"drop in parts"

[pat86323]

I am interested in buying a beavertail safety as well as a new hammer for my new ria 1911 without cutting the gun. On wilson combats website it says that the drop in safeties only fit colt models. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what brand name i should be looking for for my ria?

[TxStorm]

Depends how much you wanna spend.. actually alot of folks have been using wilsons and CMC. Just use one for a "GI Pattern" pistol and you should be fine. Just remember that not all things are created equal so some fitting may be required. This is exspecially true if it's a non "drop-in" part, as most require frame melding to make them look just right. If you are looking to save a few bucks, you may consider the Sarco drop in for govt models.. think they run like 17.00 plus shipping. ( www.sarcoinc.com )

[mitchjoe]

pat86323:

If yours is a 5" RIA, the Colt Govt. model "drop-in" from Wilson should fit w/ very little (if any) modification to the frame tangs. You'll still need to fit to the trigger bow, but that's w/ most of them.

mitchjoe

[Navy87Guy]

I just bought a Wilson Combat beavertail safety (part 429SG) for my RIA 1911 Full Size. It fit like a champ. I bought the jig to do the frame, but decided I didn't need to. I posted some pics in a thread, here: http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=10030 including some closeups of the beavertail. It may have been a fluke -- I know others have done some fitting. Or maybe my standards aren't as high...in any case, it worked great for me.

Jim

[pat86323]

Thanks for all the help guys. The reason that i dont want to cut on the gun is that im not really all that sure that i like the beaver tail safety and all that jazz. and if i put it all together and hate it i want to be able to put it back to mil spec. Btw tx....i checked out that site and like what i see. I cant really see the diffrence between the parts there and on the wilson website. Well other then the price.

[pat86323]

........i hate 1911's ive decided. im going to have to spend another 370 dollars on another gun to keep stock and tinker with one. I ordered grips like the ones in navy guys pics just because they are so darn HOT. The ria is my first 1911 and now that im pretty much decided that i need another im wondering if ria still makes a shorter gun? I read about them on the forums but ive never once seen one.

[Deacon Aegis]

Navy87guy,
I'm a bit surprised you don't mind the frame/beavertail fitting gaps on the drop in, which was a real hangup of mine. Then again, I'm probably more nitpicky than I should be as the functionality works just as well. Kuddos to you though in that you can keep your frame stock and can restore your RIA to factory original. Hehe, I've got mine so butchered and altered that by the time it's done, aside from the RIA lettering on the slide, it'll be hardly recognizable.

On a side note, your choice of stainless contrasting with the parked finish looks pretty sharp. I bet it's a whole lot funner shooting now without the hammer bite than it used to be. ;)

Oh and Pat, somewhere around in here I caught a couple of the old timers joking about 1911s breeding in the safe. LOL I totally concur! Get even a grip screw in your abode and before too long, you'll have three or four 1911s hanging out looking for brass. Hehe

[Buttercup]

One thing to remember with a shorter model is that jhp's are generally designed for the gov. model and often do not expand properly when fired from a shorty. Of course, it's a .45, so that won't really matter much to the target... :D

[Auto Mag]

Of course you do know that there is no such thing as a true "drop-in" part for a 1911. I have been told that a "drop-in" part means to drop it off at your gunsmith for fitment!!!!

[pat86323]

yep and thats why i just decided to go with all ed brown parts that require fitting because im going to have to fit it anyway.

[Navy87Guy]

Navy87guy,
I'm a bit surprised you don't mind the frame/beavertail fitting gaps on the drop in, which was a real hangup of mine. Then again, I'm probably more nitpicky than I should be as the functionality works just as well. Kuddos to you though in that you can keep your frame stock and can restore your RIA to factory original. Hehe, I've got mine so butchered and altered that by the time it's done, aside from the RIA lettering on the slide, it'll be hardly recognizable.

On a side note, your choice of stainless contrasting with the parked finish looks pretty sharp. I bet it's a whole lot funner shooting now without the hammer bite than it used to be. ;)


Maybe my expectations aren't high enough....but I really don't see any gaps to speak of. That's what I was trying to show in the pics -- I don't know how much closer I could expect it to fit. I think I'll just be happy that way!

I like the contrast, too. And yes -- much nicer without the bite (although it wasn't nearly as bad as my Navy Colt!) The next step is a set of grips -- maybe VZ's in Desert Beige. :D

Jim

[Auto Mag]

Navy87Guy, your gun looks great. I do not see any problems with it. Hey, as long as it goes bang and hits where you aim it has got to be good!!!! It is always better to file on the part itself, which is cheaper, and not the frame if at all possible.

[Deacon Aegis]

Oh no, I wasn't trying to infer that he should be anything less than satisfied and yes, my expectations are very high. I'm a standard "Type-A" retentive perfectionist, which is why I'm a network security architect by trade. Hehe ;) Please by no means take my earlier comments as a criticism or an insult, that was certainly not my intent. This is what I consider acceptible gaps when making recommendations about parts fit:

http://webpages.charter.net/papaserph/images/beavertail01.gif

But likewise, I definately agree that my expectations are overly uptight. I guess one of the reasons I try and foster that level of expectation is I judge my own production, whether it be work or hobby against extreme levels. It is what I use as a motivation in producing the best I can possibly achieve in my career, but at the same time can be construed as being quite abrasive outside of the office environment. I recognize this, so please don't mind me when I am critically analyzing something. I often come across very wrong from what my intent actually is.

[Navy87Guy]

Please by no means take my earlier comments as a criticism or an insult, that was certainly not my intent.

Don't worry -- no offense was taken. Heck, it didn't even enter my mind! I'm more interested in figuring out what is "right" when it comes to this 1911 stuff! I see what you mean about tight fit, though!

Jim

[TxStorm]

This is what I consider acceptible gaps when making recommendations about parts fit:

http://webpages.charter.net/papaserph/images/beavertail01.gif




Dang! Maybe I should just come let you install my beavertails for me! THAT is a tight fit!
But I am kinda like Navy.. no big deal.. works for me. But seriously, that is sharp-looking!

[Deacon Aegis]

TxStorm, I wish I could take credit for this particular fit in this picture, but unfortunately I didn't do the fitting here. Now if the batteries were charged on my camera, I'd show you the norrowing and blending on the longslide's frame I'm working on and I am quite proud of that as my own handywork, but I mustn't take credit for someone else's work. This was already done on that lower receiver I found to compliment that Commander slide I picked up in a pawn shop earlier this past week. I think it is an excellent fit myself and since I had already snapped the pic, it was readily available to illustrate, but it is indeed another craftsman's skill that delivered that fine fit there. After my batteries charge, I'll post a pick of the fitting I have currently on the longslide's frame.

[Weaver]

I like those mods to your rock .. were the trigger / and hammer also wilson ? and was there any tweaking out of them needed ? thats the cammander hammer , that goes With that perticuler beavertail ?

great contrast of the stainless and other colors !

Rayman