Masen Flat Msh ?

[FLINTFOREVER]

I am looking to try a flat MSH in my SA 1911 and seen one made by MASEN that has vertical serrations any one have any reviews on the aftermarket company as far as quality and fit?

[AKsRule]

I'm pretty sure the MSH on the SA Champ in my Avatar is from Masen.

<--------- :)

dropped right in - no problems with standard guts in it.

[Colt45guy]

If I were you, I'd pass on the Masen. The price is nice, but WOW they're poorly cast/machined.


http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w19/Colt45guy/blackhawkairborne005.jpg


This is before any fitting or trimming. It took a bit to get it to fit flush. The MSH overhung the frame by almost 1/8". I expected this because everything on a 1911 requires some fitting.



http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w19/Colt45guy/blackhawkairborne006.jpg



notice the rounded diamonds? That's right out of the package. Unfortunately, that's not the half of it. There's a 1/32" gap on the right bottom that you can't see well in this pic. After verifying that the frame wasn't bulged, I sanded the MSH rail smooth and the fit improved dramatically.....although I had to use a padded vise to squeeze the frame a hair.


The pin hole was drilled off center, and wasn't perpendicular. It was off by about .005 from the left to the right, and I had to open the hole (MSH, not the frame) to get the pin through. Save yourself the aggravation and buy a quality product from Brown or Wilson or Caspian or (enter your favorite brand here)

I only tried this one because of the price and I felt like tinkering....I made it work, but the effort it required to look decent and work properly was easily worth the extra $20 a quality part would have cost me.

[rondawg]

:scared: I bought one from Smith & Alexander that's excellent quality and fit, but I thought it was priced high. After seeing this and hearing your story, I now think it was just fine.

[Colt45guy]

:scared: I bought one from Smith & Alexander that's excellent quality and fit, but I thought it was priced high. After seeing this and hearing your story, I now think it was just fine.




Yep. I'm using a S&A arched MSH on my Les Baer Stinger. I never could warm up to flat MSHs. The arched ones just feel better in my hands. That S&A needed to have a bit of metal removed from the back (it was compressing the arm that activates the grip safety) but that was a 10 min operation....this Masen took more than 3 hrs from start to finish, and I actually resorted to using my bench grinder because there was so much metal to trim from the bottom.


this is one of those times where you get what you pay for. (With my Brownell's discount, I got it for $14 vs the $25 or so for a different brand)

[pa_guns]

Hi

I also have not had a lot of luck with those parts.

I can recommend the Fusion MSH's.

Bob

[kcshooter]

Wow, Colt45guy, that thing's just ugly!

I too will recommend the Fusion, I bought the one that has the integral S&A style magwell and it is beautiful, a perfect fit, and the checkering is flawless.

[FLINTFOREVER]

I have to say that was a easy decision on masen parts:thanks guys

[Colt45guy]

Hi

I also have not had a lot of luck with those parts.

I can recommend the Fusion MSH's.

Bob



Funny that you say that.....I saw a post of yours from a few weeks ago warning folks about the lesser quality MSHs.....unfortunately, it wasn't until after I had purchased the Masen unit.


http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=40081

post #8: You spoke the truth!

[pa_guns]

Hi

I suspect a lot of us have a collection of low cost / not so good parts sitting in a box in the basement.....

Bob

[EchoBravoKilo]

I bought an Ed Brown flat, checkered SS MSH about a year ago to go on a new XSE Commander. Perfect fit. A month ago I bought a blue arched serrated MSH for a 1975 Combat Commander. Again, a perfect fit.

[nick40]

I just purchased a Briley MSH, fit was phenomenal and finish was just as good. It was also milled out of aluminum. Oh the checkering is very sharp. The cost was only 38.00.

[ecucmgt]

I bought an acrched and checkered Masen MSH to replace the flat one that came on the gun. The checkering is not very pretty. I tried to drive the pin through the frame and MSH. It was to hard so I took out of the frame and tried to stick the pin through the MSH. What the heck. The hole was to small. I had to take the MSH back apart and drill out the hole so the pin would fit. It cost 10$ but I should have spent $ 25 on an Smith and Alexander. The Masen is not a well made.