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View Full Version : Newest Enhancements to my Taurus PT 1911AR


tex45acp
10-01-09, 09:43
I was in Houston yesterday on business and stopped by a gunstore there just to look around. I found a combination Main Spring Housing/Magwell and a set of flat bottom grips as well for a 1911. I picked them up and last night took off the temporary magwell I had on. The temporary magwell, while well made, to me looked like a cheap add on. This one slid right in without any modification. It is an arched Main Spring Housing, and I usually prefer a flat housing, but this one feels good in my grip. I also like the way the grips also cover the Main Spring Housing Pin to give it a more finished look. Both items came out of Kimber packaging.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/mike_seale/IMG_0155.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/mike_seale/IMG_0156.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/mike_seale/IMG_0158.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/mike_seale/IMG_0159.jpg
00leland00
10-01-09, 15:29
Looks good. It might be just me, but is that MSH made for a 'bobbed' version?
dirksterg30
10-01-09, 15:43
No - the angle of a bobtail MSH starts higher; on the bobtails I've seen, the angle starts above the lower grip screw.

Here's one of Ken Lunde's photos of a pair of bobtails for reference:

http://lundestudio.com/photos/ebkcss-pair.jpg
tex45acp
10-01-09, 15:51
Looks good. It might be just me, but is that MSH made for a 'bobbed' version?

No Sir,

That is actually a standard arched mainspring housing, similar to those found on your older 1911's. The purpose of the arch is to push the front of the gun upward making sight alignment more natural.

As dirksterg30 said....the bobtail MSH is a whole different type as you can easily see in his picture. It would be all but impossible to have a magwell like mine with the bobtail grip.

tex45acp
Business_Casual
10-01-09, 16:05
The purpose of the arch is to push the front of the gun upward making sight alignment more natural.

Is it? Are you sure it isn't to make sure the grip safety is depressed because WWI soldiers complained of problems when using the flat MSH?

M_P
tex45acp
10-01-09, 16:13
Is it? Are you sure it isn't to make sure the grip safety is depressed because WWI soldiers complained of problems when using the flat MSH?

M_P
modern_pirate

That is what my CO (a retired Navy Seal) told me!!! Now what you say makes sense and I am sure that could be a viable reason, but the way he explained it was with the small sights the gun had on them back then, the arch helped to naturally align the sights when the arm was raised to shooting level. Pretty much caused you to instinctively shoot the gun without even looking at the sights.

tex45acp
Business_Casual
10-01-09, 17:06
I can't decide whether it was worse to say that or to believe it.

M_P
Boris
10-01-09, 20:39
Looks like a S&A magwell despite the packaging yours came in. I put a flat one on my "different branded" M1911A1 and I haven't experienced it resulting in shooting low nor preventing me from fully depressing the grip safety.

It did need some removal of material to accept a certain brand of .22 LR conversion mags. They would not fully seat due to the angular "shoulder" their magazine base pads have. Never an issue with any .45 straight body mags and I'd be curious to know if the new Wilson ETM mags suffer the same affliction with not seating on unaltered S&A magwells.

-B
Dunderway
10-01-09, 21:12
Is it? Are you sure it isn't to make sure the grip safety is depressed because WWI soldiers complained of problems when using the flat MSH?

M_P

I thought the complaint was aimed at the gun pointing low, as an arched MSH will generally give a higher POA?
Business_Casual
10-02-09, 07:36
I thought the complaint was aimed at the gun pointing low, as an arched MSH will generally give a higher POA?

I've seen that - on the Internet and unsourced. I've never seen that sourced or footnoted. If you can provide the Army Ordnance Board source quote that would resolve it.

M_P
Boris
10-02-09, 08:07
M_P,

You also failed to provide your source for what you seem to know to be the actual reason for the change from flat to arched.

-B
Business_Casual
10-02-09, 10:08
My source is that I know how to shoot a pistol and expecting the sights to be aligned because of the way the backstrap is shaped isn't going to work.

M_P
Littlelebowski
10-02-09, 10:20
I do believe that is the original reason for the arched MSH - to solve natural point of aim being low.