Sidearms & Scatterguns Which of you can tune a 1911?

[Bender]

I’m more of a HK or Beretta guy, but I have a Colt National Match 1911 that is in the for sale section. I traded into it with a pocket 9mm I had. If it doesn’t sell I might just keep it. I shot it a few times, it had a couple failure to feed issues but it might be the hand loads. The rear grip safety is “deactivated” by the previous owner because of his “competition grip” when shooting matches years ago. Anyway, I’m too cheap to send it to a full on Smith because I’m not committed to the platform. But if I can get it to run like my Berretta 92, I might train with it more. Plus it looks cool AF with an honest patina in a worn leather holster. I will say it’s growing on me.

 

[Kadams1563]

What magazine and what ammo?

Have you taken it apart and detail cleaned it?

Also if you have not done spring replacements since you got it that's what I would do. No telling when springs were replaced by the original owner.

 

[Bender]

What magazine and what ammo?

Have you taken it apart and detail cleaned it?

Also if you have not done spring replacements since you got it that's what I would do. No telling when springs were replaced by the original owner.

no. I’m bad about that lol. Guess I should clean it up and lube it. I still need to figure out how to make the grip safety work again. I’m might carry it while it’s still cool before hot weather hits and I’m in t shirts.

 

[Shane C.]

FYI, it's not a Colt and it's not "Match", anything.

Doesn't mean you can't make it run.

 

[Bender]

FYI, it's not a Colt and it's not "Match", anything.

Doesn't mean you can't make it run.

it is a Colt NM upper on an Essex frame. Non numbers matching. But ok.

 

[1911hombre]

Clean and lube and put a new 18.5# spring in it. Hang on to it like you mean it when you shoot it; no limp wrist.

 

[Shane C.]

it is a Colt NM upper on an Essex frame. Non numbers matching. But ok.

You got the Essex part right!

I'll fix the grip safety for nothing if you want.

 

[Romeo458]

Wilson combat mags. That will fix 90% of all feeding issues. Ed brown or one of those known for high dollar 1911s make good mags to, but plan on spending $30 bucks or so.

 

[Bender]

Wilson combat mags. That will fix 90% of all feeding issues. Ed brown or one of those known for high dollar 1911s make good mags to, but plan on spending $30 bucks or so.

I have factory Colt mags. Maybe the springs are a bit old?

 

[HiDesertELR]

Fail to feed? Like log jam up the feed ramp, or not chambering all the way? Flat nose or round nose bullets?

+1 for good magazines. My Chip McCormicks run great.

 

[Matches Malone]

I have factory Colt mags. Maybe the springs are a bit old?

Could be the angle of the follower, or as said before, a worn spring in the mag. I agree that 90% of feed issues in a 1911 is the magazine. Assuming everything else is working, ie no short stroking etc.

If you want the beaver tail safety back just get the leaf spring in the back and bend forward (the left leaf if I remember right.) if it was actually deleted, consider replacing with Wilson combat bullet proof Leaf spring.

 

[Romeo458]

I have factory Colt mags. Maybe the springs are a bit old?

Couldn't hurt, but even with a new Spring the feed angle is much better with the Wilson mags.

 

[eklarsen]

Would you look at that, I can make that thing run like your neighbors when you turn your speed metal on, give me a shout if you want that gun tuned up like Dion Sanders before a big game.

 

[Notevenonpaper]

Depending on how it was "de-activated" it may be a simple fix. If the grip safety just pivots on it's pin with no resistance, they may have modified the seer spring. I have encountered a few where the grip safety was soldered to the frame as well. Seer springs are easy to replace, the grip safety not as easy but still doable. I would agree with making a detail strip, clean and lube a priority. I also second the suggestion to replace the springs. I am a fan of Wolff springs personally, but I also think it is more important to replace them regularly than it is to pick out a specific brand.

If you do decide to send it to a smith, Marianne Carniak (Carniak Customs) is a wizard with 1911s. She fixed a Kimber for me some years back that Kimber said was "in-spec", and it hasn't given me a single problem in years of carrying it.

 

[Bender]

The grip safety moves, it just doesn’t have any tension so I’m pretty sure it is just a sprain. Thank goodness it isn’t soldered LOL. I didn’t know disabling the grip safety was a thing, I guess it is for a modified high grip when you were competition shooting and sometimes it would deactivate and cause issues during a match

 

[wvfarrier]

Nighthawk offer a complete drop in hammer/sear kit thats awesome. A new beavertail is easy to fit. as others have said, WC and CMC mags fix most feed issues. Wolffe springs.

 

[Choid]

I've been tuning 1911s since I was a kid. It really isn't worth it here unless you are looking to put a lot of work in. You could change out the internals to good quality stuff, and put in a mil spec grip safety, as it looks like that one is probably one of the Wilson drop ins that doesn't require frame mods, so your original radius is still in tact. I'd switch out the rear sight to one of the nice Harrison ones that fits the stock dovetail. Front sight might be fine, height depending.

If you want to put in a more modern beavertail safety, you really need to high cut the front strap as well, or the grip angle will be weird and your knuckle under the trigger guard won't seem to fit on the gun correctly. After many years, I've found that starting out with a slightly better base gun makes my life much easier. Your Beretta will shoot better than that 1911 without a lot of additional work.

 

[Asiparks]

If it worked for the previous owner, then buy a new USGI or CMC mag for a few bucks and shoot some store bought FMJs to see if that solves the feeding issue, Spending $30+ on mag in the hope it will solve a feeding issue a) might not work b) doesn't solve the real, underlying issue if the barrel timing is off or the feed ramp is futzed
A new sear spring should solve the grip safety issue, my guess is the previous owner just cut the grip safety leg off.
Then shoot it some to see if you even like 1911's ...
Then I'd say then either keep it as is or sell it. Once you send it to a gunsmith, you're going to quickly rack up bills that would buy you a modern, relatively well appointed 1911. You could spend a ton of money getting Ed Brown or Wilson parts fitted and blended and at the end of the day you'll still have a Essex gun worth maybe ~$350