Mil Spec 1911 Mods

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md7

md7

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Have had a SA Mil Spec 1911 for several months and have fired several hundred rounds through at this point. I’m beginning to have an idea as to what I’d like to tweak. Thought I’d share and see what others have done on their own 1911.

For starters, I like the look and feel of the Mil Spec. Sites, hammer, and GI grip safety are staying. I actually like the sites a lot.

I think a hand fitted barrel bushing is an inexpensive way to tighten accuracy some, so that’s one change.

Beyond that, I’m planning to put in a long solid trigger, tool steel sear and disconnect and have a trigger job done to it. I think a 1911 is capable of excellent triggers and I definitely want to take advantage there.

I like an extended single side thumb safety, and I like the Wilson Combat version so that’s another change.

Lastly, I like the idea of tuning the extractor or checking the extractor to see if tuning is necessary. Considering a Wilson Bullet Proof extractor but may leave the stock one alone as it’s running pretty good already. Thoughts?

The grips are fine. But I saw some VZ double diamonds in black cherry. Looked sharp! Possibly will add those and maybe a front strap checkering but I don’t see that as enhancing performance so one hand I don’t really see the point.

Thought I’d share and also ask THR….. what have you done to yours or did you leave as is and just run it?
 
Last edited:
I have two Colts that are close to what you have that I left stock. They have the long trigger, which I prefer. The only thing I added was Colt gold medallion grips and a Wilson Combat piece that mimics front strap checkering. The piece costs $10 and looks and feels surprisingling good. I put some lube behind it so it wouldn't trap moisture and rust.
 
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md7 said:
I think a hand fitted barrel bushing is an inexpensive way to tighten accuracy some, so that’s one change.
Click to expand...
I think a bushing is about a $50 part, and hand fitting it may be another $100. On a Mil-Spec that's not really inexpensive. Unless my bushing was broken, or I was shooting Bullseye competition and accuracy was holding me back, I'd probably leave it alone.

Beyond that, I’m planning to put in a long solid trigger, tool steel sear and disconnect and have a trigger job done to it. I think a 1911 is capable of excellent triggers and I definitely want to take advantage there.
Click to expand...
Here is a Ted Yost American Handgunner article on triggers. https://americanhandgunner.com/pistolsmithing/the-long-short-of-triggers/

I tend to agree with him, in general a short trigger is a better option, but if you have very large hands you could change it out. A gunsmith can probably give you a wonderful trigger pull with your stock parts. You could also just tell him what you like to have the trigger be, and he could choose the parts he likes to work with.
 
EGW will sell you a bushing based on your measurements of slide and barrel. Not as tight as an individual fit, but enough closer than factory to help.

Ejector tuning is not common. Did you perhaps mean extractor?
 
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Jim Watson said:
EGW will sell you a bushing based on your measurements of slide and barrel. Not as tight as an individual fit, but enough closer than factory to help.

Ejector tuning is not common. Did you perhaps mean extractor?
Click to expand...

Yes, I meant extractor.
 
I bought one with the intention of NOT changing anything but...

I never liked the trigger- it was gritty and a little mushy. Not out of the ordinary for an entry level 1911.

I ordered one of Thunder Mountain's 5-piece hammer sets. The parts are all pre-fit and matched, so they just drop in. The trigger on my 1911 is now one of the best I own. I had to special order a wide-spur hammer because they didn't offer a set with one, but now they do.

This did render the thumb safety inoperable, but a quick dressing with a file and it's back to working great. I'd never taken a 1911 down more than a field strip, but there's plenty of videos to help so I had no problems. Fitting the thumb safety was also easy. Well worth the time and money.
 
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Mainsail said:
I bought one with the intention of NOT changing anything but...

I never liked the trigger- it was gritty and a little mushy. Not out of the ordinary for an entry level 1911.

I ordered one of Thunder Mountain's 5-piece hammer sets. The parts are all pre-fit and matched, so they just drop in. The trigger on my 1911 is now one of the best I own. I had to special order a wide-spur hammer because they didn't offer a set with one, but now they do.

This did render the thumb safety inoperable, but a quick dressing with a file and it's back to working great. I'd never taken a 1911 down more than a field strip, but there's plenty of videos to help so I had no problems. Fitting the thumb safety was also easy. Well worth the time and money.
Click to expand...

That’s really cool. Kind of my thought process too. I like the base gun immensely. Just looking to improve a few things like you’ve done.
 
Of all those, the only one I (just me) would consider is the long trigger.
And that only to cure "hooking" the shorter trigger.

Not my pistol, but I'm still on original parts for all of my 1911 pistols, sears show no exceptional wear, and as long as the engagement surfaces are un-burred, I've (just me) never seen the need to monkey with them.

If you can find one, you might try a collet bushing rather than the labor, expense, and time in a fitted bushing. When the 1911 fires, the barrel drops out of its "fit" to the bushing near immediately, and in a time frame where the round has not yet cleared the muzzle. Mind the changes in how the barrel aligns are in thousandths, so the effect on pistol range targets are probably going to be in eighths, not halves of inches.

For my 2¢ (not yours), I'd keep the milspec milspec, and maybe take the cash and invest in say a Gold Cup or similar match 1911, if the goal was effortless accuracy. But, I'm biased, I'm totally comfortable with a 1911 that's minute of can at pistol ranges. Others are less so. It's your money, spend it how you see fit. If it makes you happy, than I'm happy (others are free to differ).
 
JTQ said:
I think a bushing is about a $50 part, and hand fitting it may be another $100. On a Mil-Spec that's not really inexpensive. Unless my bushing was broken, or I was shooting Bullseye competition and accuracy was holding me back, I'd probably leave it alone.


Here is a Ted Yost American Handgunner article on triggers. https://americanhandgunner.com/pistolsmithing/the-long-short-of-triggers/

I tend to agree with him, in general a short trigger is a better option, but if you have very large hands you could change it out. A gunsmith can probably give you a wonderful trigger pull with your stock parts. You could also just tell him what you like to have the trigger be, and he could choose the parts he likes to work with.
Click to expand...

What does Ted Yost know.... :rofl: I too prefer a short trigger but I have tiny hands. LOL In the end people should choose whatever trigger feels good tor them.

md7 said:
Have had a SA Mil Spec 1911 for several months and have fired several hundred rounds through at this point. I’m beginning to have an idea as to what I’d like to tweak. Thought I’d share and see what others have done on their own 1911.

For starters, I like the look and feel of the Mil Spec. Sites, hammer, and GI grip safety are staying. I actually like the sites a lot.

I think a hand fitted barrel bushing is an inexpensive way to tighten accuracy some, so that’s one change.

Beyond that, I’m planning to put in a long solid trigger, tool steel sear and disconnect and have a trigger job done to it. I think a 1911 is capable of excellent triggers and I definitely want to take advantage there.

I like an extended single side thumb safety, and I like the Wilson Combat version so that’s another change.

Lastly, I like the idea of tuning the extractor or checking the extractor to see if tuning is necessary. Considering a Wilson Bullet Proof extractor but may leave the stock one alone as it’s running pretty good already. Thoughts?

The grips are fine. But I saw some VZ double diamonds in black cherry. Looked sharp! Possibly will add those and maybe a front strap checkering but I don’t see that as enhancing performance so one hand I don’t really see the point.

Thought I’d share and also ask THR….. what have you done to yours or did you leave as is and just run it?
Click to expand...

What is prompting you to want to make these changes? For example what kind of groups are you getting with the gun currently? What range are you shooting at? 7 yards? 15 yard? 25 Yard? 50 Yards? 99% of the time the groups on paper are not limited by the mechanically accuracy of the pistol but by the accuracy of the shooter and the shooters interface with the pistol. In order to get more accuracy out of you current barrel you will need to have a match bushing properly fitted. Always remember the following when it comes to accuracy from a 1911. A match bushing without doing the rest is IMHO a waste of money.

"The Colt .45 Automatic a Shop Manual, by Jerry Kuhnhausen; Section II, Shop Work; page 116.

Mechanical Accuracy / Mechanical Repeatability

Basic mechanical accurizing improvements and estimated individual effectiveness -

1. Minimize frame / slide clearance -- 15%
2. Install match grade barrel -- 10%
3. Fit / install accuracy bushing -- 20%
4. Minimum chamber headspace -- 10%
5. Eliminate rear barrel side play -- 20%
6. Consistent full barrel lug engagement -- 20%
7. Beyond reach -- 5%

If you are going to do a trigger job with a new sear and disconnect I would swap the hammer as well. Start will all new parts which will be mated together from the start. The style of the hammer can be replicated. Not that there is anything wrong with the parts that came in the gun. They could also be tuned. I always like to do sears, disconnects, hammers & safeties at the same time if I am swapping parts for performance vs one simply being broken.

In the end you should do what you want to your gun but it should also make sense in relation to what you are trying to achieve.
 
Les used to say "the horsepower is in the cylinder heads," when talking about his racing engines. And he also used to say that almost all of the accuracy is in the barrel lockup and bushing fit. You can have a 1911 with a tight barrel lockup, a well fitted bushing, and a sloppy frame to slide fit, that is still fairly accurate. But if the lockup and bushing fit are bad, that pistol will not be very accurate. On a properly fitted barrel, the lugs will bear against the slide stop pin, and there will be no side to side play where the barrel's hood fits into the slide. The link's only purpose is to pull the barrel down out of battery.

With the gun in battery, push down on the barrel's chamber area. If it moves, even a little, the pistol will not be as accurate as it could be. On a lot of standard factory models there will be some play. The only way to achieve a good lockup on these guns involves a new barrel, bushing and link. Some smiths used to add a little weld to the lugs and barrel hood and work with that. Not a good idea. Fitting a barrel and bushing is not a DIY job. It takes some skill and experience. ( As in not cheap.)

Notice #s 3,5 and 6 on WVsig's list. All three have to do with barrel lockup and bushing fit. And the are 60% of the accuracy gains.

Is your pistol extracting and ejecting properly now? If it is, "tuning" your extractor will probably just screw it up.
 
WVsig said:
What does Ted Yost know.... :rofl: I too prefer a short trigger but I have tiny hands. LOL In the end people should choose whatever trigger feels good tor them.



What is prompting you to want to make these changes? For example what kind of groups are you getting with the gun currently? What range are you shooting at? 7 yards? 15 yard? 25 Yard? 50 Yards? 99% of the time the groups on paper are not limited by the mechanically accuracy of the pistol but by the accuracy of the shooter and the shooters interface with the pistol. In order to get more accuracy out of you current barrel you will need to have a match bushing properly fitted. Always remember the following when it comes to accuracy from a 1911. A match bushing without doing the rest is IMHO a waste of money.

"The Colt .45 Automatic a Shop Manual, by Jerry Kuhnhausen; Section II, Shop Work; page 116.

Mechanical Accuracy / Mechanical Repeatability

Basic mechanical accurizing improvements and estimated individual effectiveness -

1. Minimize frame / slide clearance -- 15%
2. Install match grade barrel -- 10%
3. Fit / install accuracy bushing -- 20%
4. Minimum chamber headspace -- 10%
5. Eliminate rear barrel side play -- 20%
6. Consistent full barrel lug engagement -- 20%
7. Beyond reach -- 5%

If you are going to do a trigger job with a new sear and disconnect I would swap the hammer as well. Start will all new parts which will be mated together from the start. The style of the hammer can be replicated. Not that there is anything wrong with the parts that came in the gun. They could also be tuned. I always like to do sears, disconnects, hammers & safeties at the same time if I am swapping parts for performance vs one simply being broken.

In the end you should do what you want to your gun but it should also make sense in relation to what you are trying to achieve.
Click to expand...

First, thanks for sharing. Good insight!

What’s prompting me to change? Honestly, I really like the Mil Spec. What a fun pistol. It’s a really solid one too, in my opinion.

I feel like it’s a pistol worth investing in. I’ve heard a 1911 trigger can be tweaked to be outstanding. Mines ok, and I want to make it better. That’s the reason behind that.

Honestly, I did not realize all the factors involved in 1911 accuracy. I mostly shoot at 7 yards. Groups are great, but never measured. At 25 yards, shooting slowly I’d estimate the groups to be about 3.5 to 4 inches or so. I thought the groupings are pretty good already and maybe a slightly tighter bushing may help go from good to better. That’s the thought behind that.

The thumb safety. I’ve shot a 1911 with extended safety and liked the way it felt. Seemed easier to manipulate.

Extractor… I’ve heard 1911 afficianidos (I’m a novice, not an aficionado) mention it’s always good to check tension and fitment. Mines been good, but not knowing much about 1911’s I figured having a smith check it could only make it better.

TL/DR…. I appreciate your insight a lot and my rationale is looking make a good pistol a little bit better without dumping mega cash in it. Use is for enjoyment for now and possible carry down the line
 
tark said:
Les used to say "the horsepower is in the cylinder heads," when talking about his racing engines. And he also used to say that almost all of the accuracy is in the barrel lockup and bushing fit. You can have a 1911 with a tight barrel lockup, a well fitted bushing, and a sloppy frame to slide fit, that is still fairly accurate. But if the lockup and bushing fit are bad, that pistol will not be very accurate. On a properly fitted barrel, the lugs will bear against the slide stop pin, and there will be no side to side play where the barrel's hood fits into the slide. The link's only purpose is to pull the barrel down out of battery.

With the gun in battery, push down on the barrel's chamber area. If it moves, even a little, the pistol will not be as accurate as it could be. On a lot of standard factory models there will be some play. The only way to achieve a good lockup on these guns involves a new barrel, bushing and link. Some smiths used to add a little weld to the lugs and barrel hood and work with that. Not a good idea. Fitting a barrel and bushing is not a DIY job. It takes some skill and experience. ( As in not cheap.)

Notice #s 3,5 and 6 on WVsig's list. All three have to do with barrel lockup and bushing fit. And the are 60% of the accuracy gains.

Is your pistol extracting and ejecting properly now? If it is, "tuning" your extractor will probably just screw it up.
Click to expand...

Great info and exactly why I posted. Keep pouring in, I’m soaking it up.

Love the learning process
 
Sloppy fit of bushing to slide and/or barrel
md7 said:
I think a hand fitted barrel bushing is an inexpensive way to tighten accuracy some, so that’s one change.
Click to expand...
Like @Jim Watson suggests, call EGW after measuring the diameter of the bushing hole in the slide and the diameter of the barrel just behind the muzzle. They are super focused on customer service, extremely knowledgeable, and easy to talk to. A new bushing cut to your specs will run about $50 but as @tark noted it is one of the two most important aspects of 1911 accuracy. By the way, measuring should not be done with a ruler. At a minimum you need to use a good set of calipers.

There may still be the need for some minor fitting of the new bushing.


Vertical play at the rear of the barrel during lockup

To expand a bit on @tark 's post, if you discover that you can move the barrel down when it's in battery, no matter how little, you may be able to eliminate that play by putting in a slide stop whose cross pin diameter is greater than the diameter of the original slide stop. EGW manufactures slide stops in .200" and .203" diameters. If you determine there's vertical slop at the rear of the barrel during lockup, measure the diameter of the existing slide stop's cross pin.

If you have a set of pin gauges, you can determine which diameter slide stop cross pin you need by removing the barrel link then trying various diameter gauge pins to see which one gives a snug lock up. You should be gentle when doing this so you don't damage the gauge pins. In other words, remove the recoil spring and gently push the slide forward.

Keep trying different pin gauges until you find the one that allows the slide to go fully forward and the barrel to go into battery. Make note of its diameter and get a slide stop that either matches it or is very slightly bigger.

If you get a slide stop that is bigger than the ideal size pin gauge, you can work on the lower barrel lugs and/or the new slide stop to remove just enough material to get a perfect fit.

Of course, the slide stop cross pin must fit through the frame holes. Reaming the frame holes to accommodate a larger diameter cross pin isn't something I'd recommend. So, checking the diameter of the frame holes using pin gauges prior to buying a new slide stop wouldn't be an awful idea. You'll also want to confirm the diameter of the pin gauges by using calipers.


Extractors
md7 said:
Lastly, I like the idea of tuning the extractor or checking the extractor to see if tuning is necessary.
Click to expand...

I recommend EGW for extractors. They make several flavors but I think the GI extractor would be the right one for your pistol. You might as well fit a new firing pin stop when replacing the extractor in order to get a perfect fit to prevent clocking.

Here's a LINK that does a pretty thorough job of explaining what's involved in correctly fitting an extractor. Many folks seem to think all you have to do is bend it to get the right amount of tension on it to allow it to function properly. Uh . . . no. There are three major areas that need to addressed when fitting an extractor: Geometry, Deflection, Tension. Tension is dead last in importance. Read the information at the link and you'll discover why.

Trusting your friendly neighborhood gunsmith to correctly fit an extractor has resulted in very poor results for many folks. Poor results generally means random, unexplained failures-to-feed caused by excessive deflection.


Summary

Swapping 1911 parts is not like dropping parts into an AR or a Glock. It takes time, knowledge, effort, and tools. When engaging the services of a 'smith to do the work, you must vet him through recommendations of others who have had their 1911s worked on by him. There are gunsmiths and then there are 1911 gunsmiths. Be wary.
 
Steve in Allentown said:
Sloppy fit of bushing to slide and/or barrel
Like @Jim Watson suggests, call EGW after measuring the diameter of the bushing hole in the slide and the diameter of the barrel just behind the muzzle. They are super focused on customer service, extremely knowledgeable, and easy to talk to. A new bushing cut to your specs will run about $50 but as @tark noted it is one of the two most important aspects of 1911 accuracy. By the way, measuring should not be done with a ruler. At a minimum you need to use a good set of calipers.

There may still be the need for some minor fitting of the new bushing.


Vertical play at the rear of the barrel during lockup

To expand a bit on @tark 's post, if you discover that you can move the barrel down when it's in battery, no matter how little, you may be able to eliminate that play by putting in a slide stop whose cross pin diameter is greater than the diameter of the original slide stop. EGW manufactures slide stops in .200" and .203" diameters. If you determine there's vertical slop at the rear of the barrel during lockup, measure the diameter of the existing slide stop's cross pin.

If you have a set of pin gauges, you can determine which diameter slide stop cross pin you need by removing the barrel link then trying various diameter gauge pins to see which one gives a snug lock up. You should be gentle when doing this so you don't damage the gauge pins. In other words, remove the recoil spring and gently push the slide forward.

Keep trying different pin gauges until you find the one that allows the slide to go fully forward and the barrel to go into battery. Make note of its diameter and get a slide stop that either matches it or is very slightly bigger.

If you get a slide stop that is bigger than the ideal size pin gauge, you can work on the lower barrel lugs and/or the new slide stop to remove just enough material to get a perfect fit.

Of course, the slide stop cross pin must fit through the frame holes. Reaming the frame holes to accommodate a larger diameter cross pin isn't something I'd recommend. So, checking the diameter of the frame holes using pin gauges prior to buying a new slide stop wouldn't be an awful idea. You'll also want to confirm the diameter of the pin gauges by using calipers.


Extractors


I recommend EGW for extractors. They make several flavors but I think the GI extractor would be the right one for your pistol. You might as well fit a new firing pin stop when replacing the extractor in order to get a perfect fit to prevent clocking.

Here's a LINK that does a pretty thorough job of explaining what's involved in correctly fitting an extractor. Many folks seem to think all you have to do is bend it to get the right amount of tension on it to allow it to function properly. Uh . . . no. There are three major areas that need to addressed when fitting an extractor: Geometry, Deflection, Tension. Tension is dead last in importance. Read the information at the link and you'll discover why.

Trusting your friendly neighborhood gunsmith to correctly fit an extractor has resulted in very poor results for many folks. Poor results generally means random, unexplained failures-to-feed caused by excessive deflection.


Summary

Swapping 1911 parts is not like dropping parts into an AR or a Glock. It takes time, knowledge, effort, and tools. When engaging the services of a 'smith to do the work, you must vet him through recommendations of others who have had their 1911s worked on by him. There are gunsmiths and then there are 1911 gunsmiths. Be wary.
Click to expand...

100%...

I took a decent milspec 1911 and sent to Don Williams. All he sent me back was this. More 1911s have been ruined by swapping parts when without understanding how the system works. If I am going to send a gun out for work I am going to make sure it comes back better than when I sent it.


RJAsAs8.jpg

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WVsig said:
100%...

I took a decent milspec 1911 and sent to Don Williams. All he sent me back was this. More 1911s have been ruined by swapping parts when without understanding how the system works. If I am going to send a gun out for work I am going to make sure it comes back better than when I sent it.


View attachment 1010561

View attachment 1010562

View attachment 1010563
Click to expand...


You and @Steve in Allentown make excellent points about being selective on who does work on 1911’s

For something like a full on custom job (trigger, hammer, beaver tail, extractor, debur, melts, etc) would you recommend sending off somewhere like a Night Hawk or Wilson, etc for their custom shop to do that kind of thing?
 
md7 said:
For something like a full on custom job (trigger, hammer, beaver tail, extractor, debur, melts, etc) would you recommend sending off somewhere like a Night Hawk or Wilson, etc for their custom shop to do that kind of thing?
Click to expand...
Sure. They're reputable and do good work. You can also send it to independent 'smiths who also have very good reputations for doing excellent work. I'm sure the forum members here can recommend independent 'smiths with whom they've had personal experience. I too can provide a list of 'smiths I've had personal dealings with over the years and wouldn't hesitate to engage on future projects.
 
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No offense, but it might be cheaper and easier to buy a "semi-custom" 1911 that already has all of those things done to it.

That way you could still keep your mil-spec, too.

If the OP wants to do a fun project just to do a fun project, good for you! I love that kind of stuff. But if you just want a more advanced 1911, they're widely available.
 
Tallball said:
No offense, but it might be cheaper and easier to buy a "semi-custom" 1911 that already has all of those things done to it.

That way you could still keep your mil-spec, too.

If the OP wants to do a fun project just to do a fun project, good for you! I love that kind of stuff. But if you just want a more advanced 1911, they're widely available.
Click to expand...

No offense taken! You’re not wrong.

I want both eventually. A fun project for now and save up for a semi custom later. Actually had this thought myself.
 
I have shot many 1911s with all sorts of different options. The changes I make to them from GI spec are almost purely ergonomic. I like having the small GI safety, extended and ambi will work but I don't prefer them. I like an extended slide release. And I like texturing on the front and back straps. Things like a dust cover rail, good sights, magwell, LW frame, and 2 piece FL guide rod round out the custom checklist for me.
 
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Tallball said:
but it might be cheaper and easier to buy a "semi-custom" 1911 that already has all of those things done to it.
Click to expand...
Which gets back to my position on this.

Mind, I'm no fan of the extended "bits"--but, that comes from competing with a 1911 with all the bells & whistles. The parts worked, but, for a rght-hander, they are all on the "inside" where they wants to snag on every possible thing. And, you wind up using a grip where you are constantly pushing the things down to keep them out of engagement.
And that's when Murphy decides to have one of those extended levers up an break right off. (And do not get me started on ambi 1911 safeties.)

But, I'm biased, and I admit it. I've gone back and forth on 1911 versus 1911A! sized levers, and I'm like to change my mind on those.

Buying these features already in place will make a lot of sense. But, there is also something to be said for the plain old functionality of a milspec 1911
 
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