Colt M1991A1 - Police Trade In

Not yet. The series 80 system isn't that big a problem for me. Although I'm sure I will eventually do it. Just because I can't leave well enough alone

Update on the 1911.

While the duckbill grip safety was ok for a while, I wanted something more comfortable.  Looked hard into my options, and settled on a Wilson Combat "drop in" beavertail.  It was not really a drop in, but I knew that going in.  Took a little bit of filing a couple of the edges of the lever on the safety before it would operate correctly.  However, I did NO filing on the frame itself.  I learned that Bill Wilson patterned this grip safety to drop in on Colt 1911's, which was perfect for me.

And of course, the old style spur hammer had to go.  I had heard that a Colt hammer should drop in without additional fitting.  I ordered the old style Commander ring hammer and, sure enough, dropped right in perfectly.  The trigger pull is actually a little bit more crisp than with the prior hammer.

Here's a latest picture.  To say I'm smitten with this 1911 is an understatement.  I shot 100 rounds through it over the weekend and almost forgot how much I enjoy shooting this pistol.

Your trigger pull is a function of a number of things, not the least of which is how the hammer hooks are cut (and how the sear is shaped). The hammer hooks take a straight cut and measure approach, leaving enough hook to make it safe for what you do (target shooting is less, but gun is more "itchy"). The sear can be configured to either give a breaking glass type break or the I-don't-know-when kind - but it must be done on a special jig for that. IF you want to get into such things, Brownell's has them.

Last, of course, is the tension of the 3-finger spring.

BTW, I like that gun!

Thanks Dev. I don't mean to brag, but I think it's got a dead-serious look to it, that I like quite a bit.

That 1911 is awesome--I really like the way it looks. Thanks for the update. How does it shoot?

Shoots very well. The sights were initially just a little off for me, point of impact at 13 yards was about 1 inch to the right. I bought a fixed-sight-adjuster and moved the rear sight so now sights are mostly right on. Impact is just a smidge low, so that if I cover the bullseye with my front sight I will nail it every time.

However, I am ok with that. When shooting at speed (as I would if using this pistol for defense) I know darn well that I'm gonna be putting that front sight over what I want to hit. I wish I could say that I'll put the front sight at a 6:00 hold, but I know better.

Had some minor issues with a magazine that has metal follower. On the very last round in the mag, that metal follower was doing something to make nose of the last round go too high and not feed. However, as long as I'm shooting Wilson or Tripp mags, with plastic followers, there are never any malfunctions.

Now that I've got the new beavertail and hammer installed, I'm actually a little bummed. I can't think of anything else I want to do to this pistol. And that is a little disconcerting.

Tennessee Jed wrote:Now that I've got the new beavertail and hammer installed, I'm actually a little bummed.  I can't think of anything else I want to do to this pistol.  And that is a little disconcerting.  

Ha ha, SHOOT the heck out of it!!!

Glad to hear it is working out nicely.

If you like the looks of your grips, you might consider a green laser by Crimson Trace JUST the addition to a totally neat gun.

Ok, so I THOUGHT I was done making changes to the 1911.  However, a safety officer at my range is an apprentice for a local gunsmith.  He's a really great kid.  Fairly young, his wife is pregnant, and I know he could use some money.

Few weeks ago, he showed me a few 1911's he's done trigger jobs on and . . . holy cow . . . the triggers were amazing.  Said he'd do a trigger job on my 1911 for $75.  Hell, I would've GIVEN him the $75 just because he's a good kid who needed it, but sure, why not?

Got the pistol back last week and the trigger pull is freaking perfect.  It was about 6 1/2 pounds before, now it's just a hair under 5 pounds. Best of all, it has that breaking glass rod feel to it.  

First 8 shots went into one hole at 13 yards.

I was so happy, I paid him the $75, and gave him another $25 as a tip.

I love it! Always great to pay good people for a good product.