Please Help, Picked Up First 1911, What Can I Do?

K

kenneth figueroa

Inactive
Hey guys I need your help. I just picked up my first 1911. Nothing fancy, it is a basic model, but I am wondering what I can do myself instead of paying a gun smith. Things I want to do are beaver tail, diffrent hammer, lighten trigger pull, front and rear sights, and the thumb safety.
What can I do myself.
 
What you can do yourself will depend on your mechanical aptitude. Some people could screw up a grip change. Others sail through beavertail installations. Take a look at this site to decide for yourself.

Then, put the Brownells catalog and the tools down. Shoot the pistol for 3-6 months before you do anything. More 1911s have been ruined by inexperienced gunsmithing than by anything else. Your new pistol really should not need anything at all. Go enjoy it at the range instead of the kitchen table.
 
Unread Today, 12:41 AM #2
XavierBreath
Senior Member

Join Date: 12-06-2002
Location: North Louisiana
Posts: 2,452

What you can do yourself will depend on your mechanical aptitude. Some people could screw up a grip change. Others sail through beavertail installations. Take a look at this site to decide for yourself.

Then, put the Brownells catalog and the tools down. Shoot the pistol for 3-6 months before you do anything. More 1911s have been ruined by inexperienced gunsmithing than by anything else. Your new pistol really should not need anything at all. Go enjoy it at the range instead of the kitchen table.
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Click to expand...

+1 on what he said. Especially concerning the trigger-hammer.
Swapping out some parts on a 1911 is not critical. Swapping out
a hammer or a sear ventures into the "critical". Some things really require
the expertise of a gunsmith. In my opinion, changing any parts out in the
"trigger/hammer/sear linkage" should be done by a trained professional,
or a "VERY" experienced noodler.
I've been dinking around with 1911s for over 30 years and I won't
attempt to mess with the hammer or sear. Too easy to screw it up.

Walter
 
All parts don't just drop in. Though they may fit, but correct functioning is a different subject. Without the experience you would come out cheaper buying a model with the features you want rather than building one yourself. Mistakes can be costly when parts becomed trashed during the learning process. I'll bet if you investigate all the stories about malfunctioning 1911s you will find a large percentage of them contain poorly fitted parts put in after it was bought.
If you insist on doing the job then invest in several of the many repair/rebuild manuals and carefully study them so you will have some idea of what's happening and why. In the end your project probably hasn't been cheap as you most likely have invested in not only parts, but tools, jigs, etc.
First, like the others have said, go shoot the pistol. Find out what it and you can and cannot do. After getting to know the pistol then decide on what modifications will make it a better shooter for you.
 
I agree with what the other posters have told you. Shoot the gun as is you may find you don't want or need to do anything to it.
If you do decide to work on the gun be sure you fully understand what you are attempting to do.
Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
1911 modifications

Dear aspiring smithy!
We gunsmiths like to make the un-initiated think we use archetypal incantations when doing work - I've met some of them.
Yes, you can do it! Get a Wilson grip safety and the little file guide they sell to let you file to, be careful and, yes, you can put on a grip safety (if you run into trouble or a question get on the forum and we'll help you).
Then, if you want sights, there are sights that will fit your rear dovetail without altering and you can get a front dovetail milled and use an Ed Brown or Wilson front! Just be careful and you'll be fine.
Get a book showing the modifications you can do, follow the directions and go to it (carefully).
The first muzzle-loader I tried to build stumped me but the next year I did build one. Don't be afraid to do this (of course if you're not mechanically apt don't attempt it). If you thjink you can; try it but go slow!
I would shy away from a "trigger job" though. Get a good book on the 45 modifications and try it.
Harry B.
 
1911

Dear aspiring smithy:
Another thing you can do is lower the ejection port (if not already done).
The port should be .475 from bottom of slide. Scribe a line .475 above the slide bottom and carfulle use a file or Dremel to lower it. Make sure you duplicate the inside radius too.
You can grind (carefully) a "roll-over (look at the picture of a customized gun) and duplicate it - (don't go too far in). The roll-over should look like the breast of a young girl (no levity or dis-respect meant).
On the trigger the only thing I'd suggest it to stone a small relief on the REAR of the sear - it will improve the break - not too much buddy!
A new trigger can be fit (you will need to fit it to the frame by filing where it bears up or down) and it should have .001-.002 clearance but slide of its own weight!
I think someone suggested a good book - get several and judge for yourself what you can do and do it carefully without fear of failure and you'll do well! Remember - it's only a pistol - your world won't collapse if you foul up!
You'll do fine!
Harry B.
 
I have not yet modified a 1911

but, on the advice of others, I bought Kuhnhausen's 1911 book. If anyone has another book they like, please list it here.

Buying several $20 books will probably save many times that amount in ill-advised repairs or modifications.

I am here to learn....
 
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