Plastic mainspring housing on newer 1911 styles

[FW]

When I purchased a Kimber a few years ago, I found it to be very well built, however, I was not impressed with the plastic mainspring housing.

It didn't seem to be a problem. It's not exactly under a lot of stress. Besides they actually make entire frames from plastic (or as the saleman might say, "polymer").

After lots of use, I decided it was time to detail strip and clean. After getting it all apart, it was indeed time for it. Little did I know I would soon be very angry about the plastic component. When reassambling, I used slight pressure on a WOOD table top to hold the mainspring housing in while pushing the pin in. Unfortunately, I slipped and the mainspring housing was damaged by the corner of the WOOD table. It's still functional, but some of the checkering is broken or smashed. A metal one, even cast aluminum, wouldn't have been damaged this easily.

I always figured a gun without a few minor scuffs or scratches simply didn't get used enough, but this incident is very disturbing.

I haven't decided if I need to replace it or not. I'm questioning it's functional durablity now. Will it break at the wrong time? I just can't believe a manufacturer would make a quality that isn't cheap to begin with and then try to save a few pennies by making the mainspring housing out of plastic.

If I decide to replace it (with a metal one), is there a particular brand I should purchase that will drop in and fit nicely and not require fitting?

What other manufacturer besides kimber is using plastic parts in their 1911 style pistols?

 

[Kruzr]

Colt also uses polymer main spring housings. Take a look at Smith & Alexander for MSH's that nearly drop in to a Kimber. If its a Series II, You may :banghead: have to do a little bit of fitting to make sure the Grip Safety sits back far enough which allows the FP safety push rod to be flush with the top of the frame. Then again, you may not.

 

[ranger]

I replaced my Kimber plastic checkered mainspring housing with a Quality Colt serrated plastic mainspring housing. Costs $6 from Brownells.

You could find replacement Kimber checkered housings easily, because so many folks change them out.

I did too, but it turns out I like the plastic's light weight. You can feel the difference when you put a big honking steel one on there. So I went back to plastic.

Maybe I should mention that I have 3 1911s that I re-configure often, to either be a .45 game gun, or a .45 or .22 conversion Bullseye gun. The .22 conversions are aluminum, so the weight, or balance, of the piece is noticably changed by the weight of the mainspring housing going from checkered plastic to arched serrated steel, or arched checkered with a mag guide attached. I have at least 7 "extra" mainspring housing of various materials and configurations, and I sort of try different combinations to see how they feel. I mean flat, wedge, arched; checkered and serrated; plastic, aluminum, and steel; some with mag-guide. Don't get me started on grips.

 

[Dave Sample]

Plastic MSH's work fine. They are great in certain LW carry Guns. I do not care for them and think they are cheap and tacky. I only use Ed Brown Mainspring housings in blue steel guns. He now makes a smooth arched and a 25LPI checkered that are very interesting to me. I like the weight of steel on the lower end where I need it for good fire contol. I also like Smith & Alexander MSH Mag Funnels in certain guns. She also makes a nice flat aluminum one that I have in my LW Carry Commander.

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

I took the mainspring housing off of my Kimber when I first bought it and replaced it with an arched ss one. I probably would not have bothered if it was arched but it wasn't and I like arched better than flat.

 

[Alfadog]

I replaced the plastic MSHs in my Colt and Kimber with EGW and Ed Brown parts respectively. Both are checkered at 25 lpi and went in with zero fitting required. I've never had any problems with the plastic ones but I like the weight of the "big honking steel" mainspring housing and sharp metal checkering against the heel of my hands.

 

[steveno]

I ordered a sst spring housing for my Kimber compact sst from Kimber. when I got it wouldn't fit and the reply I got from Kimber was that it had to be fitted by a gunsmith. I have never heard of a spring housing that had to be fitted by a gunsmith so I sent it back and got my money back. the plastic one works fine but I think when you pay the price for a kimber the spring housing should be steel or sst as the case may be. It definitely isn't the most difficult part in the world to make

 

[PinnedAndRecessed]

I replaced my arched msh with a Pachmayr. The Pachmayr began oxidizing (after about 24 years) so I replaced it last week with a Wilson ss flat msh.
Dunno what ever happened to the original one.

 

[stans]

Kimber's plastic mainspring housing is easily damaged, but Colt's is much more durable. I think the plastic housing is fine for a carry gun where you want to reduce weight, but on a range gun the added weight of a steel housing is nice.

 

[GaryK]

I have seen vendors at gun shows here in Houston with boxes of plastic 1911 hammers and triggers for sale. They are takeoffs from Colts, Kimbers, etc and usually sell for around $5.00. I suspect that you may find the same in your area

 

[SouthpawShootr]

My father bought a Colt Government Model in 1985 and it had a plastic manispring housing. Also came with a plastic trigger (that's gone now as I had a trigger job done and a long trigger installed years ago). I have it now and it still has the original housing and mainspring. This part being plastic makes not a bit of difference, except to irk people who paid between $500 and $1200 for a quality gun. I have 3 Paras, 3 Colts, and a Kimber and all have plastic MSH. I generally prefer the flat mainspring housing to arched, so it's likely that my Government Model will be replaced in the future. I wouldn't mind replacing it with plastic, but I'm not going out of my way to do it either (besides I'm thinking S&A magwell for this gun).

 

[Master Blaster]

I have both kinds of housings on the 1911's I own, I dont really see any functional difference, between the plastic and steel. The steel flat housing on my 70 series colt keeps growing rust though, its that tool steel.

 

[ruger357]

Have had no problem with the plastic one in my NRM Colt.

 

[Missouri Mule]

The very first "Brand new in the box" Colt 1911 I ever bought was in 1986.
Yes....it had a plastic msh.

The very first time I detail stripped it I found the "Quality, Colt" msh was split.
As a matter of fact it actually split/ broke in half (2 pieces) when I disassembled it.

I also knew at the time a deputy sherrif who drop his brand new Colt 1911 during a scuffle with a bad guy. Yes all of the safties worked and the weapon did not discharge. But the pistol hit on the msh when it hit the pavement.

Yup...you probably guessed it....It split right up the middle. Not as drastically as mine but broke none the less.

Plastic parts may be fine for the range or safe guns but don't tell me they are fine on carry/ defensive 1911s.
Plastic msh.s are cheap and that is all IMO!

 

[photo_guy]

I have seen vendors at gun shows here in Houston with boxes of plastic 1911 hammers and triggers for sale. They are takeoffs from Colts, Kimbers, etc and usually sell for around $5.00. I suspect that you may find the same in your area

Garyk,
Plastic hammers? I've seen plastic MSH and triggers but I don't think you really mean plastic hammers do you?

 

[deputy tom]

Once the plastic MSH's show damage or wear,I'm going to replace mine.The MFG's are saving bundles on this trick.Look at the cost of a steel or S/S replacement and you'll see what I mean.tom.

 

[yoky]

Plastic hammer

Hi photo_guy
I have never seen plastic hammers for 1911 gun, but why not. I am not sure if SIG has used such hammer. What I remember my HK USP had hammer which was made from vulcanite. And it worked perfectly.
Best regards
yoky

 

[photo_guy]

yoky,
I'm no expert but there are some critical areas of a handgun that must be strong and be able to take a beating. The hammer has got to be one of them. It also needs to have some mass to transfer energy to the firing pin. It must also take the force of the slide coming back to cock the gun on every shot. Currently I don't know of many materials that can take that and be reliable.(perhaps vulcanite that you mention).
Just think about the consequences of a broken hammer at a key moment.

 

[russlate]

For me replacing a plastic MSH could wait a week or two. Replacing a MSH containing an integral lock could wait say, maybe 10 or 15 minutes if that long.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

I'm no expert but there are some critical areas of a handgun that must be strong and be able to take a beating. The hammer has got to be one of them. It also needs to have some mass to transfer energy to the firing pin. It must also take the force of the slide coming back to cock the gun on every shot. Currently...

The Beretta Storm carbine uses a plastic/polymer hammer.

 

[photo_guy]

Others?

OK, we have reports of HK USP and Beretta Storm having "non-metalic" hammers. (I'm not sure I'd count vulcanite as 'plastic' but it is 'non-metallic'). Now you've got my curiosity going. Any others?

 

[quantico]

I have not seen any plastic parts in my 1911's.... I throw the colt arched mainspring housings in parts bags when I buy wilson flat serrated msh's .... the plastic ones would go in the can next to the fridge.....