High Standard 1911

THEGRATENATE said:
What constitutes a bare minimum of upgrades?
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It depends what, specifically, you want it for.

Your original post just requires the gun "go bang" everytime. Just about any quality 1911 will do that, especially if you're not going to shoot it much.

You'll overlook the meager sights, horrid trigger, hammer bite and tiny thumb safety if your only use will be for recreational purposes only.

I can cite a short list of "must have" modifications for more serious use, but unless you intend the gun for "serious use" then it would be moot.

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THEGRATENATE said:
What constitutes a bare minimum of upgrades?


Thanks
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id say the following should be a minimum:

beavertail safety- avoid that hammer bite! after one mag you will want to stop shooting with the standard safety on the milspec.

3 dot or night sights- the notch sight is hard to pick up and not much of a combat sight. the groove is too small and shallow.

ambi and extended safety- the stock safety is easily missed if you have med or large hands.


for a little extra:

beveled mag well- helps reloading, the existing mag well and the single stack mags leave little margin for error.

front strap checkering- better overall grip.

flat backstrap- at least for me, the flat strap just sits better in my palm.

wilson combat magazines- the plastic follower improves reliability and the life of the mag.
 
Minimum list of "must have" features on a 1911 intended for serious use:

Sights you can see at speed. Not necessarily adjustable. I like a fiber optic front of .100 wide coupled with a rear notch of .125 wide. I dislike 3 dot, as they clutter up the sight picture. One dot on the front should suffice. An example of set of sights would be a Dawson Precision fiber optic coupled with a Heinie rear.

Extended Thumb safety. Not an ambi unless you're left handed. Ed Brown "tactical" is a good choice, as is a King's speed safety.

Beaver Tail Grip Safety. Ed Brown memory groove version. It not only does away with hammer bite and sharp edges, but drops the gun a little lower in the hand for better recoil control.

Crisp Trigger with overtravel stop. Around the 3.5# range would work for most. (this may already be present on the gun off the shelf) Length of trigger is a personal thing. They make short, medium, long, as well as custom lengths. Find the one that works for YOU.

Front Strap Texturing. This can be a 10 cent piece of skateboard tape or a full stippling or checkering treatment. It prevents the gun from twisting in your hand during rapid fire.

Beveled magwell or extended magwell. Not a "must have" but a strong "real nice to have" option. S&A magwells add 1/4" to the length, but make those fast reloads a lot easier. It doesn't mean you don't have to practice, tho !

Quality Magazines. Wilson's are fine, but I prefer the Chip McCormick Power Mags (not their cheaper ones with the welded floor plate) Either way, a crappy magazine is a mistake in any serious gun.

Quality Holster/belt You'd think it goes without saying, but buying a $500-$800 gun and then putting it in a $15 dollar Fobus or similar is just ignorant. Putting a good holster on the belt that came free with the pants is equally so.

The above list should serve you and your 1911 very well in many applications.

.
 
David E said:
Minimum list of "must have" features on a 1911 intended for serious use:

Sights you can see at speed. Not necessarily adjustable. I like a fiber optic front of .100 wide coupled with a rear notch of .125 wide. I dislike 3 dot, as they clutter up the sight picture. One dot on the front should suffice. An example of set of sights would be a Dawson Precision fiber optic coupled with a Heinie rear.

Extended Thumb safety. Not an ambi unless you're left handed. Ed Brown "tactical" is a good choice, as is a King's speed safety.

Beaver Tail Grip Safety. Ed Brown memory groove version. It not only does away with hammer bite and sharp edges, but drops the gun a little lower in the hand for better recoil control.

Crisp Trigger with overtravel stop. Around the 3.5# range would work for most. (this may already be present on the gun off the shelf) Length of trigger is a personal thing. They make short, medium, long, as well as custom lengths. Find the one that works for YOU.

Front Strap Texturing. This can be a 10 cent piece of skateboard tape or a full stippling or checkering treatment. It prevents the gun from twisting in your hand during rapid fire.

Beveled magwell or extended magwell. Not a "must have" but a strong "real nice to have" option. S&A magwells add 1/4" to the length, but make those fast reloads a lot easier. It doesn't mean you don't have to practice, tho !

Quality Magazines. Wilson's are fine, but I prefer the Chip McCormick Power Mags (not their cheaper ones with the welded floor plate) Either way, a crappy magazine is a mistake in any serious gun.

Quality Holster/belt You'd think it goes without saying, but buying a $500-$800 gun and then putting it in a $15 dollar Fobus or similar is just ignorant. Putting a good holster on the belt that came free with the pants is equally so.

The above list should serve you and your 1911 very well in many applications.

.
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good point on the holster. i know many guys that buy nice guns then stick them in crappy holsters on crappy belts.
 
Midget said:
:P


I own three, quality galco holsters and a thick galco belt, and i find myself going back to the clipdraw every time to carry my glock19.

http://clipdraw.com/
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i dont care for this type of carry because the trigger is not protected, it is simply an item that is marketed toward those looking for convenience.
 
How much shooting are you going to do with your gun? Although RIAs are fine guns, the frames and slides are relatively soft, and some people think that they won't be as durable as Colt, Springfield, or Kimber. But that's after thousands of rounds. If you're going to only shoot it occassionally or keep it as a self-defense tool, the RIA line is an excellent choice.

I myself have a Kimber Custom II. It's a bit more expensive than Taurus, RIA, or High Standard, but I plan on keeping it forever. That means that it will likely see tens of thousands of rounds through it. An objective analysis of the costs of ownership tells me that I'll spend much more money on ammo and range fees than I will on the gun. So I decided to spend a couple of hundred more and pick something up that theoretically will hold up better in the long run. I don't know if this applies to you, but if it does, it is something to consider.
 
There have been a lot of good recommendations on what a 1911 should have.
You want it to go bang every time, thats the foremost criteria in a defensive handgun.. If you buy a basic 1911 and shoot it for a while, and then decide you want a beavertail grip safety, night sights or any other sight that requires the slide be milled, these modifications are not cheap to have done correctly... You are money ahead to buy a pistol that already has these features, plus you would have better resale down the line..The Springfields, Kimbers and even the Taurus are great reliable pistols that already have the modifications done to them. For a defensive pistol you don't need a super light target trigger. This can prove to be a liability in court as well. My preference on a defensive handgun is around 5 lbs. If you plan on using defensive ammo in a carry pistol, run at least a box or two through it to make sure your pistol will reliably cycle the ammo, sometimes you may have to change out the recoil spring on some +P loads or even with standard loads. If you buy a used gun you never know what someone has put in it for springs.
Beware though, the 1911 is a very addictive pistol. Almost as bad as knives
 
While the basic novak style sight is just fine, the original GI sights are not, that is the one upgrade that can be considered automatic.

EVERYTHING else, is a matter of personal taste. I like beavertails, teardrop safetys, and extended slide stops, I usually add an ACE trigger, but only for comfort. Some shoot the guns real well without a beaver tail, its usually people who have leaner hands who like the GI grip safety. I do mean everything else is a matter of personal taste, from stippling, checkering, arched or curved, front serration's, ambi or not, commander or spur hammer, are all matters of how the gun fits you.


Mags a whole lot of contention. I find a GI gun does better with GI mags, the real ones with the holes in the side and 7 rounds. Some like all sorts of Mags, I have a .45 commander Colt's that will shoot from every thing you slam in the bottom. I have a very expensive race gun that only functions with Metalforms or Novaks, because it was set up that way.
 
Guntotin_fool said:
EVERYTHING else, is a matter of personal taste. from stippling, checkering, arched or curved, front serration's, ambi or not, commander or spur hammer, are all matters of how the gun fits you.
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There is "personal taste" and there are "minimum modifications." These are not necessarily the same thing. Anything that helps you shoot the gun better, faster and more reliably should seriously be considered. However, please do not put a gadget ahead of proper technique. Front serrations? I wish they'd never thought of them. Extended slide release? What the hell for ? Proper technique doesn't require an extended slide release. Plus, they can cause problems simply by being there, such as locking the slide open when you least expect it while firing.

Arched or flat mainspring housing is whatever fits YOU best. Ambi safety, for a serious gun, only if you're left handed. Extended thumb safety? Yes! If you miss the safety once out of 20 going full speed, that's way too much.

Frontstrap texturing? Yes, it's a good idea as it keeps the gun from twisting in your hand during rapid fire. And it doesn't have to cost much. As I previously noted, a 10 cent piece of skateboard tape will do just fine. In fact, I have just such a piece on my carry gun right now....in camo ! (ok, only because I couldn't find black....)


I have a very expensive race gun that only functions with Metalforms or Novaks, because it was set up that way.
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I truly mean no offense, but if that's the case, then you need another gunsmith !!

.
 
kamagong said:
How much shooting are you going to do with your gun? Although RIAs are fine guns, the frames and slides are relatively soft, and some people think that they won't be as durable as Colt, Springfield, or Kimber. But that's after thousands of rounds. If you're going to only shoot it occassionally or keep it as a self-defense tool, the RIA line is an excellent choice.
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How soft and where did you find this information?
Thanks,
Mike
 
vetkaw63 said:
How soft and where did you find this information?
Thanks,
Mike
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I've read it several times at www.1911forum.com and www.m1911.org Remember, I said that RIA guns are "relatively" soft compared to other 1911 brands, but remember that these guns are still quality pieces made of steel, so I don't think you have anything to worry about. If you have any problems with them, I don't think it'll be until thousands and thousands of rounds and hundreds of dollars later. Still, there is no need to worry. RIA has excellent customer service, and they'll treat you right if you get a lemon.
 
Personally I would get a Springfield Mil-Spec as a bare bones 1911 because of the sights and the lowered ejection port. You can always bob the hammer (file off part of the spur) to cure hammer bite, and the other little parts such as the thumb safety are inexpensive and easy to upgrade if you can use a file and have some patience. They sell for around $600. For around $900-1000 you can get one of Springfield's Loaded models, which are also nice.
 
Or, you can nearly double capacity, get the grip safety, ambi mag release, dot sights, and wonderful functionality of the XD 45, also from Springfield. (although Croats started it)

I carry one every day now. Very nice, 15 round (with Arrendondo base plates) .45.
 
MORIMOTOM said:
the ambi safety is not only for left handed shooters.
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I never said it was. I did say for a SERIOUS gun, it really should be reserved for a lefty.

Why?

Because it can be unintentionally knocked off "safe" and into the 'Fire' mode by bumping against something.

Now, my KyTac BraveHeart holster eliminates that concern, but not everyone carrying a 1911 with an ambi safety is carrying it in my BraveHeart holster! (www.kytac.com)

This means that many 1911's with ambi's run the risk of having the safety bumped off. Me, I don't like that, so I designed my holster to eliminate that concern.

Why the perceived need for an ambi for a right handed shooter? The theory goes that if you're shot in the right arm (apparently with the first shot before you can draw the gun) you can draw it left handed and still be able to take off the safety.....

While that is a possible scenario, it's not very probable. Having the safety knocked off a 1911 inadvertantly, by contrast, is not only possible, but highly probable as carried in most holsters. (the aforementioned BraveHeart being the rare exception)

Evenso, it's not a big deal to snick the single side safety off left handed.

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