Royal Blue Colt 1911 (pt 2)

MSH

  • Flat

    Votes: 22 47.8%

  • Arched

    Votes: 24 52.2%
  • Total voters
    46
  • Poll closed .
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wow6599

wow6599

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So, the question and poll I had up has a few days left, but right now 80% say go for the Royal Blue 70 - and I think I will.

Here is a question though - I said I was going to keep it bone stock, but I forgot about the MSH (has arched). To me, functionally, it's a wash. But, I want some opinions on this, because I really don't have one.....at all.

Flat or arched MSH??
 
I like 'em flat. They feel better in my hand, point better, and, IMO, look waaaayyy better.
 
My initiation to the 1911 was the Army so...

Anytime I pick up a flat MSH 1911 (or... "yuppy-gun":evil:) I feel as though something is missing. Same goes for those carry trims where they buzz off the grip heel.

I get that they work for others but they just represent missing bits to me.

Todd.

Oh yeah... AND A LANYARD LOOP DAD GUMMIT! AND YOU KIDS GET OFF-A MY LAWN!!


In other words - arched with a loop or just give me a 1917 (the other .45 ACP)... with a loop.:D
 
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It's really a personal "feel" kind of thing. I much prefer arched, but currently (it seems to change over time) the flat is more popular.
 
I'll take the blued 1991, thank you very much. Then I'll have a beavertail and extended safety installed, trigger job, 75% coverage engraving and refinished in charcoal blue. :)
 
It's all subjective, because for me, I think it's the grip angle itself that makes the pistol point so well ... but for those of us with decent-sized hands, the arched MSH seems to make it point even better ...

For me it also comes down to, it's not really a 1911A1 without the arched MSH -- it changes the look just enough to make a 1911 look "complete" ... (especially if we're talking Series 70 Colt's).
 
If you are going to shoot this pistol I suggest that a flat vs. arched mainspring housing and short vs. long trigger finger piece should be what the individual prefers.

For the record, most 1911A1 pistols (a military designation) were Parkerized. Before or during World War Two most of the remaining 1911 pistols were refurbished and also Parkerized.

Colt commercial models were simply called .45 Government Models and owners who cared set them up on the above points to fit individual preferences. Sometimes the factory assembled special orders using different combinations of mainspring housings and triggers.

Personally, I would hesitate spending the money to get a Royal Blue finish on a working gun, but if I did it would be ordered the way I preferred, with absolutely no thought about other's opinions.
 
Well, I went and got a money order and a shipping label from Colt, so I'll be sending it away for a while (over/under at 12 months?) to get the "Royal Blue" finish.

I am going to keep the arched MSH, and get every piece finished - just like those pictures of the Royal Blue WW1 repro floating around.

Last thing for me to decide.....keep the short trigger or a solid long trigger??
 
Why would you wait a year to get it back from Colt when you can have it back from Turnbull in two weeks??? Colt doesn't do WWI era finishes, they farm it out to Turnbull. "Royal blue" is a modern hot salt blue.
 
My choice is always the flat mainspring housing as it just fits my hand much more comfortably.
 
Why would you wait a year to get it back from Colt when you can have it back from Turnbull in two weeks??? Colt doesn't do WWI era finishes, they farm it out to Turnbull. "Royal blue" is a modern hot salt blue.
Click to expand...

I want to keep the work with Colt, and I want a hi polished 1911 to go with my factory hi polished BHP; I want to give these to my boy someday.

Plus, Turnbull would be higher priced, even if I would consider that route.
 
I have M1911s with both arched and flat mainspring housings. I prefer the arched housing but it depends on the individual's preference.
 
wow6599 said:
I want to keep the work with Colt, and I want a hi polished 1911 to go with my factory hi polished BHP; I want to give these to my boy someday.

Plus, Turnbull would be higher priced, even if I would consider that route.
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A sentiment that I really get. It's why my nothin' special cop S&Ws go to S&W regardless of the cost differences... if any.

Todd.
 
Sent it off today; Colt said about 6 months..... I can live with that.

I am looking for some more opinions, because I can't make up my own mind.

I'm thinking the hammer and trigger should match the rest of the gun, but what about the barrel?? I guess it would look good...... right? But I'm not sure how it would hold up, especially around the hood. And I don't like jeweled parts on a 1911......
 
A polished hammer is easy, a polished 1911 trigger, not so much, I don't think many of them are steel anymore, you'd need a steel one to take the polish and blue. Anything else has to be coated or anodized for color.

I had the barrel polished on my polished blue Clark Meltdown Colt, it holds up fine. I use Flitz polish to maintain the shine and Flitz wax to protect it. I dropped a Commander off today to the same 'smith that did the facelift on the Meltdown, I'm having it built for my son. It's going to have a very fine matte finish and be blued but the barrel will be mirror polished. If your going to spend all that money anyway, I'd have the barrel polished. I have another Colt that has three barrels - 9mm, .38 Super, and 9x23 - they're all mirror polished and coated with Ionbond DLC so they are polished black.

You can see the polished barrel hood in this pic, the rest of the barrel and crown are polished as well. A dull barrel just wouldn't look right surrounded by all that shiny metal.
20141123_120113.jpg
 
I suspect that Colt still has some triggers with long/steel finger pieces. A problem might be if the trigger pull was set below 5 lbs. it might bounce and double fire. This is the reason some triggers are made with aluminum finger pieces and/or have holes or cutouts in them.

Prior to World War Two, triggers (including a short, finger piece and stirrup) were machined from steel forgings. The finger piece was lightened by milling slots in the back of the finger piece so it doesn't show. In terms of high quality anything that came later was grossly inferior. Colt, or Numrich Arms (www.gunpartscorp.com) might still have some if you were interested.
 
I want to keep the work with Colt, and I want a hi polished 1911 to go with my factory hi polished BHP; I want to give these to my boy someday.
Click to expand...
Work done after the fact doesn't letter. So except for sentimental reasons, it won't make any difference. It would be different if you were ordering a new Custom Shop gun but since you're sending back an existing gun, it doesn't matter.


Plus, Turnbull would be higher priced, even if I would consider that route.
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How do you figure that??? I know they charge more for a new Colt SAA with charcoal bluing than Turnbull does, because they farm it out to Turnbull and then mark it up.

EDIT: Did you reference a WWI-era finish? I thought that's what you wanted but now I don't see a reference to it.
 
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Work done after the fact doesn't letter. So except for sentimental reasons, it won't make any difference. It would be different if you were ordering a new Custom Shop gun but since you're sending back an existing gun, it doesn't matter.
Click to expand...

This is true, but you could keep (and should keep) copies of all the paperwork that passes between you and Colt (if you go that way) in a safe place, and preferably with the gun.
 
I voted for flat mainspring - in combo with the Royal Blue.

I could see going either way on the hammer and trigger. The "white" hammer and trigger gives a classy, kinda Euro look (thinking Sig p210). Matching blued hammer and black trigger might be more of a classic Colt (prewar-ish) look. A matter of style and preference. My O1911 is all blue (and Sistema Colt too, FWIW), and I like it that way, including the barrel.

I would expect the blue on a 1911 barrel to show use - the high polish of Royal Blue might show wear to a greater extent (??).
 
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