1911 parts. What's the best aftermarket parts?

[lonewolf21]

Want to get drop on replacement parts for my Springfield. Mainly a barrel bushing, and recoil plug. Also a good trigger. Thanks in advance.

[JiMfraRED1911]

I've heard goods things about EGW when it comes to bushings.

Ed Brown makes a solid plug.

Highly recommend a 10-8 flat trigger...but that's just me.

YMMV

[John_Wayne777]

Check these out:

http://www.blueforcegear.com/products.cfm?cat=9

[MarshallDodge]

Are you certain that you are ready to take on the challenge of fitting a bushing? There is no such thing as drop-in 1911 parts. If the part does drop-in then you got lucky or it may still not be fitted correctly which could cause problems in the future.

Are you familiar with Brownells (http://www.brownells.com)?
They have a large selection of 1911 parts and some good instructions including one on fitting a bushing: link (http://http://www.brownells.com/userdocs/learn/Inst-168.pdf)

Bushings are typically sold a little oversize so it will typically take a little fitting to get it right.
I have used Ed Brown and EGW bushings with success.

There are a bunch of triggers on the market with different features to fit people's needs. Fusion, Chip McCormick, and Wilson have worked for me.

I have not tried the parts in the link that JW posted but I would buy them based on Larry Vickers' reputation.

[ThirdWatcher]

There is no such thing as drop-in 1911 parts. If the part does drop-in then you got lucky or it may still not be fitted correctly which could cause problems in the future.

+1

I'm not a gunsmith and I would NEVER stake my life on a 1911 that I modified.

Just my $0.02, though. :)

[FuriousGeorge]

Want to get drop on replacement parts for my Springfield. Mainly a barrel bushing, and recoil plug. Also a good trigger. Thanks in advance.

1911s aren't Glocks. The recoil plug is one thing, but a barrel bushing needs to be fit, and so does a trigger.

[jmoore]

Has anyone tried the Cylinder & Slide 5 piece drop-in set-up? I vaguely remember folks saying that they actually did drop in, and that they were very satisfied aftrwards. True?

jm

[sff70]

Send the gun to springfield or a proficient 1911 smith and have them do the work right the first time.

Speaking as a 1911 owner (my full and semi customs have included guns by Heinie, YoBo, NH, Baer, O'Hara, and Bedell) , 1911 armorer (trained by Ken Elmore), and as a guy who has fitted fire control parts on over a dozen 1911s and debugged many others . . .

I had to ruin quite a few good parts, and spend quite a bit of money on parts, tools, and training before I became even minimally proficient at doing the work right.

A trigger job that works for 10 rounds may not work for 100 or 10,000 rounds.

It can be done right, cheap, or fast. Pick any 2 of the 3.

Ask the guy who is going to work on the gun what their preferred parts are. They will have preferences and reasons for them, including specialty tools/techniques that work with some parts/guns, and not with other.

Beware: parts advertised as "drop in" have caveats in the fine print on the packaging that they should still be installed by a gunsmith. This is because there are many variances between manufacturers of parts and guns.

You could install a jet motor in a Yugo. Doesn't mean it'll work, doesn't mean it'll last.

Just because everyone and their brother offers parts for a 1911 doesn't mean you should try to put them in your gun.

Besides, what's wrong with the gun as is? If it's working now, you have little to gain and much to lose by "improving" it yourself.

The C&S parts (which I've used in a gun, and which worked good) are indeed advertised as drop in. But guess what? If the hammer and/or sear pin holes in the frame are improperly located or enlongated or enlarged, the hammer, sear, disconnector, etc. will not mate correctly.

Even if they do work correctly, you'll have to fit the thumb safety to the new sear. You will likely have to buy and fit an entirely new thumb safety. You *may* also have to fit the grip safety, and you'll perhaps have to fit it to the cut in the slide, and also to the plunger. You will likely have to fit the leaf spring, too. This is an art unto itself, and it does not work the way most people think that it does. Install it wrong, and the gun can go burst.

Anyway, send the gun to springfield or a proficient 1911 smith and have them do the work right the first time.

That is my recommendation.

[Dunderway]

If you can take the correct measurements of your barrel, EGW will make you a custom barrel bushing that will indeed be a very snug drop in.

I like the Greider Precision triggers, but they take a good amount of fitting. This is not very difficult but as others have said, tollerance stacking can lead to other issues.

EGW also makes an excellent plug.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

If you are generally handy you can do it. Ed Brown, Wilson, etc all make fine parts.

[Dunderway]

If you are generally handy you can do it. Ed Brown, Wilson, etc all make fine parts.

I agree as this has been my experience. Some people really overestimate the skill involved on some very basic 1911 work.

[lonewolf21]

Thanks for all the input gentlemen. I understand the importance of having a qualified smith working on my guns. Found out the hard way with my ar. I really want to upgrade my Springfield and have extra parts for SHTF times. Going to get a new finish from Birdsong and want to try some diferent color combos with the parts without spending too much Money. Thanks again guys.

[ThirdWatcher]

Some people really overestimate the skill involved on some very basic 1911 work.

Good point. I'm one of those guys that could destroy the world with a screwdriver, so I leave my 1911s alone.:D

[RSS1911]

If you are considering doing any 1911 work beyond changing grip panels, the first accessory you should have is Jerry Kuhnhausen's manual.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=13805/Product/JERRY_KUHNHAUSEN_THE_COLT__45_AUTOMATIC

[stage2]

i'm a wilson combat fan personally....got the match trigger and skeletonized hammer on my spring champion. I had a Wilson FLGR in there but took it out....didn't see the need....

[Dos Cylindros]

I will echo the others on this thread with parts recommendations. 10-8, Wilson, C&S, Brown Etc. all make very good parts. I will also agree that very, very few parts of a 1911 are a true drop in fit. As far as good custom work at a good price, with a good turn around time the Springfield Armory Custom Shp is hard to beat.

[maximus83]

Has anyone tried the Cylinder & Slide 5 piece drop-in set-up? I vaguely remember folks saying that they actually did drop in, and that they were very satisfied aftrwards. True?

jm

Their "drop-in" parts are outstanding quality, and MAY drop in, but they say right in the instructions that they may require fitting. I bought one of their hammer kits (which includes: hammer, sear, disconnector, mainspring, and sear spring), and it dropped in and worked beautifully as far as its affect on the trigger pull. However, it then required me to refit the thumb safety, so you have to be aware that even if the kit drops in OK, it may produce other side effects on your gun.

I highly recommend these kits, but just be aware that the odds are good you'll still need to do some fitting, or pay someone to do it for you.

[jtb0311]

Has anyone tried the Cylinder & Slide 5 piece drop-in set-up? I vaguely remember folks saying that they actually did drop in, and that they were very satisfied aftrwards. True?

jm

I bought that set for a Colt Combat Gov't I have. My pistol went full auto. Could have been due to pin holes in my 26 year old pistol or something. I diagnosed it as a sear issue and went back to the original, gnarly Colt sear and it eems fine, but I haven't done a full round of testing yet.

[citadelshooter]

From 10-8 Performance website concerning parts choices for a duty/hard shooter 1911. Parts are a choice and experience thing. Hilton is a respected gunsmith and has "been there done that".

"A working gun must be reliable and suited to the user’s hands. Toward this end, the first priority is reworking or replacing existing parts to maximize reliability. Next is to improve the user friendliness with good sights and a crisp trigger pull. The next level is to refine the overall feel of the gun in the hand, to include making adjustments to the controls and a thorough dehorn of sharp edges. Dehorning the gun is best accomplished by hand to preserve the lines and improve control over the contours that are broken or rounded. There are many areas that can be dehorned that are typically overlooked yet dramatically improve the comfort of using the weapon. The highest level of refinement includes fitting for match accuracy and adding cosmetic flourish and other luxuries.

Below is a detailed treatise on the parts and modifications that I personally use and recommend. Though I am obviously biased toward 10-8 Performance components, much thought went into the design and selection of each of them, and the explanations are clearly stated below.

Barrels:

A match barrel is not a necessity for a duty gun, and a well fit stock barrel can do very well. The factory barrels from Colt and Kimber tend to shoot very well with minor adjustments. A match fit barrel is analogous to “blueprinting” the engine on a race car – it maximizes your performance and enhances the feel of the pistol. Some stock barrels fit very loosely and can have a tendency to slop around during the firing cycle, producing a clunky feel as all the parts slap around. A properly fit barrel not only optimizes the gun’s fit for accuracy, but it creates a very smooth, soft sensation during the recoil impulse. I like match barrels from Kart, Ed Brown, or Barsto.

Slide/frame fit:

This only contributes about 5% to accuracy, but it changes the feel and longevity of the gun. The slide/frame fit gives the final 15-20% of the smoothness to a gun fit with a match barrel. A properly fit gun will shoot very smoothly, and does not have the sloppy feel in recoil of guns that rattle from an excessively loose slide to frame fit. Some play between the slide and frame is not the end of the world, and can be helpful in a gun that will be around a lot of grit and dirt. A duty grade gun does fine with a smooth, but only moderately tight slide to frame fit.

Serrated flat top slide:

Many reasons are offered for this modification, such as reduced glare off the top of the slide and visual tracking down the plane of the flat top, but the most useful and quantifiable reason is that it increases the apparent height of the front sight. When the top of the slide is lowered by flattening, the top of the front sight must remain at the same height above the boreline, thus necessitating the use of a taller front sight than on a round top slide. I like the cosmetic of a flat topped slide, as well as the benefit of the taller front sight.

Serrations on the rear of slide:

This modification is strictly cosmetic, and looks best with rear sights that already have serrations. Some offer that it reduces glare off the back of the slide, but if you’re looking at that part of the slide when you shoot, you’re doing something wrong.

Bushing:

I prefer them to be finger tight, to allow field stripping without tools. For a working gun, it is neither necessary nor prudent to have a bushing fit so tight that you must beat it out of the gun with a steel bushing wrench and hammer.

Sights:

I of course prefer my own 10-8 Performance rear sight, but there are many other excellent choices available on the market and it will be up to your personal preference to select the sight system that works for you. For adjustable sights, only a genuine Bomar will do. Just about every other adjustable imitation “Bomar style” sight tends to break in short order. I generally prefer that front sights be dovetailed AND roll pinned in place for maximum durability. I prefer a plain black rear sight with a front insert to draw the eye to the front sight. Gold bead and tritium inserts are my top choices. If night sights are desired, I recommend that the end user send the completed slide to Trijicon for inserts after test firing and confirming zero. Tooltech Gunsight, www.ToolTechGunsight.com, will be able to quote prices, options and turnaround time. Their phone number is (248) 628-1811, or e-mail them at tgunsight@aol.com

Safety:

Unless you are a lefty, you can probably get by with only a strong side safety. The stock Colt safety is actually fine, unless it just doesn’t fit under your thumb. If using gloves, and extended safety will probably be helpful for more positive manipulations. For concealed carry in certain open top holsters, an ambidextrous safety can sometimes be accidentally swiped off. If this is a problem for you, a strong side only safety may be necessary. Despite those limitations, I generally put ambidextrous safeties on most of my guns because I am accustomed to doing manipulations, searches, etc. using the gun in either hand. I prefer and use ambidextrous safeties from Wilson and Cylinder & Slide. For strong side only safeties, I prefer Chip McCormick, King’s, and Cylinder & Slide. Be aware that ambidextrous safeties are generally not as durable as single side safeties, as they all use a fairly fragile tongue-in-groove attachment in the middle of the shaft to connect the two sides. This connection can loosen up fairly quickly on any brand of ambi safety, and the tabs at the junction in the middle of the shaft can sometimes snap. The Wilson, which is cosmetically identical to the classic Swenson, is my favorite ambi.

Grip safety:

The Chip McCormick grip safety is hands down the most consistently sized and cleanly executed grip safety, and is now available in blue and stainless.

Hammer/Sear:

The best units are the machined parts from Cylinder & Slide and EGW. STI and SVI also offer excellent hammers and sears.

Disconnector:

The units from C&S and CMC are my favorites, though the original Colt tool steel units are also very good.

Hammer Strut:

Many stock units are of questionable quality, and are sometimes brittle, too short, or rub the sear spring. The CMC and C&S parts are tool steel and of the optimum dimensions and geometry.

Grip screws & mag catch lock:

I use flat head screws only. The flashy looking hex, Torx, etc. heads aren't on your Leatherman tool for field repairs. With the original style flat head screws, it is possible to take down the 1911 only with the internal parts – the leftmost leg of the sear spring was designed to fit into the mag catch lock.

Mag well:

I like S&A mag wells as they double the area for reloads and generally make life easier when performing manipulations at speed. Their additional weight (about 2 ounces) and effect on concealability are factors for each user to consider. It is possible to extensively recontour the S&A wells for cosmetic appeal and to reduce bulk, and I personally consider their added mass of negligible consequence to concealability and portability.

Mainspring housing (MSH):

If not using a mag well, the Brown mainspring housing is the best choice – smooth spring tunnel, clean checkering cut on a radius. The original Colt units are good too. A plastic mainspring housing works fine and can reduce weight (about an ounce) in a carry gun, though it lacks some cosmetic appeal. The new manufacture Colt synthetic mainspring housings are quite good, as plastic goes. For a lanyard loop mainspring housing, Guncrafter Industries makes an excellent unit which is readily available.

Grips:

For a working gun, I prefer sharply textured grip panels for maximum purchase. The grips should be cut to clear the MSH pin in case you need to detail strip the gun in the field with minimal fuss. I find smooth grips fairly useless, as the point of having grips is to allow you to control the gun in recoil for better shot to shot recovery. Proficient technical shooters are very dialed in to the concept of shot to shot recovery, and you’ll never see one of them with a completely smooth grip. I dislike most rubber grips for carry guns, as the rubber tends to snag clothing. They can work ok for some users, but beware of wraparound grips that enlarge the grip. The best rubber grips are actually the checkered hard rubber panels that come on Kimbers and Colt 1991A1’s. They are hard, tacky, but not too sticky to snag clothing. Grit grips, which are basically covered with glued-on sand, are to be avoided for concealment guns. Their aggressive grit will quickly destroy cover garments, much faster so than a checkered front or back strap. The worst scenario is when the grit falls off into your holster, gouging or scratching your gun’s surface.

Checkering/frame texturing:

The purpose of frame texturing is to allow you to maintain control of the gun in less than ideal situations (wet, oily, etc.) and improve shot to shot recovery by controlling the gun. Smooth front straps can get slippery when wet, and lack any real traction. If using a smooth front strap, it’s a good idea to have aggressive grip texturing on the grip panels and MSH. Serrations offer a classic look, but don’t always supply enough grip for very slippery conditions. Stippling works ok when it’s new, but wears down quickly. I personally do not find stippling very attractive on a 1911.

The most affordable and expedient solution is to use skateboard tape or non-skid flooring tape. The best brand I’ve found is from 3M, and it can be found in big roll dispensers at Home Depot. It offers excellent traction, and you won’t be permanently altering your frame. Grip tape can also be removed and cheaply replaced when it wears out. With certain brands of tape, the grit may fall off into your holster and cause excessive finish wear. The 3M brand flooring tape has been the best for me, and the grit does not tend to fall off. The adhesive is also very aggressive, yet is easily removed. The main downside to grip tape is that it’s not very classy looking.

I personally prefer 20lpi checkering, as it provides the most aggressive grip and is not as fragile as finer checkering. I find 30lpi entirely too smooth, and of negligibly greater traction than skateboard tape. A good compromise for most folks is 25lpi checkering. The Springfield Custom Shop and Evolution Gun Works both provide high quality checkering services at affordable prices.

Bottom bordering, where the checkering ends before the bottom of the front strap, keeps the checkering from abrading your hand during magazine manipulations. It also allows the front strap to maintain full thickness down at the mag well, so that the mag well bevel can extend around the front strap as well.

A small pad of 40 lpi checkering underneath the trigger guard can really help lock in the offhand grip by providing a point of traction upon which to torque the grip. The disadvantage to this modification is that it can tear up certain holsters.

Remember that your hands will become accustomed to an aggressive grip texture, so don’t become intimidated by it at first. Aggressive texturing will certainly wear your hands out during an extended class of 3-5 days length, but so will numerous other sharp spots on your gun. Frame texturing can also wear on clothing and car seats, and I find that suit jacket linings are the most sensitive. It is important to determine what the perceived application of the pistol will be when planning on what type of texturing to use.

Guide rods:

No full-length guide rods. Period. They add nothing to function, make takedown more difficult, add useless weight, and reduce options for one handed cycling. For stock format guide rods, the stock Colt is the best, with the Ed Brown units being a very good choice for kit guns.

Magazine catch:

Extended magazine catches can be of great benefit on a working 1911, especially if the user has small hands or wears gloves. It is important that the magazine catch does not bind the magazine when it is depressed, as this is a common fault of the available designs. Any of the extended designs can be suitably modified to prevent trapping of the magazines. The 10-8 Performance magazine catch provides a curved surface for positive purchase and is internally relieved to prevent trapping of magazines.

Springs:

I run Wolff standard rate 17lb recoil, standard XP firing pin, and 19lb mainspring. Keep them fresh and replace the recoil and FP springs every 3-4000 rounds, it’ll prolong frame life.

Shock buff:

If nothing else, these dramatically change the recoil impulse of the gun, making it shoot softer. Buffs can reduce frame cracking problems in your gun as well. Guns shorter than a 5” Govt model will probably not run with buffs in place, as these guns already suffer from a shortened recoil stroke and a commensurate loss of reliability. The best buffs are from CP Specialties, available through Brownells. Beware that they may not allow the “slingshot” slide release technique on some guns. Replace them when they appear cut through. On a carry gun, replace them every 300-500 rounds or after every practice session so that your gun always wears a fresh buff.

Mags:

The Chip McCormick Corporation (CMC) eight round Power Mags have rigid tubes with well designed feed lips, a spring with 2 additional coils for greater longevity, and are compatible with Wilson base pads. I like the CMC mags a lot, and they feed very well in most guns. The feed lip design and spring length allows them to stay loaded for longer periods than other eight round mags before their springs fatigue and the feed lips spread. The only downfall with the CMC mags is that the follower can skip over the slide stop, preventing the mag from being dropped. This is typically only a problem on guns where the follower engagement shelf of the slide stop is cut too short.

The Tripp Research Cobra Mags in eight and ten round capacities have proven to be very functional magazines. They feature corrected tube lengths for the extra rounds as well as a well designed hybrid polymer/steel follower.

At this juncture, the CMC and Tripp magazines are my first and only recommendations for 1911 magazines. Stay on top of magazine inspection and maintenance, and do not hesitate to replace any magazine that has any problems.

Triggers:

The 10-8 Performance trigger design is based on the original Videcki solid trigger with full width bow, oversized shoe, and fixed overtravel stop. In choosing a trigger, be sure that the length of pull is correct for your hand size. Oversized triggers should be installed and set up by a competent gunsmith, and it is essential that the overtravel stop be properly set and fixed in place so that it does not loosen during firing.

Firing pin:

The titanium pins that come in Springfield Armory pistols work fine if the factory super extra power firing pin spring is changed to a standard Wolff XP. Otherwise, I prefer steel firing pins. The stock units in Colts typically work very well, and Caspian and CMC make excellent units for use in kit guns.

Extractor/Firing pin stop:

The extractor is the SINGLE most critical component for the reliability of your gun – it controls feeding, extraction, and ejection. The Caspian 4340 or Wilson Bulletproof units are preferred, in conjunction with a fitted oversized firing pin stop to control excessive movement of the extractor. The EGW oversized firing pin stop is also excellent, and is what I use for Series 80 Colts.

Ejector:

I use EGW and Caspian ejectors. Be sure that your ejector will allow proper ejection of a live round. Extended ejectors of excessive length are not necessary, and can prevent ejection of a live round.

Slide Stop:

Vintage forged GI and Colt slide stops work very well, but they can also bring certain flaws and limitations. Some vintages of Colt slide stops were very fragile and frequently broke off at the lobe. Many factory slide stops feature small diameter pins which do not sufficiently engage the lower lugs of the barrel. These should be replaced with larger diameter pin slide stops to maximize the barrel lug fit. Some slide stop lobes are too short and offer only minimal engagement with the magazine follower. Avoid extended slide stops, as their added mass can cause the slide stop to bounce during recoil, locking the gun open prematurely. The 10-8 Performance slide stop is machined from a forging and features a .200" diameter pin for optimized lockup, oversized lobe geometry, and a flat lever to maximize purchase for manipulations.

Plunger tube:

I prefer bar stock units that are staked and permanently attached with Loctite. The 10-8 Performance plunger tube or the Caspian are both suitable choices.

Pins:

The sear and hammer pins need to fit properly in their frame holes without excessive play. Excessive play can yield a poor trigger job or ultimately lead to excessive frame wear. Roughness on other pins can lead to rough functioning. Be aware that not all pins are created equal, and you may find excessively soft pins in some factory guns. The 10-8 Performance Hard Pins can replace factory pins as necessary to improve fit and function.

With careful component selection, the performance of the custom 1911 can be maximized for extreme longevity, unequalled accuracy, and exceptional reliability."