Colt 1911, what kind of sacrilege?

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It's a Series 80 with a plastic trigger and mainspring housing. But it was in the family since it was new in 1992. I sold it, then traded to get it back as a back up gun to my latest match pistol.

I'm thinking I'll put a beavertail grip safety with palm swell on it because the Government grip safety gets tangled up in my hand on reloads. Then an extended thumb safety. And a Smith and Alexander ribbed mainspring housing with mag guide. And probably notched grip panels.

Maybe put in a stainless steel replacement trigger, and depending on the trigger pull maybe the TJ's "Series 80 to Series 70 conversion shim" to get some excess pieces and parts out of the way to improve the trigger. I will probably avoid that if I can if for no other reason than the debate it will cause here.

Discuss.
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wsfiredude;n86978 said:
So long as you keep the parts, you could always restore it to bone stock.
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If it was an older Series 70, I wouldn't even think of doing what I'm going to do. The gun shoots very well, but I just can't abide the plastic parts so I figure I'll get it like I want it. I had thought about having the slide cut for better sights, but I'm not sure I can bring myself to do that. It's not a museum piece by any stretch, but it has some provenance for me anyway.
 
At one time, I had a 1991A1 that I made similar changes to....

Swapped out the MSH, trigger, rear sight and installed a beavertail safety. I wanted to retain the ability to return the slide/frame to stock condition, so instead of modifying the pistol to fit the parts, I modified the parts to fit the pistol.
 
Get rid of the factory duckbill grip safety and replace it with this: http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Beavertail-Grip-Safety-Drop-In-Government-Blue/productinfo/429BG/

Add a S&A magwell.

Add a new thumb safety if you are having problems disengaging the stock one.

Change the grips if you want to.

Leave the factory trigger and 80 series parts alone.You won't notice hardly any difference in the trigger pull with the 80 series parts gone.

Shoot the daylights out of it.
 
Do all that stuff to your Springer and leave the Colt alone. If you do change the Colt, you can always change it back if you keep the original parts. You can remove the Series 80 parts without having to change anything else. It's your gun so you should be able to do what you want to make it better for you. I just hate to see the older Colt guns messed with.
I have a 1984 Series 80 that is bone stock except for the grips and I still have the originals. Your thread has given me a hankering to get it out and shoot it. I just may do that this weekend.
 
fuelpiper;n87053 said:
I bet the old smith's at Colt couldn't sleep after they started using nylon parts.
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The plastic ribs on the mainspring housing are soft and have gotten boogered up over the years, even with minimal use. I want an S&A mag guide anyway so I figure I'll get rid of that mainspring housing in the process. I'll have the thumb safety loose in the process, and change that for an extended one, too. [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/www.brownells.com\/userdocs\/skus\/l_849000022_1.jpg"}[/IMG2]
 
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I'd say go all out and do anything and everything the budget will allow. It isn't that old or a collectors item. Unless your Dad, Uncle, etc owned it just do it up right. You know the frame is good so build it as perfectly as you can and hand down a nice piece to a son. Since it is your money I'd say send it to a custom guy and make it perfect. And post pics when done.
 
CZfool68;n87110 said:
I'd say go all out and do anything and everything the budget will allow. It isn't that old or a collectors item. Unless your Dad, Uncle, etc owned it just do it up right. You know the frame is good so build it as perfectly as you can and hand down a nice piece to a son. Since it is your money I'd say send it to a custom guy and make it perfect. And post pics when done.
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It was dad's, but he bought it new the last couple of years of his life with lots of other guns. He'd wrench the crap out of his stuff with no regard for devaluing it, so he wouldn't begrudge me of getting it like I want.
 
fieldgrade;n87113 said:
It was dad's, but he bought it new the last couple of years of his life with lots of other guns. He'd wrench the crap out of his stuff with no regard for devaluing it, so he wouldn't begrudge me of getting it like I want.
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Then I'd do it up in honor of him. Maybe add a feature you think he'd like. Custom grip or something maybe. Glad you got it back.
 
fieldgrade;n87056 said:
The plastic ribs on the mainspring housing are soft and have gotten boogered up over the years, even with minimal use. I want an S&A mag guide anyway so I figure I'll get rid of that mainspring housing in the process. I'll have the thumb safety loose in the process, and change that for an extended one, too. [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/www.brownells.com\/userdocs\/skus\/l_849000022_1.jpg"}[/IMG2]
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Thats the magwell/MSH I had on my Colt. Worked well and I had no problem with any mags not being seated.
 
Amp Mangum;n87034 said:
Get rid of the factory duckbill grip safety and replace it with this: http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Beavertail-Grip-Safety-Drop-In-Government-Blue/productinfo/429BG/

Add a S&A magwell.

Add a new thumb safety if you are having problems disengaging the stock one.

Change the grips if you want to.

Leave the factory trigger and 80 series parts alone.You won't notice hardly any difference in the trigger pull with the 80 series parts gone.

Shoot the daylights out of it.
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Unless you care about looks, cause that drop in may have been the ugliest thing in the gun world before hi-point.

If you want to improve the pull a Cylinder & Slide trigger kit dropped right in my Springfield no fitting, can't swear it'll do the same in a Colt. Or get a good book and some files/stones.

I'm firmly in the just a gun camp. If ever my dad's Colt 1911s land in my hands they'll almost certainly be modded, well except the one he built from parts collected at gunshows back when he "didn't have any money." The again I've never sold a gun and have no plans to.
 
Beef15;n87397 said:
Unless you care about looks, cause that drop in may have been the ugliest thing in the gun world before hi-point.

If you want to improve the pull a Cylinder & Slide trigger kit dropped right in my Springfield no fitting, can't swear it'll do the same in a Colt. Or get a good book and some files/stones.

I'm firmly in the just a gun camp. If ever my dad's Colt 1911s land in my hands they'll almost certainly be modded, well except the one he built from parts collected at gunshows back when he "didn't have any money." The again I've never sold a gun and have no plans to.
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I put a Smith and Alexander magwell/mainspring housing on my new stainless Springfield. Fits perfect and looks great. I talked to Mr. Alexander when I ordered it. According to him he invented the thing and used to make them for Colt's custom shop, until he got tired of fooling with corporate clients. So I will roll the dice with him again. He also makes the beavertail grip safeties. I've got to decide whether to order his, or the Wilson. About the same price. He doesn't carry the extended thumb safety so I'll be ordering that from Wilson either way.
 
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So the S&A grip safety requires fitting as does one of the Wilsons, but Wilson also has a drop in grip safety so I guess I'll go with that.
 
The Wilson drop in grip safety will not look as good as one properly installed by a gunsmith but you will not have to cut the frame tangs and it will be far more comfortable to use than the poorly designed factory "duckbill" grip safety.
 
Amp Mangum;n87450 said:
The Wilson drop in grip safety will not look as good as one properly installed by a gunsmith but you will not have to cut the frame tangs and it will be far more comfortable to use than the poorly designed factory "duckbill" grip safety.
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I ordered the drop-in grip safety from Wilson. I can't stand that factory duckbill on reloads but just don't want to start modding the frame. Trigger is measuring about 5.5 - 6 lb of pull, but feels pretty good. The Springfield that is my "primary" is about 4lb. I think I will leave the guts alone in the Colt for now and just get the other controls straightened out to suit me just so I can operate the thing as a back up.
 
Beef15;n87397 said:
If you want to improve the pull a Cylinder & Slide trigger kit dropped right in my Springfield no fitting, can't swear it'll do the same in a Colt.
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I was checking their site and couldn't find this. If you can point me to it I'd like to check it out. I did order some more of those thumb notched grips that you pointed me to at Fusion Firearms a month or two ago.
 
fieldgrade;n87542 said:
I was checking their site and couldn't find this. If you can point me to it I'd like to check it out. I did order some more of those thumb notched grips that you pointed me to at Fusion Firearms a month or two ago.
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I didn't see them on their site either... just a couple "enhancement kits" which are a little more comprehensive.
Maybe they distribute them exclusively through Brownells, that's where I ordered mine, think it's the "Tactical Match" Either that or the Tactical II.
http://www.brownells.com/handgun-par...-prod5502.aspx

Take it you like the grips then? I have yet to start collecting any pieces for my build. Torn between getting a set of them and the "skeleton" style aluminum. Course I could always replace the no character hogues on my Champion...

Mike Overlay finds things better than me. They're on the C&S site under Hammer Sets.
 
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bondjamesbond;n87540 said:
What you suggest is considered as blasphemy young man.
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As for that mainspring housing, this is what I think I will be shooting most of the time in that division, and it just works for me like it is, so I want the same sort of grips, beavertail, mainspring housing and magwell on the Colt.
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fieldgrade;n87437 said:
So the S&A grip safety requires fitting as does one of the Wilsons, but Wilson also has a drop in grip safety so I guess I'll go with that.
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Don't do it, there's no such thing as drop in with a 1911. Get the real thing. :)
 
fuelpiper;n87840 said:
Don't do it, there's no such thing as drop in with a 1911. Get the real thing. :)
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yea, there is. I've done it.
 
fuelpiper;n87840 said:
Don't do it, there's no such thing as drop in with a 1911. Get the real thing. :)
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The mainspring housing and magwell from S&A fit perfect on my Springfield. If the grip safety from Wilson looks really lame I can opt for plan B. The drop in part is only thirty bucks.
 
fuelpiper;87840 said:
Don't do it, there's no such thing as drop in with a 1911. Get the real thing. :)
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The Wilson is as close as it gets, only requires cutting on the safety arm, not the frame, which is why it tends to look awful, huge gaps around the tangs.
 
Found these. Looks interesting considering I'm at about 6lb now. Might not make a lot of sense to go to the expense if I'm not going to change the sights from Mil-Spec, but I do like playing barbie dolls with my guns to see what I can do with them.

http://www.cylinder-slide.com/index....how&ref=1911DI

"drop in" trigger kits for 5.0, 4.5, 4, 3.5, and 3 lb pull

Beef15
Mike Overlay
 
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GI sights? Or something taller in the Gov't dovetail and staked front variety?

If GI and not changing I wouldn't bother with anything else. I guess maybe not everyone hates them like I do.
 
fieldgrade;n87056 said:
The plastic ribs on the mainspring housing are soft and have gotten boogered up over the years, even with minimal use. I want an S&A mag guide anyway so I figure I'll get rid of that mainspring housing in the process. I'll have the thumb safety loose in the process, and change that for an extended one, too. [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/www.brownells.com\/userdocs\/skus\/l_849000022_1.jpg"}[/IMG2]
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Admittedly I've been out of the game on anything 1911 for a couple decades now, but did I hear (or see) correctly when you said there was plastic on the mainspring housing for the ribs? Colt? I'm not sure but I think advancements in human intelligence has come to a screeching halt on planet Earth. At least advancements in taste...what's the word I'm looking for......Gauche? On a Colt?
 
Oldguy;n89884 said:
Admittedly I've been out of the game on anything 1911 for a couple decades now, but did I hear (or see) correctly when you said there was plastic on the mainspring housing for the ribs? Colt? I'm not sure but I think advancements in human intelligence has come to a screeching halt on planet Earth. At least advancements in taste...what's the word I'm looking for......Gauche? On a Colt?
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Yup. The arched grooved mainspring housing on a ~ 1990 blued Colt Govt. is plastic. It seems like someone told me that current STI's are also, but I can't verify that.
 
fieldgrade;n89906 said:
It seems like someone told me that current STI's are also, but I can't verify that.
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yes sir they are, 1911 and 2011s. nary a problem from them
 
Mike Overlay;n89911 said:
yes sir they are, 1911 and 2011s. nary a problem from them
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I imagine that mitigates any unnecessary weight, if that's why they do it. My issue with Colt's grooved mainspring housing is the groove edges are somewhat "sharp" and the plastic is soft enough that they get boogered up real easily over the years with very little use. That problem will be remedied when I install the steel one piece "mag guide" and mainspring housing. I call it that since Mr. Alexander who says he invented it and made them for Colt still calls them that,
 
fieldgrade;n89906 said:
Yup. The arched grooved mainspring housing on a ~ 1990 blued Colt Govt. is plastic. It seems like someone told me that current STI's are also, but I can't verify that.
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Well as they say regarding space flight, carrying concealed weapons and holding your wife up on the bedroom wall, "It's all about weight"!! After I wrote what I did FG, I thought it was weirdly ironic that I was complaining about plastic on a 1911 when the reason I don't carry my blued Series 70 is exactly what? Yep....WEIGHT. Carrying that on my belt while at my normal fighting weight of 150lbs., my pants are in a constant tug of war with one of dem dare Newtonian/Einsteinian principles.

But with 1911's, you can find anything you want for it. And there's a lot of good Smiths. I would at least go for the new mainspring housing, skeletonize the trigger and perhaps extended ambi-safety. Regardless, they're still and always will be great weapons....and Purdy too.
 
So the Smith and Alexander mag "guide"/MSH came in, as did the Wilson Combat beavertail grip safety and extended thumb safety. The S/A MSH is a glove fit as was the last one. The grip safety dropped right in, but y'all were right about the gaps. Of well.

The thumb safety will require a complete rework to ever fit. It needs more files than I have. I called Wilson and described how the slot in the business end of the safety will never fit over the frame, and the pin that connects the safety to the frame wasn't dressed properly after it was welded to the the flat part of the safety so the safety stands off from the frame. They basically said if it is to be, then it is up to me. Not an encouraging conversation. The part simply looked poorly constructed to me.

So I put the factory thumb safety back on.
 
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If your Colt has a standard spur hammer and you install an upswept safety, you'll need to use a compatible ring or rowel-type hammer. You may get lucky and get one that'll drop in and work, and you may not. It's a crapshoot.

Now for the unasked, usually unappreciated advice section.

One...the frame blank was never intended to be a permanent part of the gun. The original intent was to allow trigger smiths to check progress on their work without the hassle of removing and replacing the Series 80 frame levers a half-dozen times. They're soft, and the holes become flanged with use, making it necessary to dress the flanging with a file about every 1500-2,000 rounds or risk dragging on the sear and causing failure to reset properly...which leads to hammer follow or burst fire. Replace the blank when it needs its 4th dressing.

Two...If you remove the Series 80 parts, I strongly advise against letting anyone else shoot the gun.

Should that person have an idiot moment, and shoot himself in the foot....even though the missing parts wouldn't have made any difference...you open yourself up to a ruinous lawsuit should that fact come to light...because you've altered or disabled a designed-in safety feature.

Think your best friend wouldn't dream of suing you? Think again.

When his long-term disability runs out, and his employer terminates him...and he can't meet his mortgage and car payments without robbing his kids' college fund or his retirement nest egg...your assets will start to look awfully tempting.

A civil lawyer's job is getting money for his client, and he will use any and everything at his disposal to do that. Removing a safety would be presented as reckless disregard. That won't end well for you, the defendant.


Just my 2% of a buck.
 
He's forgotten more about 1911's than most of us will ever know!
 
I remember the first time I found out Colts had plastic on them. Rough day.

I am convinced it is what finally caused a major stroke to my father. He just couldn't take it. He didn't have he constitution.
 
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