[AquaTrench]

I was looking and they have all this custom reliability work you can have done. My questions are did the first 1911 have any of this? Does colt do any on a production gun without asking? What is the purpose of it? Do any production guns such as wilsons have it done on a production dun without asking?

 

[RickB]

I would expect this work to be done to the Special Combat Gov't Model, and the Gunsite models, but probably not on any of the regular production items. I consider them to not be so much essential, as something that's nice on a custom gun. Plenty of guns have worked perfectly, for decades, without such work. That said, the first thing I did to my '04 stainless M1991A1, before even shooting it, was to polish the breechface, barrel throat, extractor hook, adjust the extractor tension, etc. It makes the gun run smoother, and over the long haul, more reliably. I would expect all of Wilson's guns to have such work done to them, as part of their normal specifications.

 

[dsk]

Polishing and throating the feedramp and lowering/flaring the ejection port are all modifications done to older GI-spec pistols to increase reliability with JHP ammunition. Gunsmiths began doing this around the 1960's or so. For the past 15 years or so most manufacturers have been doing already this at the factory, although some do a better job than others. Usually when I see a factory 1911 I can see the barrel throat still needs a little extra shaping and/or polishing.

On older mil-spec pistols don't worry about it. If you're shooting ball ammo you really don't need these mods, and it'll only kill off the collector's value to do so.

 

[AquaTrench]

Great info. Would a current factory colt series 70 repo have it done or the WWII replica? I would deff want any of my weapons to fire Hp's without a hitch. How is colts factory job when doing this? Cheers

 

[dsk]

The ejection ports are not lowered, but the barrels on the S70 repros are modified for JHP ammo. The WW1 Replica has a GI-style feedramp, but apparently most owners say it still works fine with JHP's.

 

[Wayward]

Although I don't own one, I believe the XSE series come with lower and flared ejection ports.

 

[Bullet8542]

Although I don't own one, I believe the XSE series come with lower and flared ejection ports.

Yes both of mine (Blued & SS) have been lowered and flared as standard.