Are 1911 parts from diffferent manufacturers interchangeale?

[Pistol Packin Preacher]

I spoke with a man yesterday that said He changed out some inner parts of his Citadel 1911 for Kimber parts.

How many parts are interchangeable on 1911s and can you use parts from most any makes?

How specific are the parts?

I never considered this as a possibility.

I do not have any experience with 1911s (looking to purchase however!) and wanted to increase my knowledge in this area.

Thanks for any and all assistance!

God bless!!

Pistol Packin Preacher

[Noah_Zark]

Iin general, lockwork/fire control group parts like hammer, trigger, sear, disconnector, sear spring, axis pins, safety lever, etc. are interchangeable across 1911 manufacturers. That's NOT to say that some fitting may be required; for example, you just can't swap the entire fire control group from one 1911 into another and expect things to be just fine. It is entirely possible that the safety will not work properly, or the lockwork may not even function. Swapping 1911 lockwork parts frequently requires fitting of parts and adjustment of the sear spring for two examples, and IMO such a practice is best left to individuals with 1911 platform experience.

Case in point: As a Marine armorer (2111) in the 70s and 80s, I frequently worked on M1911A1 pistols. Our expedient practice for fitting safety levers was the "lather-rinse-repeat" method of trying a number of different safety levers and performing function checks with each one until the weapon worked as it should with a particular safety. On occasion we would break out the stones and grind to fit. Replacing a sear or hammer with fractured contact edges wasn't a simple "drop-in" swap, especially on pistols that were 40 yrs old and had been around the world four or five times. Frequently, replacing a sear meant that a hammer and/or safety lever and possibly a disconnector may need changed out as well in order for the weapon to function properly during running down the function checklist. But I digress.

Beyond the fire control/lockwork parts, if you're talking about 5" "Gov't Models" most other parts are interchangeable to varying degrees. For example, Colt 1911s from the 70s and just into the 80s have a collet-type barrel bushing and the muzzle end of the barrel has a slight "taper" to mate with the collet fingers. Standard bushings don't work with Series 70 Mk IV barrels, and standard barrels don't work with collet bushings.

Once you get into Compacts, Officers, and other shorter 1911 models, things like regoil spring assemblies, guide rods, barrel bushings, barrels, etc. may or may not interchange among models from different manufacturers. Some models have no separate, removable barrel bushing at all -- the Colt Defender, for example.

In the 21st century we not have CNC machining techniques and the much misunderstood and maligned Metal Injection Molding parts. In my experience I've found that weapons and parts made with these higher-precision manufacturing techniques and methods are much more uniform dimensionally and parts interchangeability without fitting is more the norm than the exception.

The short answer is like what the pharmacist told the elderly woman when she inquired about what he recommended for incontinence -- "Depends."

Noah

[Pistol Packin Preacher]

When you state 5" Gov't models does include the 5" models with titles such as the AC "Trophy" model I was looking at?

Would it be accurate to state this is listed as "Trophy" due to more sutle aestetic changes on the outside such as grip, sights, etc, and not the actual inner workings?

And would it be true to state any 1911 has parts out there that will fit it (maybe a little work to do so) to improve the inner workings of the firearm?

Though some are already at a high level such as the Les Baer and Magnum Reasearch that this function is totally un-neccessary.

I apologize for all the questions but I want to get a better understanding so I would know, if you buy a cheap firearm - either "it will always be a cheap firearm" or like the six million dollar man "We can make him better!"

Thanks!

Pistol Packin Preacher

[Noah_Zark]

Reverend:

I have no direct personal experience or secondhand anecdotal information about the American Classic 1911 pistols and cannot comment.

Too many manufacturers are making slight design changes to their versions of the 1911 to make assumptions. For example: Some 1911s use the internal "beam type" extractor, and other newer 1911s use a spring-loaded pivoting extractor. I've not handled or have even seen an American Classic 1911, so I have to decline comment.

Noah

[Pistol Packin Preacher]

I realize you are making a general statement about the general internal configurations of the 1911 and not the AC specifically.

I was just trying to get the correct understanding that the internals are relatively the same but some may accomplish a specific action in a different way.
That was the idea of bringing up the "Trophy."
It is a 5" that mostlikely will operate under the same system (or similar) but the exotic title may be in reference the the exterior.
I have been recreational shooting for several years and I want to understand the inside better.
This is my opportunity to learn.
Many of the parts you listed are not familiar so I am going to diver deeper to get that understanding.

Actually, you did a great job - now I have a good solid base to start from.
I appreciate that tremendously.

The only correction I will make is to my site name.
I minister the Gospels of Jesus Christ outside of churchs with a group called The Fellowship of Christian Farmers (www.fcfi.org).
We do Ag related events and we are doing more outdoor sports (mainly hunting/fishing) expos.
Most are hunting and firearm related.
I read a book called "Pistol Packin Preachers of the Old West" that told of how preachers rode by horse or horse and carriage and preached the word of God.
How they did so oftern brandishing revolver and shotgun.
Sometimes on guard against rowdies in the crowd and sometimes on guard agaisnt the Mexican army (Mexican law was only Catholicism could be taught and these were Baptist and Methodist.)
I do the same but from either our Grand Am or F150 and I am Pentacostal!
So, I am not a actually a Reverand.
Infact a lot of them are kind of suspicious because they cannot believe God is outside their 4 walls.
There are a lot of great ones - but a lot of not so great ones also.

Thanks again - it is greatly apprectiated.

Pistol Packin Preacher

[BDK]

The "Trophey" title could apply yes to the external features or it could refer to a 1911 thats been modified for increases accuracy for shooting matches.

Your general 1911 is looser on some standards than the ones that are tightened for target competition.

All the ignition parts function on the same design. But as Noah pointed out some manufactuerers have been switching over the external extractors rather than the original spec internal. Also some makers have been adding additional safety cut out features like Colt's Series 80 Firing Pin Safety, Springfield Armory's ILS system in the main spring housings, and I believe Taurus uses a cut off as well but its built into the hammer maybe?

[Neko456]

A rule of thumb most of the outside parts are interchangeable so extented slide release need trimming and maybe extented mag rel3eases. So I guess the answer is No. Going by my experience just the mags fits most times. Internal springs and barrel stuff, turn caps ... usually fit.

[Noah_Zark]

I realize you are making a general statement about the general internal configurations of the 1911 and not the AC specifically.

I was just trying to get the correct understanding that the internals are relatively the same but some may accomplish a specific action in a different way.

Given the above, yes, the various makes and models of 1911s have largely the same internal configuration (tilting barrel, lugged barrel and slide, single-action trigger) and do function the same. The devil is in the details, as the saying goes, and many of the 1911s available differ in details and tolerances -- for example, internal vs. external extractors; no recoil spring guide or full length recoil spring guide rod; cylindrically bushed barrel/non-bushed barrel/ collet bushed barrel; etc.

As an aside, interesting info as to your background and religious beliefs. Thanks. Personally, I tend to pay less attention to "rules made my man" and go more with the "Word of God." But that's all anyone will hear from me on the subject.

Best,

Noah

[bigedp51]

Pistol Packin Preacher

I'm not trying to change the subject but firearms are like cars and as an example GM buys parts from its venders made to GMs specifications.

I have a Remington R1 and I put Cylinder and Slide parts in it and I could have ordered the same parts from many other 1911 parts venders.

As an example the first trigger I purchased "fit" BUT had far more visable gap at the top between the trigger and frame.

Example: All women are the same but they come in different sizes and temperaments (and some of them do not fit at all)

[Pistol Packin Preacher]

Thanks everyone for all the very good information.

I want to go deeper into the workings of firearms (I prefer not to call them weapons due to that makes them sound strictly offensive in nature and they have many, many more uses).

In your opinion are the on-line Gunsmithing schools worth their sand?
This could be considered option #1 (I don't have time to live in Pittsburgh for a year and attend the great school out there).
If so are there any recommendations?

So option #2 would be to get maybe a good DVD program to use to learn about the different firearm parts and their functions.

Option #3 would be a good book or two to help identify parts and their functions.

Then of course their is last but not least option #4 - Borrow one of your 1911's to dismantle and hope I don't have to show up at your door with a shoebox full of gun parts, scratching my head and quoting Maxwell Smart; "Missed it by that much!"
My acocuntant does not like the shoebox policy and I feel you guys would be just as thrilled!

I will be buying a 1911 real soon - I am looking into an American Classic or RIA (but then Ruger has an outside chance, also). I hope to order one this week if all goes well. The only thing holding me back is which one.

Are there any other options that I am missing?

Thanks again everyone!

Px3