Lets discuss some useless things in the 1911 pistols. Just opinions but watevs this is for entertainment purposes only.

"Slim grips!" Oh my the dreaded slim grips of slimdamnnation! I just don't care for them and find them a pointless feature. You know if you have them because the gun will have shorter grip bushings. I've had them in the past on factory made 1911s and find them annoying because I will have to change them to normal size bushings. Prepare to pull out your hair, or whats left of it, if you strip out the bushing receptacles on the frame! Mostly I don't care for them not because of how they feel but because I have more grip options with normal length bushings and they don't make a wrap around slim grip that I know of yet. Also I find the original Johnny "Mo" Brownatelli design very slim already so slimmys are almost always a "no go" for me.

Extended slide release lever. I've had these before and they don't really do anything for me. The biggest problem is the cost of the part upgrade can be very high and possibly need fitting so there just not worth it to me. Unless you got very tiny thumbs its an upgrade to take your money away.

Front slide serrations. This seems to be more of a "style and look thing" more than anything else. Besides that I don't prescribe to the need for them at all and can do press checks without front serrations all day long with no problemos if I want to do that.

Awww yes the wonderful world of the useless 1911 extended guide rod! This is one that I actually like and don't mind in my 1911 however they are TOTALLY NOT NEEDED. Though it is entertaining to listen to people on how much they are badly needed and a "must have" in the old original Johnny Mo design.

Bling bling baby! This is another one I don't mind but it is a totally useless thing besides impressing your BBQ friends or your local pimp. I've shined up 1911s before and put really nice stag bone grips on the gun that cost almost the same price as the gun itself. Why?? Because its fun and nice to look at. Like the All Powerful and Magnificent Yogurt the Wise once said... MERCHANDISING! MERCHANDISING!

All of these of course are opinions mostly about features that I don't see a real useful purpose in. However there's more "things, upgrades, and features" I don't care for but they also serve more of a better understandable purpose in a 1911 gun. One being ambi safeties. I don't need them however they can be a real world benefit especially to a left handed shooter. There's countless other things but they all have some decent rhyme or reason so I won't mention them. All in all "things, upgrades, and features" are fun and can be very beneficial if done correctly. I encourage everyone to do it as long as it doesn't mess with the safety of the gun. Thanks and feel free to comment and enjoy!

Jeff Cooper once said the only thing the original 1911 needed was bigger sights. If you don't like your gun's trigger you can get it tuned and if the safety doesn't fit you or your left handed you can change it. I tend to agree.

I consider very few custom modifications to be pointless or useless, because there's probably someone, somewhere, that benefits from them.

There are some that I'm not particularly fond of, and don't find particularly useful for me.

Extended slide releases. I usually use my left thumb to release it when reloading a mag from slide lock. For one-handed use, never had a problem release it with my right thumb, despite my smallish hands.

While I'm not a 1911 purist by any means, I do prefer to stay relatively close to JMB's original design. So I'm not a fan of bushingless barrels or full-length guide rods. I do like external extractors, though it's not a deal breaker. A bushingless barrel would be a deal-breaker for me, but a full-length guide rod is easily replaced. I would probably put barrels with integral feed ramps into this category, though I can see a benefit in alloy-framed pistols. I'm sure they all work fine, but it's just a little too far from the original design for me.

Never had a problem with the original style grip safety, but beavertail grip safeties help make a 1911 more comfortable in the hand. I have to admit I miss the old "ducktail" style of grip safety, combined with a round Commander hammer. Fortunately, my Series 70 Gold Cup has that combo.



Not a fan of big mag funnels that extend the length of the pistol's grip. My 1911s just have beveled mag wells, and that works fine for me. I'm not a competition shooter and don't consider the need for lightning fast mag changes important, even in a self defense pistol.

Not really interested in ambi thumb safeties. I've practiced engaging and disengaging the left-side only thumb safeties on my 1911s. I can see some benefit in an extended thumb safety, though. I've never had a problem disengaging the standard Colt thumb safety, but I can see how having a slightly larger or extended safety can be beneficial when one is under stress. And while I can easily disengage the standard Colt thumb safety, it does require a bit more effort to engage it, and that could be easier with an extended thumb safety.

Front slide serrations? Meh. I think I'd prefer a 1911 without them, but it wouldn't be a deal breaker. I can see some benefit to them.

Don't really think match grade barrels are all that important, but it is probably the best way to get a good, consistent lock-up with them. Not really a fan of tightened frame/slide rails. I'd rather have a gun that's too loose than too tight. But I also remember something Bill Wilson said, that a 1911's fit doesn't have to be tight, it has to be right.

Cosmetic stuff. Meh. I don't like 1911s that are garish looking. I've seen some that resulted in eye vomit. I like simple finishes. Blued, stainless, hard chrome, parkerized, any of the modern black finishes. I've always had a thing for 2-tone 1911s (reference above picture).

Grips. Again, I like fairly simple grips. Double-diamond checkered wood grips are good. Got a set of cocobolo Hogues on my Series 80 Govt Model. I like the D45 grips (reference above picture). Some of the "tactical" grips I've seen, where the rear is smooth and the front is textured, are pretty cool. Thinking Ahrends and VZ.

I suppose that's about it. I used to really like custom 1911s (still do, actually), but the more I think about it, the more likely I am to get a basic GI-style 1911 if I were to buy one today, like the Colt Series 70 Govt Model they're making now (can't remember the current name). But I don't carry 1911s for self defense. If I did, I'd probably go with a Commander or CCO-style pistol with some of the more modern touches.

Just my opinion.

I understand slim grip panels. Some with small hands appreciate them.

Front cocking serrations serve no useful purpose.

But the worst is the claim that the a full length guide rods makes the gun more accurate. And two piece FLGR are even worse.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

My 1911 peeve involves some of the mods people get done on their Bullseye 1911s. Don't get me wrong; I love 1911s and I love shooting Bullseye, but....
For traditional 2700 matches, the 45 stage was supposed to be about marksmanship proficiency with the (then new) service pistol.
At first, a 1911 had to be drawn from military inventory and fired with service ammo for use in the match. That is a tough way to fire the 900 aggregate!
Then, they approved better visibility sights. OK, fine!
Later, adjustable sights and 4lb trigger jobs were approved. OK, fine, that still is in pretty much keeping with a service pistol. In fact, that's close to the extent of what's allowed for CMP service pistol, if you choose to use a 1911.
But, for NRA 2700 it's all bets off! Orthopedic grips, huge Red Dot sights, 3lb triggers, extra weights, compensators, 6" long slides, powder puff wadcutter loads, etc.
It's fine if folks like these things for personal reasons, but don't pretend that for competitive purposes it's anything but twisting the rules for the sake of "buying points".
Yet, the guys using these things talk about the "challenge" of "mastering" the 45!!

The end result is that the Bullseye 1911 no longer has any bearing to the original intent of the match, (not that the 1911 is our service pistol...but, that's another story!)

Anyhow, that's my 1911 gripe...
Sure was fun getting that off my chest!

PS: it is fun to see some old timer Bullseye shooter show up at a match and clean up with his old DCM 1911!

Let's see. Prefer the full length guide rod. Both my Colt and my custom built have tungsten full lengths. Bit more of the hassle to take apart, but I like the extra mass up front. As to ambi safety, gotta have it. Learned to shoot the 1911 high thumb- resting on the safety. For me, it gives me more control shooting weak handed.

BTW: My colt is one of the old M1991A1's from the 90's. Rattles a little, but still a good gun. And my custom is a wide body that I had built for USPSA LTD back around 95-96. Even though I had to have the mags pinned still won't give it up.

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Peace was my Profession

Reminds me of a mildly amusing story. Several years ago, back in the 90s, I was in a speed shooting competition. It was a semi-formal match, in that there were some basic rules, but it wasn't part of any organized competition series. There were no classes. So I was there, shooting my stock Beretta 92FS (I might've had night sights installed at the time...can't remember). I look down the line of shooters, and there are some with $2000+ compensated race guns with optical sights (this was the 90s, so they were quite big) that I would be shooting against. Needless to say, I didn't fare very well. Fortunately, I didn't come in last, so I guess there's that.

Ambidextrous safeties are a nuisance protrusion that can't be abided.

Extendo-matic slide releases need to stay away.

Full length guide rods are just so much baggage.

Front slide serrations are unsightly and unnecessary.

Speed bumps on grip safeties need to be conspicuous by their absence.

Beaver tail grip safeties so swoop-y that they'd do a '59 Cadillac tail fin proud.

Great honkin' "stick-y up-py" sights.

Bobbed 1911s are mutilated 1911s.

Undercut grip frames - two live here with them, but could do without the feature.

Same two have those oval Commander styled hammers which are an offense to the eye.

No wrap-around grips need apply.

Grips of any material other than checkered or double-diamond stocks should be banished. Well, they are here.

Mag wells - unsightly and not required.

Giant billboard roll marks on the slide proclaiming anything.

External extractors should not be seen.


That doesn't leave much.

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Thats crazy! I feel your pain... Yogurt the Wise loves the 1911 market! My first 1911 I bought was a cheap nickel plated GI style Rock Island Armory 1911 with the terrible GI blade sights. This was before everyone really knew that they were good. I had a small crowd around me and for fun I carried the gun in a holster John Wayne style and did a quick draw about 10 yards away on a tiny little target. I shot a perfect bullseye! I just laughed re-holstered and mosied on away while everyone clapped. Mostly the perfect luck but the gun and my skill had some part to play.

I find an accessory rail to be an abomination.
I’ve yet to find a need for a cheese grater underneath my pistol.

I never saw the need to put "mud flaps" on a 1911, I'll keep mine like it was intended.

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Oh yeah. Gnarly accessory rails are nasty.

I've never been bit, so for me the beavertail/ducktail just makes it hard to decock. Rather have the original Commander type.

And I like the short trigger just fine. Don't need holes or stop screws.

And I'm fine with the little sights too.

Really, I pretty much like it as is. Maybe a bobtail would be cool.

Made me think of an old country song..."Close enough to perfect for me"

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One of the most nonsensical "upgrades" I've ever heard of folks doing to their 1911s is the removal of the "billboard" on the slide.

Not only are the slide markings I'm used to seeing on 1911s rather small, simple, and innocuous, but they exist for the purpose of identification. It would be one thing if folks wanted to remove the slide legend from say a Llama 1911 or some other el cheapo 1911, but in most cases folks are doing this to quality brand 1911s.
Frankly, in the modern era of CNC Machining in which everyone can make a decent looking 1911, and it isn't exactly difficult to polish up and refinish a cheap 1911 to look as nice as an otherwise expensive 1911, you'd think that folks would wish to keep the markings on the slide which identify their 1911 as a Premium Brand, but no, they'd rather strip it off so that it looks no different than some other guy's Ruger SR1911 or Taurus PT1911 that he polished up, refinished, and fitted with some nice aftermarket parts.

In addition, I'll never understand folks who downgrade their 1911s to an A1 configuration. It's like, 1911s tend to be cheaper in the A1 configuration, so why not just buy a 1911A1 to begin with rather than spending more for a 1911 with lots of semi-custom features, only to spend more money on aftermarket replacement parts to make it more like the A1?

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

Only mods I did are extended thumb safety (EGW) on 2 of mine and flat checkered MSH & short triggers, that would be a series 80 Gov. & S.A. Mil-spec defender. My third is a rock stock series 70 (new model Colt). I am trying to resist putting a flat MSH on the series 70. I shoot the S.A. more than my Colts only because the S.A. is my work horse.

I have a box of grips LOL, IMO nice thin Dble Diamonds can't be beat, so they all wear various versions of same.

My new series 70 Colt has the higher profile sights but the front & back sight are blacked out, no white dot no nothing. Makes getting a good sight picture challenging. I might have my Smith put a gold bead insert on the front. That would be nice.

I don't mind a Commander hammer & rat tail grip safety on a full size GV., working on that for my old beater Ithica but first, my Thumb safety plunger tube is coming loose..more work.

So generally I prefer stock with very mild mods, no beaver tails or memory bumps, no rail cuts for Red Dots or lights, no ambi safeties & I'm left handed. The S.A. does have a magwell bevel.

Yes I used to really like the old school Taurus PT 92 and in some ways prefer it over the Beretta 92 because it didnt have the slide mounted safety. I liked it until they started putting this big rail on the bottom of the gun and now the thing looks like a goofy bony dinosaur abomination.

I've never been a fan of extended thumb safeties or slide releases. They just get in my way.
Hate a FLGR. Useless IMHO.
Some of my guns have beaver tails. I even added them to a couple many years ago. But a standard grip safety works just fine for me. I leave 'em alone now.
I do prefer a long trigger. It just fits my hand better. I will add one if the gun needs it.

My pet peeve is that everybody now sells their guns with a flat main spring housing. The original was changed to arched in the A1 for a valid reason. It pisses me off that just about every 1911 I've bought in at least the last 10 years, I've had to change the MSH to arched so it'll fit my hand properly.

I dont get that either. Dan Wesson started doing minimal markings and started a trend now Rock Island does that to all there 1911s. The gun looks unfinished if you ask me. Looks kinda odd like it was made by a private owner. However the minimal markings dont bother me as much as the HUGE markings do. My Desert Eagle looks better with the minimal tasteful markings it has unlike when they first came out they broadcasted the name big across the whole slide. I think for the most part it was a good trend to follow. Its difficult for 1911 gun companies to keep up with all these trends. I think they need to follow Colt and just keep things classic. You cant ever go wrong with proven classic!

I picked up a RIA GI "clone" about 15 years ago. I liked it a lot. It was and has been perfectly reliable with the ball ammo I have put through it. The only things I did not like were the tiny sights and the way the hammer would bite me. I installed a Ed Brown perfection sear which helped a crisp but heavy trigger become a nice crisp 4.5lb trigger. I installed a fitted barrel bushing which tightened up the groups a bit. I trimmed the hammer by 3/16 of a inch and rounded it. I also decided that new sights were in order. I had Heinie install some plain black Slant Pro sights and added my favorite fluorescent yellow paint to the front sight. A set of Hogue palm swell rubber grips finished it off. Nothing extravagant, just things to fix a couple flaws and improve the trigger and accuracy.

Look into the ATI GI 1911. They have arched mainspring housings. Also Springfield Armory puts them on all there Mil Spec models. I dont really care about MPH. Aluminum, steel, and even plastic! Dont bother me... Also straight arched or even bobbed dont make any difference to me on a full size 1911. HOWEVER the officer frame is a different animal. A slightly curved MPH is nice to have on an officer frame since that grip sits so short in the hand.

I have two cheese grater 1911s, one S&W and 1 Rock Island. The Remington R1 is stock except for VZ grips that are beyond aggressive texture. Yup all my 1911s have all the features this thread doesn't like and I'm happy with 'em.

3 Colt Gold cups, 6 Para's [long slide, LDA, compact 13 in double stack 45 acp], [Warthog and P16 in 40 S&W], [P18 in 9 MM], target models from Sig, Rock Island, Springfield, ATI, and S&W.

If the FLGR was missing, I added it along with a magwell. Grip bushings were easy -- bought a 6 pak of sets of 4 oversize bushing from Brownell's. Recoil springs from 11# to 24#.

Bring on the accessories. Standard slide stop and standard safeties only. Only have 2 dot sights on bullseye guns.

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S&WHF 366

Eh... I really dont care for slim grips. Mostly because your stuck with only slim grips until you change the bushings to normal size than theres a plethora of grip options out there. Also the possibility of the slim grips breaking is more probable than with normal meaty grips. Now a set of VZ style slimmys feel pretty good in the hand they however dont feel any different than normal width grips. :/ The 1911 is already slim "as is."

9mm

Seriously, a lot of modern changes do improve the gun. A lot are just to sell accessories or look kewel too.

I don't like the HRT slide stop, some do. The ambi thumb safety is neither asset nor a liability to me. Etc. etc.
Build it to suite yourself.

Hey I love cheese! S&W 1911??? Thats crazy talk! Old Johhny boy didnt like no dang ol crazy external extractor! Or did he??? I think the P-35 has an external extractor SIR! If you ask me more 1911s should have external extractors. Cheese away my friend.

I know a lot of Colonels in the military and I never met one that didnt know what the heck they were talking about. When they talk I listen and usually follow there guidance with 100% success.

I loved Jeff Cooper but there are so many better guns than a 1911 that I just got tired of his ravings.

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Come and take it!!

In the land of a six shot revolver, the 1911 reigns as king, but we are no longer in the land of the 6 gun. Still, I love my Colt 1911 Officer LW and still carry it. I like it mostly stock, just wish it had better modern sights. Only modifications I done to it was a trigger job because it be came very light for my taste in a carry gun, 3 1/2 lbs with a lot of take up and over travel. It is now crisp and at 4 1/2 lbs. I put an overweight rcoil spring in it because i like to carry 185gr +p in it. And my gun is very magazine picky and most mags hang up on the mag release button inside the mag well so i use Western-Mills mags with it. I don't need anything else, but I do like how some tricked out ones look. I feel do what works for you.

I don't own a 1911, but many military guns of that era and even later (TT33 anyone?) have minuscule sights. When you get up there a little in age, they all need fixing.

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Release the Kraken

That Colt looks vaguely familiar...
Bob

While I don't see a need to decock a 1911, I did have a Commander hammer and grip safety (not-beavertail) installed on my Series 80 Govt Model.

Not really an accessory, but last year I bought a Kimber Commander sized 1911 with a round butt frame. I was amazed at how well it felt in my hand, and the gun points naturally with no elevation correction needed. Cant say the same for 1911's with round main spring housings - all the rest of my 1911's have flat housings to properly point for me.

Big, bold sights, and a beaver tail safety to prevent hammer bite are all I really need in a 1911.

Larry

Like the slim grips for my hands, and changed all 1911'a owned to them. Most of mine can be carried, so replaced most the extended safetys to second iteration of original Colt safety. Much better for holstering or drawing without accidentally switching safety off. Full size beavertail safetys are a pain, and don't like them for carry. The original style can simply have the sharp edges rounded over. Am liking adj sights for pistols mainly used at range, but have the first version of SA milspec that am thinking on removing the sights.

Currently carry a 3 incher in summer, and a light weight commander sized with 5 in barrel in heavier clothing seasons.

My CWO4 told me don't worry about drawing any wad cutter, you aren't getting any until you are Distinguished. So I shot my ball gun in the .45 match.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

If one's primary reason for owning a 1911 is esthetics or tradition then the accessory rail is unnecessary. I own nine 1911's and only one -- a Kimber Desert Warrior -- has a rail. It's not for looks, or to mount a stupid pistol bayonet, or for a bipod. It won't even grate cheese very well.

If, however, one's need ever extends to actually using a 1911 in the dark (I mean, when could that ever happen, right?) there is no comparisson -- none -- to having a tac light on the rail compared to a flashlight in the hand. I was very glad I had the Kimber DW in hand doing the Terminator at Thunder Ranch several years ago. Clint asked to look the gun over before I started my run, and seemed quite interested in it. A year or two later he had apparently accumulated enough emprical data to state in print that the railed guns (not just 11's) performed in a superior manner in low light compared to flashlights in the hand.

That was good enough for me. That Kimber is on the night stand every evening.

Incidentally, that pistol also has night sights, which I find superfluous. Their best utility is allowing to see exactly where the pistol is when I wake up in the dark. They do nothing to ID a potential threat.

And nobody so far has discussed the need -- or lack of need -- for a hand-checkered front strap. I've found skate board tape works at least as well, but don't find it necessary.

Alright, Dandyrandy! I am calling you out! I read your posts in the "Commander" thread and now this one. You, sir, are a man after my own heart! It's nice to see a fellow 1911 soul who understands the concept of this pistol and sees through the fluff that is designed to separate a 1911 owner from their money.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

I would agree, railed guns make sense if you plan to use a weapon-mounted light.

I've handled, but never shot, 1911s with aggressive, 20lpi checkering. Not a fan. My Gold Cup has a serrated front strap, and I think that's good. Maybe some fine checkering, like 30lpi. But I think stippled front straps can be a good compromise that improves grip, but still allows for some grip shifting when necessary, and looks better than grip tape.

Just my opinion.

I think Mr. Browning got it right the first time on the 1911.
Straight MSH, long trigger, and no goofy looking, harder to conceal, duck whatever grip safety.

This represents the modifications I've made to my 3 1911s. But I like Mi-Specs. To each his own; there are certainly no shortage of modifications that can be made to the ubiquitous 1911.

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John

Personally, my benchmark for what sort of slide markings constitute the designation as a "billboard" is the Smith & Wesson 3rd Gen TSW Series.



That's a billboard, not a series of otherwise classy roll marks, but gigantic laser-etched letters.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

Although a few of my 1911s have some of the following, these are my general dislikes:

Full length guide rod
Front cocking serrations
Magwell
Bull barrels
MIM parts
External extractors
Ambi safety
Firing pin safeties
Extended slide release
Billboard slide marking
Gimmicky cosmetics, especially any gold trim
GI sights
Arched MSH

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213th FBINA

The attached table from Gunsite was printed in the mid-1980s if I remember correctly. Other ones I've seen said the basic requirement for a fighting 1911 were good sights, a good trigger and "de-horning" sharp corners/edges. The modifications in the "Useful" and "Necessary" columns make a lot of sense to me.
Sorry, but the table is hard to read.

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You guys are much more kind to forward cocking serrations than I will ever be. Y’all don’t need them and don’t care for them... while I hate them with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns!

BESIDES the fact that they look horrendous and do their level best to chew up any holster, the very idea behind them — to attract any fool to put his fingers near the muzzle of a handgun (to find out if it is loaded?!?!?!) makes me want to find the guy who came up with this idea and have him drawn and quartered.

I’ll bet everyone in this thread loves a 1911 more than me (I really like ‘em) but I challenge anyone to HATE forward cocking serrations on a handgun more than I do.

Better? For duty, some self defense or combat carry, yes.
For pure pleasure of shooting I'd have to argue that point.
With all the improved pistols available the 1911's increased popularity speaks volumes.
I wonder how many contemporary guns will be more popular 100+ years from now than they currently are.

Hear-HEAR, kind Sir! But, the trigger was changed, ALSO...to the short one, LOL. That's my preference in feel.

FLGRs: I've always loved the debate on this one. What does every coiled-style of mainspring fit around in every hammer-fired pistol? Oh yes, a hammer strut, or mainspring strut/guide. WHY? Consistency of the spring's movement provides near uniform impact strength for the hammer. Longevity of the spring, perhaps? Same reason the 1911's design rides in that tightly fitted tube of the MSH. Does the 1911 NEED a FLGR? That's an obvious 'NO', but I do believe it's one thing they can benefit from.

THANK YOU! I swear, all I ever hear from people about Jeff Cooper is how smart he was. Meanwhile, just about every quote I've ever seen from the guy was the most insipid, arrogant, condescending, blasphemous nonsense I've ever had the misfortune of reading.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

Pistol bayonet?
Why haven't I thought of that before?
On the search for an ivory handled switch blade bayonet with a damascus steel blade. It will look badazz with my case hardened frame.

Front slide serrations. Lets see a poll: Has anyone EVER used them?

Not on a 1911, but I'll occasionally use them on my PX4 Compact.

I love 1911 and have owned a few but the ext slide release I need or I’ll have to move my hand to reach it that’s my 2cents now just choot em!