Springfield Armory 1911 Mil Spec – Upgrades, Lessons Learned... [UPDATE]!!!
I wanted to share my experiences with replacing some parts on a SA 1911 Mil Spec. I am not a gunsmith, and this is not a tutorial. This is a plinker first, not a carry gun, and a self defense gun only if need be...
I recently picked up a used Mil Spec that was nicely broken in (400 rounds according to the original owner) and in excellent condition. The previous owner had the factory staked front sight professionally replaced with a Novak dovetail cut front sight. This was a nice bonus as it opens up a range of possibilities for easily replacing the front sight… plain ramp, tritium, fiber optic, and at various heights.
There were a few things that I decided to change on the Mil Spec to enhance ergonomics and possibly improve function while maintaining its classic appeal. The grip safety was not replaced. The 90 degree angle on the side/bottom contour of the grip safety’s tang did leave a pink abrasion on the web of my hand, but the damage to the skin doesn’t even warrant a band-aid let alone grinding the down the frame tangs to fit a beavertail grip safety. Part of the appeal of the Mil Spec model IS the classic look of the original tang grip safety. If I wanted a beavertail, I would have purchased one of the endless arrays of 1911’s with factory fitted beavertail grip safeties.
The following is the list of changes:
10-8 Performance NM Rear Sight
While the 3 dot sight is preferred by many, I can’t stand them. I find the two rear dots incredibly distracting when trying to find and focus on the front dot. The 10-8 Performance NM rear sight features a horizontally serrated rear face to reduce glare and a vertical front face to enable cocking of the slide using the rear sight.
The original rear sight was removed with several hard raps with a brass punch and hammer. The rear sight notch of the Mil Spec is “GI cut”, and the 10-8 sight is supposed to fit in GI cut notches. However, the 10-8 sight was about 0.020” thicker at the base than the original SA rear sight. I filed the front face of the dovetail to reduce the thickness. Once it was within 0.010” of the SA sight, I lightly chamfered the hard angles at the base of the dovetail. The thickness was sufficiently narrow enough to just engage the notch in the slide, but still significantly tighter than the original sight. Few strikes of the brass punch and the new rear sight was centered.
Smith & Alexander Arched Checkered Mainspring Housing with Lanyard Loop
The ILS has to be replaced. Given a choice, I prefer guns without locks.
Due to the current popularity of flat MSH, I like the somewhat “unique” look of the arched MSH. Functionally, I do not have a strong preference for flat vs. arched. The S&A arched unit with 20 LPI checkering and lanyard loop is rugged, not dressy. The lanyard loop adds an overlooked utilitarian feature. Many combat handguns have provisions for attaching a lanyard, so why not. The part dropped in without issue.
Ed Brown Rebuild Kit
This is a 15 piece kit and includes all of the parts required inside the new MSH (#23 mainspring, mainspring cap, mainspring cap pin, mainspring retainer). The kit also includes: MSH pin, hammer pin, sear pin, barrel link pin, ejector pin, magazine catch lock and spring, hammer strut pin, slide lock plunger, plunger spring, safety lock plunger.
I replaced the stock SA parts with the exception of the barrel link pin, ejector pin, and hammer strut pin. These pins are fitted tightly (pressed or staked), and I see no benefit of undoing them. I also didn’t bother replacing the stock magazine catch lock and spring.
I attempted to replace the plunger assembly to see if I could improve safety lock and slide lock feel. The slide lock plunger would not seat properly into the plunger spring. As a result there was excess pressure on the plungers which made re-installing the slide lock extremely difficult and added too much pressure to the thumb safety. Thus, the stock plunger assembly was reinstalled.
Ed Brown Tactical Thumb Safety
Although classic in appearance, the original Mil Spec tear drop safety leaves the end of the thumb hanging when using a high thumb grip. The stock safety also seemed a bit hard to snick on/off. Studying the contours where the plunger engages safety revealed a hard protruding angle on the stock safety but a much smoother contour on the Ed Brown safety. The EB unit has the benefit of being extended for support of the thumb when using a high thumb grip.
Installation took some fitting. The lug on the safety which engages the sear is oversized to permit proper fitting. I carefully filed the lug while frequently checking it for fit with the grip safety removed. Having the grip safety removed allows one to see how the safety is interacting with the sear. After successfully fitting it in place, I reassembled the pistol and performed several function checks to verify proper operation. Not only did the safety pass all function checks, it also snicks on and off with much less effort than the stock unit.
Ed Brown Hardcore Slide Stop
The stock slide stop was a tad loose and had a tendency to back out with only a small amount of finger pressure during disassembly. This one is slightly tighter, but still disassembles without requiring excessive force.
Cylinder & Slide Medium Aluminum Solid Smooth Trigger
I couldn’t really warm up to the short GI type trigger. In my personal experience with experimenting with short triggers, trigger faces that are closer to the grip seem to reduce the mechanical leverage of the trigger finger and increase perceived trigger pull. In the case of on double action guns, vertical serrations can get irritating during long shooting sessions. So, I’ve typically preferred regular reach triggers with smooth faces. I decided to go with a solid trigger because lightening holes would look too racy for this gun.
The trigger shoe on the C&S unit is slightly oversized. Very light filing was needed on top and bottom of the trigger shoe to allow the trigger to move unimpeded. The over travel screw was supplied with a bit of thread locker. I adjusted the screw until it prevented the trigger from dropping the hammer. Then the screw was backed out half turn and dry fired 10 times to verify function. I’m not so sure if a smooth trigger face is really necessary on a single action trigger. The pull is relatively light, so vertical serrations probably would not result in a sore trigger finger during long shooting sessions.
Wilson Combat Bullet Proof Extractor
In factory form, the Mil Spec functioned almost flawlessly through three hundred rounds of commercial .45 FMJ. On two or three occasions, I did experience a failure to chamber the last round out of a CMC Power 10-round magazine. The extractor just didn’t engage the cartridge completely enough to fully align the round into the chamber. This never happened when rotating through two factory 7-round magazines. This could be a magazine issue, an ammunition issue, an extractor issue, or a “perfect storm” combination of all. Further analysis is needed.
I replaced the stock extractor to see if it alleviates the failure to chamber issue. Ideally, I want a pistol to function with all in spec ammo and all magazines in proper condition. In order to rule out a fickle extractor, I installed the well regarded, Wilson Combat Bullet Proof Extractor. Fit was nearly perfect with the exception of a slight protrusion at the back of the slide. However, this was a cosmetic improvement as the factory unit protruded our even further.
Wilson Combat Bullet Proof Firing Pin Stop
The stock extractor had a tendency to rotate freely a few degrees (“clock”) in the slide. I can’t be certain whether this could contribute to the failure to feed, but it was worth exploring. The Wilson BP FPS is oversized when mated to the Wilson BP Extractor. Considerable filing was necessary to achieve a snug, finger tight fit. Extractor clocking was eliminated, but a few hundred test rounds will determine if the feeding issue has been resolved.
Ahrend’s Checkered Cocobolo Combat Grips
Double diamonds are too dressy. Ahrends offers the cocobolo wood in full “combat” checkering. The checkering is deep and grippy unlike the slippery stock factory walnut grips.
Swenson Slotted Grip Screws
Original screws were a bit buggered. These are inexpensive replacements, and the slots are narrower for a nice firm fit with a screwdriver.
With the advent of factory mass-produced “customized” 1911’s with all the doodads, the appeal of the SA Mil Spec is its basic but functional form. I like the classic look of the spur hammer, original tang grip safety, and the arched mainspring housing. The Mil Spec also leaves the factory with a few additional features such as a lowered ejection port, beveled magazine well, and three dot sights. These are nice functional upgrades that are not found on truly base 1911’s such as the GI model. The changes I made above represent personal preferences, and also enhance the pistol's ergonomics and functionality without detracting from the classic appeal of the Mil Spec.
EDIT 01/21/2011 - Further upgrades here: https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?p=884395#19
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Originally Posted by woodandsteel
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