The more I learn...

[VetPsychWars]

The more I learn the more I think a lot of people (and parts makers) are completely full of it.

As you know, I have a circa-1918 Model of 1911 that I actually shoot. I either shoot milspec ball or Federal Hydra-Shock, which is kinda-sorta the same as milspec ball except it's a hollow point.

I'd used some fancy junk in the past, mostly Wolff springs, and paid attention when someone who allegedly knew more than I did made recommendations.

This last one just put me over, though.

Some forum idiot said that ISMI springs are just the cat's ass and that I had to have one. Well, what the heck, springs are cheap, I'll try it out. I currently have a Colt recoil spring in my M1911, and when last I shot, my pistol ran like a champ! It didn't feel excessive either with the slide coming back or the slide moving forward. It felt... balanced. Previously with the Wolff recoil spring, it didn't.

So I get the ISMI spring today. I got the 16# spring because allegedly that's "standard".

Put it in, and it was noticeably heavier than the Colt spring!

Tried to take it off my recoil spring guide and it would Just Not Let Go. It's off now. It's also in the trash.

When I buy parts from Colt they just fit and they work. The latest was a new Colt barrel and barrel bushing. Fits like a GI barrel ought to and the accuracy is pretty darn good. If I had a rest to shoot from, I don't doubt it would shoot to WWI specifications. As a carry gun, it's plenty good!

It kind of pisses me off all of the "you gotta get this" and "you gotta do that" advice. As near as I can tell, maybe for some fancy race gun it's important but for a military-grade pistol, it's all a bunch of useless crap. But I see people repeating the same garbage over and over....

I did get some other parts from EGW that I think will be worth-while. I got their max-spec pin kit, and as near as I can tell they are max but not oversize, so they'll fit my M1911. I also got their hard sear and it came with a decent enough polish on it that it might work without fitting.

But I am seriously done with most of those forum idiots. I will be plenty happy to have my military-tight M1911 and know that it will work each and every time.

By the way, Gus, read the private message I sent you last month. :-)

Tom

[Johnny P]

Remember, there is a whole industry out there making things for your pistol that you don't need.

[VetPsychWars]

Remember, there is a whole industry out there making things for your pistol that you don't need.

Got that right!!

Tom

[gonna]

Since you don't actually ccw the gov't model, any argument about it doesn't mean much, cause you probablly won't have it when you need a pistol. I'll take a pocket 9mm any day, just because it's so easy to always be 1/2 second away from firing it, discretely having hand in pocket. :-)

[da gimp]

I routinely carry concealed either a C series Colt 1911A1 in .45ACP, an old S&W mod 29, 4", .44mag & or a S&W mod 36, 1 1/2" in .38spec. The point is wear clothes to conceal but not hinder accress to your carry piece......

[VetPsychWars]

Since you don't actually ccw the gov't model, any argument about it doesn't mean much, cause you probablly won't have it when you need a pistol. I'll take a pocket 9mm any day, just because it's so easy to always be 1/2 second away from firing it, discretely having hand in pocket. :-)

Ah, my M1911 IS my carry pistol. I don't know where you got that I don't carry it....

Tom

[Gus Fisher]

Had a customer bring up his Series 80 Colt Gold Cup pistol again to the Gun Show this past weekend. He had purchased a COLT SS STANDARD thumb safety from Colt and I had to FIT it to that pistol by filing it so it would clear and go up and down properly. The safety was still in the Colt package, so there was no doubt it was a Colt part. He also had purchased a NM adjustable trigger that was wider FOR the Gold Cup and that took VERY little work to get it to slide smoothly, though it was not quite a drop in part. The "filler block" that fills in the space left for the levers of the Series 80 frame fit well, though I polished the interior face just a bit with a polishing stone just to make sure it was good and smooth. Either I did not explain it properly enough to get the point across or the customer forgot, so now he has to get a Series 70 hammer and a replacement sear as the sear was a VERY poor aftermarket that does not work correctly. Hopefully at the next gun show he will have the parts and I can finish the pistol for him. So even some COLT parts have to be fitted to COLT pistols and are not drop in parts.

The CLOSEST thing to a TRULY "interchangeable parts firearm" where there was NO fitting of parts required was the WWII M1911A1 pistols. STILL, after working on them in both standard and NM configuration in the Corps for about 18 years of my 26 year casreer, not every part was a drop in fit even with those pistols.