Project Photo Essay: DIY Grip-Safety Install and Other Upgrades

[blackscot]

This is the fourth of these I've done. I'm not a pistolsmith and these have all been my own guns. The first three were done long ago (1994-98) which I used at the time for IPSC matches. My eyes were a lot sharper and hands steadier back then, both for shooting and pistolsmithing. I should have never traded off the last one (for a CZ 75B of all things). Shooting mostly various plastic-fantasics ever since. Being 1911-less though recently got me nostalgic, leading eventually to the below. The pics pretty much tell the rest.

Before -- Colt Government bought new last month, specifically for this work-up. All mil-spec. Note the cheap molded rubber grips, and plastic mainspring housing and trigger (which wobbled very loosely in its channel).





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During -- Grip safety by Ed Brown.















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After -- Thumb safety, mainspring housing, Videcki trigger, and extended mag catch also by Ed Brown. Original Colt hammer was bobbed to accommodate the grip safety. Cheap Phillipean-made micarta grips, which I will probably upgrade to VZ's in the same style.

Feels great to have a "real gun" again! Plans are to shoot in IDPA CDP division during the 2013 season.

[Glock24/7]

Great pictures!!

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Nice work. After doing one yourself doesn't the quality of most production gun beaver tails look horrible?

[R0CKETMAN]

Looks good...assume you're going to throw some sights on there for IDPA/CPD?

[blackscot]

Thanks for the kind words, and all from Georgia -- my parents' home state!

......After doing one yourself doesn't the quality of most production gun beaver tails look horrible?

Yeah, I looked at a bunch of from-the-factory outfitted 1911's, but on a number of counts couldn't be satisfied with how they were set-up (other than some of the multi-$K models way out of my price range). I also knew from my first three guns that I could do better, and get exactly what I want.

I do humbly feel that this one has come out the best out of the four. But although my pistolsmithing skills seem to have improved, those as a shooter are steadily and decidedly slipping in the opposite direction.

.....assume you're going to throw some sights on there for IDPA/CPD?

So far I have just put some sight black on the two rear dots -- can't stand 3-dot sights and don't understand why practically all guns are supplied with them.

I like a front dot though and might eventually replace the rear with a plain notch of some kind, although drop-in only that wouldn't require any milling.