A working gun must be reliable and suited to the user’s hands. Toward this end, the first
priority is reworking or replacing existing parts to maximize reliability. Next is to improve
the user friendliness with good sights and a crisp trigger pull. The next level is to refine the
overall feel of the gun in the hand, to include making adjustments to the controls and a thorough
dehorn of sharp edges. Dehorning the gun is best accomplished by hand to preserve the lines and
improve control over the contours that are broken or rounded. There are many areas that can be
dehorned that are typically overlooked yet dramatically improve the comfort of using the weapon.
The highest level of refinement includes fitting for match accuracy and adding cosmetic flourish
and other luxuries.
Below is a detailed treatise on the parts and modifications that I personally use and recommend.
Though I am obviously biased toward 10-8 Performance components, much thought went into the
design and selection of each of them, and the explanations are clearly stated below.
Barrels:
A match barrel is not a necessity for a duty gun, and a well fit stock barrel can do very well.
The factory barrels from Colt and Kimber tend to shoot very well with minor adjustments. A match
fit barrel is analogous to “blueprinting” the engine on a race car – it maximizes your
performance and enhances the feel of the pistol. Some stock barrels fit very loosely and can
have a tendency to slop around during the firing cycle, producing a clunky feel as all the parts
slap around. A properly fit barrel not only optimizes the gun’s fit for accuracy, but it creates
a very smooth, soft sensation during the recoil impulse. I like match barrels from Kart, Ed
Brown, or Barsto.
Slide/frame fit:
This only contributes about 5% to accuracy, but it changes the feel and longevity of the gun.
The slide/frame fit gives the final 15-20% of the smoothness to a gun fit with a match barrel. A
properly fit gun will shoot very smoothly, and does not have the sloppy feel in recoil of guns
that rattle from an excessively loose slide to frame fit. Some play between the slide and frame
is not the end of the world, and can be helpful in a gun that will be around a lot of grit and
dirt. A duty grade gun does fine with a smooth, but only moderately tight slide to frame fit.
Serrated flat top slide:
Many reasons are offered for this modification, such as reduced glare off the top of the slide
and visual tracking down the plane of the flat top, but the most useful and quantifiable reason
is that it increases the apparent height of the front sight. When the top of the slide is
lowered by flattening, the top of the front sight must remain at the same height above the
boreline, thus necessitating the use of a taller front sight than on a round top slide. I like
the cosmetic of a flat topped slide, as well as the benefit of the taller front sight.
Serrations on the rear of slide:
This modification is strictly cosmetic, and looks best with rear sights that already have
serrations. Some offer that it reduces glare off the back of the slide, but if you’re looking at
that part of the slide when you shoot, you’re doing something wrong.
Bushing:
I prefer them to be finger tight, to allow field stripping without tools. For a working gun, it
is neither necessary nor prudent to have a bushing fit so tight that you must beat it out of the
gun with a steel bushing wrench and hammer.
Sights:
I of course prefer my own 10-8 Performance
rear sight, but there are many other excellent choices available on the market and it will be
up to your personal preference to select the sight system that works for you. For adjustable
sights, only a genuine Bomar will do. Just about every other adjustable imitation “Bomar style”
sight tends to break in short order. I generally prefer that front sights be dovetailed AND roll
pinned in place for maximum durability. I prefer a plain black rear sight with a front insert to
draw the eye to the front sight. Gold bead and tritium inserts are my top choices. If night
sights are desired, I recommend that the end user send the completed slide to Trijicon for
inserts after test firing and confirming zero. Tooltech Gunsight, www.ToolTechGunsight.com, will
be able to quote prices, options and turnaround time. Their phone number is (248) 628-1811, or
e-mail them at tgunsight@aol.com
Safety:
Unless you are a lefty, you can probably get by with only a strong side safety. The stock Colt
safety is actually fine, unless it just doesn’t fit under your thumb. If using gloves, and
extended safety will probably be helpful for more positive manipulations. For concealed carry in
certain open top holsters, an ambidextrous safety can sometimes be accidentally swiped off. If
this is a problem for you, a strong side only safety may be necessary. Despite those
limitations, I generally put ambidextrous safeties on most of my guns because I am accustomed to
doing manipulations, searches, etc. using the gun in either hand. I prefer and use ambidextrous
safeties from Wilson and Cylinder & Slide. For strong side only safeties, I prefer Chip
McCormick, King’s, and Cylinder & Slide. Be aware that ambidextrous safeties are generally not
as durable as single side safeties, as they all use a fairly fragile tongue-in-groove attachment
in the middle of the shaft to connect the two sides. This connection can loosen up fairly
quickly on any brand of ambi safety, and the tabs at the junction in the middle of the shaft can
sometimes snap. The Wilson, which is cosmetically identical to the classic Swenson, is my
favorite ambi.
Grip safety:
The Chip McCormick grip safety is hands down the most consistently sized and cleanly executed
grip safety, and is now available in blue and stainless.
Hammer/Sear:
The best units are the machined parts from Cylinder & Slide and EGW. STI and SVI also offer
excellent hammers and sears.
Disconnector:
The units from C&S and CMC are my favorites, though the original Colt tool steel units are also
very good.
Hammer Strut:
Many stock units are of questionable quality, and are sometimes brittle, too short, or rub the
sear spring. The CMC and C&S parts are tool steel and of the optimum dimensions and geometry.
Grip screws & mag catch lock:
I use flat head screws only. The flashy looking hex, Torx, etc. heads aren't on your Leatherman
tool for field repairs. With the original style flat head screws, it is possible to take down
the 1911 only with the internal parts – the leftmost leg of the sear spring was designed to fit
into the mag catch lock.
Mag well:
I like S&A mag wells as they double the area for reloads and generally make life easier when
performing manipulations at speed. Their additional weight (about 2 ounces) and effect on
concealability are factors for each user to consider. It is possible to extensively recontour
the S&A wells for cosmetic appeal and to reduce bulk, and I personally consider their added mass
of negligible consequence to concealability and portability.
Mainspring housing (MSH):
If not using a mag well, the Brown mainspring housing is the best choice – smooth spring tunnel,
clean checkering cut on a radius. The original Colt units are good too. A plastic mainspring
housing works fine and can reduce weight (about an ounce) in a carry gun, though it lacks some
cosmetic appeal. The new manufacture Colt synthetic mainspring housings are quite good, as
plastic goes. For a lanyard loop mainspring housing, Guncrafter Industries makes an excellent
unit which is readily available.
Grips:
For a working gun, I prefer sharply textured grip panels for maximum purchase. The grips should
be cut to clear the MSH pin in case you need to detail strip the gun in the field with minimal
fuss. I find smooth grips fairly useless, as the point of having grips is to allow you to
control the gun in recoil for better shot to shot recovery. Proficient technical shooters are
very dialed in to the concept of shot to shot recovery, and you’ll never see one of them with a
completely smooth grip. I dislike most rubber grips for carry guns, as the rubber tends to snag
clothing. They can work ok for some users, but beware of wraparound grips that enlarge the grip.
The best rubber grips are actually the checkered hard rubber panels that come on Kimbers and
Colt 1991A1’s. They are hard, tacky, but not too sticky to snag clothing. Grit grips, which are
basically covered with glued-on sand, are to be avoided for concealment guns. Their aggressive
grit will quickly destroy cover garments, much faster so than a checkered front or back strap.
The worst scenario is when the grit falls off into your holster, gouging or scratching your gun’s
surface.
Checkering/frame texturing:
The purpose of frame texturing is to allow you to maintain control of the gun in less than ideal
situations (wet, oily, etc.) and improve shot to shot recovery by controlling the gun. Smooth
front straps can get slippery when wet, and lack any real traction. If using a smooth front
strap, it’s a good idea to have aggressive grip texturing on the grip panels and MSH. Serrations
offer a classic look, but don’t always supply enough grip for very slippery conditions.
Stippling works ok when it’s new, but wears down quickly. I personally do not find stippling
very attractive on a 1911.
The most affordable and expedient solution is to use skateboard tape or non-skid flooring tape.
The best brand I’ve found is from 3M, and it can be found in big roll dispensers at Home Depot.
It offers excellent traction, and you won’t be permanently altering your frame. Grip tape can
also be removed and cheaply replaced when it wears out. With certain brands of tape, the grit
may fall off into your holster and cause excessive finish wear. The 3M brand flooring tape has
been the best for me, and the grit does not tend to fall off. The adhesive is also very
aggressive, yet is easily removed. The main downside to grip tape is that it’s not very classy
looking.
I personally prefer 20lpi checkering, as it provides the most aggressive grip and is not as
fragile as finer checkering. I find 30lpi entirely too smooth, and of negligibly greater
traction than skateboard tape. A good compromise for most folks is 25lpi checkering. The
Springfield Custom Shop and Evolution Gun Works both provide high quality checkering services at
affordable prices.
Bottom bordering, where the checkering ends before the bottom of the front strap, keeps the
checkering from abrading your hand during magazine manipulations. It also allows the front strap
to maintain full thickness down at the mag well, so that the mag well bevel can extend around the
front strap as well.
A small pad of 40 lpi checkering underneath the trigger guard can really help lock in the
offhand grip by providing a point of traction upon which to torque the grip. The disadvantage to
this modification is that it can tear up certain holsters.
Remember that your hands will become accustomed to an aggressive grip texture, so don’t become
intimidated by it at first. Aggressive texturing will certainly wear your hands out during an
extended class of 3-5 days length, but so will numerous other sharp spots on your gun. Frame
texturing can also wear on clothing and car seats, and I find that suit jacket linings are the
most sensitive. It is important to determine what the perceived application of the pistol will
be when planning on what type of texturing to use.
Guide rods:
No full-length guide rods. Period. They add nothing to function, make takedown more difficult,
add useless weight, and reduce options for one handed cycling. For stock format guide rods, the
stock Colt is the best, with the Ed Brown units being a very good choice for kit guns.
Magazine catch:
Extended magazine catches can be of great benefit on a working 1911, especially if the user has
small hands or wears gloves. It is important that the magazine catch does not bind the magazine
when it is depressed, as this is a common fault of the available designs. Any of the extended
designs can be suitably modified to prevent trapping of the magazines. The 10-8 Performance magazine catch provides a curved surface for
positive purchase and is internally relieved to prevent trapping of magazines.
Springs:
I run Wolff standard rate 17lb recoil, standard XP firing pin, and 19lb mainspring. Keep them
fresh and replace the recoil and FP springs every 3-4000 rounds, it’ll prolong frame life.
Shock buff:
If nothing else, these dramatically change the recoil impulse of the gun, making it shoot softer.
Buffs can reduce frame cracking problems in your gun as well. Guns shorter than a 5” Govt model
will probably not run with buffs in place, as these guns already suffer from a shortened recoil
stroke and a commensurate loss of reliability. The best buffs are from CP Specialties, available
through Brownells. Beware that they may not allow the “slingshot” slide release technique on
some guns. Replace them when they appear cut through. On a carry gun, replace them every
300-500 rounds or after every practice session so that your gun always wears a fresh buff.
Mags:
The Chip McCormick Corporation (CMC) eight round Power Mags have rigid tubes with well designed
feed lips, a spring with 2 additional coils for greater longevity, and are compatible with Wilson
base pads. I like the CMC mags a lot, and they feed very well in most guns. The feed lip design
and spring length allows them to stay loaded for longer periods than other eight round mags
before their springs fatigue and the feed lips spread. The only downfall with the CMC mags is
that the follower can skip over the slide stop, preventing the mag from being dropped. This is
typically only a problem on guns where the follower engagement shelf of the slide stop is cut too
short.
The Tripp Research Cobra Mags in eight and ten round capacities have proven to be very functional
magazines. They feature corrected tube lengths for the extra rounds as well as a well designed
hybrid polymer/steel follower.
At this juncture, the CMC and Tripp magazines are my first and only recommendations for 1911
magazines. Stay on top of magazine inspection and maintenance, and do not hesitate to replace
any magazine that has any problems.
Triggers:
The 10-8 Performance trigger design is
based on the original Videcki solid trigger with full width bow, oversized shoe, and fixed
overtravel stop. In choosing a trigger, be sure that the length of pull is correct for your hand
size. Oversized triggers should be installed and set up by a competent gunsmith, and it is
essential that the overtravel stop be properly set and fixed in place so that it does not loosen
during firing.
Firing pin:
The titanium pins that come in Springfield Armory pistols work fine if the factory super extra
power firing pin spring is changed to a standard Wolff XP. Otherwise, I prefer steel firing
pins. The stock units in Colts typically work very well, and Caspian and CMC make excellent
units for use in kit guns.
Extractor/Firing pin stop:
The extractor is the SINGLE most critical component for the reliability of your gun – it controls
feeding, extraction, and ejection. The Caspian 4340 or Wilson Bulletproof units are preferred,
in conjunction with a fitted oversized firing pin stop to control excessive movement of the
extractor. The EGW oversized firing pin stop is also excellent, and is what I use for Series 80
Colts.
Ejector:
I use EGW and Caspian ejectors. Be sure that your ejector will allow proper ejection of a live
round. Extended ejectors of excessive length are not necessary, and can prevent ejection of a
live round.
Slide Stop:
Vintage forged GI and Colt slide stops work very well, but they can also bring certain flaws and
limitations. Some vintages of Colt slide stops were very fragile and frequently broke off at the
lobe. Many factory slide stops feature small diameter pins which do not sufficiently engage the
lower lugs of the barrel. These should be replaced with larger diameter pin slide stops to
maximize the barrel lug fit. Some slide stop lobes are too short and offer only minimal
engagement with the magazine follower. Avoid extended slide stops, as their added mass can cause
the slide stop to bounce during recoil, locking the gun open prematurely. The 10-8 Performance
slide stop is machined from a forging and features a .200" diameter pin for optimized lockup,
oversized lobe geometry, and a flat lever to maximize purchase for manipulations.
Plunger tube:
I prefer bar stock units that are staked and permanently attached with Loctite. The 10-8
Performance plunger tube or the Caspian are both suitable choices.
Pins:
The sear and hammer pins need to fit properly in their frame holes without excessive play.
Excessive play can yield a poor trigger job or ultimately lead to excessive frame wear.
Roughness on other pins can lead to rough functioning. Be aware that not all pins are created
equal, and you may find excessively soft pins in some factory guns. The 10-8 Performance Hard
Pins can replace factory pins as necessary to improve fit and function.
With careful component selection, the performance of the custom 1911 can be maximized for extreme
longevity, unequalled accuracy, and exceptional reliability.
