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What is the perfect 1911?

6969 Views 22 Replies 21 Participants Last post by  Mark4-45
The perfect 1911..so how do you want it set up :grin:

There are so many options these days for components and finish, I have a hard time deciding what I want on my own gun. :roll:
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Well Dane, battle-ready of course. The damn thing has got to be reliable and accurate to a degree. But, a little fluff doesnt hurt :wink:
Easy, the first 1911 (not A1), Serial #1, built by John Moses himself!
Rob
Perfect, huh?

Easy, for me. Take the 9x23 you built for me, serrate the front strap, put a black coat on it [that won't flake], put a tritium dot on the front site [leave rear as is], and give me another dozen 38 super mags and a belt rig that will hold half of them without feeling like a picket-fence has been built on your belt, and that would be it.

I will say though, a 9x23 with a capacity of DD's pistol is probably the next project I will bug you about. To me, if the 9x23 can be loaded with a heavier bullet while keeping the speed above 1300-1350, it would be hard to argue there is a better caliber going that is non-LE.
It is not the destination but the journey that is important.
The search for the perfect 1911 is an elusive goal but that's why they invented the Brownell's catalog.
Dane,

I'm glad you asked! You can probably tell I've been reading the Brownells catalog a bit too much lately.


1. Kimber/(RRA)Lewis Machine frame and slide.

2. Kart match stainless barrel and bushing.

3. Wilson Short match trigger.

4. Ed Brown Hardcore Hammer/sear/disconnector and extractor. Kimber/CMC tactical ejector seems fine but I wonder about the MIM construction.

5. Ed Brown non-ambi Tactical safety.

6. Ed Brown Hardcore slide stop/release.

7. Ed Brown grip safety, Wilson Combat used to make a model that retro-fitted to the Ed Brown grip safety. It would be nice to find one of these.

8. Stainless steel firing pin with Wolff extra power FP spring.

9. G.I. plug and plunger tube recoil system with 18.5lb Wolff variable power recoil main spring.

10. Steel MSH with 30 LPI checkering using a 19lb spring.

11. 30 LPi frontstrap Checkering.

12. NOvak three dot tritium sights, sighted in for POA at 25 yards with 230gr Hydrashoks.

13. Kimber extended mag release. It's just the right size, but I wonder if anyone makes a tool steel version?

14. Smooth Rosewood ultra thin grip stocks with hex head screws.

15. Black-T/MolyKote or Hard Chrome finsh can't decide this one.

What's the cost and time frameto get something like the above done?

How's the Kimber stock barrell? Will just fitting a match stainless bushing be good enough? Maybe I can skip #2 and save some money.

I have a Kimber Custom Classic and I'm itching to get something done to it but going back and forth about some of the things I want.
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Perfect 1911. . .

In 10mm of course (swap out barrels in .357 Sig, .40S&W & 9x25 Dillion also!)

A set of Heinie night sights.

Pistol hard chromed and the rest I'd leave up to the 'smith for the internals (I ain't up on all those things like I should be).

If it wasn't in 10mm, a 9x23/38 S would be the way to go. A nice high cap job. . . who makes that 28 shot version? STI Competitor? The mind wobbles, but that's nothing new. My mind wobbles when I hear the Magnum P I theme music! :wink:

Derek
All I want is a good basic carry package on my stainless 199A1 Commander, and later the same setup for my GM.

Brown or Wilson high grip beavertail with raised pad.

Match hammer/sear/disconnector with 4.5 to 5 pound trigger pull, retaining all Series 80 parts.

Long Videki trigger, Brown tactical ambi safety (I'm a southpaw.)

Mag well beveled, all other sharp edges removed (inluding those on the hammer.)

Brown Flat steel MSH, with 30 LPI checkering.

Total reliability package, and Heinie Slant Pro night sights set to shoot to POA at 25 yards with 230 gr. Hydrashock.

I'd be happy with the Colt barrel and bushing, as long as they are reasonably accurate, but would like the blued link and pin replaced with stainless parts.

I'd leave the gun stainless, as I haven't had any rust problems. If necessary, would consider NP3.

Dane, any comments?

Tim




<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: TimB92020 on 2001-05-03 15:04 ]</font>
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Forgot to add one thing, I'll keep the stock guide rod and plug, but use a buffer and 20 pound spring with extra power firing pin spring.

Tim
I think I'd like a MEU(SOC) 1911. Plain, simple.
A full house BCP two tone with a short wait :lol:
*** Warning !!! Blatant Ass Kissing Here !! ***

The Burns Lightweight Steel Gun as shown on his Home Page rotating picture show.

With NO wait :smile:
The perfect 1911 is the one I have carried for the past 11 years.It is a Commander in 38 Super.Pre 80`s of course.
A BCP "J. S. Mosby" if you please!! :grin:
I would have Larry Vickers build me his best pistol on a Pre 70 series commercial Colt.
Try this one for the Perfect 1911 crafted by a true master of the 1911. http://www.1911-heaven.com/ I will buy another one soon.
There are any number of good makers. I appreciate the support but I was thinking more in terms of what you would like on your pistol.

I am in the process of finishing up a gun for myself...over the next few weeks in my spare time. It has a Kimber frame....but could easily have been a CMC or a Nowlin. Caspian slide, Heinie's, BarSto, serrated front at 30lpi and back at 25lpi. 3.5# Vedecki trigger and a Brown ambi and beavertail, both trimmed.

Then I went looking for a couple of pairs of guns with consecutive serial numbers I have set aside, one has 30 and 25 LPI checkering, another set, both scalloped, and the last set one scalloped and one bald. I have some ideas but I was looking for input. Negative image on one set in 45, 9x23 and 45 on another in mirror image and I am at a lost for the third set.... Going back to a Wilson beavertail trimmed for at least one set and maybe even farther back for a set of Hoag beavertails on another.

Not like these are going to get done soon....just my fantasy guns and sometimes it is hard to get some new ideas going.

The intention at one point was to have a set of three guns one each by Heinie, Vickers and Garthwaite doing one in 3 gun set of consecutive #s but that has gone by the way side..ended up with Heinie doing a brace in mirror image. hard to argue the collectors value of a Heinie braced and matching set :grin:
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Start with a base pre 70 or Kimber Classic.
Do 20LPI checkering on the front strap and recut the checkering on a S&A AMH,
Nowlin trigger,
bevel carry(near melt-down like),
crown barrel and bushing
Heinie Slant Pro with tritium or Wilson's original Nite Eyes
ambit safeties, C&S, Brown, Wilson
speed bump grip safety-Kimber type
Bear Coat it matte black
Simple but functional
I have some ideas but I was looking for input. Negative image on one set in 45, 9x23 and 45 on another in mirror image and I am at a lost for the third set.... Going back to a Wilson beavertail trimmed for at least one set and maybe even farther back for a set of Hoag beavertails on another.

Not like these are going to get done soon....just my fantasy guns and sometimes it is hard to get some new ideas going.
Ghost Triplets!

Or the third to be the sum of the two or the final mutation to become "The One" I guess they would cancel each other out and it would be...invisible? Oh well...back to the coffee...:wink:
Making it run and last is job #1, then I worry about accuracy.
When the dust settles, it isn't the prettiest gun that wins, it's
the most reliable. 'Course I say this after making damn sure
my guns are purty!
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