1911 hammer and grip safety upgrade

[FLINTFOREVER]

I just fitted the commander grip safety and combat hammer:I had to remove about 20 thousands off the side of the grip safety.
I also installed a new combat hammer ;I tested the safety seem to work excellent there was no need to adjust the sear leaf at all.
I am now going to slow rust brown the grip safety and then drop into boiling distilled water should be blue/black when finished
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/lonewolf5347/newhammer001.jpg
I have to thank a board member here (LONGSLIDE) for helping me out I must of asked him a millon question on the type of grip safety

[wichaka]

Before you do the finish work, I would try to blend it in with the frame better. It'll be more comfortable during extended shooting sessions.

[FLINTFOREVER]

I think it fit better then the factory part
I like to here from you your views on what or were it would be a better fit:
I tried it : I seen no marks on the safety when depressed
I may be missing somethig?? please point it out

[FLINTFOREVER]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/lonewolf5347/newhammer002.jpg
back view grip safety still in the ruff strange needs final sanding and polishing
The only problem with slow rust brown finish is not to use any lighter grit then 150 otherwise the chemical may not take as well on a high polish finish

[wichaka]

With it depressed, it looks like a better fit.

I was referring to around the under side of the frame tangs, so it fits fits more flush. Which in turn equals more comfort.

Also put a slight bevel on the edges on the finger of the safety itself, the part under the hammer, to take the square/sharp edges off so it won't dig into the web of your hand.

I find the squareness of the finger itself can cause discomfort over a long shooting session.


http://w3.gorge.net/scshields/gripsafety.jpg

[FLINTFOREVER]

WICHAKA:
The back view it is not depressed would call it the way it sit un-touched:but when depressed it becomes flush with the MSH : I did round the sharp edges on the final sanding and pitting removal

[Hawkmoon]

I'd like to ask where you got the Commander grip safety ... since nobody seems to sell them. Did you make your own?

[FLINTFOREVER]

I just posted it in the WTB ADDS
I know of a stainless somewere:correct these parts are from the 70' and 80's

[FLINTFOREVER]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/lonewolf5347/gripsafety001.jpg
grip safety finised to day (slow rust system)

[FLINTFOREVER]

I installed the new chip McCormick sear to day and man what a difference with the sear and new hammer.
I have to say the new sear is light night and day from what SA uses in there guns:I now have a trigger that breaks 46 oz I did nothing to the leaf spring just a new trigger,sear,hammer,and the new grip safety the colt commander:
I would say it passed all safety functions and a range test will be the judge but I think it will do excellent.
I also ordered a new thumb safety but the old fit excellent
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/lonewolf5347/newupgradedsa002.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a380/lonewolf5347/newupgradedsa001.jpg

[FLINTFOREVER]

Range report: one fine shooting 1911 and a outstanding trigger pull.
I had a lot of lookers on the gun at the range on Saturday seem they like the clean lines and how the gun shot.I also change powders and after a shooting session cleaning the 1911 was not bad at all.I change to Winchester 231 with a load of 5.4 grains and the 200 grain SWC: I have to say unique shot excellent but the cleaning job was turning into a task.
I had some time to kill on Sunday and thought I clean the 1911 but for a long time I was not satisfied with the aluminum trigger shoes seem at the back side of the shoe there were a few scuff marks were it entered the frame I just had to correct it.I did total strip the frame and inspected the new sear seem it was perfect and went ahead to remove the Wilson combat trigger from the frame.I went to some wet and dry 1500 and some Teflon oil and with a few strokes on each side of the trigger removed and polished all the scratches's then said as long as I had the trigger out I would re-polish the bow again:I now have a bow that looks like stainless look smooth as silk: o.k. gun gets oiled and reassembled:I drop a dummy round in the mag: walk the slide down and test fire man that nice I now get the trigger gauge out seem to break smooth at 39 oz
I know lots of guys say it too light but for me the 1911 is a range gun just a tad to large to carry I favor my off duty S@W Chief
I have to say I gotten away from pistol shooting for some 19 years since retired but I am having lot more fun loading and shooting the 1911 .

[tightgroups]

I think the trigger weight is fine, not too light and not too heavy...just right. You did a nice job, have fun shooting her! What Unique load were you using? I found that I get very good accuracy using 5.3grs of Unique along with a 200gr H&G semi-wadcutter. The Hensley and Gibbs semi-wadcutter is shorter and fat compared to the standard ones everyone uses. Some guns may not chamber them well but I've got them running pretty smooth in my Kimber Gold Match. The bullet has two lube grooves also vs. the one with the longer wadcutters. Have you ever used this semi-wadcutter?

[FLINTFOREVER]

I say unique was excellent think my load was 5.2 but the cleaning was a little of a task
I was out to day at the indoor range and the Winchester 5.4 did excellent again:I did load up some 5.1 grains and the group started to open a tad larger.I found that unique seem to favor at 20 yard at 11 o clock of the bull or 10 ring,The Winchester shoot the same distance dead center of the bull.
I never tried the double grease groove on the 200 grain SWC :I don't cast my own I found a guy that cast the 200 grain lead bullet a decent price 500 rounds for $28.00 has a BHN of 16 I find no leading at all.

[tightgroups]

I cast my own of course, from what I wrote. I'm going to be doing some experimentation next time I hit the range. I want to size some of my bullets back to .451 and see how accuracy is effected (I suspect that I might have been getting tighter groups when I was sizing to .451 vs. .452 even though the popular consensus says to size to .452). I also want to use some plain wheel weight lead vs. adding tin/antimony 95/5 solder. I'm not convinced the added solder is doing anything extra and I may as well keep costs down if I find this to be true. I think I've gotten better accuracy using the shorter semi-wadcutters vs. the traditional ones, though when I used them in the beginning I had a few feeding issues. No feeding issues now, just made sure to clean off any excess lube with odorless mineral spirits. If your interested in another powder I would recommend Tight Group, works very well and is clean burning. My best accuracy has come from Unique also.