1911 Maintenance?

[DelayedReaction]

I've put my 1911 through the paces (about 4000 rounds in three months), and although I haven't had any problems beyond some extractor issues I'm wondering what kind of maintenance I should be conducting. I clean the gun religiously and check everything while I'm doing it, but is there anything else I should be doing? Stuff like replacing springs or firing pin?

 

[Art Eatman]

I shot IPSC during 1981-1983; commonly some 300 rounds a week, average. I never had to replace any parts. I moved away from ready access to matches, but kept on shooting that pistol regularly for several more years. Nothing bad ever happened.

I've never quite understood the worry about springs. If they're made of quality spring steel, and are never stressed beyond the yield point, they don't wear out. They don't "take a set". If all that were so, automobiles would need valve-spring replacement every week or two. And museum cars would never run after sitting for years, since some valve springs are always compressed...

I have various pistols that range in age from 80 to 94 years old. They all work just fine. Several had been stored with loaded magazines for some fifty years. No feeding problems.

Art

 

[DelayedReaction]

Sounds like a good enough reason to me. Thanks Art.

 

[Lonestar.45]

I'm of the school of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". I won't be doing anything to my 1911 beyond normal cleaning unless something goes wrong. Now, I suppose if it was a carry gun and I shot it a LOT and also had to rely on it for my life, I *might* go through every once in a while and replace some springs or something for peace of mind, but honestly, if it is shooting well with no problems, I don't think I'd even do that. And if I were to rely on my 1911 for my life and also shoot it alot, a backup gun would give me more peace of mind than new springs anyway.