What modifications for ultimate 1911 CCW
- Thread starter Clinth
- Start date
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
Ashley sights, trigger and action job.
Oh - and sweet grips to your personal liking.
What else do you need?
Oh - and sweet grips to your personal liking.
What else do you need?
Required: (In order 
Assure all safeties work, and work smoothly, positively and without undue force required.
Assure reliable functioning with defense ammo of choice.
Good, low profile sights that your eye can acquire quickly.
Action and trigger job.
After step 4, repeat steps one and two.
Maybe required (depends on your hands and habits), but probably cosmetic.
Larger safety, larger slide release, ambi safety, extended grip safety, beveled magazine well, custom grips, enhanced magazine release button.
If this were my "do it just like I want and price be damned" project I'd probably leave the gun as close to stock as would work for me. With the Commander that would be sights and an action/trigger job. Then I'd try to find some of the old uncheckered Colt grip panels, wire brush them lightly to bring out some texture in the grain, seal with tung oil, and then start shopping for a top quality polish/finish (like the old Colt Royal Blue) and then a good engraver.
There is a certain elegance in traditional simplicity that appeals to me - and I love engraving on a finely blued gun.
Just my thoughts.
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Jim Fox
[This message has been edited by JimFox (edited May 15, 2000).]
Assure all safeties work, and work smoothly, positively and without undue force required.
Assure reliable functioning with defense ammo of choice.
Good, low profile sights that your eye can acquire quickly.
Action and trigger job.
After step 4, repeat steps one and two.
Maybe required (depends on your hands and habits), but probably cosmetic.
Larger safety, larger slide release, ambi safety, extended grip safety, beveled magazine well, custom grips, enhanced magazine release button.
If this were my "do it just like I want and price be damned" project I'd probably leave the gun as close to stock as would work for me. With the Commander that would be sights and an action/trigger job. Then I'd try to find some of the old uncheckered Colt grip panels, wire brush them lightly to bring out some texture in the grain, seal with tung oil, and then start shopping for a top quality polish/finish (like the old Colt Royal Blue) and then a good engraver.
There is a certain elegance in traditional simplicity that appeals to me - and I love engraving on a finely blued gun.
Just my thoughts.
------------------
Jim Fox
[This message has been edited by JimFox (edited May 15, 2000).]
David Scott
New member
I heartily second the reliability mods -- maybe a throated & polished feed ramp, open up the ejection port. Some 1911 triggers are OK out of the box, some need adjusting.
The beveled mag well is a great idea. Even though it's unusual to use more than a few rounds in a civilian confrontation, swapping a mag is the easiest way of recovering from some malfs. If you plan to shoot IDPA with it, the beveled well is a must.
Sights are a matter of personal taste. The Ashleys are great for carry/personal defense, but check out the options and get what works for you.
If I were carrying a 1911 concealed, I would look into Ed Brown's "bobtail" job that rounds off the backstrap.
[This message has been edited by David Scott (edited May 15, 2000).]
The beveled mag well is a great idea. Even though it's unusual to use more than a few rounds in a civilian confrontation, swapping a mag is the easiest way of recovering from some malfs. If you plan to shoot IDPA with it, the beveled well is a must.
Sights are a matter of personal taste. The Ashleys are great for carry/personal defense, but check out the options and get what works for you.
If I were carrying a 1911 concealed, I would look into Ed Brown's "bobtail" job that rounds off the backstrap.
[This message has been edited by David Scott (edited May 15, 2000).]
1. complete reliability package
2. good sights - consider tritium inserts
3. tuned trigger
4. carry/bevel package
the above 4 are what I consider absolute must haves and in order of their importance.
for my personal carry 1911 I would add: beavertail with speed bump, slightly extd thumb safety (strong side only), 30LPI checkering on the front strap and (steel) ms housing, Ahrends tactical grips, minimum of 6 reliable mags and a black or gray corrosion resistant finish.
2. good sights - consider tritium inserts
3. tuned trigger
4. carry/bevel package
the above 4 are what I consider absolute must haves and in order of their importance.
for my personal carry 1911 I would add: beavertail with speed bump, slightly extd thumb safety (strong side only), 30LPI checkering on the front strap and (steel) ms housing, Ahrends tactical grips, minimum of 6 reliable mags and a black or gray corrosion resistant finish.
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
The MELTING option is nice.
But refrence my SICK of CARRY thread - that is NOT necessary for a good reliable functioning handgun.
But refrence my SICK of CARRY thread - that is NOT necessary for a good reliable functioning handgun.
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