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Replaced the hammer with a Fusion checkered wide spur, Cylinder & Slide checkered slide lock, Colt small shelf checkered safety. all of the rest is original to the gun, aged the grips by spraying them with MoS2 (moly coat - molybdenum disulfide) then wiping most of it back off; took the shine off and darkened them some.
Still looking for a checkered mag release. And maybe a checkered arched mainspring housing to get rid of the SA MSH lock.
I ordered it straight from the Fusion web site. They sell everything from 1911 small parts to matched frame and slide kits.
I just searched the web for "wide spur 1911 hammer". It was one of MANY that came up. The finish matched perfectly. The Colt safety and the Cylinder & Slide slide lock came from Midway USA.
The safety is an actual Colt part from one of their recent repro models. The hammer and slide lock were drop-in, I had to fit the safety.
damienph wrote:The safety is an actual Colt part from one of their recent repro models. The hammer and slide lock were drop-in, I had to fit the safety.
Damien
Damien, do you know which thumb safety you have? Colt has a recall for their thumb safetys on certain models; 1911 WWI REPLICA (Model O1911) 4597WMK to 5414WMK and 1918 WWI REPLICA (Model O1918) 1001WWI to 3431WWI.
Also some from the New Agent model pistols that use the USGI style safety; (Model O7810D) GT01001 to GT04505.
Terrorists: They hated you yesterday, they hate you today, and they will hate you tomorrow.
End the cycle of hatred, don't give them a tomorrow.
I didn't want to start another thread but again for those interested; better pics of my 1954 Commander
Series 80 Government
and not my favorite but BY FAR my best 1911 shooter, my Kimber
damienph wrote:The safety is an actual Colt part from one of their recent repro models. The hammer and slide lock were drop-in, I had to fit the safety.
Damien
Damien, do you know which thumb safety you have? Colt has a recall for their thumb safetys on certain models; 1911 WWI REPLICA (Model O1911) 4597WMK to 5414WMK and 1918 WWI REPLICA (Model O1918) 1001WWI to 3431WWI.
Also some from the New Agent model pistols that use the USGI style safety; (Model O7810D) GT01001 to GT04505.
OD*, I don't know. I still have the original invoice and maybe the packaging. Do you know what the recall was for? too soft or breaking or something? It clicks on and off positively. I've only fired a couple of hundred rounds through it with this safety but no problems...
The fitting that I did was to shape it exactly like the SA Part. When I first installed it, it clicked off easily but it took alot of pressure to engage it. A very, very small amount of filing had it working just like the original.
I heard it was do to being brittle, I did not hear that from Colt, though.
I sent mine back for the up grade (they won't send just the safety), and never bothered to ask, but I'd bet if you were to call them (800-962-2658) they'd probably tell you the actual reason.
Terrorists: They hated you yesterday, they hate you today, and they will hate you tomorrow.
End the cycle of hatred, don't give them a tomorrow.
OD* wrote:I heard it was do to being brittle, I did not hear that from Colt, though.
I sent mine back for the up grade (they won't send just the safety), and never bothered to ask, but I'd bet if you were to call them (800-962-2658) they'd probably tell you the actual reason.
Thanks, I'll do that. And yes I do have the original coltwood stocks, I have them stored in the original box. Price written on the box was $37.50.
OD* wrote:That's good about the Coltwood, I would strongly suggest you store them on a frame though, believe it or not, they will shrink!
I hadn't thought of that, they already have strunk some (had shrunk a little while still mounted on the pistol). I think that I might try tapping some holes in a piece of steel plate and screwing them down flat with correct grip screws.
You could try this guy's idea, Damien, he's done it to several sets;
I put the stock panels on a pizza stone (for even heat and a flat surface that will hold the heat) and heat them enough until they can be stretched. (I think it takes about 200 degrees to make the plastic soft enough to stretch - can't remember for sure.) I put on gloves and pull on the panel from each end and all along the panel until the holes are far enough apart to go on a waiting gun. (I made a gauge so I would know when I had stretched the panel far enough.) That cools the panels and they are then fine. If adjustments are needed, reheat and try again. If the holes are egg-shaped, they can be pushed into shape first and then the entire panel can be stretched. Correcting egg-shaped holes is much harder than merely stretching a set that has shrunk off a gun, and extreme cases probably cannot be corrected. Still, I would try as the set is worthless in its shrunken state.
It is a tricky process so proceed at your own risk. I take no respondibility for pools of molten plastic!
Terrorists: They hated you yesterday, they hate you today, and they will hate you tomorrow.
End the cycle of hatred, don't give them a tomorrow.
OD* wrote:You could try this guy's idea, Damien, he's done it to several sets;
I put the stock panels on a pizza stone (for even heat and a flat surface that will hold the heat) and heat them enough until they can be stretched. (I think it takes about 200 degrees to make the plastic soft enough to stretch - can't remember for sure.) I put on gloves and pull on the panel from each end and all along the panel until the holes are far enough apart to go on a waiting gun. (I made a gauge so I would know when I had stretched the panel far enough.) That cools the panels and they are then fine. If adjustments are needed, reheat and try again. If the holes are egg-shaped, they can be pushed into shape first and then the entire panel can be stretched. Correcting egg-shaped holes is much harder than merely stretching a set that has shrunk off a gun, and extreme cases probably cannot be corrected. Still, I would try as the set is worthless in its shrunken state.
It is a tricky process so proceed at your own risk. I take no respondibility for pools of molten plastic!
Mmmm... I don't think that I am brave enough to heat up those grips and try to stretch them. I just had a vision of salt water taffy stretching...
damienph wrote:Mmmm... I don't think that I am brave enough to heat up those grips and try to stretch them. I just had a vision of salt water taffy stretching...
I've never had the guts to try it either!
Terrorists: They hated you yesterday, they hate you today, and they will hate you tomorrow.
End the cycle of hatred, don't give them a tomorrow.
damienph wrote: Price written on the box was $37.50.
The box is a great addition to have also, don't you wish we could buy them for that now!
From 1941;
Wow, that is interesting. Mine would have been manufactured 13 years after that price list. I would think that the price would be similar, maybe somewhat more or less, than a Gov't Model. I don't know any of the history of mine except when it was manufactured and the price marked on the box. Maybe the $37.50 was a used price?
damienph wrote:Wow, that is interesting. Mine would have been manufactured 13 years after that price list. I would think that the price would be similar, maybe somewhat more or less, than a Gov't Model. I don't know any of the history of mine except when it was manufactured and the price marked on the box. Maybe the $37.50 was a used price?
It was probably the "new" price Damien, the price in the old catalog were just like today's, "MSRP" hard to tell what they actually sold for. I don't suppose a whole lot of folks had $44 for a new Government Model.
Terrorists: They hated you yesterday, they hate you today, and they will hate you tomorrow.
End the cycle of hatred, don't give them a tomorrow.
damienph
How does your GI shoot? I have one I bought new and gave up on, it shoots so low that at 15yds everything hits the dirt at least 30" below point of aim. I tried to contact SA about it but never got a response. Didn't really want to put more money into it so it sits at the bottom of my safe.
mack wrote:damienph
How does your GI shoot? I have one I bought new and gave up on, it shoots so low that at 15yds everything hits the dirt at least 30" below point of aim. I tried to contact SA about it but never got a response. Didn't really want to put more money into it so it sits at the bottom of my safe.
Old Savage wrote:Mine shoots great - got rid of two Colts that weren't as good.
Mine shoots well enough. Never less than 5" off hand at 15 yards, regardless of ammo used. I bought mine new in early 2004. I am very happy with it, especially for the price; somewhere around $425 OTD.
This is my "GI" 1911. Kinda old school. High polish blue. Made by Rock Island and imported and finished on this side of the pond by Cimarron Arms. Actually, Ford plating does the finish.
This pistol now has 1400 rounds through it without a single failure or hitch. I kinda like it!
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a Vet! COMNAVFORV, Vietnam 68-70
NRA Life, SASS Life, Banjo picking done cheap!
Grizzly Adams wrote:This is my "GI" 1911. Kinda old school. High polish blue. Made by Rock Island and imported and finished on this side of the pond by Cimarron Arms. This pistol now has 1400 rounds through it without a single failure or hitch. I kinda like it!
I am glad to hear that, I have been thinking about one of the "Champion" sized Rock Islands.
.***
