Jim Keenan, Yes I did purchase several books before I started doing anything to my pistols. I already have the Wilson and Kuhnhausen books in addition to several others. I made sure I knew what I was supposed to do prior to attempting the task. I always advise anyone else to do the same before they take a tool in hand. I do have one pistol that I almost completely ruined before I decided I didn't need to shorten the bbl. 
That's okay though because it is mine and I will either have to pay a gunsmith to have it fixed or buy the parts and fix it now that I know a little bit more.
What got me started was a local jackleg smith that I asked about something that wasn't clear. He told me there were some "tricks" to getting a good light trigger pull on a 1911 and I'd have to pay him to do the trigger job, he wouldn't answer my questions. I understand his skills are worth money and I might have been williing to pay him to do it if he hadn't been sarcastic about it and told me I couldn't do it.
That's okay though because it is mine and I will either have to pay a gunsmith to have it fixed or buy the parts and fix it now that I know a little bit more. What got me started was a local jackleg smith that I asked about something that wasn't clear. He told me there were some "tricks" to getting a good light trigger pull on a 1911 and I'd have to pay him to do the trigger job, he wouldn't answer my questions. I understand his skills are worth money and I might have been williing to pay him to do it if he hadn't been sarcastic about it and told me I couldn't do it.