tpelle
01-05-2019, 09:04 AM
Hello, All,
I've been an AO 1911 owner for several years now, purchasing a basic G.I. model PKZSE some time ago. Over the years that I've had it I've made a few tweaks and changes - nothing due to any deficiency in the design or construction of the gun, but just to make it exactly the way I like it. Here's a picture the state it's in today:
https://i.imgur.com/UKSXkFD.jpg?1
For the curious, here's a list of the changes I've made:
* Replaced the tiny G.I. sights with a set of MGW 3-dot sights - in consideration of my aging eyes.
* Replaced the trigger with an actual G.I. surplus short stamped and welded trigger. I find these to be the best looking and feeling of all 1911 triggers, and they give you more trigger-finger room in cold weather if you're wearing thin gloves.
* Replaced the trigger/sear/grip safety leaf spring with one from Cylinder & Slide which brought the trigger pull down to 4-1/2 pounds consistently.
* Replaced the recoil spring plug with one that duplicates the earliest spring plug used on 1911 pistols, with the difference being that the spring plug, near the closed end, has a little divot punched in it so that it can be "threaded" on to the recoil spring, making the plug captive so that if it slips during field strip or reassembly the spring plug doesn't get launched off into low earth orbit (Although I find that in practice I arrest its flight with my left eye.). This feature was actually eliminated to save time and simplify things for wartime production.
* The grips are obviously not stock, but are a set that I had stashed in my "Big Rubbermade Container Of Gun Stuff" - I think they came from Brownells back when they started making grips under their own name. I like the lighter color of wood against the parkerizing. Sometimes, though, I will sue a set of Pearce rubber grips. Just depends on my mood.
* I tightened up the fit of the barrel bushing to the front of the slide, just because I wanted a little bit less gap - As it was the gap was in spec, but I just like the looks of a tighter fit.
As to adjustments to the pistol itself, I was having a slight issue on magazine insertion with the rim of the top cartridge in the magazine catching on the top of the rectangular "window" inside of the rear of the magazine well. I corrected this by detail-stripping the frame and using a small Swiss precision file to "break" the sharp corner at the top of the window. All is well now.
For magazines, I prefer Checkmates, as for years they have been the OEM supplier to Colt's. I stick with 7-rounders, because I find that 8-round magazines, the flush-fitting ones anyway, can't be fully inserted if the slide is in battery. 8-round mags would work if you always shot the pistol empty before each magazine change, but for defensive use where you might like to top up a pistol with a fresh full magazine while there was still a round in the chamber, there's just not enough room. This is true on my Colt 1911 as well. Normally I don't use rubber bumpers on my mags, but I'm going to use this pistol in a IPSC "clinic" at my club at the end of the month, and I thought I'd try them out. Most likely after the clinic the bumpers will come off, as for concealment I prefer my mags to be flush-fitting.
I'm one of the oddballs that actually likes the "small button" original G.I. safety and the G.I. grip safety tang. Lately, though, I've been trying to retrain myself to use a high-thumb position with my thumb resting on top of the safety, and after shooting about 150 rounds yesterday I have two little "fang marks" on the web of my hand - one from the top rear corner of the safety lever and one from the grip safety tang. I may go back to a low-thumb position.
Yesterday I shot a bunch of Speer Lawman 185 grain Gold Dots through the pistol, using new Checkmate mags with the Hybrid feed lips, and they worked 100%. I had been carrying the pistol with Remington 185 grain subsonic JHPs, but I decided I'd step it up a little with a round giving a bit more velocity. The Gold Dots have a muzzle velocity of 1050 fps, and you can feel it in the recoil. But that's the best thing with .45 ACP - it hits hard!
I am totally satisfied with this pistol. The finish has held up well, showing just enough holster wear to give it that "experienced" look. It has been 100% reliable, and plenty accurate for it's purpose. It is my most-often carried CCW pistol, giving up its place once in a great while to a Hi Power or a CZ75B. I always carry it in an El Paso Saddlery "Summer Comfort" leather IWB holster, and it's all-day comfortable. Slide to frame fit was great right out of the box.
Recently I was shooting on the same range as a guy with a new Colt's Gold Cup .45ACP, and he asked what I shooting. So I handed him the AO and told him to look it over, but not to look at the manufacturer roll mark on the frame until last. He looked at the slide to frame fit, the finish, and just the general appearance of the pistol, then looked at the rollmark. When he read Auto Ordnance on the frame you should have seen the look on his face. He said he was thinking it was a custom-built pistol. I can't think of a higher complement.
I've been an AO 1911 owner for several years now, purchasing a basic G.I. model PKZSE some time ago. Over the years that I've had it I've made a few tweaks and changes - nothing due to any deficiency in the design or construction of the gun, but just to make it exactly the way I like it. Here's a picture the state it's in today:
https://i.imgur.com/UKSXkFD.jpg?1
For the curious, here's a list of the changes I've made:
* Replaced the tiny G.I. sights with a set of MGW 3-dot sights - in consideration of my aging eyes.
* Replaced the trigger with an actual G.I. surplus short stamped and welded trigger. I find these to be the best looking and feeling of all 1911 triggers, and they give you more trigger-finger room in cold weather if you're wearing thin gloves.
* Replaced the trigger/sear/grip safety leaf spring with one from Cylinder & Slide which brought the trigger pull down to 4-1/2 pounds consistently.
* Replaced the recoil spring plug with one that duplicates the earliest spring plug used on 1911 pistols, with the difference being that the spring plug, near the closed end, has a little divot punched in it so that it can be "threaded" on to the recoil spring, making the plug captive so that if it slips during field strip or reassembly the spring plug doesn't get launched off into low earth orbit (Although I find that in practice I arrest its flight with my left eye.). This feature was actually eliminated to save time and simplify things for wartime production.
* The grips are obviously not stock, but are a set that I had stashed in my "Big Rubbermade Container Of Gun Stuff" - I think they came from Brownells back when they started making grips under their own name. I like the lighter color of wood against the parkerizing. Sometimes, though, I will sue a set of Pearce rubber grips. Just depends on my mood.
* I tightened up the fit of the barrel bushing to the front of the slide, just because I wanted a little bit less gap - As it was the gap was in spec, but I just like the looks of a tighter fit.
As to adjustments to the pistol itself, I was having a slight issue on magazine insertion with the rim of the top cartridge in the magazine catching on the top of the rectangular "window" inside of the rear of the magazine well. I corrected this by detail-stripping the frame and using a small Swiss precision file to "break" the sharp corner at the top of the window. All is well now.
For magazines, I prefer Checkmates, as for years they have been the OEM supplier to Colt's. I stick with 7-rounders, because I find that 8-round magazines, the flush-fitting ones anyway, can't be fully inserted if the slide is in battery. 8-round mags would work if you always shot the pistol empty before each magazine change, but for defensive use where you might like to top up a pistol with a fresh full magazine while there was still a round in the chamber, there's just not enough room. This is true on my Colt 1911 as well. Normally I don't use rubber bumpers on my mags, but I'm going to use this pistol in a IPSC "clinic" at my club at the end of the month, and I thought I'd try them out. Most likely after the clinic the bumpers will come off, as for concealment I prefer my mags to be flush-fitting.
I'm one of the oddballs that actually likes the "small button" original G.I. safety and the G.I. grip safety tang. Lately, though, I've been trying to retrain myself to use a high-thumb position with my thumb resting on top of the safety, and after shooting about 150 rounds yesterday I have two little "fang marks" on the web of my hand - one from the top rear corner of the safety lever and one from the grip safety tang. I may go back to a low-thumb position.
Yesterday I shot a bunch of Speer Lawman 185 grain Gold Dots through the pistol, using new Checkmate mags with the Hybrid feed lips, and they worked 100%. I had been carrying the pistol with Remington 185 grain subsonic JHPs, but I decided I'd step it up a little with a round giving a bit more velocity. The Gold Dots have a muzzle velocity of 1050 fps, and you can feel it in the recoil. But that's the best thing with .45 ACP - it hits hard!
I am totally satisfied with this pistol. The finish has held up well, showing just enough holster wear to give it that "experienced" look. It has been 100% reliable, and plenty accurate for it's purpose. It is my most-often carried CCW pistol, giving up its place once in a great while to a Hi Power or a CZ75B. I always carry it in an El Paso Saddlery "Summer Comfort" leather IWB holster, and it's all-day comfortable. Slide to frame fit was great right out of the box.
Recently I was shooting on the same range as a guy with a new Colt's Gold Cup .45ACP, and he asked what I shooting. So I handed him the AO and told him to look it over, but not to look at the manufacturer roll mark on the frame until last. He looked at the slide to frame fit, the finish, and just the general appearance of the pistol, then looked at the rollmark. When he read Auto Ordnance on the frame you should have seen the look on his face. He said he was thinking it was a custom-built pistol. I can't think of a higher complement.