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Old September 12, 2020, 08:13 PM   #1
Polinese
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Remington 1911 Mainspring housing.

Anyone know of a mainspring housing that will drop in on a Remington R1 1911? Just looking to replace the plastic factory one. Yes I know as a rule everything needs fitting on a 1911 but was hoping I could find one that someone knows can just be swapped out.
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Old September 13, 2020, 08:56 PM   #2
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It should be a standard MS housing and should fit without and fitting. Its just like the Para-ordinance with Remington's name on it unless they screwed that up too.
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Old September 13, 2020, 10:31 PM   #3
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Most 1911 mainspring housings are truly drop-in. Buy one and put it in.
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Old September 14, 2020, 07:57 AM   #4
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Many MSH's will require fitting, there is no way to know which brand etc. That being said I actually prefer having to fit one, it just makes for a more professional installation. It is pretty simple to do.
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Old September 14, 2020, 09:36 AM   #5
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Thanks guys! I usually go with Wilson Combat so I'll order one and see if it fits. I've got other stuff I gotta drop off a smith, so I guess Ill wait til I get that and see if I've got one more job for him.
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Old September 14, 2020, 09:51 AM   #6
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I won't say that the housing doesn't occasionally need fitting, but I've swapped a lot, and they were always drop in. The only issue was if you weren't careful removing the mainspring cap retaining pin, the mainspring cap and the mainspring went flying. There is some immutable law that they land in the darkest and most remote spot in your workroom and you will spend an hour on your knees with a flashlight searching for them. And don't ask me how I know that.

I've always preferred an arched mainspring housing which is why I've changed many. However, flat versus arched is a whole other debate.

Last edited by hammie; September 14, 2020 at 10:03 AM.
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Old September 14, 2020, 10:54 AM   #7
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Quote:
I've always preferred an arched mainspring housing which is why I've changed many. However, flat versus arched is a whole other debate.
As is the plastic vs. steel main spring housing.

My Colt XSE .45 Combat Commander came with a plastic one...when I posted that I was not happy when I found out (colored just like stainless steel), some posters took me to task saying that plastic main spring housings have not been found to fail more often than the steel ones. I would counter that argument with, "I will send anyone who wants my old plastic one for just the cost of postage. Have anyone ever heard of anyone giving away a steel mainspring housing gratus?
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Old September 14, 2020, 10:56 AM   #8
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Hammie I've got spares of those for that reason haha.

Dahermit that was kind of my thinking. Maybe it's just fine, but I also can't think of anyone that would volunteer to have a plastic one, myself included.
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Old September 14, 2020, 11:42 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by Polinese View Post
Hammie I've got spares of those for that reason haha.

Dahermit that was kind of my thinking. Maybe it's just fine, but I also can't think of anyone that would volunteer to have a plastic one, myself included.
Yup...especially in the context of my XSE Combat Commander. The ONLY justification (in my opinon), for a plastic main spring housing would be for the purpose of have less weight...but that makes no sense for a gun that otherwise all steel, not a light weight, alloy frame Commander (not "Combat"). Also, they cleverly colored the plastic to mimic stainless steel, a deception in my mind.

I was so taken in by it that when someone posted that Colt was putting plastic M.S. housings on their XSE .45 Combat Commanders, I was sure they were wrong, until I touched it and found the characteristic warm feel of plastic. But then, that was the least of the problems with that particular Colt.
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Old September 14, 2020, 12:33 PM   #10
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Yeah I had no idea the remington one was plastic until i was doing a full disassembly and cleaning on it after it's first range trip. It is light, but compared against the whole weight of the gun it's a neglible weight savings.
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Old September 14, 2020, 12:39 PM   #11
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Yeah I had no idea the remington one was plastic until i was doing a full disassembly and cleaning on it after it's first range trip. It is light, but compared against the whole weight of the gun it's a neglible weight savings.
Yes...makers switching from steel to plastic is arguably a cost-saving thing...not a weight reduction thing. In short, I was angry about the "deception" in that if I wanted a damned plastic gun I would have bought a Glock.
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Old September 14, 2020, 01:11 PM   #12
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Couldn't agree more.
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Old September 14, 2020, 02:11 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rkbanet
Many MSH's will require fitting, there is no way to know which brand etc. That being said I actually prefer having to fit one, it just makes for a more professional installation. It is pretty simple to do.
I have never encountered a 1911 mainspring housing that required fitting.
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Old September 14, 2020, 03:42 PM   #14
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A lot of people seem to bash the remington 1911's. I bought one when they first hit the market and it has been a wonderful gun (and at that time, it had a flat steel mainspring housing).

When I've looked at other 1911 mainspring housings, altamont had some very nice engraved aluminum ones. Hogue has some very nice looking aluminum housings and G10 housings. I've seem other mainspring housings of the g10 type (carbon fiber, fiberglass, linen, etc., in an epoxy matrix) and they were very attractive. I would have to believe that those types of exotic synthetic materials would be more than sturdy enough for the application.
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Old September 14, 2020, 03:59 PM   #15
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Even Kimbers have plastic mainspring housings.
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Old September 14, 2020, 04:03 PM   #16
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Quote:
Yes I know as a rule everything needs fitting on a 1911...
Only if the gun, or the parts in question are not made to the GI spec.

Today, many aren't, yet still call themselves 1911s.

I worked on the actual 1911/1911A1s in Army service. EVERY PART was "drop in". There was no fitting, ever.

On those very rare occasions when a part didn't drop in, fit, and work, that part was tossed, and another part from the bin was installed.

A mainspring housing should just slide in and fit without any work to the gun or the part. However, since there are no longer any govt inspectors certifying that different makers parts are in spec, there is no guarantee.
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Old September 14, 2020, 06:39 PM   #17
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44 Amp very valid point. Something I point out to folk whenever I hear the whole 1911's are unreliable spiel. Got 20 diff manufactuers all tweaking the tolerances then folk are shocked when they can't swap parts. I wish they were like ar's with everyone, or most everyone using the same set of specs.

I do love my remington the little bit I've gotten to use it. The plastic MSH just irked me and I wanted to swap it out.
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Old September 14, 2020, 10:02 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Clemson View Post
Even Kimbers have plastic mainspring housings.
Because they are "better" or because they are cheaper?
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Old September 15, 2020, 10:45 AM   #19
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My guess is "Cheaper". The first one that I replaced belonged to a man who dropped the pistol on its butt. The mainspring housing broke. Since then, I have replaced several for folks who just don't like the idea of a plastic mainspring housing on a 1911.
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Old September 15, 2020, 12:44 PM   #20
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since reading this thread, i too have a Remington R 1911.

it is new. i got it about 3 weeks ago, and the build date was in 2019 according to Remington, when i emailed them.

ok, so i think i will want to replace my housing as well.

yes, i know if it breaks, Remington will replace it for free, but it'll be with yet another plastic one.

so tell me, is the Ed Brown brand a good brand?

i know of Wilson, but i was watching a video on how to replace the housing, and the guy had an Ed Brown piece.

thanks in advance..
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Old September 15, 2020, 05:39 PM   #21
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Ed Brown is a good brand Wilson Combat is a good brand. John Mason is a good brand. Brownells, EGW, MGW, Hogue, all good. It is not a critical component, and failure rate for a metal housing has got to be very, very low (I have never seen a steel one break). Just get a mainspring housing and replace it, it's not difficult (he says right before people start launching mainsprings all over the house). Also get the mainspring cap pin, some makers' guns don't have them. It holds the mainspring in the housing.
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Old September 15, 2020, 06:12 PM   #22
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yeah, i just checked my housing, it has that pin.
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Old September 18, 2020, 12:31 AM   #23
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The GI part comes as an assembly, the housing, spring, cap and pin all assembled and ready to install in the gun.

Those parts can also be had separately, so be sure what you are buying. A stripped housing when you are expecting the assembly is a pain.
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Old September 18, 2020, 03:23 AM   #24
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Ive only used the Ed Brown MSH.
All dropped into my RIA, Kimber & Colt.
Only thing is there's a smidge of overhang on bottom,
not gonna mess with it though.
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Old September 18, 2020, 08:17 AM   #25
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the MSH that I am getting from Ed Brown (due to be delivered Saturday) is just the housing, nothing else.

i did check the website, and for like $9.00 a new main spring and pins can be had.

but, i will try to use the Remington OEM parts instead.
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