drop-in beavertail and comp questions

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - drop-in beavertail and comp questions

Posted: 12/1/2007 4:08:29 PM EDT

1. Is there a drop-in beavertail that will fit a Springfield Mil-spec? Never mind. I finally figured out the answer. Wilson Combat makes one.

2. Anybody have pics of a drop-in beavertail installed? Are they any good? Pics?

3. The Wilson combat barrel bushing multi-comp... anybody have one? how is it? Pics?

Posted: 12/1/2007 4:23:13 PM EDT

[#1]

Drop in beavertails look like hell IMO. They leave a huge gap and just look terrible. Some people love them however so YMMV.

Posted: 12/1/2007 4:33:37 PM EDT

[#2]

I can't resist...

Posted: 12/1/2007 4:54:32 PM EDT

[#3]

my lord

Posted: 12/1/2007 5:00:52 PM EDT

[#4]

Dropin vs. fitted from my project

Wes

Posted: 12/1/2007 5:34:31 PM EDT

[#5]

Thanks for the pictures!
Its not beautiful, but its not tooooooo bad. I am not looking to make this gun a beautiful 1911. I wish I could, but I just can't afford it.

If I had the dollars, I would get the front strap checkered, a main-spring housing with matching checkering, matching checkering on the trigger gaurd, front cocking serrations cut to match the rear, a blended beavertail, a blended mag-well, Robar's OD green polymer finish for the lower and their nickle-teflon finishing for the upper (NP3?), and some really classy grips. But all of that would mean probably 2 weeks of take-home pay and being without my gun for awhile.

So instead, I am thinking grip tape for the frontstrap, a mainspring housing with more aggressive checkering than whats on the gun now, drop-in beavertail safety, and the Wilson Multi-comp barrel bushing.

Posted: 12/1/2007 8:32:01 PM EDT

[#6]

I did not catch the mil-spec part. The drop in or any beavertail grip will NOT accomodate the spur hammer in its original form. The hammer can be filed to fit but a spur hammer with a beavertail looks off to me. The drop ins are strictly for function and NOT form.

Wes

Posted: 12/1/2007 8:48:52 PM EDT

[#7]

Do it right.

Get an Ed Brown and fit it,

Posted: 12/1/2007 9:02:04 PM EDT

[#8]

The Wilson combat part is for Colts which have a longer tang. It will leave a HUGE gap on a Springfield. It also requires the use of a Commander style hammer.

Posted: 12/1/2007 9:09:17 PM EDT

[#9]

If you're having a problem with hammer bite, just bob the hammer a bit. It's free, functional, and will look 100x better than a drop in beavertail.

ETA: If you pass on the $80 multi-comp you could buy a "standard" Wilson beavertail for $35, their fitting jig for $22.50, and use the other $22.50 for files and a bottle of cold-blue. If you're gonna do it, do it right.

Posted: 12/1/2007 9:14:22 PM EDT

[#10]

Please, please, please don't put a drop-in BT on your 1911. Just bob the hammer a little.

Posted: 12/2/2007 4:43:52 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
If you're having a problem with hammer bite, just bob the hammer a bit. It's free, functional, and will look 100x better than a drop in beavertail.

ETA: If you pass on the $80 multi-comp you could buy a "standard" Wilson beavertail for $35, their fitting jig for $22.50, and use the other $22.50 for files and a bottle of cold-blue. If you're gonna do it, do it right.

I agree, bob the hammer or do it right IMO. Fitting a beavertail is not that hard. (well, fitting it PERFECT is VERY hard, fitting it good enough isn't)
This was the result of my first attempt: not perfect but not bad either. The edges match in the engaged position.

Posted: 12/2/2007 5:21:13 AM EDT

[#12]

well, The gun is finished in some kinda polymer fisnish. I am afraid if get the thing fitted properly, I will need to get the gun beadblasted and sent off for refinishing.

I htink my gun already has a commander style hammer.

Posted: 12/2/2007 5:32:39 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
well, The gun is finished in some kinda polymer fisnish. I am afraid if get the thing fitted properly, I will need to get the gun beadblasted and sent off for refinishing.

I htink my gun already has a commander style hammer.

Well then that does add to the price considerably.
Let me ask you this, why do you want a beavertail? Is it for looks, or does your hand get cut up? If it's for looks wait until you have the money to do it right IMO. if you get cut up, bob the hammer a little.
If you have a milspec that has original parts then you have a spur hammer.

Posted: 12/2/2007 6:43:46 AM EDT

[#14]

Its a milspec thats been worked on.

I was wanting the beavertail grip to get a higher grip on the gun.

Posted: 12/2/2007 10:12:33 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Its a milspec thats been worked on.

I was wanting the beavertail grip to get a higher grip on the gun.

Do you put your right thumb on top of the disengaged safety?

Posted: 12/2/2007 10:24:22 AM EDT

[#16]

In that case a drop in may work okay until you can afford a good one.
If it were my gun and I were in your shoes I'd go ahead and install an Ed Brown or S&A grip safetyand cold blue the work until I could afford a refinish. It won't look great, but it will look better than a drop in that won't match the current finish anyways.

Posted: 12/2/2007 1:45:00 PM EDT

[#17]

I may go ahead and get a gunsmith to install a beavertail safety correctly and then send it off later to get refinished. I really would like to get teh frame done in an OD green with the NP3 up top down the road. Would it look gay like that with grip tape on the front strap?

Posted: 12/2/2007 1:55:05 PM EDT

[#18]

Installing an Ed Brown grip safety will entail welding up the tangs on the frame. A Smith & Alexander would be a more economical choice.

Posted: 12/2/2007 2:54:20 PM EDT

[#19]

The Wilson Combat drop-in will leave a Gap on a Springfield Armory, because the Springer frame is not made properly. The gov't tang is longer than the commander. they make the gov't model frame with short ears. the Wilson combat safety leaves no gap on a Caspian Gov't model frame because Caspian makes them per specification with the longer ears.

Posted: 12/2/2007 3:45:31 PM EDT

[#20]

I think grip tape is a great alternative for when one can't afford checkering or maybe just doesn't want to spring for it. I have some on a Kimber of mine that was my #1 go to gun but isn't anymore so I don't want to spend more money on it. It doesn't look great, but it's not bad at all and very functional YMMV.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - drop-in beavertail and comp questions

Handguns » 1911 Discussions

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