Make mine arched please ....

[Empe]

I finally decided to replace the delrin/plastic flat msh that came with my Colt 1911 with an arched steel one from Ed Brown. What a difference in comfort, fit and feel . I realize that it's very subjective and from my reading it seems that just about as many like the flat msh as like the arched. The gun now just seems to fit naturally in my hand .

 

[BigMuddy]

Same here. All of my 1911’s get the arch.

Dan

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

When I built 1911's (just parts guns) they all got a surplus arched MSH, flat housings were $5 more! My personal guns were built with the no longer made Pachmayer flat MSH. I did have my personal steel frame Essex out yesterday And I see I put an arched MSH on it for shooting SASS Wild Bunch and haven't bothered to change it back.

MSH's are so readily available, there isn't any reason not to make your Government Model or Commander fit your hand!

Ivan

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

When I started bullseye shooting, it was common for a righted-handed shooter to take the gun in his left hand, holding it by the slide, and push it into his right hand, attempting to keep the bore axis and the forearm parallel. For me, this was best achieved and maintained with a flat housing. A long trigger was the correct one for me in this case.

When I started drawing and shooting a little faster, I found that drawing and maintaining that alignment was impossible with the flat housing, and that a stable, if not perfectly forearm-parallel, grip was much better achieved with an arched housing. That also caused my finger to require a short trigger. This also went well with two-hand shooting.

All my 1911s are now arched housing, short trigger.

 

[JohnRippert]

Just the opposite here. Much prefer a flat housing and a long trigger.

 

[PALADIN85020]

The only flat mainspring housings in my collection are on original 1911s to maintain their authenticity. My personal preference on my go-to guns is for arched housings and short triggers.

John

 

[sigp220.45]

Arched housing, short trigger. They got it right with the 1911A1.

 

[SAFireman]

Ok, I'll be the odd man out.....again.....I like the Bobtail MSH

Shown here in my EDC Colt Enhanced Commander.

It seems to shoot better for me, and carries more like a round-butt revolver.

 

[alwslate]

Small hands here. I prefer the flat housing and a short trigger. I thought new Colts now came with a Delrin housing instead of steel, so apparently true.

 

[Rodan]

Long trigger, flat MSH here. And thin grips...

 

[021]

Arched all the way! The flat one pinches the lower right corner of my hand when fired and doesn't point just right for me. I thought I was the only one who didn't care for them.

 

[AJ]

Much prefer long trigger and flat mainspring housing. Also a wide spur hammer.

 

[DWalt]

Just the opposite here. Much prefer a flat housing and a long trigger.

Me too. I also like a trigger shoe.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Put me down for the A1 style.

 

[Beemerguy53]

One of the best features of the 1911 is that you can tailor the fit to your exact preferences. Personally, I prefer arched housings, and have installed them on all my 1911s...

 

[Liftrat]

Arched for me, too. I just find it more comfortable; even have the arched grips on my S&W 3rd gens.

 

[dsf]

I found a Series 80 Commander in CA a few years back. Previous owner had slapped on every gaudy aftermarket part imaginable - duckbill GS, ambi thumb safety paddles, plastic trigger and extended mag release along with an arched MSH. Am much happier with the 1970's look.

 

[quikdraw67]

I agree, I prefer the A1 arched MSH

 

[Patrick L]

Aesthetically I prefer the flat, and for general all around shooting I can shoot either pretty much equally. I will say though, in the only speed shooting competition I ever did, back in the 90s, I found I could definitely "find the sights" faster with the arched housing. Just pointed a bit straighter for my eyes, arms, hands, etc. But fractions of a second counted there. Like I said, for just general bumming around the range it made no difference.

 

[Greyman50]

My every day carry when more than a mile from home. LW bought used back in 80’s. Cerracoat finish , trigger job, tritium dot sights, Crimson Trace red dot grips and long trigger. Shoot it once a month with reloads and 1-2 self defense rounds for function test. Thank God never had to use it, better prepared than not. My other 9 various Colts have AMS and FMS housings, Mid Range has AMS as its a joy to shoot paper with.

 

[Pisgah]

Arched housing, short trigger. They got it right with the 1911A1.

Unless flat housing/short trigger works best for you, which is the case for me.

 

[gwpercle]

I have always shot them better with the arched housing too ,
If it doesn't have one ... that's the second thing that gets changed ...
Usually some nice grips are the first thing installed ...
I'm a "Gripaholic " and you can get some very nice grips for the 1911!
Gary

 

[SS336]

That’s one of the nice things about a 1911. One can mix and match triggers and MSH’s to get the feel they want and can shoot better with.
When you find the one that works it makes shooting the 1911 a joy.
Here is my favorite 1911, for me it shoots very well. 15yds, 36rounds, our club’s bowling pin distance. I have found what works for me.

 

[Puller]

I have one with a flat and one with an arched. Doesn't really effect my ability to shoot either one.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Mr.. 45 himself, Jeff Cooper, acknowledged that if he were marketing an M1911 he would not know what mainspring housing to fit. 3 of mine have flat, the 4th I haven't fire enough to decide what i want.

 

[BB57]

My Bullseye match 1911s have flat mainspring housings. The flat mainspring housing works better with the grip and mechanics of one handed shooting.

My original 1911 has the flat mainspring house it was made with for obvious collector value reasons. There’s also an obvious connection between it and my bullseye match 1911s as the single handed style of shooting was the norm when the 1911 was designed.

My practical match 1911s have an arched mainspring housing as they point a bit better at speed using a two handed grip.

My concealed carry 1911s have flat mainspring housings. Partly because that’s how they all came and I have not changed them. That’s largely because the arched mainspring housing is a little more likely to result in the grip safety not getting fully depressed if for some reason your grip isn’t exactly right - as could occur when drawing while receiving fire and running for cover under extreme stress.

I suspect that is one of the factors for why so many 1911s today come standard with a flat mainspring housing. I suspect the other reason is maximizing the fit of the 1911 pistol farther down into the small end of the hand size and trigger reach range.

In that context the Star BM isn’t exactly a 1911, but the arched back of the grip frame and the lack of a grip safety make it just about perfect. Similarly, the double stack magazine CZ-75 series and to a slightly lesser extent the Hi Power have nicely curved back straps that work well with a very wide range of hand sizes - and they probably would not if the back of the grip were straight and/or if they had a grip safety.

 

[Ethang]

1911's are like the old, good, Burger King...special orders don't upset us all we ask is that you let us serve it your way...

I prefer a flat with a long trigger, but would not turn up my nose, or kick out of my bed, an arched with a short trigger.

 

[Grayfox]

Another arched fan here. I also like a long trigger. That combination just points naturally for me.
I find it plumb annoying that when I buy a new 1911 that I have to change out the MSH and trigger right from the start.

A flat MSH makes me shoot low. That's the same complaint that the troops gave which made the Army change to an arched MSH with the 1911A1.

 

[31FordA]

I can do well with a long trigger / flat housing or a short trigger / arched housing. I have several of each combo in my collection. What I cannot stand is a short trigger / flat housing, doesn’t work with my hands. I also replace the plastic mainspring housings with steel on my pistols.

 

[AJ]

Another forum argument without an end...... Buy & use what feels good in your hand. I can shoot either equally as well. Qualified Expert nine different times in the Corps with an arched mainspring housing. Shot IPSC with a flat mainspring housing and long trigger and won some local matches. So it really does not matter to me. Bottom line is shoot what feels good in you hand.