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1911 upgrades and help

carlton wright

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The Hen that laid the Golden Legos
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I'm getting a original 79 series colt mk vi Friday and I'm thinking of changing some parts out for wilson combat parts. Should I do this or keep it original for collectors value I plan to shoot it but not carry it its in really good shape . What parts dof you recommend I change out if any and are there any confident gun smith's that don't charge and arm and a leg . I have worked on a lot of guns but never a 1911 is it that difficult I know there's a lot of parts and I'm kind of skiddish about working on it my self . The sights are already changed out. I'm thinking trigger and magwell but not sure . Any help would be great thanks
 
I would shoot it first, more than a few times, before I considered changing anything.
 
It likely will not be collectable anytime soon, unless it was involved in a famous moment in history or it is over 50 years old. I would make it into whatever you want it to be, based on how you plan to use it.
 
As mentioned, shoot it first.

Colts out of the box have good triggers. I prefer about a 4.5 pound pull. and if more than that on a stock setup, it is easy to get to via spring work, NO need to touch the hammer or sear. On a used gun, I always put all new springs in so I know what I have, this is a good time to get to where you want to be on pull.

If you are itching to change stuff, put new grips on it and go shooting.

Enjoy that 100+ year old design, works as well today as it did in the Wright Brothers' day.
 
Like everyone has said, shoot it first. Changing out the springs is a good idea also. Just know that if you start swapping out internals for WC, you will end up spending $150-200 for everything. Also, order then from WC site so you know you are getting the real deals and no a knock off. Grips can make a 1911 feel like a totally new and different gun, so have fun.
 
Shoot and enjoy! Swap out the grips all you want, maybe a S&A magwell if you really want. A fresh 16 or 17 lb recoil spring is a good Idea.

The best thing you can do, is learn how to detail strip the gun. Ive never understood why the 1911 got the reputation of being complicated to strip. There are 4 moving parts inside the frame.

Speaking of those parts, its a Colt, it has some of the highest quality internals of any mass produced 1911. A good gunsmith can do a trigger job on the stock internals that your grand children will still enjoy. Where most people go wrong is trying to replace parts without understanding how they interact with each other. Understand the pistol and how it works, later if you really want to replace something, you have to be clear on everything it will effect. I cringe every time I see a perfectly good Colt or Springfield with a bunch of poorly fit aftermarket parts, and a guy complaining about how unreliable it is.... dont do it!!

On Wilson Combat parts, the line of "Bullet Proof" parts are really nice, and what they use in their own guns. Anything else, you are just buying the name, nothing better or worse than any other after market parts.

I dont mean to discourage you from working on your pistol, lord knows they are all "base guns" for me, but they are not ARs, even "drop in" parts need to be properly fit, and understanding how they work involves some research. and time, other wise you wind up with a frustrating paper weight.
 
For grips you can check out godagrip.com. They have a line of 1911 grips that he has made specifically for the 1911. He has them on all his 1911's. I believe his website also has his phone number. I have a set of them on my Para Ordinance expert carry and really like them.
 
In the "if it were me" category:

Wilson Combat makes a very easy to install mag well--it has a hook on each side that is used to hook over the grip screw bushings. It is very easy to install and only requires modification of the grips. You can buy a second set of rubber grips if you do not wish to modify yours. The rubber grips will work without modification. I have used this magwell , and I like it better than the Smith and Alexander type. I have used both. Once, I dropped my 1911 while cleaning. The impact pushed one side of a Smith and Alexander mag well slightly inward. This was discovered when the mags would no longer drop free. The Wilson will not collapse as easily.



As far as triggers go: use any major brand that has an aluminum shoe and a full size trigger stirrup. The lightened stirrups are thinner and easily bent out of spec.
 
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