[Skunkabilly]

Hi

What's the advantage/disadvantage of putting a bull barrel on a 1911? Thanks.

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Jeff More
Irvine, PRC
All your AR-15 are belong to us!

 

[kbear38S]

Originally posted by Skunkabilly:
What's the advantage/disadvantage of putting a bull barrel on a 1911

One less part to fail and a little more weight out front - which are also the disadvantages depending on your point of view.

I have both and generally I have no preference except in an Officers Model configuration where I insist on a bushingless barrel.

 

[Maclean3]

Originally posted by Skunkabilly:
Hi

What's the advantage/disadvantage of putting a bull barrel on a 1911? Thanks.

While my experience is limited to my SA Champion, I've found that the extra weight at the front with a bull barrel helps to reduce muzzle flip and get me back on target quicker.

I've always been really squeamish about permanently altering a gun's original setup. The idea of "modifying" the slide to accept a bull barrel would really be nailbiter to me.

Your decision. It definitely has pros and cons to it, huh?

Mac

 

[Austin Hemphill]

I personally prefer bull barrels on my 1911s. I like the fact that there is no bushing to play with in disassembly, and I like the balance it gives. They do have their disadvantages though. You will need a small tool to disassemble the pistol if you have a one piece guide rod, but many need a bushing wrench on standard guns. However, I have heard that the accuracy potential of the two designs is about the same. As to the modifications to your slide, from what I have seen, all you need to do is remove the bushing and machine the recoil spring tunnel to accept a reverse plug. If you switch back to a bushing setup, it will cause no intereference with the normal spring plug.

 

[Rocklobster]

No need to machine anything.Brownells has a reverse spring plug that's a drop-in.No bushing wrench needed-no bushing to wrench.

 

[Skunkabilly]

Wait...is it really that hard to take it down? Are they hard to maintain? Thanks!

 

[WalterMitty]

Originally posted by Skunkabilly:
Wait...is it really that hard to take it down? Are they hard to maintain? Thanks!

It doesn't have to be hard, although I know of folks that do it in hard ways.

The issue is that without a bushing around the barrel you can't take the front off the slide to relieve recoil spring pressure to ease assembly and dissassembly.

If you know how to take the top end off a 1911 without removing the recoil spring or barrel bushing you're more than halfway there.

Like everything else, it's easy when you know how. Just find somebody to show you a couple of times. I don't think it's any harder to maintain.

 

[Powderman]

To the best of my knowledge, you don't have to modify the slide at all to fit the barrel. The barrel, OTOH, must have the OD near the muzzle to give a tight fit. The rear of the barrel, from about an inch back, should be tapered, or at least relieved, to prevent barrel spring, and to ensure functioning and cycling.

In my experience, I can gain the same benefits (reduced recoil and improved accuracy) by installing a heavier spring (18 lb. range) and a Briley spherical bushing, on a match grade barrel.

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"Be not afraid of any man, no matter what his size;

When trouble rises, call on me and I will equalize."

 

[Rocklobster]

All you gotta do is hook your right thumb around the back of the mag housing,grasp the top of the slide with the other 4 fingers,slide the slide back till the slide stop lines up with the notch,push,then pull,it out,gently let the slide go back forward,ease it off while holding your thumb over the guide rod/recoil spring.Bing,bang,boom.