Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

1911 change from 9mm firing pin

geeguy
I would like to change two newer 1911's with the 9mm firing pin to a standard 45 pin. I am assuming I can just drill or ream from the pin side through the breech. Everything else appears to measure the same except the breech opening.

Any advise from someone who has done this? (no need to discuss why, not interested in that opinion, only doing the operation)

Thanks for any input.
0

Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • beantownshootah
    quote:no need to discuss why, not interested in that opinion, only doing the operation
    I won't try to persuade you not to alter your gun, but just for my own education, why are you interested in doing this modification?

    I'd like to learn something, if you don't mind.
    0
  • geeguy
    These are all Bullseye guns. I have never had the primer not fire with a .45 pin with my reloads or factory. I use Winchester primers. Every so often (maybe 1 out of 100)the primer will be dented but not fire. The "experts" tell me this is due to "high primers". I could agree except for a few reasons:
    1. All my reloads fire always in many other 1911's with the .45 pin.
    2. I check each match round for primer height.
    3. I have the same problem with factory.
    4. This only happens on two guns, both with a 9mm firing pin. One Dan Wesson Aussie, and one Springfield custom built Clark gun (I have about 7 others that are fine with the same ammo, all have the larger pin).
    5. I use a Dillon Sq. Deal set up, but have also tried the Lee hand primer units and each case in a single RCBS press for the primer operation, all have been tumbled and had the pocket cleaned prior to insert of the primer. If the primers are high, I don't know what else to do, they sit below the brass surface.

    So my thought is that with a little more mass of the .45 pin and a larger surface hit, the problem "may be solved". If not, there is no down side I can see for moving to the firing pin that should have been in the gun in the first place (except for some crazy laws).

    My reasons may or may not be valid, but again, I don't see a down side unless there is some "gotya" in reaming the hole a little.

    I was looking for the "gotya" that someone may have experienced.
    0
  • perry shooter
    Hello Gee Guy one reason others went to the 9MM type firing pi was to past the drop test. Two things to consider is the Firing pin return spring was stronger and of course the 9mm pin is slightly lighter . You can ream the hole to accept the 45 pin but make sure it is not enlarged too much or you get primer FLOW. The other thing is the spring in the mainspring housing may be weaker but if you change this out to a stronger one it will change the trigger pull slightly and may not eject as far as it will take more energy to cycle the slide. If it were me I would try a standard 45 firing pin return spring first Prime about 10 cases with no powder or bullet hand load 5 into chamber and pull the trigger then swap springs fire the other 5 and compare the primer dent. I would ream not drill the hole to enlarge it. if that is what you decide to do. "PRAISE THE HARD-BALL GUN"
    0
  • dcs shooters
    I'm with perry shooter on this. I would try different springs first. A lighter firing pin return spring or stronger mainspring might solve the problem.
    0
  • geeguy
    Good point by Karl (Perryshooter). I did put a lighter mainspring in the Dan Wesson during the "trigger job" and didn't touch the pin return spring, and I don't know what Clark did on the Springfield, have to look. I'll pull out those springs from another gun that I know fires (I have many spares, but that will assure I'm using parts I know work)and try them in these two guns. I was not aware that the pin return spring was made stronger for the drop test, just "assumed" it was the same.


    As always, thanks for the input. Generally keeps me (but not always) from doing something stupid.
    0
  • beantownshootah
    quote:Originally posted by geeguy
    Good point by Karl (Perryshooter). I did put a lighter mainspring in the Dan Wesson during the "trigger job" and didn't touch the pin return spring, and I don't know what Clark did on the Springfield, have to look. I'll pull out those springs from another gun that I know fires (I have many spares, but that will assure I'm using parts I know work)and try them in these two guns. I was not aware that the pin return spring was made stronger for the drop test, just "assumed" it was the same.

    As always, thanks for the input. Generally keeps me (but not always) from doing something stupid.



    Hee hee.

    I was going to suggest simply swapping the trigger spring before permanently altering your gun, but you explicitly asked NOT to tell you about opinions other than reaming out the pin hole!

    Fortunately I "tricked" you into disclosing the information necessary to give you the good advice! [:D][}:)]

    Since you seem to be considering the idea of doing something OTHER than drilling your gun, you might also consider swapping the firing pin itself for a different one. If you can find a heavier 9mm pin, or one with slightly different nose geometry you might get slightly more reliable strikes.

    Increasing the tension on the mainspring would probably also work, but that's likely to increase your trigger pull weight, and you probably don't want to do that.
    0
  • dfletcher
    quote:Originally posted by geeguy
    Good point by Karl (Perryshooter). I did put a lighter mainspring in the Dan Wesson during the "trigger job" and didn't touch the pin return spring, and I don't know what Clark did on the Springfield, have to look. I'll pull out those springs from another gun that I know fires (I have many spares, but that will assure I'm using parts I know work)and try them in these two guns. I was not aware that the pin return spring was made stronger for the drop test, just "assumed" it was the same.



    All in the name of our safety, kind of a pain in the butt. I bought an EMP in 9mm and immediately got primer flow problems due to the titanium firing pin and heavy FP spring. Sent it back to Springfield, their fix was a steel firing pin and lighter FP spring. Still, I do prefer the "70s Colt" set up to the 80s with a trigger actuated FP block.
    0
  • Hawk Carse
    Like DSF, I have neutered two Springfield 9mms with an Ed Brown steel firing pin and a regular Wolff "extra strength" firing pin spring. I also have a built up gun with Springfield .45 slide and the same treatment. All give reliable ignition.

    Note that the Springfield firing pin is an odd size, smaller than Colt .45, larger than Colt .38. Ed Brown makes a steel replacement for Springfield guns.

    I don't know about Dan Wesson; I would first see if the firing pin was steel (magnetic) or titanium (nonmagnetic.) If titanium, a steel firing pin and standard spring are a cheap first try with no permanent alterations to the gun.
    0
  • geeguy
    Beantown: I wasn't tricked, knew where you were going. I was a little more forceful with my comment then I wanted to be. Last time I asked this question all I got was "high primer" and everyone telling me I didn't know how to reload match ammo, including a phone call to Jim Clark Jr.

    So I was trying to get to the problem without everyone worried about my reloading. As it worked out, you guys all hit on possible solutions without the reamer. Sometimes I do try and fix a small issue with a sledge hammer. I just want to assure that the gun functions all the time. Unlike Karl, I'm not a good enough shooter to overcome non-fires.

    We'll try the easy way first and hope that works.

    Thanks everyone for the imput.
    0
  • mark christian
    Come back and tell us how it turned out.
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity