drop-in 1911 barrels

[rockquarry]

Anyone have experience with 1911 drop-in barrels that require no fitting?

 

[armorer951]

I have built many 1911's and installed a lot of aftermarket barrels over the last 30+ years or so. During that time, I've never encountered a replacement aftermarket 1911 barrel that required zero fitting.

Some of the direct "factory" made replacement barrels for non 1911 series pistols will drop right in and function fine.

The "traditional" Browning designed 1911 style barrel is a little more of a challenge to fit properly due to the minimum four points of contact, link, and checking to confirm headspace. "Drop in", if they actually exist, will mean that all these critical surfaces are over-cut or loosely fitted to accommodate a variety of slide/frame specs, and because of this are very loose at the critical contact points. The inevitable result is poor reliability and sub-standard accuracy.

 

[rockquarry]

I have built many 1911's and installed a lot of aftermarket barrels over the last 30+ years or so. During that time, I've never encountered a replacement aftermarket 1911 barrel that required zero fitting.

Some of the direct "factory" made replacement barrels for non 1911 series pistols will drop right in and function fine.

The 1911 style barrel is a little more of a challenge to fit properly due to the minumum four points of contact, link, and checking to confirm headspace. "Drop in", if they actually exist, will mean that all these critical surfaces are overcut to accommodate a variety of slide/frame specs, and because of this are very loose at the critical contact points. The inevitable result is poor reliability and sub-standard accuracy.

Thank you - I appreciate a response from someone far more knowledgeable than I am.

 

[minconrevo]

Nowlin Arms makes exceptional barrels, including their pre-fits. The tolerances are held to tight levels so that they will almost always drop in, while giving excellent results. Check out their website. Cheap; no. Really, really good; yes.

 

[Kelpatt]

Any thoughts on drop in replacement barrels for Browning HiPower? Fitting required? Thanks

 

[stansdds]

Standard production barrels for the 1911 will usually drop in, but they are not likely to be much, if any, better than the barrel that is currently in your 1911. Drop-in match barrels can sometimes be a true, drop-in affair or they may require a little stoning of the barrel hood and/or the outside diameter of the bushing. I think most of the drop-in barrels will have proper top and bottom lug dimensions, but that's not to say that you won't find a pistol and barrel combination that will require recutting of the bottom lug and fitting of the link. You may also find that a drop-in match barrel has a minimum spec chamber and may not be reliable with all ammo.

In short, drop-in match barrels are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you gonna get.

 

[03hemi]

Anyone have experience with 1911 drop-in barrels that require no fitting?

They don't exist, they all require fitting or tuning.

 

[rockquarry]

Suspicions confirmed; thanks for all the comments.

 

[minconrevo]

For several years I was the general manager for Nowlin Arms. I have a good bit of first hand knowledge on this topic.

Their gunsmith fit barrels WILL require a gunsmith with strong 1911 barrel knowledge and a special chamber reamer to successfully fit. If your gun already has a close fit on barrel to slide, then one is worth it IF you really need that much accuracy. For example my carefully built Nowlin 9mm 5" will shoot 5 shot groups of just over 1" at 50 yards from a rest with some match loads.

The Nowlin prefit's for 1911 do almost always drop right in and, being a tight tolerance match barrel, will get more accuracy, but not to the level of a well executed gunsmith fit. Customers often remarked their 1911 shot 2" or better at 25 yards after the install of the Nowlin prefit. Often the barrel bushing (included in kit) will fit the slide.

To get good accuracy out of a Browning HP it will take a gunsmith fit barrel.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I was under the impression that it is the barrel bushing that is critical for the M1911-cf. Colt's introduction of the Mark IV bushing.

 

[armorer951]

The barrel bushing fit on the barrel itself, the bushing fit in the slide, the locking lugs on the barrel, the barrel hood "tab" at the rear of the barrel, the barrel foot, the proper link, headspace/chamber depth.....the list goes on and on.

With this many variables, and a few more I didn't mention, the term "drop-in match barrel" becomes an oxymoron. There are "match grade" 1911 barrels for sure, and there are barrels labeled "drop-in" but these barrels won't fit an function as intended without considerable attention and modification to fit your particular brand and model of 1911. Perfect fit from the box to your make/model pistol I would label as pure happenstance.

BTW, Nowlin makes some of the finest match grade barrels out there, IMO.

 

[rockquarry]

The barrel bushing fit on the barrel itself, the bushing fit in the slide, the locking lugs on the barrel, the barrel hood at the rear of the barrel, the barrel foot, the proper link, headspace/chamber depth.....the list goes on and on.

With this many variables, and a few more I didn't mention, the term "drop-in match barrel" becomes an oxymoron. There are "match grade" 1911 barrels for sure, and there are barrels labeled "drop-in" but these barrels won't fit an function as intended without considerable attention and modification to fit your particular brand and model of 1911. Perfect fit from the box to your make/model pistol I would label as pure happenstance.

BTW, Nowlin makes some of the finest match grade barrels out there, IMO.

Clark Custom has accurized two Colt 1911s for me. One of them loosened up after about twenty-five years of much shooting and was redone by them a second time and now shoots great again. The other was accurized for the first time last year. These guns shoot incredibly well; far, far better than I can hold. Their prices are reasonable. Looks like any barrel replacement, fitting, etc. that I need done would best be handled by Clark.

 

[stansdds]

I was under the impression that it is the barrel bushing that is critical for the M1911-cf. Colt's introduction of the Mark IV bushing.

A tight fitting barrel bushing on an otherwise sloppy fitting barrel may produce a slight improvement in accuracy, but usually not much. Properly fit barrels will have a consistent lockup between barrel and barrel bushing, top locking lugs and the bottom lug (foot). This creates three points of consistent contact, a tight bushing on a sloppy barrel creates only one point of consistent contact.

 

[peh_7]

Another Option is a Kart Xact Fit Barrel and Bushing

I fit one of these kits to an Armscor RAI 22 TCM / 9mm to convert it to 38 Super Comp, since the 22 TCM magazine is the same as 38 Super. I now have a 3 caliber pistol that with the 38 Super Comp barrel comes close to matching the accuracy of my Colt Gold Cup.

 

[minconrevo]

I was under the impression that it is the barrel bushing that is critical for the M1911-cf. Colt's introduction of the Mark IV bushing.

Accuracy in a 1911 comes from a multiplicity of tolerance issues. Some are more important than others in the big scheme of things.

Colt's Mark IV bushing (finger style spring bushing) does help but at a reliability cost. If the front face of the slide is even a bit out of square the finger bushing will fail, sometimes dramatically, in just a few hundred or thousand rounds. I would not advise one to bet their hide on one. About the only way a solid bushing will fail is if both a too long recoil spring and a full length guide rod are in use. In that case, the bottom feet of the bushing will snap off. This produces a launch of the cap and probably the recoil spring. Something to be said for the dependability of the original GI style guide. If one is willing to check compressed length for each and every recoil spring goes into the 1911 then a full length guide rod will do.

 

[rockquarry]

Accuracy in a 1911 comes from a multiplicity of tolerance issues. Some are more important than others in the big scheme of things.

Colt's Mark IV bushing (finger style spring bushing) does help but at a reliability cost. If the front face of the slide is even a bit out of square the finger bushing will fail, sometimes dramatically, in just a few hundred or thousand rounds. I would not advise one to bet their hide on one. About the only way a solid bushing will fail is if both a too long recoil spring and a full length guide rod are in use. In that case, the bottom feet of the bushing will snap off. This produces a launch of the cap and probably the recoil spring. Something to be said for the dependability of the original GI style guide. If one is willing to check compressed length for each and every recoil spring goes into the 1911 then a full length guide rod will do.

I bought a used Colt 70s Series Gov't. Model in 45 ACP about twenty-five years ago. It has the collet bushing and is actually pretty accurate. It's been fired considerably with mostly cast bullet handloads. Never a problem with the bushing. Same thing with a used 70 Series Gold Cup bought around the same time.

Granted, a report based on only two pistols isn't worth much. I would prefer the original 1911 setup, but the collet bushing arrangement may not be as bad as some assume.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

A quick and easy way to improve rear lockup is to get a Wilson Combat "Group Gripper"...used to be sold as the Dwyer product of the same name before Bill Wilson bought the rights to it.

It installs easily and works by maintaining consistent spring pressure upwards locking the barrel lugs into position. I've used these for years and can say they work as advertised.

Use one of them and you really have to only worry about consistent front lockup and with a fitted barrel bushing.

 

[rockquarry]

A quick and easy way to improve rear lockup is to get a Wilson Combat "Group Gripper"...used to be sold as the Dwyer product of the same name before Bill Wilson bought the rights to it.

It installs easily and works by maintaining consistent spring pressure upwards locking the barrel lugs into position. I've used these for years and can say they work as advertised.

Use one of them and you really have to only worry about consistent front lockup and with a fitted barrel bushing.

I used a Group Gripper in a Colt for a while and did see some accuracy improvement. Oner day, however, the slide locked up and I couldn't pull it back but about a half-inch. Fortunately, the pistol was not loaded. A gunsmith finally managed to open it. Maybe a rare instance, but I haven't used the Group Gripper since.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

You didn't use a polymer Shok Buff...from Wilson Combat or anyone else did you? Those polymer things are known for coming apart and tying up a gun at the worst possible moment.

 

[AJ]

I have built from parts 50+ M1911's over the years (both Combat style and Match pieces). When using a quality barrel (Colt, Bar-Sto, etc...) they have always dropped in and functioned. Sometimes to get a better lock up, I use different length barrel links BARREL LINK KIT : EGW 1911 BARREL LINK KIT | Brownells .