Questions About Custom 1911s

[Watchdog]

This applies to 1911s of any manufacturer.

What's so great about ring hammers and triggers with holes drilled in them? The parts weigh next to nothing already, so it can't be for weight reduction. What does this accomplish?

Ditto for those big upswept beavertail grip safeties with the pointed end. Why? I do know what hammer bite is, but why take the grip safety to such an extreme design to eliminate it? Just for looks?

I'm all for checkered MSHs and front straps, by the way. And possibly checkering on the front of the trigger guard, but not a squared off trigger guard.

Oh, and a muzzle brake on a 1911? C'mon.

I'm interested in any thoughts on this. Just for curiousity's sake...I have no intention of doing any of this to any of my own 1911s. Except for the checkering, of course, some of which has already been done.

 

[M29since14]

Hey! Everybody wants to sell stuff!

I suppose everyone is a little different. I absolutely NEED a checkered front strap, a Commander hammer, and a duckbill grip safety. I vastly prefer a standard trigger and arched MS housing. I could care less about ambidextrous safety locks, round-butts, extended slide stops, and Swiss-cheesed slide cuts.

I say, whatever makes the gun work right for you!

 

[Engineer1911]

Satisfaction of ownership -- what other reason could there be for what the American public will purchase? Plain is boring, but how dressed up / customized do you want or can afford?

When the bullseye gun box tips over from a sudden stop, they are all just another gun. Golfers buy another driver or putter to achieve a lower score. Shooters buy, customize, rework a gun to shoot better. Take what you own now and correct practice will get better results than buying another new toy.

 

[Protected One]

For people who have a "meaty hand" the ring hammer and/or extended beaver-tail may be more of a necessity in order to avoid hammer bite. IMHO a skeletonized trigger is nice looking, but beyond that offers no functional advantages.

My 1911 came with all the features you mentioned, except the checkering....and I love the looks of it. Conversely, my Browning HP has NONE of them and is (to me) equally beautiful. Hammer bite is not an issue with either gun.

I think that for most people it's just a matter of what makes the gun look best TO THEM. Nothing more.

 

[Eric300]

Ummm, because it looks cool!

 

[vonn]

I like all the versions of the 1911 but I think today’s versions that come with all the bells and whistles are a good deal price wise especially for those who don’t want to do their own modifications to a base model 1911. Looks sell guns just like other things.

 

[Kanewpadle]

What’s not to like?

 

[caduceus]

I had one built by Fusion, Bob Serva. Why. I always wanted one custom 1911 45 acp to use and hand down to a family member. Thought I would establish a family tradition with a note to each recepient of it's past history. I surmised someone had to start the tradition so why not me. It's a beauty and shoots as good as it looks. Might just put that Randall knife with the package when it's time to pass it on. I'm not in a rush !!!

 

[stansdds]

It's mostly marketing, makes a factory 1911 look more like an IPSC/USPSA competition 1911. For a carry 1911, holes in the trigger are there for collecting lint. Big beavertail is there to make it less concealable. Now I do like the ring hammer and the matching grip safety that Colt used on there old Commanders. No hammer bite, yet still trim and compact.

 

[Narragansett]

Satisfaction of ownership -- what other reason could there be for what the American public will purchase? Plain is boring, but how dressed up / customized do you want or can afford?

When the bullseye gun box tips over from a sudden stop, they are all just another gun. Golfers buy another driver or putter to achieve a lower score. Shooters buy, customize, rework a gun to shoot better. Take what you own now and correct practice will get better results than buying another new toy.

.

Fishermen buy the latest lure, never realizing that lures are designed to catch fishermen, long before they catch fish. I used to have 50 plugs in my bag. I have 3 now. Golfers are always looking for the magic wand. Many buy new clubs every year, even the same brand. They do not think, that the manufacturer that told them last year the had the best club made is now saying forget what i told you last year, i really got it nailed now.

Same thing here IMO. Sure there are some nice touches, but are they really needed? I used to see trap shooters change 10000.00 dollar guns every month, because they could not hit targets with the 10K gun they had. Never realizing that you first need to put 10K rounds through the gun to make that determination, and even then, they did not need to trade the gun, they needed to go to a stock maker and have the gun altered to FIT them.

Get a nice 1911, and make sure the grips FIT your hand, then shoot it, a lot. You will be surprised at the results, and $3K richer.

Just my .02

 

[03hemi]

I love the rowel or commander hammer, but I prefer a solid, long black trigger. Just my preference.

 

[chief38]

Never cared much for the Ring Type Hammers myself. I actually prefer the wider WWll era style Spur but will live with the standard Spur Hammer. I'm not a fan of the oversized upward swept Beaver Tail either but Fella's with huge hands might benefit from them especially when shooting in competition. I NEVER liked Muzzle Brakes - period.

 

[Watchdog]

Never cared much for the Ring Type Hammers myself. I actually prefer the wider WWll era style Spur but will live with the standard Spur Hammer.

I've posted this photo before, I think. My Mark IV/Series 70 1911 is still a work in progress. I'm currently trying to decide between mammoth ivory grips and pre-1972 walrus ivory grips. Anyway, I've changed out a lot of the stock factory parts to vintage WWII parts...one of which is this wide spur hammer that's been nitre blued. I think it's usually referred to as a #3 wide spur hammer. I love those old hammers that are checkered.

 

[Chino74]

I prefer GI stock Government model 1911s. I am left handed & not even going to put an ambi safety lever on mine. I shoot it fine just as is...I especially like the GI style hammer.

FYI running a spur style / Commander hammer is necessary if U R going to have an extended grip safety / beaver tail.

 

[double-dipper]

I have two 1911's one is strait GI (Remington R1S) the other (S&W) has a beaver tail grip safety, Novak cut sights, holes in hammer and trigger. Both are great shooters, but the beavertail just feels better in the hand.

 

[Bullet Bob]

Here's the three-hole trigger explanation:

Xavier Thoughts: 1911 Trigger Changes

 

[one eye joe]

WELL, THIS IS AMERICA---AND TO EACH HIS OWN. THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG IN THIS......

IN FACT, LIFE WOULD BE VERY BORING IF WE ALL SHOT IDENTICAL GUNS, DROVE IDENTICAL CARS, LIVED IN IDENTICAL HOMES, AND ALL DRESSED THE SAME WAY.......

PERSONALIZING A 1911 TO MAKE IT MORE PLEASING TO THE OWNERS EYE, MAKING THE CONTROLS EASIER FOR THE OWNER TO USE, OR INCREASE HIS ABILITY TO SHOOT IT WELL, IS CERTAINLY HIS PEROGATIVE........

HIS MONEY, HIS GUN, HIS CHOICE.........

 

[SRG]

This applies to 1911s of any manufacturer.

What's so great about ring hammers and triggers with holes drilled in them? The parts weigh next to nothing already, so it can't be for weight reduction. What does this accomplish?

Ditto for those big upswept beavertail grip safeties with the pointed end. Why? I do know what hammer bite is, but why take the grip safety to such an extreme design to eliminate it? Just for looks?

I'm all for checkered MSHs and front straps, by the way. And possibly checkering on the front of the trigger guard, but not a squared off trigger guard.

Oh, and a muzzle brake on a 1911? C'mon.

I'm interested in any thoughts on this. Just for curiousity's sake...I have no intention of doing any of this to any of my own 1911s. Except for the checkering, of course, some of which has already been done.

Most of the modifications you mentioned come from the competition world and USPSA/IPSC/Steel Challenge shooting in particular. All of these modifications are/were designed to provide some real or perceived competitive advantage. Some of the most popular/effective modifications have become "standard" on many factory guns.
Of the few you mentioned, the lightening holes in the trigger/hammer are designed to allow for a super light trigger pull (1.5-2.5 lbs) and also to decrease lock time. The compensators (muzzle break) is designed to make the pistol recoil flatter during competitions where the top shooters are shooting splits in the .15-.20 second range. All of these modifications do benefit top level shooters who are shooting these sports. It's very much like a car modified for a specific type of racing. Just as some of the modifications done to race cars are effective for their intended use but would be detrimental to daily driving.
Which of these modifications are important to you and your shooting needs is a personal matter.

 

[old&slow]

I'll add my two cents,,
Ring hammers & holes in the alum. triggers ,, look cool.
Beavertail grip safety , is a must. I have them on all my shootin' 1911's.
20 lines per inch checkering on the front strap is OK on a competition gun. Not that great
on a carry gun. 30 lines per inch or stippling , I think is better.
I like checkering or stippling on the front on the trigger guard because of the grip I use..
Never understood the checkering on the bottom of the trigger guard.?
Comp's probably not very effective with low velocity acp rounds.
makes a difference with higher velocity 38 super , 9mm rounds.
Back in the early 90's IPSC / USPSA they were cool .

( edit, the 1911 without the beavertail hardly ever gets shot ,, shoot a box of shells thru it and I'll be bleeding , )

 

[Vulcan Bob]

I think the answer to your question would be revealed this way. Take a vintage style 1911 and shoot it and then take a 1911 fitted with the beaver tail grip safety and shoot it. In my experience much more comfortable! I shot a IPSC "race" 1911 with one installed along with all the other work done. All my newer 1911's also have the beaver tail grip safeties.

Last year just fer grins I pulled out my safe a box stock Colt series 70 in 45 ACP and took it out to the range, After just one mag fired I looked at it and thought, my gosh how did we ever shoot these things fast?