Thinking about some 1911 upgrades.

psycho nut · February 17, 2013, 12:07 AM

I've had a SA Range Officer for almost a year now. I've put several hundred rounds through it now and have kinda worked out what I would like for it.

I was thinking front strap checkering, but than I shot a friend's G22 and really liked the finger grooves instead. There are a few that I've seen like the pachmyr that I like but I actually really like the stock grips that come on it. I found a little slip under thing that would allow me to keep my grips and still get the finger groves that I want. Are there any reasons that I should go with one or the other?

The other thing that I would like to do is to put an extended magwell in it. At first I was looking at a bolt on Wilson Combat one that I'm not sure would work if I got the slip on grooves too but would still be cheaper if I bought some wrap around grips than if I got one of the mainspring housing magwells. I'd also save $50 and not have a spare housing laying around.

Should I just suck it up and get wrap around grips and a mainspring housing one? Or will what I'm thinking of so far be alright?

1stmar · February 17, 2013, 09:02 AM

I don't care for bolt on features or grip held front straps. They shift and usually under perform. For a Mag well I would get the 2 piece brown. Frontstrap, 25 or 30 lpi but really depends on your budget. You can get some smiths to machine checker for about $150

SauerGrapes · February 17, 2013, 09:57 AM

I bought a Pachmyer grip with finger grooves for my RO. I love the way they felt in my hand. Problem discovered while drawing in competition. If you don't get your hand just right, grip can feel awkward and out of alignment. [for me anyway] I cut the finger grooves off and really like the all black look. Front strap stippling is a matter of preference IMO. I can take it or leave it.

I bought a one piece Smith & Alexander magwell for mine that didn't need any fitting what so ever.

**Aguila Blanca** · February 17, 2013, 10:07 AM

I'm going to have to disagree with 1stmar. I use a Wilson Combat "bolt-on" mag chute on a couple of my range guns and I've never had any problem with it shifting position. And I use the Pearce wrap-around finger groove inserts on my daily carry 1911 because it has front strap checkering and I HATE front strap checkering. I have the Pearce wrap-around finger groove inserts on several pistols that have smooth front straps, too, and none of them have ever shifted. I recommend them highly.

psycho nut · February 17, 2013, 10:55 PM

I guess i should mention that this is for a heavily babied range gun and I don't have any immediate plans for competing in anything although I never thought about any drawing issues.

So you like the Pearce wrap arounds? I have watched a few videos on YouTube and from the ones with the bolt on magwell it seems that they mess with the grip fitting too much for my comfort. I think that I'll just get the new housing and magwell and than get a set of the finger grooves.

Are the two piece magwells still pretty solid? I like the Wilson Combat because it's a little slimmer, but it seems to just clip on. This sort of makes my cautious.

Do I need to buy a mainspring capture pin? All of the SA housing removal videos have a little bent bit that comes in the bag with your key and stuff. I have the bag around here somewhere, but it seems to be missing the pin when I'd need one for the new housing.

I appreciate the comments, this is my first 1911 and the first time that I have done any real modification to a firearm. I recognize names for what are considered the quality stuff, but I'm totally clueless at any real world implementation.

RickB · February 18, 2013, 12:26 AM

I have never found grooved grips that match the spacing of my fingers; I can usually get three fingers in the space between two grooves.
Magwell funnels generally only reduce the likelihood of messing-up a reload, rather than really speeding them up, in my experiece; if you're not on the clock, there really isn't any reason for them.
Although I've never seen it happen, I read an argument that you could have an issue with a magwell funnel that is of the "forked" variety, that attaches to the frame only at the rear, of the funnel rotating on the mounting point or bending where it's not attached to the frame, blocking the magwell and preventing reloading. To me, that sounds like something you'd have to worry about only in combat, but the only magwell funnel that I have is attached all the way around the frame opening.

**Aguila Blanca** · February 18, 2013, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psycho nut

So you like the Pearce wrap arounds? I have watched a few videos on YouTube and from the ones with the bolt on magwell it seems that they mess with the grip fitting too much for my comfort. I think that I'll just get the new housing and magwell and than get a set of the finger grooves.

They don't "mess with" the fit of the grips at all. And they aren't expensive, so it's easy enough to try them. If you don't like them ... don't use them. There are NO modifications to the pistol, so all you lose is the cost of the wrap-around insert.

Here's a link to a review: http://ezine.m1911.org/PearceModularGrips.htm

You can also try out front strap checkering non-destructively. Wilson Combat offers a bolt-on front strap cover with checkering. I don't remember how much it costs, because it never interested me.

psycho nut · February 18, 2013, 07:14 PM

I was actually referring to the bolt on magwell. I watched a couple of videos where they cut out where the metal tabs sit on the inside of the grips because they made it so the grips wouldn't sit flush anymore. I actually like the Pearce inserts. Sorry for the confusion.

February 17, 2013, 12:07 AM	#1
psycho nut Senior Member Join Date: June 3, 2005 Location: Nebraska Posts: 480	Thinking about some 1911 upgrades. I've had a SA Range Officer for almost a year now. I've put several hundred rounds through it now and have kinda worked out what I would like for it. I was thinking front strap checkering, but than I shot a friend's G22 and really liked the finger grooves instead. There are a few that I've seen like the pachmyr that I like but I actually really like the stock grips that come on it. I found a little slip under thing that would allow me to keep my grips and still get the finger groves that I want. Are there any reasons that I should go with one or the other? The other thing that I would like to do is to put an extended magwell in it. At first I was looking at a bolt on Wilson Combat one that I'm not sure would work if I got the slip on grooves too but would still be cheaper if I bought some wrap around grips than if I got one of the mainspring housing magwells. I'd also save $50 and not have a spare housing laying around. Should I just suck it up and get wrap around grips and a mainspring housing one? Or will what I'm thinking of so far be alright? __________________ I can't spel.

February 17, 2013, 09:57 AM	#3
SauerGrapes Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2009 Location: S.E.PA. Posts: 920	I bought a Pachmyer grip with finger grooves for my RO. I love the way they felt in my hand. Problem discovered while drawing in competition. If you don't get your hand just right, grip can feel awkward and out of alignment. [for me anyway] I cut the finger grooves off and really like the all black look. Front strap stippling is a matter of preference IMO. I can take it or leave it. I bought a one piece Smith & Alexander magwell for mine that didn't need any fitting what so ever. __________________ NRA member, DCF&S member, PAFOA member, USPSA member, NSCA member R.I.P.____Murphy

February 17, 2013, 10:55 PM	#5
psycho nut Senior Member Join Date: June 3, 2005 Location: Nebraska Posts: 480	I guess i should mention that this is for a heavily babied range gun and I don't have any immediate plans for competing in anything although I never thought about any drawing issues. So you like the Pearce wrap arounds? I have watched a few videos on YouTube and from the ones with the bolt on magwell it seems that they mess with the grip fitting too much for my comfort. I think that I'll just get the new housing and magwell and than get a set of the finger grooves. Are the two piece magwells still pretty solid? I like the Wilson Combat because it's a little slimmer, but it seems to just clip on. This sort of makes my cautious. Do I need to buy a mainspring capture pin? All of the SA housing removal videos have a little bent bit that comes in the bag with your key and stuff. I have the bag around here somewhere, but it seems to be missing the pin when I'd need one for the new housing. I appreciate the comments, this is my first 1911 and the first time that I have done any real modification to a firearm. I recognize names for what are considered the quality stuff, but I'm totally clueless at any real world implementation. __________________ I can't spel.

February 18, 2013, 07:14 PM	#8
psycho nut Senior Member Join Date: June 3, 2005 Location: Nebraska Posts: 480	I was actually referring to the bolt on magwell. I watched a couple of videos where they cut out where the metal tabs sit on the inside of the grips because they made it so the grips wouldn't sit flush anymore. I actually like the Pearce inserts. Sorry for the confusion. __________________ I can't spel.

February 17, 2013, 09:02 AM	#2
1stmar Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,378	I don't care for bolt on features or grip held front straps. They shift and usually under perform. For a Mag well I would get the 2 piece brown. Frontstrap, 25 or 30 lpi but really depends on your budget. You can get some smiths to machine checker for about $150

February 17, 2013, 10:07 AM	#4
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,468	I'm going to have to disagree with 1stmar. I use a Wilson Combat "bolt-on" mag chute on a couple of my range guns and I've never had any problem with it shifting position. And I use the Pearce wrap-around finger groove inserts on my daily carry 1911 because it has front strap checkering and I HATE front strap checkering. I have the Pearce wrap-around finger groove inserts on several pistols that have smooth front straps, too, and none of them have ever shifted. I recommend them highly.

February 18, 2013, 12:26 AM	#6
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	I have never found grooved grips that match the spacing of my fingers; I can usually get three fingers in the space between two grooves. Magwell funnels generally only reduce the likelihood of messing-up a reload, rather than really speeding them up, in my experiece; if you're not on the clock, there really isn't any reason for them. Although I've never seen it happen, I read an argument that you could have an issue with a magwell funnel that is of the "forked" variety, that attaches to the frame only at the rear, of the funnel rotating on the mounting point or bending where it's not attached to the frame, blocking the magwell and preventing reloading. To me, that sounds like something you'd have to worry about only in combat, but the only magwell funnel that I have is attached all the way around the frame opening.