Colt MIM parts for the XSE Series

[armed85]

According to the M1911.org Colt Forum, new production Colt 1911s are made from the following:

MIM
sear
mag catch
disconnector

CAST
Thumb safety
grip safety

FORGED
slide
receiver
barrel
slide stop

MACHINED from bar stock
hammer
all pins
barrel link
barrel bushing
trigger finger piece
ejector
firing pin
firing pin stop
extractor
plunger tube

Is this information correct for the Colt XSE series?

It looks as if the grip safety and thumb safeties are MIM. I don't know what cast parts look like, but I do know that MIM parts have what I can only describe as "mold lines." I liken "mold lines" to the lines on those tiny plastic toy soldiers after the excess material from the mold is cut away.

The Future Plastic 1911:

 

[armed85]

bumpage

 

[trbon8r]

My understanding is that the list you posted is correct for XSE models, with the only MIM parts being sear, disconnector, and mag catch. If it bothers you, these parts can be swapped out with Ed Brown parts for 70 bucks.

 

[armed85]

Even if the thumb safeties and grip safety are MIM, it doesn't bother me. I would just like to know what my guns are made out of is all

 

[MICHAEL T]

Colt a whole lot better than some of the popular Brand X 1911's out their in same general price range
Make mine a Colt

 

[ugaarguy]

It looks as if the grip safety and thumb safeties are MIM. I don't know what cast parts look like, but I do know that MIM parts have what I can only describe as "mold lines." I liken "mold lines" to the lines on those tiny plastic toy soldiers after the excess material from the mold is cut away.

Cast & MIM parts look very similar, and my eye isn't trained enough to tell them apart. MIM is Metal Injection Molding, and Casting also uses molds. "Mold lines", or the lines left where parts of a mold are pressed together is a dead giveaway and great description. You'll also see sprue marks - little "divots" in the part resulting from the openings or gates in the mold where material is poured in.