[Seven-Four-Oh]

Hey everyone,

I have a new Colt 01911C that I should be able to pick up tomorrow or Wednesday. I was on a email notification list and one came in so I had it shipped to my preferred FFL. This will be my first Colt but not my first 1911. I have had Springfield Armory, Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Ed Brown and now I am down to Guncrafters in the safe. I like a short trigger and have a EGW radiused mainspring housing ready to install in it. I really have wanted a simple "government" model and it had to be a Colt.

There is a lot of great info on this forum. For a new guy to Colt, is there anything I should double check on this model other than standard checks on a new 1911 I would be checking out? I already know the thumb safety may have to be addressed for mushyness or overtravel based on some of the threads I have read. I am prepared to do a little file work or change it out and fit a Wilson Combat Retro TS. Is slight barrel hood movement common? I would prefer none, but being this is a production model, maybe a little is ok? I guess what I am asking is, what is normal for this model and what would be something that I need to pass on and walk away?

The only things I plan to change out is the mainspring housing and the grips. I am not expecting a semi-custom fit for the price of course, I just want advice on what you guys would consider ok or not. I am even ok with some slide and frame play, in fact, I hope it has a little. lol

Thanks for any input.

 

[Bowdrie]

I would observe the ejection pattern, (does it toss the empties in all directions/distances,) or put them in a reasonable group.
That would give me an indication of the "tune" of the extractor.

 

[dsk]

Don't do a thing to it until after you test-fire it. Yours could be like mine and be 100% right out of the box. Or it could be like a few of them are and need some tuning.

 

[bulldozer1]

My 01911C has become my favorite. I have "fancier" and more expensive Colts but the 01911C is basic and pure.
Mine has been 100%. It runs great.

 

[SW51]

Got the TALO version, have run 800 rounds or so thru it. Flawless.

 

[fnfalman]

Hey everyone,

I have a new Colt 01911C that I should be able to pick up tomorrow or Wednesday. I was on a email notification list and one came in so I had it shipped to my preferred FFL. This will be my first Colt but not my first 1911. I have had Springfield Armory, Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Ed Brown and now I am down to Guncrafters in the safe. I like a short trigger and have a EGW radiused mainspring housing ready to install in it. I really have wanted a simple "government" model and it had to be a Colt.

There is a lot of great info on this forum. For a new guy to Colt, is there anything I should double check on this model other than standard checks on a new 1911 I would be checking out? I already know the thumb safety may have to be addressed for mushyness or overtravel based on some of the threads I have read. I am prepared to do a little file work or change it out and fit a Wilson Combat Retro TS. Is slight barrel hood movement common? I would prefer none, but being this is a production model, maybe a little is ok? I guess what I am asking is, what is normal for this model and what would be something that I need to pass on and walk away?

The only things I plan to change out is the mainspring housing and the grips. I am not expecting a semi-custom fit for the price of course, I just want advice on what you guys would consider ok or not. I am even ok with some slide and frame play, in fact, I hope it has a little. lol

Thanks for any input.

I have two of those Classics; one blued and one stainless, but in .38 Super.

Just shoot it and then see if the extractor needs tuning or replacing. As far as replacing the plastic MSH, do it. I stopped replacing mine because frankly I have like 30-something Colts. The money I put in replacing the plastic MSH, I can buy another Colt with it.

 

[dsk]

I bought one when they first came out, and while it is still mostly stock I did swap a few parts on it just for fun. While not my absolute favorite 1911 it's still one of my best shooters.

 

[SW51]

I bought one when they first came out, and while it is still mostly stock I did swap a few parts on it just for fun. While not my absolute favorite 1911 it's still one of my best shooters.
View attachment 608110

Good looking, good shooter, good value. What don't you like about it..?

 

[dsk]

I never said I didn't like it, just that I have other 1911s I like more. As nice as the Classic is, it's a hybrid S70/S80 with pre-70 rollmarks. If I had to start selling off guns this would go long before my pre-70 Colts or my S70 reproductions.

 

[SW51]

I never said I didn't like it, just that I have other 1911s I like more. As nice as the Classic is, it's a hybrid S70/S80 with pre-70 rollmarks. If I had to start selling off guns this would go long before my pre-70 Colts or my S70 reproductions.

Understand, we all have our favorites. Enjoy em all

 

[fnfalman]

Numero Dos.

 

[Seven-Four-Oh]

I wanted to add a follow up to my post. The Colt came in and after checking it out, I went ahead with the sale. Overall, the fit and finish was very, very good. The back of the frame and slide are blended nicely. The thumb safety had slight overtravel and had a very mushy feeling in the on position. Passed all safety checks, and no doubt with a few more strokes of a file, it would snick on and off just fine, but with the overtravel, I decided to switch it out for a Wilson Combat Retro thumb safety. The finish of the new thumb safety matches the Colt really good and the contours match perfect. It took about 30 min and about 10 to 12 file strokes to fit the Wilson TS, now it snicks on and off with a firm solid click and there is NO overtravel.

Before I went to the range, I fit a new EGW flat bottom firing pin stop that I had slightly broke the back edge. I like to run a 16# recoil with a 23# mainspring with a flat bottom FPS. The extractor needed a little bit of tension added, it did not want to hold a round very well. After a little tension was added, it passed the shake test and the distance from the inside hook to the breach face was in spec and the hook was not digging into the case, it fit like it should.

I took it to the outside gun range I am a member of and shot over 300 rounds of Federal American Eagle with no issues. I ran Wilson 7 rounders, Checkmate 7 rounders and the original Colt magazine, which appears to have been made by Checkmate.

This is 7 rounds at 7 yards with a two hand hold unsupported. I shot steel plates after checking it on paper. I know there are only 6 holes but there was 7 shots so one of them either to the left or right pretty much went into the same hole. I think it was the one on the left center. I think it shoots just fine. It has a solid barrel lock up and the slide to frame fit is a little loose but I am perfectly fine with it and it was something I actually wanted in my Colt.

I will probably replace the mainspring housing one day with a steel one but for now, I am ok with the Delrin one. I will post some finished pics of the gun soon.