Why?

S

shy_man

New member
Why do people almost replace the parts of a government model 1911. Although even the pistol is already a reliable one from out of the box as a stock gun, but a purchaser usually change the following:

1. Hammer
2. Trigger
3. Safety grip
4. Sights
5. Barrel bushing
6. Manual Safety
7. Guide Rod (depends on owners preference)
8. Main spring housing (depends on owners preference)
9. Sears
10. and many more of the replaceable parts

What is the purpose? Perhaps to make it a race gun, tune it very well, to make very reliable, good looking or just a common traits of a gun owner. Is it improvements or a modification?

I found myself doing this already to my two 1911, that perhaps the only parts that will be left are: Slide, frame and barrel. but I even come to think to replace the barrel. so, what would be left from my original purchased item. :confused:
 
Everybody has their own reasons, but my observation is that they change the parts because they CAN not because they NEED to.

Like a Mustang or Camaro automobile there are literally catalogs full of aftermarket 1911-type parts just waiting to be BOUGHT.

I keep my Colts stock for the most part.
 
That's half the charm of the 1911...you can leave one bone-stock, but it's more fun to personalize it exactly to your tastes. A tuned and enhanced 1911 is a thing of beauty...not just from an aesthetical standpoint, but also from a functional one. You can make it look and work just the way you want, and there are more parts and accessories available for it than for any other handgun.
 
I think

The comment about replacing and modifying the 1911 is because they "can" is the one most apropos of the mentality of us 1911 lovers! Because we can is all the reason we need....

However, the parallel of aftermarket parts for Mustangs and Camaros is a great one......Ford puts a pretty good exhaust system on their Mustang. But Borla makes a much better one because that's all that Borla manufactures....exhaust systems and components.

Colt makes a good pistol...but Wilson, Heinie, Novak, Bar Sto and the gazillion other after-market specialists make some damned good pieces and parts....because that's what they do!

A judicious selection of grip safeties, extractors, barrels and the like will result in a pistol that's greater than the sum of its parts and that's the fun of all of this....

While some of the "goodies" are cosmetic....what's the problem? Don't you like pretty things.....;)
 
Years ago, one of my shootin' buddies answered the question "Why?" this way:

"Cause ya can't put chome wheels on a handgun".

Must be a guy thing...

Joe
 
A very nice comments from all of you which makes a 1911's aficionado feel happy with their piece.

I like what lendringser BigG said respectively, "You can make it look and work just the way you want". ...but my observation is that they change the parts because they CAN not because they NEED to.

I think one reason also, why there is no stop in modifying our 1911 is because of the unlimited wants we have in mind, we crave for something very different. I am just afraid that because of too much tweaking, then we may end of destroying the original value and replica of the gun it may represent.
 
Mabuhay

For the same reason jeepneys and busses are decorated.
Unadorned they would still do the job. With the artwork they become an expression and still do the job.

Sam
 
Well said Sam. You brought back memories.
I put some nice wood panels on my Norinco 1911 and that's it. Looks great.:D
 
Remember, the same rule applies to firearms as to entertainers, "tis better to take off than put on." Puteth thee no lasers, phasers, or wind speed indicators on your pistol.
 
Well for me 1, 2 and 6 are virtually a must to change on stock, especially GI, 1911's. The safety because I'm a lefty, so I need to add an ambi safety. I also have fairly large hands and use a pretty high grip - the stock hammer/grip safety usually means getting the web of my hand pinched. So I have to add a beavertail, which means having to change the hammer to fit the beaver tail.

On Commander type 1911s that already have the round hammer spur this isn't usually something that's needed just something that works better for me.

Like most of the rest of us here I have changed just about everything else on my Norinco, but 1,2 and 6 are the only things I really needed to change.
 
Just about any brand/model of weapon will work out of the box, but you have to "customize" it to make that one "YOUR" gun.

Like the guy who puts the 12X15 Gumbo Mudders on the rear wheels of his pickup, even though it has never seen a gravel road....Like mine......:D
 
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