Just as the subject says, what should I have done to it?  I plan to shoot steel with it.  

It's coming to my FFL who is also a gunsmith and 50 year competitive shooter.  I'd planned to have him do whatever needs doing to it before I bring it home but he's having health problems and can't work on it right now.  Now, I'm not fixing to take it to somebody else, I'd never do that.  I just want an idea of what all should be done to it.  

I'm very green at this which is why I went with an entry level 1911.  I do have a compact range officer in 9mm so I'm familiar with the platform.  

Stock pic:

Shoot it as it sits. Then figure out what it needs. My first 1911 is on the way and I'm reading way too many opinions.

Replace the MSH assembly to ditch the ILS. Then shoot the snot out of it.
 

(ETA) and do it yourself.

 Ahh, you're a little bit BEYOND, 'entry level'.  

Get, at least, a half dozen magazines; and I always put one of these behind my recoil guide rod:  Wilson Recoil Buffers  (They need to be watched, and regularly changed - OK.)  Because there's too much front end vibration, recoil buffers do NOT work well on a Glock; but they do work well on steel frame 1911 pattern pistols.

Replace mainspring housing with an EGW unit. 25 lb mainspring, with flat bottom firing pin stop. 25 lpi front strap checkering.

Shoot it until it breaks.

Stick with Checkmate 7 round mags. Hybrid lip, or wadcutter lip are both good. I like hybrid. Keep stout springs.

1st. Shoot it.
2nd buy mags, stock springfield's have worked great as have wilson 47d's (although some springfield's don't like wilsons)


3rd Shoot it some more


4th Replace ILS guts with a rebuild kit from Ed Brown, you do not need to replace the entire MSH unless you want.

Great Choice! That was my first 1911 and started my addiction. The thumb safety needs dehorned and I would usually do the whole gun but shoot it a while before any major changes.

It should run fine right out of the box and nothing really needs to be done.  

But if I was going to use a Springfield myself and launch ammo by the case in Steel Challenge practice...

  -#1 priority: send pistol to Alchemy Custom to have frame ramp angle, VIS, and barrel fit corrected.
- replace mainspring housing with a Guncrafter flat, recessed lanyard loop
  - replace mainspring with Wolff 23lb, use EGW mainspring cap and retaining pin
- replace ambi safety with EGW single side
  -replace grip screws with Colt or other quality slotted head screws
-replace titanium firing pin with steel EGW over size, replace firing pin spring with supplied Wolff extra power (comes with recoil spring)
  -replace recoil spring with Wolff 16lb
-replace full length guide rod with Colt short rod and plug
  -replace FCG with a Harrison hammer and true radius sear, Colt hammer strut, and EGW ball head disconnector
-get a spare Colt or Wilson Bulletproof extractor

I've done up several Springfields just like this and it makes a work horse out of 'em.

Behind your recoil guide rod, huh?

A loaded was my first 1911 way back in 1999. Mine was pre ILS, but I have replaced ILSs on later springfields I've bought.
The only thing I really HAD to replace was the guide rod and recoil spring plug. The 2 piece that came with it was REDICULIOS! I took a CHL class that required 200 rounds of shooting, after every stage the guide rod was sticking out the front, luckily I had my Leatherman tool on me, had to tighten it after every mag. Totally un-neccassary part that can cause serious problems. I didn't have internet or know much about 1911s back then so I kept that set up for several years but finally bought GI style parts from CDNN.
I've completely rounded everything on my loaded, literally took an angle grinder to it. Other than that and the guide rod / plug it is bone stock and 15 years old and going strong.

When I bought my loaded I had read about those and of course wanted them. The shop I bought mine at said they are not needed and they see them cause jambs all the time when they start to get smashed out of shape. Think about it, the gun is short stroking with those in there, also there are 1911s around from WW1 and WW2 that have ZERO damage that that could have prevented, so.......

This.

HI-VIZ front sight??  Does it have an "NM" serial number?  NM means assembled in US, not National Match.  "M" means assembled over seas.  The NM are considered better.  My son has the "M" Loaded and I do not care for it.  I have a "NM" RO which I love.  Could be the recoil spring rod thingy on his Loaded.  He won't let me bring it home to "play" with.

 
The Stainless pistol should come with white dot sights, parked will have a silver outlined tritium night sigts. Springfield cut in the front novak in the rear. The NM and N serials are a thing of the past and have been going on 3+ years. The N, not M, serials were completely made in Brazil and were stamped so.

I'd go with 10-8 Performance rear sight U notch and XS front night sight standard size (not big dot)

!0-8 flat trigger, Wilson or Brown single sided safety, melt job and reliability done on feed area and internals

Wilson or Tripp mags

I wouldn't do anything to it until you've got atleast a few thousand rounds down range, by then you should know what you want to change if anything

Koz

This. Would you buy a new corvette and have it towed to your mechanic to have the engine rebuilt?

Only thing I've done to min is replace the grips. I have nearly 3000 FLAWLESS rounds thru it as of today.

Skip the recoil buffer....not needed, ain't worth a shit.

Get some ammo for it.

45 ACP 230 Gr HP

I wouldn't send it anywhere until you have at least 400 rounds through it.    After 400 rounds, you should have a good idea of any functional issues that are in play, as well as desired modifications.

 
Naa, I wouldn't say that!  Besides, all of my Austin Behlert 1911's came with a buffer already installed.  If you don't like them fine; but, obviously, Austin Behlert didn't agree with you; and Wilson Combat doesn't agree with you.  Neither do I.  

This + checkering and flat bottom FPS.

Hey, Samuse. Why replace the titanium firing pin on a gun that isn't series 80?

(This is actually why I prefer the series 80.)

the steel fp will have increased lock time, but will apply more pounds of force to the primer for less of a chance of a primer not going off.

80/70 series has nothing to do with if the gun comes with a Ti fp. SA uses a TI fp to pass the Calif drop test.

I recall when Ti fp were new on the market a bunch of them would suffer from the FP tip breaking off as TI is not a good impact material.

I agree with Raven, I have used them since the 90's in both my limited guns. Both guns have over 50,000 rounds through them. Like anything else you need to inspect them to make sure they don't need replacement. To say a product "ain't worth a shit" without any reasons cited as to why, doesn't add much to the thread.

The first sentence conflicts with the last sentence. Pistols with Series 80 parts (at least Colt pistols) use a steel firing pin, because there's a firing pin block. Springfields have no mechanical firing pin block, therefore a stiffer firing pin spring, and lighter firing pin make the gun drop safe.  

I haven't even heard of a Series 80 gun from any company (Colt, Para, and Remington) that come with a Ti firing pin.

Just saw that your in Ca

45 acp steel pin is 4 ft while a steel or ti fp is 6ft iirc in 38 super.  (sa fp are closer to 38 super than 45 acp)

They are made for people who like gadgets, Wilson sales them & people buy them, John M Browing designed the pistol without one, why....they don't need one.
But I'm a firm believer in if you like something go for it, just my two cents.

 
Well, then, I guess it's time to tell ya:  A lot of what I know about running a 1911 pattern pistol I learned from Austin Behlert.  Austin was one of the two, or three, early pioneers of modern 1911 modifications and design.  The first time I ever saw:  ambi-safeties, screw-in bushings, square trigger guards, full length guide rods, beavertail grip safeties, stretched rowl hammers, and trigger stops on a 1911-A1 pistol they were, all, shown to me by Austin Behlert.  I wasn't just a customer at Behlert's Custom Guns, Austin and I were, something of, personal friends.  (Yes, I know, on occasion Austin could be a little rough to deal with!)  

There was a time in my life when I purchased a lot of guns from Behlert; and I still remember the first time Austin handed me one of his IPSC modified, 'raceguns'.  It had a 20 lb. recoil spring in it; and one of Austin's (Maybe the very first!) hard rubber recoil buffers sitting at the back of the screw-apart full length guide rod.  When I questioned Austin on it, he said that he'd started putting these buffers into all of his finished 1911 pattern pistols.  Then he showed me the reason, 'Why'.  

I actually got to see a 1911 frame with minor hairline cracks at the back of the dustcover.  Austin told me that in a heavily used 1911, and especially in the alloy frames, the addition of one of these recoil buffers could actually extend frame life by absorbing a lot of the impact the lower frame has to absorb.  Personally, and while I never really had a problem, I always thought that Behlert 45's came with way too heavy recoil springs.  In fact, whenever I had Austin build a 1911 pattern pistol for me (and I purchased a few) one of the first things I'd do is have Frank (his son) swap out the 20 to 22 lb. spring the pistol was returned to me with for one of my preferred 18 lb. springs.  

So, enough of the internet gun forum palaver.  I was THERE when these things first started being used; and one of the biggest names in the pioneering of 1911 modifications walked me thorough the reasons, 'Why'.  For more than 25 years I ran either hard rubber or plastic recoil buffers in both my 1911's and P-35's.  If results determine the worth of a product then these buffers always worked, required only infrequent changing, (about 12 to 15 hundred fired rounds) and allowed for the use of either lighter or heavier than standard recoil springs without ever leaving any impact marks inside the frame.  

The only caveat I have is that these same buffers DO NOT WORK WELL in anybody's polymer frame pistols.  Too much, 'harmonic polymer frame vibration'; and that's, kind 'a, sad because I've already seen small frame cracks around the pin holes of 40 caliber Glocks!  Anything that can be done to alleviate the impact of recoil on a pistol's frame has to be a good thing; AND, if I were to drop another 4 or 5 grand on an expensive steel frame:  Wilson, STI, Brown, or Baer 1911 pattern pistol you can just bet that there'd be some sort of recoil buffer inside it.)  


INTERESTING READING:  

Wilson Information On 1911 Recoil Springs

Brownells Information On 1911 Recoil Springs

Thanks for all the info, guys!!  I've got some time to think and research. My friend, the gunsmith is having pretty bad health problems. I will talk with him about the buffers.

And...  She's here!!  I probably won't get to shoot her til next week. I've gotta match tomorrow.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn207/sunedee_2000/4388BED4-0788-4309-A544-9B90BB6DC185_zpskq4bfsu3.jpg

UL

I've heard the name Austin Behlert, but never realized what he has done in the pistol/gunsmith world, your reply made me google him, I will never argue anything that came from a man so talented.
Tom

Armand Swenson invented the Shok-Buff. Originally they were made from leather, but Armand realized that old orange traffic cones works better. Bill Wilson eventually received permission to stamp them from Swenson and the Shok-Buff was added to Wilson's line of accessories.

When my daughter received her SA Loaded, the only thing I changed out was the guide rod. Changed it from 2 piece to standard GI. I'm not a fan of having to use tools to field strip a 1911.

They have a little bit of tendency to chip or bend, they don't smack a primer as hard as I want 'em to, they're just not as robust/reliable as a good steel pin.

I like a Series 80 myself.

 
Well, there ya go!  The usefulness of shock buffers in 1911 pattern pistols is, now, beyond dispute.

Just shoot the hell out of it



Springfield Loadeds rule

This.

I love the look of a well worn 1911. Sadly, none of mine have been used enough yet.

Agree or disagree, they don't belong on any gun that's going to see self-defense use. Just because the manufacturer puts them on doesn't mean you need them, just like a FLGR.

 
 Ahh, come on!  Try saying that after you've spent an entire afternoon at an IPSC match and fired off 100-150 rounds, often just as fast as you could tap the trigger, with one of Behlert's 1911 pattern pistols, fitted with one of his original hard black rubber, or red plastic recoil buffers.  

If you clean your pistol after using it, then, I very much doubt that you'll ever have a problem with anybody's recoil buffer.  A neglected pistol?  Yes, that might happen; but never to the pistols of any of the serious gunmen I used to compete with.  I'm, also, certain that Wilson's modern blue-colored buffers, and EGW's modern black-colored buffers are a whole lot tougher than the ones that we used to use; and I don't remember ever having any sort of problem with any of them.  

In more than 35 years of using 1911's have I ever found a damaged buffer in one of my pistols?  Yes, I have; but it was no big deal, and nothing that might have stopped me from using them.  Maintain your weapon, inspect it, and keep it clean.  Trust me on this:  You will NEVER have a buffer problem with any metal frame pistol.  (Let's not start another great internet gun forum myth - OK.)    

Here:  EGW Recoil Buffers  (And I've casually known George Smith, and personally known Chuck Lutz for the past several decades.  (As a matter of fact I first met George Smith when he was working as a young gunsmith in Behlert's shop in Union, NJ.  If men like these manufacture and sell 1911 recoil buffers, then, they work - Period.)

I've seen buffers come apart and cause problems. I use them in my comp guns but decline to put them in carry guns. I know they won't cause a problem if you inspect and maintain them, but there is always a chance some defect could surface in even a new part.  Bottom line, I just don't want the chance for a rather nebulous benefit.