Single best improvement to accuracy

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Single best improvement to accuracy

Posted: 2/18/2020 11:45:06 PM EDT

So I have a SR1911 .45 and looking to get a Range Officer in 9mm.

What one thing will give me the best improvement in accuracy? Trigger job, fitted barrel and/or bushing, something else. Let's assume that the pistol will loosely hold the X ring on a B27 target at 15 yards and 10 ring at 25 yards. Good enough or needs improvement? By loosely I mean most of the shots hit within the target area with a couple cutting the line or outside the line (with best available ammo) These are for plinking and some IDPA.

With all the things I want to do, it's either spend a lot on one pistol or spread my limited budget on other gun work I want done.

Thanks for looking.

Posted: 2/19/2020 12:02:36 AM EDT

[#1]

Fitted barrel and bushing.

Posted: 2/19/2020 12:23:39 AM EDT

[#2]

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Quoted:
Fitted barrel and bushing.

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yep

A carefully hand fitted barrel is your best bet.

Posted: 2/19/2020 12:31:02 AM EDT

[#3]

In before the training comments, and in my experience trigger work is where i would start as most moden guns are plenty accurate mechanically. Sights and trigger is where i would lay money first.

Posted: 2/19/2020 1:41:39 AM EDT

[#4]

Factory 1911’s quality is solid today. They are built darn well today out of the box... prob more accurate than most of us.... but I am 60 and been down a competitive and defensive road....

Perfect a solid stance and a rock solid proper fighting grip ..and a Press of the trig... this is a Foundation to hitting Accurately.... period.

Fundamentals !! I shot ESP Expert championship State match trophy with a stock XD Tactical with only a Dawson FO front sight.

Before that year a CDP Expert state trophy.... consistent fundamentals put accurate rounds downrange Regardless the toys employed.

H

Posted: 2/19/2020 7:10:20 AM EDT

[#5]

I suppose each pistol is different, but my Ruger SR1911 is extremely accurate right out of the box.

I would suggest start with a trigger.

BUT.....and I'm not saying this is you....so many folks just start adding "improvements" to new firearms before they ever truly shoot them to their current potential. Spend money and time on ammo and practice. Get to a point of wringing every bit of accuracy from the gun, as is. Then when you add a trigger, or whatever, you will truly see the improvement.

My Ruger 1911 was pretty perfect out of the box. All I added was VZ grips.

Posted: 2/19/2020 7:43:03 AM EDT

[#6]

Sights you can actually pick up visually and see quickly. The best are fiber optics. Good nail polish in the three dots is the cheapest.

Done neatly, the green dots are more visible and shootable than any of the poorly done three white dot sets coming out of factories.

Cleaning the white dots with alcohol and then putting the polish on while still alcohol wet helps the polish run uniformly to the edges. Using the round end of a needle with the sharp end in a wine cork gives a nice drop and some control.

The real pain is getting enough coats to fill the hole so there is no shadowing in bright light.

Posted: 2/19/2020 10:00:00 AM EDT

[#7]

dry fire.

Posted: 2/19/2020 10:33:56 AM EDT

[#8]

I had a chance to fondle a SR1911 in 45ACP and I was not impressed. (almost new gun, only a few magazines fired through it)
I realize it is just an assembly line gun and not custom fit but....

Slide to frame fit was pretty loose. Had significant side to side slop and up and down slop.
Barrel bushing to slide fit was loose and the bushing to barrel fit was no better.
I remembered a thread either on this forum or another one about loose lockup on a SR1911 (commander size) and the guy posted a video. (below)
I measured .010" of slop in the vertical lockup.
It also had at least .005" to .008" of horizontal lockup slop.
Maybe I'm expecting too much from an assembly line gun, I have not handled that many.
If your Ruger is anything like the one I handled or like the one in the video, I think you would benefit the most from a new barrel and fitting bushing (like Ken_Mays said)
I'd get a Kart Xact Fit Barrel and their fitting kit. It would probably make a world of difference.

Ruger SR1911 Commander barrel movement at lockup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxD-3vdd7uw

Posted: 2/19/2020 12:38:19 PM EDT

[#9]

I go for a lot depends on the gun, if the slide fit and barrel fit are good, then trigger and sights. When I buy a 1911 type gun I make sure the slide and barrel fit is good before buying it.

If you’re buy a STI it is worth buying it from Brazos or Dawson, them do check them over. Brazos does an excellent job just tuning the gun.

Posted: 2/19/2020 12:43:09 PM EDT

[#10]

When I Ransom Rested my SR1911, about the best it would do is 3" at 25 yards. Adequate and typical for a production 1911 but not ideal. I would personally go with a Kart replacement tube.

Posted: 2/19/2020 12:52:36 PM EDT

[#11]

Trigger work helps you get the best you can out of what you have.

If your lockup is tight, get trigger work.

KC Crawford teaches a class if you want to learn for yourself.

Posted: 2/19/2020 12:55:54 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
.. I would personally go with a Kart replacement tube.

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yep

these are easy to fit, with great results

https://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/barrel-parts/barrels/1911-xact-fit-barrel-prod7611.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/handgun-tools/barrel-tools/barrel-fitting-tools/xact-fit-tool-kit-prod24734.aspx

Posted: 2/19/2020 1:20:39 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
yep

these are easy to fit, with great results

https://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/barrel-parts/barrels/1911-xact-fit-barrel-prod7611.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/handgun-tools/barrel-tools/barrel-fitting-tools/xact-fit-tool-kit-prod24734.aspx

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
.. I would personally go with a Kart replacement tube.

yep

these are easy to fit, with great results

https://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/barrel-parts/barrels/1911-xact-fit-barrel-prod7611.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/handgun-tools/barrel-tools/barrel-fitting-tools/xact-fit-tool-kit-prod24734.aspx

You can read through the fitting instructions before you buy to see if the process is in your comfort zone.

Kart Barrel Fitting Instructions

Posted: 2/19/2020 6:55:15 PM EDT

[#14]

Your biggest improvement is going to be ....practice.
Todays 1911s will shoot around 6"at 50 yards. The best built 1911s will be 1 1/2" at 50. At 15 yards that is around 2 inches at 15 inches of the box. Most all action targets are generous in their scoring rings. Shooter error will loose far more points than the accuracy of the pistol.
There is little use to put a match barrel in if you don't eliminate the slide to frame clearances..

Posted: 2/19/2020 8:36:30 PM EDT

[#15]

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Quoted:
......There is little use to put a match barrel in if you don't eliminate the slide to frame clearances..

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Good point. OP- how is your slide to frame fit?

Posted: 2/19/2020 11:50:40 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
There is little use to put a match barrel in if you don't eliminate the slide to frame clearances..

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I disagree. Even in guns with generous clearances, a tightly fit match barrel will make them mostly irrelevant because it will be locking up tight against the slide stop pin.

There are very few 1911s on the market that couldn't benefit from a closely installed match barrel and bushing to replace the link-riding piece of loose crap they throw in at the factory.

While practice is certainly a part of it, it's more rewarding and meaningful practice when you are able to consistently blame misses on yourself instead of wondering about the gun.

Posted: 2/20/2020 12:32:13 AM EDT

[#17]

You can still hard fit a barrel and overcome a good bit of slide/frame fit. I’d go barrel/bushing and trigger job.

Posted: 2/20/2020 1:11:51 AM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
Good point. OP- how is your slide to frame fit?

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Well relatively speaking I think it's good. Has a little play when you twist the slide but I've seen looser also.

Posted: 2/20/2020 1:24:49 AM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:

While practice is certainly a part of it, it's more rewarding and meaningful practice when you are able to consistently blame misses on yourself instead of wondering about the gun.

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This is exactly what I'm thinking. It's like this with my competition ARs. They have upgrades to triggers, barrels, sights, float tubes, etc. So when I see a bad shot it was my fault, I know the gun is mechanically accurate. So I want to make my 1911 capable of more so I can step up my game and shoot better.

Posted: 2/20/2020 1:34:57 AM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:

I disagree. Even in guns with generous clearances, a tightly fit match barrel will make them mostly irrelevant because it will be locking up tight against the slide stop pin.

There are very few 1911s on the market that couldn't benefit from a closely installed match barrel and bushing to replace the link-riding piece of loose crap they throw in at the factory.

While practice is certainly a part of it, it's more rewarding and meaningful practice when you are able to consistently blame misses on yourself instead of wondering about the gun.

View Quote

True words, note the blue highlighted text.

Posted: 2/20/2020 6:03:04 PM EDT

[#21]

quality sights and a good trigger.

Range time and ammo.

Posted: 2/22/2020 11:31:54 AM EDT

[#22]

Shooter assist features offer the most benefit. I.E. trigger and sights. Next is a package of slide/frame and barrel/bushing. Be advised once you start tightening the gun you need to understand there WILL be teething issues as the gun will jam and be finicky until it’s well broken in and smoothed out. Plus I’d suggest finding an old school bullseye gunsmith who specializes in this sort of work. They usually know the most efficient tricks to hard fitting these things. I further suggest you listen to their advise about the barrel/bushing they prefer to work with. The truely GOOD gunsmiths are opinionated about what parts they rest their reputation on.

Also remember that a properly fitted bushing MUST be disassembled correctly or you destroy the hard work of the gunsmith. That bushing has been lapped to fit the barrel and is close to zero clearance.

Posted: 2/24/2020 12:14:45 AM EDT

[#23]

In this order:
1. Visible sights.
2. Trigger job.
3. Match grade fitted barrel.
4. Practice. You will never see the results on paper unless you practice.