte or brushed stainless steel; because
it can’t wear off, and you can machine it, or buff/brush/blast
scratches out without refinishing. Others prefer traditional
blued finishes, which are beautiful, but not very wear or
corrosion resistant.
Many pistols are now coated with cured (heat, chemical, or
both) ceramic, or polymer based finishes; which can be had in
nearly any color. Some of them even have nickel, or Teflon, or
other materials embedded in them, to add wear and corrosion
resistance.
My personal recommendation is to choose a wear and corrosion
resistant finish that matches whatever aesthetic you prefer.
Frame:
Most of the frame configurations mentioned earlier
available in several different frame materials.
is
Traditional is, of course, carbon steel (usually blued), but
most manufacturers also offer stainless steel, and lightweight
aluminum options. Some even offer titanium, or polymer frames.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each choice:
Carbon steel was original to the 1911. Carbon steel is
strong, durable, and relatively cheap; but it is heavy,
and has essentially no corrosion resistance.
Titanium is light, strong, and corrosion resistant; but
expensive to manufacture and machine, difficult to
finish, and can crack easier than the others.
Aluminum is light, corrosion resistant, and easy to
machine; but not as strong or wear resistant as steel,
and more expensive.
Stainless is corrosion resistant, but more expensive
than carbon steel, more difficult to machine finely, and
to finish.
Polymer is cheap, easy to manufacture, and corrosion
resistant; but it’s hard to keep it to tight tolerances,
durability for some parts is iffy (they usually put
steel inserts in various places to help compensate), and
it’s ugly.
Trigger:
Long, Skeletonized Triggers
with Over-travel Adjustment
is Very Common On all Modern
1911-Based Pistols
The original 1911 incorporated a short, rounded trigger in its
design (14). The only purpose of the trigger is to release the
hammer, since the 1911 pistol is Single-Action-Only and it is
not used to actuate the hammer or rotate a cylinder.
Today, different lengths, weights, faces, materials, and pull
weights are available.
Most people prefer long or extra long triggers, with serrated
faces. Lightweight aluminum, skeletonized, flat-face triggers
are very common on 1911-based pistol being manufactured today.
As to trigger feel, I like a trigger between 4 and 5 pounds in
pull weight for a 1911-based pistol used for self-defense, but
I’ll accept a heavier trigger weight as long as the trigger is
smooth in operation. I also like a little take-up (slack), a
crisp break, and no over-travel (all my triggers are
adjustable for over-travel).
Hammer:
The original “Government” model 1911 was equipped with a spur
hammer (40).
Again, you have different shapes, weights, and materials are
available. There are three basic styles of hammers:
The Spur:
The spur hammer is long, narrow, and flat; and usually has a
serrated or knurled cocking surface
The Rowel:
Skeletonized,
Roweled
Hammers Are Common on
Today’s 1911-based Pistols
The Rowel hammer is round, has a hole through the center, and
serrations. The Rowel hammer is sometimes called the commander
hammer, or the HiPower hammer, because both configurations use
this style by default.
The skeleton: If you took the long part of the spur hammer,
grafted the circle part of the rowel onto the tip, and
hollowed out the middle, you would have a skeleton hammer.
This is the most popular style in premium and custom guns
today.
There are also numerous other styles that involve bobbing off
bits from one of the above, or changing the shape a bit one
way or another.
As to material, I personally recommend going with a forged and
machined tool steel part; but cast parts, MIM parts, even
titanium hammers are available.
Grip Panels:
The original 1911 wore a set of wooden grip panels (23). The
original grip panel thickness was approximately 0.25-inches
and that dimension is pretty much the standard to this day.
This is utterly a matter of personal preference. It affects
both ergonomics and looks. If you have small hands, thin grips
are available. There are also thicker grips available for
those big-mitted folks.
Grip panel materials vary widely from wood, polymer, rubber,
natural bone, composite, aluminum, G-10, and even pewter.
There is also a wide range of designs (checkering, inlays,
etc.) that will enhance the looks and feel of the grip panels
in the hand and also provide more control over the pistol
under operating conditions.
Also, the grips are the single easiest change you can make to
a 1911. You can completely alter the look and feel of the gun
with a simple $20 (or $200 or more depending on your tastes)
grip change. So if you like a gun but don’t like the grips, go
for it, they’re cheap and easy to change.
Wood, polymer, and rubber grip panels are found on most OffThe-Shelf 1911 pistols available today.
Thumb safety:
The original 1911 was outfitted with a small thumb safety
(26).
Again there two choices to make here, Single sided or
ambidextrous.
Single Side:
The original 1911 came equipped with a single, left-side
safety lever. Left-handed folks had to learn how to use the
safety either by using the trigger finger (or shooting hand
thumb) or use a
Ambidextrous:
Ambidextrous Safeties Have
There Advantages; More so
for Left-Handed Shooters
Some people prefer to have a safety on both sides of the gun
for left or right handed use. Some people prefer to keep the
safety right side only, both for looks, and to reduce points
to snag on.
There are several different shapes; wide, narrow, long, short,
bobbed etc… Again some people don’t like how various styles
look or feel.
Honestly, there are advantages and disadvantages to whatever
you chose; just go with what feels good in your hand.
Personally, I like rounded edges on the safety but I won’t
throw a 1911 away because the edges are more squared than I
like.
I prefer an ambidextrous thumb safety (that was not always the
case) as I feel that left (weak) hand operation is just as
important as right (strong) hand operation. If you are a leftonly, then an ambidextrous safety might appeal to you.
However, consider that even if you find a 1911 that you really
like, but it does not have an ambidextrous thumb safety, one
can be installed by a certified and competent gunsmith at a
later time.
Whatever you choose though; I HIGHLY recommend going with a
forged and machined steel part here. Being forged doesn’t
guarantee it is better; but you have a much better shot at it
being a better component (IMHO).
Single or double-stack:
The original 1911 was intended to operate with a single-stack
magazine (21). Almost all manufacturers offer their frames in
the traditional single stack configuration; which typically
holds 6, 7, or 8 rounds (at least in .45 acp).
Many manufacturers also make double-stack models, which as the
name implies are thicker in the grip, and hold as many as 14
rounds (in .45 – as many as 18 in 9mm). The Para-Ordinance
Model 14-45 would be an example
Grip safety:
A grip safety (13) was incorporated into the original design
of the 1911 pistol. If the grip safety is not pressed, the
pistol will not fire. It was imperative to have a firm grip on
the pistol. The original grip safety was short and smooth,
unlike many of today’s manufacturing.
Today, there three choices to make with a grip safety
Standard:
The standard short and smooth grip safety today is mostly
found on “clones” of the original 1911. The “spur” of the
original grip safety (the part that fits into the web of the
hand) was very short and if the hand somehow found it way
above the spur, the hand usually was “tattooed” by the spur of
the hammer as the slide moved rearward and the hammer was
forced into the cocked position.
Today, some manufacturers of the basic 1911 pistol have
extended the “Spur” of the grip safety somewhat to help
eliminate “Hammer Bite.” The Remington 1911 is one example.
Beavertail:
A beavertail allows you to grip the gun deeper into the web of
your hand, prevents hammer bite, and aids in recoil
management. I recommend beavertails to most people for most
guns. Without it, you have to have the gun sit a bit higher,
which worsens recoil control. Although, some people dislike
the way they look, beaver-tail safeties work.
Memory bump:
Modern
Beaver-Tail
Grip
Safety With Memory Bump
A memory bump is a bump, hump, or wedge shaped protrusion on
the bottom back of the grip safety, that helps your hand more
positively disengage the trigger blocking mechanism; and also
helps you index your grip by feel a bit faster. Some people
find them uncomfortable or awkward.
I personally recommend that people get a beavertail, with some
kind of bump; because they really do improve ones grip and
indexing. Again, some people dislike the way they look and
fell, but like beaver-tail safeties, the memory bump works
work.
Again as to materials there are several different available;
but as the grip safety is not a stressed part, most just go
with standard cast steel or aluminum.
In most cases, and on today’s 1911 pistols, the memory bump is
part of the grip safety.
Disconnect Safety:
The disconnect safety (38), or simply the disconnector, is not
something that you can see until you disassemble the pistol,
as it is internal to the firearm. All 1911 pistols have a
trigger disconnect safety. The purpose of the trigger
disconnect safety is to prevent the hammer from falling during
the recoil/chambering cycle until the trigger disconnect
safety falls into a special notch after a round is completely
chambered. Also, and if for some reason a round fails to
completely chamber, the trigger disconnect safety prevents the
hammer from falling on an “out of battery” round.
A quick check that you can make when handling a 1911 of your
own or when perusing through 1911 pistols at your local gun
shop:
1. Cock the hammer.
2. Grip the gun with a normal firing grip (pressing the
grip safety), and pull the slide back about 1/4″ with
the other hand.
3. Pull the trigger. The hammer should not fall.
4. Repeat the test pulling the slide fully rearward and
releasing the slide slowly while pulling the trigger
every 1/2″ of slide movement. The hammer should not fall
until the slide is fully in battery.
Mainspring Housing:
Flat Mainspring Housing
(Left) and Arched Mainspring
Housing (Right)
One of the most overlooked features of the 1911 is the
mainspring housing (18).
The original M1911 was equipped with a flat mainspring
housing. In 1926, the M1911-A1 was introduced. Among other
changes to the pistol, the pistol was equipped with an arched
mainspring housing.
Today, 1911-based pistols can be found with both styles of
mainspring housing. While I like the arched mainspring
housing, as it fits well in my hand, most of my 1911 pistols
have flat mainspring housings. The Springfield 1911 Mil-Spec
.45ACP (shown in the lead-in image) is a fine example of the
1911-A1 version of the pistol.
Slide Lock:
The original 1911 came equipped with a small slide lock (29)
on the left-side of the pistol. Today, there are many that can
be purchased from 3rd party vendors if you don’t like what
comes with the desired pistol. For the most part, the slide
lock assemblies found on modern 1911 pistols are adequate for
use. Most now come with an extended slide lock lever for ease
of use when releasing the slide by either hand.
CHAMBERING:
.45 ACP in Ball and HollowPoint Versions (11.4554mm
for your metric lovers)
The original chambering of the 1911 was the 230-grain ACP
round. It represents a good balance between size, weight,
power and performance, and cost.
Today, the 1911-based pistols can be found in a variety of
calibers to include; .22, .22 TCM, .38 Super, 9mm, .40
caliber, 10mm, .45 ACP, 45 GAP, .45 SIG, and even the .45
Winchester Magnum. There are also 1911-based pistol designs in
.380 caliber (I had one of the early Colt “Mustangs” and it
was a fantastic little pistol).
Most people will want their 1911 in .45 ACP caliber.
The beauty is that you can select a 1911-based pistol in
whatever chambering works for you.
OTHER THINGS UP FOR CONSIDERATION:
Frame Design:
Grip:
The majorities of 1911-based pistol frames are manufactured
with a straight grip area and incorporate flat mainspring
housings or arched mainspring housings. With few exceptions in
factory pistols, the mainspring housing is polymer in
material. Again, main spring housings can be changed to the
type and material you desire.
There are some that incorporate a rounded grip section in
their design. One such pistol is available from Smith & Wesson
as part of their E-Series and Kimber .
Rails:
Rails Can Be Found on the
Springfield
Champion
Operator Lightweight .45 ACP
The original M1911 did not incorporate rails, as do many frame
designs of today’s 1911-based pistols. Rails allow you to hang
lasers and/or flashlights on the bottom of the frame. In fact,
there are bayonets that you could attach to a rail. 1911
purists hate rails, tactical-types love them, and I love to
hate them, but that is my personal preference in regards to
rails on any handgun that I will carry as my EDC. While there
are some manufacturers that are proud of their rails and make
them a predominate feature, there are others that effectively
blend the rail in with the design of the pistol. Consider that
you can also purchase (or buy with the pistol) grip panels
that have built in laser functionality and unless you
absolutely must have a flashlight on your 1911 have your
rails. Otherwise, laser-equipped grips would be a viable
option.
If your current (or future) 1911-based pistol does not have
rails, and you wish to have them, there is an option called
“rail adapters” and selections of these can be viewed at
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3A1911%2
0rail%20adapter.
Extractor:
The original M1911 had an internal extractor (3) and while
many manufactures of modern 1911-based pistol have remained
with an internal extractor, some (Sig Sauer, for example) have
moved to an external extractor. I have no problem with either
as long as they work, which is to extract the spent cartridge
shell and hold it long enough for the ejector (45) to do what
it is supposed to do – eject the spent shell far, far away
from the pistol.
With the above stated, you are far more likely to encounter a
1911-based pistol that has an internal extractor. I have not
had an internal extractor fail on me yet, and I am confident
in one not failing me in the future. If you are pushing a lot
of rounds (thousands) out the barrel, everything is subject to
failure at some time, and you can count on any failure as
being just normal wear and tear.
Springs and Things:
The standard recoil spring (32) rating for the original 1911
pistol was 16-pounds, which was fine for shooting 230-grain
ball ammunition at 850fps out of a 5-inch barrel. Most of the
.45 ACP ammunition used for self-defense today exceeds the
850fps of the 1911 days of yore. This leads me into the next
paragraph.
No matter what you do though, the first thing you should do
when you get the gun broken in, is buy a couple of higher
power recoil springs (from Wolff for example), and use the
heaviest one that your 1911 will cycle reliably with. If
nothing else, you will know what rating of recoil spring you
are working with. For the most part, and for my “Government”
1911s, the #18 recoil spring from Wilson Combat works well
with light range loads (825 – 850fps) and my defensive loads
(currently Remington Ultimate Defense 230-grain BJHP). I am
not going to subject my 1911 to +P loads, but I also have #20
and #24 recoil springs available if I do decide to.
Recoil Spring Rate Reference
For convenience, I have included a guide from Rock Island
Armory recoil and trigger springs for their different
categories of 1911 pistols. This guide is also useful for any
1911-based pistol within the categories previously mentioned
in this article.
Recoil springs and other springs used in the 1911 are
inexpensive and several recoil (and other) springs can be kept
on hand for little cost. If nothing else, and if you are
comfortable (or capable) of replacing springs other than the
recoil spring, having springs on hand will cut time and cost
for a qualified and competent gun smith to install them. I
generally have two springs on hand of each spring rate weight
for each category of 1911 that I own.
Magazines:
An 8-round steel magazine was issued with the 1911 and 1911A1
pistols as the standard magazine.
With few exceptions, many 1911-based pistol magazines that are
being sold with the pistol are not the best. It’s one way for
the factories to save money. If you buy a SIG, an S&W, or a
Dan Wesson, you don’t have that problem; because they come
with Wilson or McCormick magazines already.
Secondly, not all 1911 magazines will work in all 1911
pistols. If you think you’ve got an unreliable gun, try
shooting it with a high quality magazine from Wilson Combat or
Chip McCormick. I have also had good experiences with
magazines from MEG-GAR. Regardless, plan on investing in good
magazines.
I recently had three magazine failures. I was running the Rock
Island Armory (Armscor) and had a variety of magazines with me
for trial with this pistol. A magazine that were provided with
the Ruger SR1911, a Chip McCormick Power Mag, and a Pro-Mag
did not pass muster; the Ruger magazine, as did the Chip
McCormick Power Mag, popped out during firing, but work
perfectly in all three versions of Ruger’s SR1911 series of
pistols. The Pro-Mag would not lock the slide back on the last
round and was probably caused by a weak magazine follower
spring coupled with a magazine follower that tilted forward in
the magazine. All Wilson Combat magazines worked splendidly.
I did find some difference in how deep the notch in the
magazines was cut. The Wilson Combat magazine notch was
slightly deeper than those found on the Ruger and Chip
McCormick magazines. Although these magazines seemed to lockup in the RIA, perhaps it was due to these differences in
notch cuts that prevented them from staying in the pistol.
Regardless, the Ruger and Chip McCormick magazines that I have
will be dedicated to use in Ruger SR1911 pistols. As a note,
Wilson Combat magazines function in all Ruger SR1911 pistols
without fail.
Weight:
Generally, the two major weight classifications of 1911
pistols are: heavy and tolerable.
If you have been carrying a polymer “wonder” pistol up to his
point, you will soon find that a carbon or stainless steel
1911 is heavy. In fact, it might be too heavy to carry.
Balderdash! The 1911 has been carried OWB and IWB longer than
your polymer “wonder” pistol has been in existence.
It is only when you consider a “lightweight” 1911-based pistol
is when you need to be concerned about some things. Early in
the lightweight 1911 game, the method of feeding the beast
caused some serious consternation among those owning them.
While the slide would be made of steel, the frames were
usually made of aluminum, which did not fare well with hollowpoint defensive ammunition. If the feed ramp was integral with
the frame, it would be damaged over time and there was no
recourse but to replace the frame.
In several modern versions of the lightweight 1911, several
means of feeding ammunition are available and should be
considered when you are shopping for a lightweight 1911. The
Springfield lightweight version of the 1911 pistol use a
“thumbnail” feed ramp that is integral to the barrel, which is
also of the same material as the barrel. There are also other
manufacturers that use this design. The recently introduced
Ruger SR1911CMD-A “Commander” style pistol incorporates a
titanium insert in the frame that provides feeding, and I can
attest that it works very well.
While I may enjoy carrying a light 1911 pistol (and I have), I
don’t enjoy them as much when shooting them. The weight of a
steel 1911 is very helpful in keeping the muzzle as close to
the plane of fire as possible regardless of the category of
pistol. As a comparison, my Ruger SR1911CMD-A takes some work
to keep muzzle flip down. While it also takes some work to
keep the muzzle flip down with my Ruger SR1911CMD (an
identically-sized pistol in stainless steel) the effort is
quite less and even less with the “Government” model Ruger
SR1911. It is just the nature of the beasts.
Personally, I prefer the “Commander” 1911 because I find it a
good balance of weight to power. In fact, my current EDC is
the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 MS (Medium size or
“Commander”) Standard, which comes equipped with standard
features that would have been considered as custom in the
early days. The influence to carry this pistol stemmed from
carrying a Colt MK IV Series 80 “Combat Commander” many years
ago and carrying the Ruger SR1911CMD-A not too long ago. The
obvious difference between these pistols is the ambidextrous
thumb safety of the RIA, which is now a requirement for me,
and I did not want to alter any of my other “Commander” 1911
pistols.
Recoil Buffers:
Recoil Buffer
– The Wilson
Combat ShokBuff
1911-based pistol do not come equipped with recoil buffers;
they are an add-on.
Recoil buffers fall within the discussions of standard vs.
full-length guide rods as to their effectiveness. Here is my
take on them.
Recoil buffers are small, flexible units that slide over the
guide rod and rest against the base of the guide rod. The
recoil spring is lipped over the end of the guide rod and
rests against the recoil buffer. The intention is to prevent
the base of the recoil guide from battering the frame during
recoil, since the rear base of the guide rod is against the
frame.
I know of one shooter that installs them for range use and
then removes them for carry use. I also know IDPA competitors
that swear by them. To tell you the truth, I have no use for
them.
When I bought my Rock Island Armory 1911 FS Tactical, the
recoil spring was so weak that the pistol would not chamber
rounds during a normal course of fire. If it did manage to
chamber round, I could definitely feel the impact of the
barrel slamming into the top of the frame and the recoil
spring fully compressing and forcing the base of the guide rod
into the frame of the pistol. There were also numerous jams
and stove-pipes. At first chance, the recoil spring was
replaced with a #18 Wilson Combat recoil spring. Needless to
say, the problem went away. The pistol now chambers anything
that is fed in it and I can feel the difference in recoil
impulse.
The bottom line is that the recoil spring should never fully
compress. It works as a shock absorber and should have a range
of motion that allows it not to fully compress or expand.
Ensure that your recoil spring is properly rated to the
ammunition that you are firing (for example, if you are
shooting +P ammunition, the recoil spring rating should be
higher than that used for range loads (or even standard loads)
and a recoil spring rating of 20-pounds to 24-pounds is well
within reason for a “Government” 1911 when shooting hot loads.
The original 230-grain cartridge was rated at 850fps and a
recoil spring rate of 16-pounds. Modern .45 ACP defensive-use
ammunition, in most cases (no pun intended), exceeds the
original 850fps (for example; the Speer Gold Dot round is
rated at 890fps, the MAGtech 230-grain Hornady GGJHP is rated
at 1007fps at the muzzle, and Fiocchi 230-grain Hornady XTP
JHP is rated at 900FPS). It would only make sense to ensure
that the recoil spring is matched properly with the ammunition
used.
Changing a recoil spring is an easy and inexpensive thing to
do.
In short, the use of a recoil buffer is unnecessary if you
keep a watchful feel of what your recoil spring is doing.
Running Spares:
1911 Spring Kit Example
Part of the logistics of owning a 1911-based pistol, or any
pistol for that matter, is the availability of spare parts and
someone to install them if needed.
As I mentioned earlier, purchasing a spring kit should be
considered. I also keep on hand parts like extractors, firing
pins, grip bushings (long and short), and an assortment of
various screws that are used in 99% of all 1911-based pistols.
With the exception of a few parts that would require a gun
smith to accurately fit and tune, I can replace just about
anything else in the pistol. If nothing else, parts are
readily available and this cuts time and money in gunsmithing
costs.
THE WORLD SERIES:
Colt 70 Series. Note Absence
of Hammer Bock on Right Side
of Slide
Colt 80 Series. Note Hammer
Block Pin on Right Side of
Slide
You may hear or read about “70” and “80” series 1911 and that
can be confusing if you are new to 1911-based pistols. There
are a lot of both series of 1911s on the market. In order to
understand the term, we have to look at the Colt 1911 history.
Prior to 1983, Colt developed what is known as the Colt MK IV
Series 70. This series featured a new “Colett” style barrel
bushing that had four fingers (an abysmal failure, by the
way). There was, at this point, no firing pin safety although
the pistol already had a disconnector, half-cock “safety”,
thumb safety, and a grip safety. If the pistol was dropped on
the hammer, the firing pin was forced forward and could strike
the primer of a loaded round. It should be pretty obvious what
happens when this occurs.
In 1983, Colt came out with the Colt MK IV Series 80 that,
incidentally, is what I carried as a LEO. There were two
distinct improvements in this model. First was the addition of
a firing pin block safety system. This system featured an
arrangement of internal levers and a plunger designed to
ensure the firing pin was blocked until the trigger was
pulled. The result was the gun could not accidentally
discharge if the weapon was dropped on a hard surface.
The second feature was an improvement on the “Half-Cock”
safety that had been incorporated into the pistols design from
the start. This improvement was that the “Half-Cock” notch was
changed to a flat shelf shape instead of a hook, which could
break and allow the hammer to fall anyway.
The half-cock notch was also relocated closer to the hammer’s
full rest position (de-cocked). This way, even if you pulled
the trigger while the hammer was half-cocked, the hammer’s
fall couldn’t impact the firing pin with enough force to set
off the primer in the chambered shell (it couldn’t “go off
half-cocked”).
While the second improvement did not garner much (if any)
attention, the first sure did. Many 1911 purist complained
that the trigger was not as “responsive” as with (and before)
the Colt MK IV Series 70. Many gunsmiths were put to work by
many 1911 owners who wished the “80” series restored to a “70”
series pistol. Today, many manufactures make the 1911 in both
configurations.
So, in doing your homework as to what series a certain 1911
is, you might find the above useful in understanding the
difference between series of 1911 pistols. (The Ruger SR1911
series, all Rock Island Armor (Armscor) 1911 pistols,
While there might have been a discernable difference in
triggers of the early Colt MK IV Series 80 and Colt MK IV
Series 70, I don’t believe that is true of today’s 1911. I
have 1911 pistols with both configurations and I can’t feel
any discernable difference between the two, I am not a 1911
purist, and as long as the trigger does what it is supposed to
do as I want it to do, I have no problem with either.
Regardless, the improvement to the “Half-Cock” notch is still
present in today’s 1911 pistols. However, most manufacturers
advise against carrying the 1911 with the hammer in the “HalfCock” position and is probably advised due to liability (and
not reliability) concerns.
While most modern manufacturers of the 1911 today make “70”
series pistols, there are also wise enough to include a
lightweight titanium firing pin and heavy firing pin spring,
which negates the need for a firing pin block, offering an
updated safety feature to the original “Series 70” design
without compromising trigger pull weight. I know that you can
find this feature on the Ruger SR1911 series and also the
Springfield 1911 series. I believe that the Rock Island Series
of 1911s still uses a standard firing pin and firing pin
spring (the improved “Half-Cock” ledge has been incorporated,
however). If you are targeting a 1911 that you like, it is
best to do some research on this if it is a concern of yours.
To me, it matters not.
WRAPPING UP:
The Springfield Is a Fine
Example
of
a
Modern
Government Model 1911A1
The 1911-based pistol is an entirely different platform that
what you may be used to, or it may be a platform that you are
interested in for your first pistol.
The Ruger SR1911 Is A Fine
Example
of
a
“Enhanced” 1911
Reasonable Price
Modern
for a
I Carry Both of These Rock
Island Armory 1911-based
Pistols – At Different
Times, of Course
There are a plethora of 1911 pistols on the market today with
features that would have been considered custom components in
the early days. You can purchase plain-Jane, bare-bones, G.I
clones of the 1911 in any of the three major categories, or
purchase a 1911 with features to your liking (extended
controls, better sights, grip panels, beaver-tail grip safety,
ambidextrous thumb safety, finish, weight, etc.) and these are
not expensive pistols for the most part. You can have a
quality 1911 for under $500 dollars or you can spend up to
(and possibly beyond) $5000 for a pistol of your dreams. Since
the 1911 is a highly customizable pistol, all components can
be replaced with updated units. I recently read that a
gunsmith purchased a Rock Island Armory 1911 ($475) as a donor
and built a slightly over $1000 pistol with the options he
chose. Of course, the gun smith costs were free. Most of us do
not have that luxury and we have to be more careful in our
pistol selection. I don’t know about you but I need a pistol
that will run out of the box with as little effort on my part
as possible.
I hope that I have provided some useful information that will
add to your already growing arsenal of information regarding
the 1911-based pistol, and regardless if this is your first
1911 or you are adding a 1911-based pistol, there are many
things to consider.
Purchasing a quality 1911-based pistol is really not that hard
nor does it mean breaking the bank, but it helps to know what
to look for and if you like what you are looking at when
considering one for target, competition, or as an every day
carry. If you can’t find one at your local gun shop, one can
be built for you. How great is that!
Now, after you have purchased your first 1911, we can talk
about the rest of the stuff.
As a bonus, I have included an inspection checklist (in .pdf
format) that you can download to your computer. While some of
the checks you will be able to perform at the local gun shop,
there are more detailed inspections after work is performed on
your pistol InspectionChecklist.