Underrated 1911 modifications and lessons from the front sight.

[TonyF]

Using Lycan's outstanding thread starting post as an example of modifying the 1911 to suit the shooter for improved effectiveness, personally I cannot fire a 1911 with a short 1911A1 trigger and hit anything to speak of. I either push or pull the pistol to the left or right with the pad of my trigger finger resting on the trigger. No amount of shifting the pad of my trigger finger around seems to help.

If I take the same 1911 and install a long trigger, and hook the trigger directly on the first joint of my trigger finger, I can bust standard claybirds standing on their edges on the 25 yard berm all day. That's an example of an inexpensive, practical mod that makes all the difference in results.

Good stuff in the OP; well done, Lycan.

Noah

My experience with triggers is just the opposite which serves to reinforce your excellent point.

[Lycanthrope]

My experience with triggers is just the opposite which serves to reinforce your excellent point.

Which is my point about triggers and how important they are. I KNOW that a flat trigger at .400 inches runs best for me. It's worth the effort to find what parks the front sight best for you. What feels good, however, is not a good indicator.

I worked with a new shooter tonight that was able to shoot 6" plates at 40 yards when switching between 3 differing types of 1911 triggers.

Lycanworththeexperimentthrope

[Gun]

Step 6: Springs and firing pin stops. This is all about timing and has more to do with follow up shots. The recoil spring and mainspring work together, but the angle of the squared (versus the usual rounded) firing pin stop will slow the rearward slide velocity. That means you can use a lower poundage mainspring and still not have frame battering.

Did you mean recoil spring?


I use a 22# recoil spring on a Colt Commander. Along with a FPS having a much smaller radius, I get very little muzzle flip shooting full power ammo.

[Lycanthrope]

Did you mean recoil spring?


I use a 22# recoil spring on a Colt Commander. Along with a FPS having a much smaller radius, I get very little muzzle flip shooting full power ammo.

No, I meant mainspring, but recoil spring would also apply to a degree since they work in tandem. You could leave in a full power mainspring (or increased poundage) and reduce your recoil spring without frame battering. Just how much is going to depend on the gun and other factors. Every gun will have a differing operating envelope. A 22lb recoil spring on a 5" 1911 is probably going to hammer the lugs on the barrel, but that's a common weight for the Commander guns due to the light weight of the slide.

I used the example of lowering the mainspring since this is often an easy way to reduce the trigger pull, but significantly reduces the force it takes for the slide to cock the hammer. Using a squared firing pin stop can help offset this.

The force required to cycle the slide rearward varies over the stroke. Getting the gun out of battery takes a lot of force since you must overcome the mainspring and recoil spring together (and the point where the slide contacts the hammer will increase or decrease poundage needed to unlock the gun regardless of the weight of the mainspring). Once the hammer is cocked, the slide is only working against the recoil spring. The mainspring/FP stop angle bleeds off a lot more slide velocity than people think.

Lycanthinksaboutspringsalotthrope