if you were only limited to 3 mods...

[vhince524]

this is a question that i'd like to address to all experienced 1911 owners...esp. to 1911tuner... one of the respected 1911 gurus in this sight. i have read your posts and have learned a lot thru them.

i have owned/used quite a number of handguns already... i started from 1911s then moved to a glocks then to cz then back to 1911's and one reason i went back to 1911's is the TRIGGER..

now to my question... if you were only limited to 3 modifications than you can do to a bone stock 1911 to make it a better gun (read as more reliable in your terms) for carry use what would they be? im waiting for a recently purchased norinco 1911 standard GM... and im planning to leave it as stock as possible, at least until i have shot a sufficient amount thru it to know if it works... well guys what would the 3 mods be? (sight? trigger? magwell funnel? the likes) just want to know what experienced 1911 users think.... tnx again.

[Hunter]

Well that is a tough question. Modifications are dictated by the needs of a pistol so one may vary from the other.
Quality Government Models should not require any modifications to run proper so here comes opinion time.
For me and my Colts I have not found where any modification was needed.
The only thing I have done was to install a 1 piece solid guide rod to my carry pistol a Colt Gold Cup Trophy. Does it help accuracy or reliability? No. The reason I did it is when I have to leave my Colt in the truck I and remove the slide quickly and easily without field stripping it. I take the slide off and put the slide stop in my pocket.
I am sorry I was not much help.

[David Rose]

Good crisp 4# trigger job, good sights, hmmm... the third one... I guess that would be very much according to how the gun fit me. With a poor trigger and sights, I won't shoot the gun well at all. Most decent 1911s will be accurate enough for combat carry. More accuracy is great but not necessarily essential for most cases.

Rereading you post, I might make a change. My first two options are not really reliability ones. I suppose I would get it out shoot a few hundred rounds through it, and then make changes where I could. By then you may know where you want changes/improvements.

David

[Lubaloy]

#1,
I'de make a plan to drop in at the Tuner Emporium.
#2, see above.
:)

[BobOsten]

1. Extended mag release 2. Adjustable sights 3. Trigger job would be my choices.

[John]

1. Replace the tiny Nork sights with similar ones but taller, like the ones on the current Colts or the Springfield Mil-Spec. Cheap from Brownells or from King's.
2. Replace the hammer with a Commander hammer and a Commander grip safety and do a trigger job to create a crisp, no creep trigger pull of about 4-4.5 lbs. This is for those who get bitten by the standard hammer/grip safety setup. Else, just do the trigger job.
3. Make sure the pistol is 100% reliable. If not, fix whatever needs to be fixed to get this level of reliability. Usually adjusting the extractor is all it takes.

[Hersh]

For me and my Colts I have not found where any modification was needed. The only thing I have done was to install a 1 piece solid guide rod to my carry pistol a Colt Gold Cup Trophy.

Didn't you also change the guide rod in that compact per Mr. Belivieu's advice?

[jn316]

Grips!!!!! And a lot of trigger time.

[Tom]

Your three "must haves" depend a lot on what you plan on using the gun for. For personal and home defense, it might be night sights, grips and trigger. For a competition gun you might want adjustable sights, matched bushing/barrel and magazine well.

It's really up to you and your gun's purpose in life.

[Bud White]

I all comes down to personal preferance i am a lefty so ambi safety is a must for me

A set of good sights dont have to be night sights but a set of novaks would be nice

and a good trigger

[GR8GIFT]

Higher profile fixed sights, trigger job, then after shooting a few hundred rounds to check reliability a match barrel/bushing or just the bushing. On my Springfield GI's with the 2 piece barrels it will be a Kart easy fit or Bar-Sto drop in barrel/bushing.

[Hersh]

Depending on the gun's setup I'd go with

1) Beavertail ... doesn't have to be a high-rise, but the standard GI configuration chews up my hand.

2) Extended mag catch from Chip M. has helped all my guns. It's so close to original you can hardly tell the difference, but it helps the mags get outta there in a hurry now.

3) Some type of hi-viz front sight. Orange Testors paint helps out a lot.

[tgazzx]

GR8GIFT,

Like to hear more about the Kart easy fit and Bar-Sto drop in barrel/bushing for Springfield GI. Are these for GM's and are they available through Brownell's?

Thanks,
TGAZZX

[niemi24s]

GR8GIFT: Re your Post #11, second line, "2 piece barrels". What's a 2 piece barrel?

[1911Tuner]

Disclaimer:

My preferences run to guns for serious purpose rather than target or any of the various shooting disciplines.

Clean, 5.5-pound "short rollout" trigger. Firing pin stop with a 1/16th radius. Sights that are as wide as the ones on my 1991A1s but of a lower profile...about an even split between standard USGI and 91A1/NRM Government Model in height. I can do about equally well with short trigger/arched housing or long trigger/flat housing. Prefer a smooth face on long triggers...checkering on short ones, but I can live with serrations.

I'm in the market for a few more short, milled/checkered triggers if anybody has any undamaged ones that are up for grabs. Finish quality is unimportant.

[bophi]

you should buy a COLT go shoot it if it performs 100% LEAVE IT AS IS AND
SPEND THE MONEY ON ANOTHER COLT O1911 or a o1991....
bobby

[Black_Talon]

1) Higher profile, fixed sights.

2) Decent trigger.

3) Beavertail GS.

[OD*]

I'm a firm believer in Col. Cooper's maxim;

"... We have long maintained that the only accessories that a 1911 needs are a trigger you can manage, sights that you can see, and a dehorning job. That still goes."
-Jeff Cooper

[vhince524]

thanks for the replies... keep 'em comin guys...

i owned a norc before and hated the sights and trigger... thats the first two i'd consider changing... i'd love to have a set of kings-tappan sights or a set of hardballer sights but still cant find them here in the phil. the third mod... i was considering a magwell funnel.... but i was kind of having second thoughts on having it installed on a carry gun... what do you guys think?

[David Rose]

Johnny,

What is a '"short rollout" trigger'?

David

[wichaka]

Yep....second on Coppers thoughts.

Good sights, good trigger, except I need a beavertail to keep my hand in one peice.

[gulfwarvet]

1. Bar-sto Match Barrel/bushing

2. C&s 4# Tactical Match Trigger Pull Set

3. Novak Lo-mount Night Sights Or Mmc Adj Night Sights

These Mods Should Put You In The Ballpark For Good Accurate Shooting :d

[1911Tuner]

Yep....second on Coppers thoughts.

A little Freudian slip, there brother? :D

[gbw]

#1,
I'de make a plan to drop in at the Tuner Emporium.
#2, see above.
:)

I don't see any way to improve on that answer. If the gun won't work nothing else matters.

After the visit, sights and trigger to your preferences.

[1911Tuner]

If the gun won't work nothing else matters.

Bingo...and the other criteria is that you can shoot up to the gun's potential. Money is usually better spent on practice ammo and time at the range rather than relying on added features that mainly serve to make the gun more user-friendly. The deadliest man with a rifle that I've ever known used a bone-stock M-94 Winchester. I've seen him snap-shoot cottontail rabbits running at full-tilt with it with a hit/miss ratio of 7 out of 10...hits.

[OD*]

If the gun won't work nothing else matters.
Indeed sir.

In the case of Cooper's maxim, surely we could assume a person wouldn't be dumb enough to carry an untested weapon. ;)

[gbw]

Indeed sir.

In the case of Cooper's maxim, surely we could assume a person wouldn't be dumb enough to carry an untested weapon. ;)

Perhaps. But to paraphrase P.T. Barnum, no one ever went broke under-estmating the inexplicable dumbness of people (sad to say, I've found myself in this category all too often). So I wouldn't bet on it.

[OD*]

Perhaps. But to paraphrase P.T. Barnum, no one ever went broke under-estmating the inexplicable dumbness of people (sad to say, I've found myself in this category all too often). So I wouldn't bet on it.
True, we shouldn't assume, only shake our heads in disbelief. ;)

I'm certain the good Colonel figured gun savvy people are smarter than that.

[1911Tuner]

surely we could assume a person wouldn't be dumb enough to carry an untested weapon.

I dunno. People rely on untested seat belts every day...but how does one go about testin' one? :D

[OD*]

Just slammin' on the brakes will tell you if the buckle will hold and the shoulder strap lock (at that speed ;)).
Testing airbags is much more costly. :D

[1911Tuner]

Just slammin' on the brakes will tell you if the buckle will hold and the shoulder strap lock

Which relates to a 60 mph head-on impact about like a desk fan relates to a Cat-3 hurricane... :D

[OD*]

http://www.oprano.com/msgboard/images/smilies/lmao.gif True!

Just so we're clear here and I'm not misunderstanding you Johnny, your not condoning people carrying untested weapons, right?

[1911Tuner]

Just so we're clear here and I'm not misunderstanding you Johnny, your not condoning people carrying untested weapons, right?


Absolutely not.

[OD*]

OK, I didn't think you would. ;)