First thing you would upgrade on a SA Milspec

[RMTactical]

I am not looking to change up this gun a whole lot but I am probably gonna refinish the slide and frame with Black Gun-Kote, eventually.

What else would be a good value upgrade? I was thinking of getting maybe stainless barrel bushing, recoil spring plug, slide stop, and maybe even safety.

Would that look lame? Is the safety easy to replace?

I want it to maintain the current grip safety and a spur hammer.

The grips are fine although I might want some thinner grips in the future.

What else would be a good value upgrade on something like this?

[MD357]

I'd replace....

internals with a all C&S components....
Wilson BP extractor
EGW or Wilson BP Slidestop
10-8 trigger
yost retro rear OR have it cut for a 10-8 rear
Dawson Trit front
I'd have the stock GS radiused and bobbed OR a Wilson bullet proof GS fit and blended.
replace grips with VZ operators of some sort.

FWIW, this is probably my next project. :cool:

[Quack]

here's what i did to knedrgr's milspec.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_86hh1wHWQ74/S5RnIkEOYqI/AAAAAAAAAAs/QOOqP9ecQJs/s1600-h/DSC_1544.jpg

[Quack]

I'd replace....

internals with a all C&S components....
Wilson BP extractor
EGW or Wilson BP Slidestop
10-8 trigger
yost retro rear OR have it cut for a 10-8 rear
Dawson Trit front
I'd have the stock GS radiused and bobbed OR a Wilson bullet proof GS fit and blended.
replace grips with VZ operators of some sort.

FWIW, this is probably my next project. :cool:

10-8 makes a GI style replacement sight. that's what i'm going to put on the Remmy R1, along with a brass bead front sight.

also gonna add an Ed Brown GS & TS, hammer and sear.

[Don Glock]

I am not looking to change up this gun a whole lot but I am probably gonna refinish the slide and frame with Black Gun-Kote, eventually.

What else would be a good value upgrade? I was thinking of getting maybe stainless barrel bushing, recoil spring plug, slide stop, and maybe even safety. you're on the right track :) you really don't have to replace any of the ignition system parts if you don't want to, SA makes good stuff. i replaced them in my operator more for the fun of it than anything else. i would go for the EGW bushing, ed brown hardcore slide stop, and the ed brown thumb safety. replacing the recoil spring plug is a waste of money. all easy to do, just look up some tutorials, and go slow (especially on the thumb safety)

Would that look lame? Is the safety easy to replace?

I want it to maintain the current grip safety and a spur hammer.

The grips are fine although I might want some thinner grips in the future.

What else would be a good value upgrade on something like this?

.......

[RMTactical]

Reason I want to replace the recoil spring plus is because the finish on mine is already marred up and I have only taken this gun done twice. I figured what the hell.

Just placed an order on midway.

131183 1 $37.99 Ed Brown Hardcore Slide Stop 191...

198189 1 $35.49 Ed Brown Wide Extended Thumb Saf...

652828 1 $23.99 Chip McCormick Power Mag Magazin...

155890 1 $19.99 EGW Prefit Match Barrel Bushing ...

546705 1 $9.39 Ed Brown Recoil Spring Plug 1911...

[Don Glock]

^^good order! you got some good parts on the way :)

[fistpoint]

I wouldn't do anything to it, just buy another 1911 with the features missing from the Milspec.

[RMTactical]

I wouldn't do anything to it, just buy another 1911 with the features missing from the Milspec.

Yeah, I don't have that kind of money right now... So this will do in the mean time. If I decide to take it back to stock form I can later on and save these parts for another 1911... But, until that time...

[Monte#2]

Yeah, I don't have that kind of money right now... So this will do in the mean time. If I decide to take it back to stock form I can later on and save these parts for another 1911... But, until that time...

Besides...it is always fun to play and tinker with a new toy!:supergrin:

[Jim S.]

All I did to my Mil-Spec is replace the Main Spring Housing and internals to get rid of the internal lock mechanism.
Replaced the trigger with a long (solid) trigger in black.
And shot a bunch of rounds through her.
I like this gun even though it is considered a low level 1911.
Shoots well and so far eats even the big hollow points.

[Jason D]

What I would do...

Target sight
Fitted Kart barrel/bushing
C&S 3.5# Marine spur hammer kit.

[Nestor]

Maybe just buy another pistol instead...

[samuse]

I would start with the mim sear and disconnector, then I'd have a good smith do a trigger job with a Harrison Hard Use trigger so it'll still look stock, a Colt sear spring, Wilson Bulletproof extractor, Wilson Bulletproof ejector staked(yours is glued), Ed Brown MSH to get rid of the lock, a Wolff spring set and a factory Colt thumb safety. 10-8 NM rear sight and a dovetailed front of your choice. If you really wanna go for the gusto have a Kart barrel and bushing fit, dehorn, fronstrap checkered and Ion Bond or Black T. Then you would have a sleeper that would run with a Baer, but look like a Mil-Spec. It would probably cost more than a Baer if a decent smith did the work. But to answer your question, stainless parts on a parked Mil-Spec scream "bubba butchered this one!" That thumb safety is not a drop in and you shouldn't have marred your plug. The first 1911 is often like the first vehicle. You'll destroy it, but you'll learn in the process. :crying:

[samuse]

10-8 makes a GI style replacement sight. that's what i'm going to put on the Remmy R1, along with a brass bead front sight.


I have that sight with a Novak gold bead front on a Colt and it's great.

[deputy tom]

The only thing I would do is bob the hammer and if the grip safety area is sharp de-horn that area.Then go shoot it alot.YMMV.tom.:cool:

[RMTactical]

Maybe just buy another pistol instead...

Trust me, that time will come, eventually...

[knedrgr]

replaced:

• flat MSH
• EB barrel bushing
• 10-8 flat trigger
• Kimber ambi TS

In the process of modifying:
• spur hammer
• grip safety
• remove white dots on rear sight

[Quack]

replaced:

• flat MSH
• EB barrel bushing
• 10-8 flat trigger
• Kimber ambi TS

In the process of modifying:
• spur hammer
• grip safety
• remove white dots on rear sight

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a317/Quackzilla/Guns/DSC_1544.jpg

[RMTactical]

I really wish now that I had gotten my milspec in Stainless.

[11bdad]

Only thing I've changed on mine has been the hammer/sear/disconnector/sear spring. Factory trigger pull was very heavy. Used a C&S 4.5lb matched hammer set and I could not be happier.

[tomgow29]

I picked up a Mil Spec in 38 Super in a trade with another member just a couple of weeks ago. The only change I have made so far is install a flat checkered mainspring housing. Eventually I will install a long trigger, old school commander hammer, commander grip safety and new grips. After that we will have to see.

[BigLaw]

Change grip safety to a beavertail! Those standard safetys kill my hand.

[Quack]

replaced:

• flat MSH
• EB barrel bushing
• 10-8 flat trigger
• Kimber ambi TS

In the process of modifying:
• spur hammer
• grip safety
• remove white dots on rear sight


you forgot the flush cut slide stop pin ;)

[knedrgr]

^^ Oh yeah. That's a heck of a custom cut. Can't wait to finish the grip safety. Hammer is done and it looks good.

[BrazosCoTX]

Thought I would buy a Mil-spec and then do all the upgrades. The first thing I was planning to replace was the barrel, as most Mil-specs come with the two piece barrel that SA equips their lower end 1911s with (not flaming two piece barrels, just my preference). Looked seriously at a Bar-Sto. Then, added up the costs of all the other stuff I wanted to do after that.

Solution: bought a SA Lightweight Operator. Had everything I wanted for $450 more than the Mil-spec costs. No regrets at all.

But... I may still buy that Mil-spec someday, and the first thing I add on will be the bar-Sto barrel:supergrin:

[Chonny]

I'd start with grips, sights, barrel, trigger, hammer, and mainspring housing oh, and magazines... Do more after that if you want. Maybe a different thumb safety and beav.

[fistpoint]

Yeah, I don't have that kind of money right now... So this will do in the mean time. If I decide to take it back to stock form I can later on and save these parts for another 1911... But, until that time...

Understood. However, you should be aware that you route you are thinking is going to cost 50-100% more than a completed pistol with the features you now want, unless you do the work yourself.

Now that you have said you would have preferred something different already, then consider selling what you have now for less of a loss than upgrading it to what you want. This may mean waiting a bit longer, but in the end you'll have what you want at a lower overall cost. Just something to think about.

[RMTactical]

Appreciate the advice. I like upgrading guns and doing work on them myself. I think I will keep it and just work on it and play with it. This should be a good gun to get to work on and try out different things with so I can better understand what I want in a 1911 and why.

[RMTactical]

OK, got my parts. Installed them all except for the thumb safety.

How long should it take me to install the thumb safety and how hard is it? I think I can do it but I didn't have the energy to sit down and do that tonight.

In short, should I just install the thumb safety or should I wait until I Gun Kote it and then install it afterwards (whenever I decide to actually do that)?

I like it so far. Kind of gives it a two tone look. I will post pics later.

[Quack]

15 minutes.
if you are planning to swap out the sear, i would do so now, because if you fit the TS to the sear you have now, and then change the sear down the road, the TS might have too much material removed to work properly with the new sear.

[Quack]

http://brazoscustom.com/magart/0601.htm

and this is how the safety works.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v665/hautlipz/1911_cutaway_thumb_safety_blocking_.jpg

[Captain Bligh]

My plans for mine are:

Trigger job
Lose the ILS
Flat mainspring housing
Long trigger

[Ryobi]

Generally speaking, I'd have the same mods made to it as a Loaded comes with, but add frontstrap checkering. Which to do first is a personal thing.

I am not looking to change up this gun a whole lot but I am probably gonna refinish the slide and frame with Black Gun-Kote, eventually.

What else would be a good value upgrade? I was thinking of getting maybe stainless barrel bushing, recoil spring plug, slide stop, and maybe even safety.

Would that look lame? Is the safety easy to replace?

I want it to maintain the current grip safety and a spur hammer.

The grips are fine although I might want some thinner grips in the future.

What else would be a good value upgrade on something like this?

[leeward419]

I am looking at having Standard Sights replaced wih similar looking nite sights, flat mainspring housing. like the original A-1 look of the pistol, VZ grips.

[Single_Star]

Here's what I did to mine:
Replaced the MSH with a S&A Flat Checkered MSH with Magwell
Replaced Mainspring to 19# spring
Replaced Trigger with C&S Long Lightweight Trigger
Replaced Barrel Bushing with SS Bushing
Replaced Recoil Spring Plug with Wilson Bullet Proof SS Plug
Replaced Thumb Safety with Ed Brown Extended Tactical Safety
Fit a Wilson Beavertail Grip Safety
Replaced Hammer with Wilson SS Lightweight Hammer
Trigger job, Now the trigger breaks clean at 3.75#

I know it's a little more than you plan to do, but I love it!

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/kbknapp/Pistols/HIMG_5647.jpg

[RMTactical]

Here's what I did to mine:
Replaced the MSH with a S&A Flat Checkered MSH with Magwell
Replaced Mainspring to 19# spring
Replaced Trigger with C&S Long Lightweight Trigger
Replaced Barrel Bushing with SS Bushing
Replaced Recoil Spring Plug with Wilson Bullet Proof SS Plug
Replaced Thumb Safety with Ed Brown Extended Tactical Safety
Fit a Wilson Beavertail Grip Safety
Replaced Hammer with Wilson SS Lightweight Hammer
Trigger job, Now the trigger breaks clean at 3.75#

I know it's a little more than you plan to do, but I love it!

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc107/kbknapp/Mil-Spec/HIMG_5647.jpg

Looks great.

I am still making up my mind on how I will end up going with this, but I have done away with the SS parts (aside from the barrel bushing and recoil spring plug). I just switched a board member on here my arched MSH for his flat MSH.

Do you guys recommend a stronger recoil spring? What is the stock recoil spring and what do you recommend instead?

[silversport]

http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1115484

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b72/silversport1/P1000072.jpg

Bill

[COLDSTEEL165]

I am thinking of sending mine to the SA custom shop & have the following done for about $250.00 from them, A combat extended thumb saftey A bever tail installed by them also, etc.