I pretty much lucked into this gun through a private-party sale. It was missing parts; the previous owner had converted it into a sort-of Series 70 gun by removing the firing pin plunger and installing a dehorned firing pin plunger lever. That's fine for a range toy, but it was a carry piece. Removing a safety gizmo on a carry gun is asking for trouble. (If you want a gun that has Series 70 style parts, plenty are for sale). The hammer and sear pins were rusted (replaced those), there was minor rust on parts of the slide and lint... there was lint in places that I didn't know lint could accumulate.
Fortunately, 1911s are fairly easy guns to detail strip.
The gun also has night sights, which were deader than Richard Nixon. Those are being replaced with a set of Trijicons. Once that's done, a range trip awaits.
5 comments:
N I C E !!
Although I am not a fan of the Series 80 guns, I think removing the drop safety plunger is stupid. If someone dropped such a firearm and it discharged, I could see an owner that did such a mod potentially losing a very large lawsuit. I have a tricked out Series 70 that I only carry in Condition 1, and I don't worry too much about dropping it. I took a 1911 class at my club to learn how to completelely disassemble, clean, reassemble and lube one. It was the first time my gun had been apart (other than field stripping) since it left Hartford, and the amount filth behind the grip safety and in other recesses was staggering.
Witold, I presume that you know this, but for lurkers: A titanium firing pin and an extra-power firing pin return spring will greatly reduce the chances of Series 70 and earlier guns firing if dropped.
I inherited a 1936 made 1911 match grade. It isn't marked "match" but the serial number is one of the few set aside that year. It shoots very well and while I am curious about things like a beavertail grip safety, I am hesitant to do anything to it beyond my Pachmeyer grips. It's one heck of an accurate pistol as is. As my eyes age though I am really leaning toward some new sights.
w3ski
w3ski, as long as any mods don't require removing metal from the slide or the frame, I'd say to go for it. Keep the original parts, though.
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