The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Review: PT1911 frame modification after 11K

cuba · June 6, 2011, 02:54 PM

Hi ya all, I’m here to tell you about the positive experience that I’ve had with the Taurus PT1911, I sometimes think that these pistols must be assembled in two different places, one where they assemble the pistols by experience hands and the other not so much, I mean with all the 50/50 testimony that I read on the internet and the hit and miss!!, that’s the only thing that could explain it.

For instance my PT1911 is an excellent well-made durable and reliable firearm and my personal experience with their customer service has also been pleasant and prompt, when the infamous thumb safety broke which had been manufactured incorrectly in their first batch of the PT1911, I called them and they mailed me a well-made quality thumb safety with in a week’s time, that has worked correctly since.

I believe the forums testimonies, written by the folks who have had a less then pleasant experience with Taurus CS. I mean, why would they lie? I think it’s like a twilight zone moment, IDK.

I bought my stainless PT1911 in 2008 and I’ve been very impressed with all the custom features that it came with, because In the early 80’s I had a Colt series 70 which I had customize with all the same features that the PT1911 came with, but the Colt had cost me well over a grand to customize, so I was leery concerning the quality of the PT1911, But the price was right, and I was unfamiliar with all the new manufacturing techniques like CNC and MIM. But I knew it was like everything else.

I remember when the first VHS came out they were well over a grand and then after a while you could find them for a couple hundred dollars. Now mind you I have read all the negative things said on the 1911 forums concerning the inferior MIM internals, but I also learned in those forums from people like (1911 Tuner) how to tune and reduce the excessive wear on a 1911 by reconfiguring the 1911 to the original JMB system that consisted of a small radius FPS bottom and using a combination of a 16# action spring and a 23# main spring, which would produce two major benefits, 1) was minimize excessive battering to my 1911, which made me feel better considering what the forums had warned against concerning the inferior MIM internals, and 2) this system would reduce the muzzle flip. And 3) in combination I resurfaced the hammer face to attain full contact with FPS. Which achieving a full resistance and delayed affect

So far I’ve fired over 11K+ round through my PT1911, the first 1K were Winchester white Box full power loads the balance has been 200g RNFP with 4.6g Bulls Eye powder, without suffering any noticeable excessive wear to the original stock MIM fire control parts which I polish up with every spring change rotation, with the exception of the extractor which indicates needing to be changed out soon for which I have a mantra (if it isn’t broken don’t fix it)and a spare also with the routine spring replacements every 2500 rounds, and some extreme frame modification that I have done like countersinking the slide stop pin hole and shortened and radius the slide stop pin which I’ve replaced with an extended Wilson pin. Also for better pistol grip I have undercut the trigger guard which makes a huge difference in control and comfort. After a detail inspection under magnification of the MIM parts I am impressed with the durability and minimal wear that these MIM parts have suffered, also the forged frame and slide in combination with the Travis reduction system has maintained relatively tight fit throughout the 11K+ rounds fired.

Now to how I cut the bottom of the trigger guard, it was relatively simple I remove the major amount of metal with a Dremel grinding attachment by beveling and blending the front side of the existing radius and relieving the bottom of the trigger guard as high as possible, then polishing off by hand the rough grinding marks with Plumbers emery cloth.

I can’t compare my Taurus PT1911 with any high end custom 1911 because I don’t have any to compare it to but as far as reliability with the exemption to a bout with some slide over which I fixed per (1911 tuners) recommendation to change out the mag springs with heavier ones and maybe a dozen failure to chamber caused I had some bad reloads my gun is perfect in every way and I can’t think of any way to make it better. Truly a quality 1911, without breaking the bank. Hope you enjoy the photos

June 6, 2011, 02:54 PM	#1
cuba Member Join Date: January 2, 2010 Location: Lake Placid Florida Posts: 90	Review: PT1911 frame modification after 11K Hi ya all, I’m here to tell you about the positive experience that I’ve had with the Taurus PT1911, I sometimes think that these pistols must be assembled in two different places, one where they assemble the pistols by experience hands and the other not so much, I mean with all the 50/50 testimony that I read on the internet and the hit and miss!!, that’s the only thing that could explain it. For instance my PT1911 is an excellent well-made durable and reliable firearm and my personal experience with their customer service has also been pleasant and prompt, when the infamous thumb safety broke which had been manufactured incorrectly in their first batch of the PT1911, I called them and they mailed me a well-made quality thumb safety with in a week’s time, that has worked correctly since. I believe the forums testimonies, written by the folks who have had a less then pleasant experience with Taurus CS. I mean, why would they lie? I think it’s like a twilight zone moment, IDK. I bought my stainless PT1911 in 2008 and I’ve been very impressed with all the custom features that it came with, because In the early 80’s I had a Colt series 70 which I had customize with all the same features that the PT1911 came with, but the Colt had cost me well over a grand to customize, so I was leery concerning the quality of the PT1911, But the price was right, and I was unfamiliar with all the new manufacturing techniques like CNC and MIM. But I knew it was like everything else. I remember when the first VHS came out they were well over a grand and then after a while you could find them for a couple hundred dollars. Now mind you I have read all the negative things said on the 1911 forums concerning the inferior MIM internals, but I also learned in those forums from people like (1911 Tuner) how to tune and reduce the excessive wear on a 1911 by reconfiguring the 1911 to the original JMB system that consisted of a small radius FPS bottom and using a combination of a 16# action spring and a 23# main spring, which would produce two major benefits, 1) was minimize excessive battering to my 1911, which made me feel better considering what the forums had warned against concerning the inferior MIM internals, and 2) this system would reduce the muzzle flip. And 3) in combination I resurfaced the hammer face to attain full contact with FPS. Which achieving a full resistance and delayed affect So far I’ve fired over 11K+ round through my PT1911, the first 1K were Winchester white Box full power loads the balance has been 200g RNFP with 4.6g Bulls Eye powder, without suffering any noticeable excessive wear to the original stock MIM fire control parts which I polish up with every spring change rotation, with the exception of the extractor which indicates needing to be changed out soon for which I have a mantra (if it isn’t broken don’t fix it)and a spare also with the routine spring replacements every 2500 rounds, and some extreme frame modification that I have done like countersinking the slide stop pin hole and shortened and radius the slide stop pin which I’ve replaced with an extended Wilson pin. Also for better pistol grip I have undercut the trigger guard which makes a huge difference in control and comfort. After a detail inspection under magnification of the MIM parts I am impressed with the durability and minimal wear that these MIM parts have suffered, also the forged frame and slide in combination with the Travis reduction system has maintained relatively tight fit throughout the 11K+ rounds fired. Now to how I cut the bottom of the trigger guard, it was relatively simple I remove the major amount of metal with a Dremel grinding attachment by beveling and blending the front side of the existing radius and relieving the bottom of the trigger guard as high as possible, then polishing off by hand the rough grinding marks with Plumbers emery cloth. I can’t compare my Taurus PT1911 with any high end custom 1911 because I don’t have any to compare it to but as far as reliability with the exemption to a bout with some slide over which I fixed per (1911 tuners) recommendation to change out the mag springs with heavier ones and maybe a dozen failure to chamber caused I had some bad reloads my gun is perfect in every way and I can’t think of any way to make it better. Truly a quality 1911, without breaking the bank. Hope you enjoy the photos Last edited by cuba; June 9, 2011 at 06:57 PM.