pistol modification

Question
HI, I have here a m1911 rock island 45cal commander size
pistol, with a novak sight and bull barrel. What parts would you suggest in order to customize my gun for accuracy? I'm shooting at least 150rnds every month.
Thanks


Answer
Rickie,

The Rock Island guns are usually pretty (old) milspec affairs.  Most 1911s will shoot better than the operator (unless you are very good at Bullseye, in which case you'll want to trade in your Commander for a full-sized gun).

The intrinsic accuracy is probably sufficient. The ergonomics can be improved to help you shoot it better and wring more of the gun's potential out of it.

I would recommend having a crisp trigger put on it if it doesn't already have one.  If it is a self-defense gun, with a trigger of not less than 5#, but weight is not as much a factor as a clean break.

For ease of use, I would consider having a beaver tail grip safety installed, which keeps the tang and hammer from biting your hand and allows you get up higher on the gun to better control recoil (on a Commander, this shouldn't even require the replacement of the hammer)

If you shoot from the holster (e.g. IDPA competition, tactical training), you may also want to have an extended thumb safety installed.

For the sake of reliability, if the barrel is not throated and the feedramp not polished, I would have that done.

I think you'll be happy with that. About a year ago a colleague came to me with a box-stock Springfield 1911 that he wasn't happy with. We simply did the above plus replaced the tiny military sights that were on it.  The gun now shoots better than he does. We didn't do anything to improve the intrinsic accuracy, just made it more shootable so he could get all the accuracy out of it.