1911 .45 ACP Tips and Tricks

Search up 'jason burton 1911 safety'. I found it to be the most helpful video on fitting a thumb safety.

aaaaa said:

Thought this might be a fun idea.

I'll start with something that came out of another thread where someone said to manually insert a round in the chamber and so you don't have to rack one in. Many came back with "don't do it, you will break the extractor." I can see that is very true as it would have to force the extractor around the rim. In fact, in racking snap caps through my 1911 I have had fails where the round did not hook into the extractor and the slide sat about 1-2 mm open because the extractor was pressing the back of the round. But I did figure out how to chamber a round without racking one in from the magazine. All you have to do is, with the slide locked back, twist a round in and under the extractor, then gently lower the slide. Works on my Charles Daly Field .45 ACP.

Lets hear some other tips and tricks for these magnificent guns.

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Why would you want to do that?

Best one I have learned with 1911s is: Only ever change one thing at a time.

Also, make changes small.

Also, just because [it] is New-in-Box is no guarantee.

And, be prepared to need [thing] to do [other thing].
So you want a new front sight? No sweat, but get a front sight staking tool, first.

aaaaa said:

I'll start with something that came out of another thread where someone said to manually insert a round in the chamber and so you don't have to rack one in. Many came back with "don't do it, you will break the extractor." I can see that is very true as it would have to force the extractor around the rim. In fact, in racking snap caps through my 1911 I have had fails where the round did not hook into the extractor and the slide sat about 1-2 mm open because the extractor was pressing the back of the round. But I did figure out how to chamber a round without racking one in from the magazine. All you have to do is, with the slide locked back, twist a round in and under the extractor, then gently lower the slide. Works on my Charles Daly Field .45 ACP.

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This sounds like you need to tune the extractor tension. This is the process I use, and it works great with my 1911s.



Supposedly, WC Bulletproof extractors don't need to be tuned because they are heat treated at the correct angle. You could also just try using their extractor to prevent tuning it yourself, but I haven't tried this personally.

https://shopwilsoncombat.com/EXTRACTOR-70-SERIES-1911-45-ACP-BULLET-PROOF-BLUE/productinfo/415-70/

Parris Island 1964 familiarization firing the 1911A1 ( two magazines of 7 rounds each) Vietnam 1965/66 issued a 1911A1 supplemented it with a M14 rifle. As this is written a Colt and Springfield 1911 in my inventory of firearms. I leave mine stock as it comes from the manufacture. Should there be a problem I've found a gunsmith more knowable than I. Past the mid point of my seventh decade if there is a problem I let the previously mentioned gunsmith resolves all problems.

My recommendation:

Completely disassemble and reassemble a 1911 a couple times.

You will gain insight and knowledge retained by way too few of us. Once accomplished, tuning is super easy, and an untuned 1911 is as sinful as a Glock. Any Glock. Seriously.

I agree with the disassembly thing.

If the Glock is sinful, its simply because youve come to realize, the church of the 1911 has been lying to you all along.

My SA A1 gave me brass to the forehead. I installed one of the Wilson Bullet Proof extractors and it did take some tuning to cycle-eject properly. 1911 Tuner had chimed in on that thread too so the combined advice allowed me to get mine running well. Was a great learning experience to take it all apart and assemble.

aaaaa said:

Find me a junk 1911 for pocket change and I'll do it! Oh, i get there would be a lot of learning but not on my new and only 1911. Besides my dad always said, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

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You don’t ever do a deep cleaning of your 1911? I do at least one every year.

Ru4real said:

Completely disassemble and reassemble a 1911 a couple times.

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I agree with this.

CapnMac said:

Only ever change one thing at a time.

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and this.

Endlessly practice using the thumb safety.
Mark your magazines.
Lube before use. Even if you lubed it when you last put it away.

Save yourself some frustration and avoid the dreaded “idiot mark” by making this simple mod to your slide stop:



A few minutes work with a hand file is all it takes to cut the small notch indicated. It allows the plunger to fit into the stop and make it easier to insert the stop and depress the plunger. Otherwise you run the risk of the slide stop slipping, which results in a scratch - commonly referred to as the “idiot mark” (because as soon as you do it, you feel like an idiot!).

A couple of higher end makers have slide stops that already have the relief cut…why they don’t all do it must come down to cost.

The 1911 is one of the easiest pistols to detail strip.

Atavar said:

You don’t ever do a deep cleaning of your 1911? I do at least one every year.

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However, as a counter point, years ago on a 1911 forum, one of the experienced, long time members commented, "do we detail strip our 1911's because we need to, or because we can?"

Does anybody detail strip their Ruger P90, S&W 4506, or HK USP on a regular basis? If you don't, has their performance or reliability suffered because you've only field stripped them?

When a shooting friend gets a new full-sized pistol, congratulate them.

Pro Tip: Don't bring a 1911 to the range when they are trying out their brand-new polymer pistol for the first time, because you will embarrass them.

(I usually bring a Ruger P-series so that they can feel good about their new pistol's ergonomics and trigger.)

aaaaa said:

Lets hear some other tips and tricks for these magnificent guns.

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1911 tips - here are some video's I've found helpful.

1. Lots of "a manual safety will get you killed on the street" all over gun forums. Well, if your thumb is always on the thumb safety, from when you obtain a master grip on the holstered gun, it seems less likely you'll forget.

The late Ed Head showing the draw stroke beginning at about the :40 mark



further emphasis with Doug Koenig on how to grip the pistol. Note where his right hand thumb ends up.

Maybe try and avoid this.

trackskippy said:

Maybe try and avoid this.

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And since there are always a bunch of Condition 2 folks in 1911 threads, there is this thread from member PcolaDawg

Edit to add: PcolaDawg mentions the 1911 was designed to be carried in Condition 1. This is not true. You can carry it anyway you want, but modern techniques will almost all teach Condition 1 carry. It is the most efficient way to use the 1911, but if it's not for you, you can choose something else. Just be aware of potential problems.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...l-confess-a-horrible-sin-in-the-hopes.441761/

You can use Condition 2 just like any of the other 1911 Conditions of Carry, but you need to realize the potential safety hazards. To get the gun into Condition 2, you need to defeat all of the gun's safeties and pull the trigger with a loaded round in the chamber. I'm sure there is a situation where Condition 2 carry would be advantageous to me, but I haven't found it yet.

A Conditions of Carry video, certainly over the top, and it's not a video on how to lower the hammer on a 1911, it is to demonstrate the potential for problems with Condition 2, so folks don't have to pass on how they lower the hammer on a loaded 1911, since that is not the point of the video.

Best Tip - get Jerry Kuhnhausen's book on the 1911.
Next best tip- get Army TM 9-1005-211-34, Direct and General Support Maintenance Manual, Pistol, Caliber .45, Automatic, M1911A1.

If these mystify you, there is a series of disassembly/reassembly/how they work videos on You Tube, the one about the 1911 should help visual learners. These are 'see through'/ cutaway illustrations.

Youtube is also a great resource for walking you through take down and reassembly. Just look for those that are done by someone professional.

There are a number of good "animations" to be found there as well.