45 ACP add ons
OK, so I have a basic Springfield 1911 and my friend says I need to put a better trigger and a full length guide rod on the pistol. Several questions arose. What will a full length guide rod do for me and could I use a 2 piece guide rod instead? Is the pistol easier to field strip with a 2 piece versus a 1 piece full length? This trigger he said I needed, is this alone going to improve the way my pistol shoots? Thanks for the help.
Doug
Doug
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An adjustable trigger is a good addition to a 1911 as it will let you stop over travel. It will not really improve the triger pull as far as weight and crispness. That only comes with a triger job. I have some pistols with full guide rods, and the only real value that I have ever found is that I can remove the slide assembly without removing spring. I don't like 2 piece rods because they will unscrew sometimes while you are shooting. It is easier to take the gun apart with a two piece rod. A one piece rod can be a problem during disassembly if you have a tight fitting barrel bushing. It takes about 3 hands and a bushing wrench to do it. The best one piece rod system is one like my Kimber CDP Pro has. It can be removed from the back side after the spring is locked with an L shape tool that is inserted in a hole in the rod. 0 -
This is a widely debated question on the full guide rod.
I say it makes NO difference in performance in the way your gun runs and I am in the majority.
This subject was brought up by me on the 1911 forum and it got over 50 responses in that opinion that it makes no difference.
Go for the trigger.
Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my gun has!0 -
there are so many gizmos for 45's that they ought to publish a book of world records on the subject. before i go listing what you need for your gun, aim us in a general direction. whats it going to be used for? that will tell us how far we need to go down the gizmo list. fyi...forget the full length guide rod. put the money into a nice trigger job....to start with.
former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.0 -
I'd vote for the trigger job first. Although, I've owned Springfield Armory 1911s whose trigger pull suited me fine. My current 1911 Commander size is one of them.
Tell us your primary use for the iron.
God Bless America and...
NEVER Forget WACO
NEVER, EVER Forget 9110 -
get the trigger job and while your at it check on how much it will cost to have the ejection port lowered (this is for reliablaty)
i have full leingth guide rods,sprinco,they make no difference what will help is the spring wt. tune the gun for the loade you shoot
"Go over,go under,go around,or go through.But never give up."0 -
our poster isnt answering as fast as i thought, so i'll go ahead and just say the trigger should be the first job, polish the feed ramp, and keep in mind that the bbl and bushing work together in ensuring the bbl goes back to the exact same place in lock up. its key for acurracy so, bbl and bushing must be fitted properly next. wts of springs ensure the slide recoils properly in relation to the wt of the bullet being shot. based on the wt and shape of bullet will determine wt of spring. spring guide shock buffers give your gun a treat with less wear. put one in. lastly, if you cant see what your aiming at, you cant hit it. pick a nice sight set and install it. hows that guys? did i miss anything?
former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.0 -
Good 1911 upgrades that works for most application (almost in order of upgrade).
1. Trigger Job
2. Lower and flared ejection port
3. Adjustable trigger
4. Match barrel bushing
5. Better sights
6. High-ride beaver tail grip safety
7. Better Grips
8. Magazine well
Guide Rods...
I agree with the earlier post. There has really been no proven improvements with a full length guide rods. There has been some interesting designs in guide rods that have proved "interesting".
Harts made a full length guide rod that was mercury filled with 3 ball bearings. This design was to reduce 'felt recoil'.
Many manufactures made full length guide rods with 'heavy' metals to also reduce felt recoil and muzzle jump.
I recall someone took a 1 piece 6" guide rod and sharpened the end to a point. The idea was it would prevent people from slamming the front of the slide to take the gun out of battery (tactical move).
Just food for thought...
"When the going gets tough... the tough gets a bigger gun!"0 -
It's just me, but before I'd go and put all that money into fixing one up, I'd get a Colt Custom Shop gun, or a Kimber or something.
But for some, the build is half the fun and I can understand that. I recommend a trigger job on nearly EVERY gun unless its value is as a collector not a shooter.0 -
First thing to do is take out and shoot it a bunch.....just as it is. Then you can determine what you'd like to change.
Generally speaking, the first thing I do with a new 1911 is to polish the feedramp....that assures better feeding of a variety of cartridges.
The M1911 is a darn fine firearm, just as it was designed. No need to make changes just to be making changes.
Nice thing about an '11 is that you can make small or large changes, one at a time, as you determine you need or want them to make the gun what you want it to be.0 -
Ill join the full length guide rod makes no difference gang.www.wilsoncombat.com will give you more options than you could ever dream of as far as tricking a 1911 out but i would definitly get the trigger job but as mentioned b4 i would go with a trigger change instead of the adjustable.the difference in my old springfields trigger and my wilson trigger is amazing,substantial,in other words night and day
SUBMARINE SAILOR,TRUCK DRIVER,RUSTY WALLACE FAN AND AS EVERYONE SO OFTEN POINTS OUT PISS POOR TYPIST e-mail alisonandwalt@charter.net0
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