Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 (edited) My Series 80 1911 has the flat mainspring housing. I've never handled an arched housing version. I know this issue is purely subjective, but what do you 1911 shooters from the Saloon prefer and why? Opinions from those who have virtual 1911s are welcome too. Edited January 22, 2017 by Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. James H. Callahan Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 I prefer the flat ones, I guess since I have little bitty hands. I've had both and don't mind the arched ones, but prefer the flat. JHC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Bill Burt Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Flat for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack, SASS #20451 Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 I have many 1911's and some of both. I prefer the arched ones. They seem to point better and fit my hand. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Im a lefty. For some reason thee arched one causes my trigger finger to bump the slide release enough to cause a jam. Flat for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 My virtual hands prefer the arched or curved virtual 1911 main spring covering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barleycorn, SASS #76982 Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Flat, I grip high and this slight change in grip eliminated hammer bite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 FLAT. ..........Widder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Pat Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Flat made me shoot low I went back to arched. Try them. Both and what fits you. I am shooting a colt lightweight commander single handed in 45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 All of my 1911-A1s have arched main spring housings. The 1911's is flat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Flat, although I'd love to give one of the "Fastback" types a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 I grew up with arched and never handled a flat until six or seven years ago. Now flat is my choice because "it just feels right". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted January 22, 2017 Author Share Posted January 22, 2017 Flat made me shoot low I went back to arched. Try them. Both and what fits you. I am shooting a colt lightweight commander single handed in 45 Mine shoots low too, but I've learned to compensate for it. Kinda bugs me that I have to do that. Since my Colt is basically an A1 with a flat housing, I've been toying with the idea of installing an arched one. Doesn't look that hard to do. I can always put the other one back if I don't like it, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Wyatt Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Arched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major E A Sterner #12916 Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 Arched,I've tried both and the flat makes the gun point low. Abilene Slim real easy to replace,1 pin,it slides out,slide new one in,replace pin...Done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Bullweed Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 I have average sized hands that are a bit thick, like the rest of me. I have gun with arched and flat mainspring blocks. I can shoot either. My favorite 1911 is an S&W Doug Keonig with a very flat block and a very long flat trigger. This mives my hand slightly forward and high on the grip frame. It is great for quick follow ups and riding the trigger reset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 have had both , prefer arched tend to shoot low , with flat m/s housings CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 Arched,I've tried both and the flat makes the gun point low. Abilene Slim real easy to replace,1 pin,it slides out,slide new one in,replace pin...Done I've done it thrice, and each time I had to install the innards. There's a little more to it that "take old one off, put new one on". Even so, it's a fairly easy switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted January 23, 2017 Author Share Posted January 23, 2017 I've done it thrice, and each time I had to install the innards. There's a little more to it that "take old one off, put new one on". Even so, it's a fairly easy switch. What innards are you referring to? And on what brand gun -- Colt, Para, Springfield etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Dot, 14911 Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 Wedge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 (edited) What innards are you referring to? And on what brand gun -- Colt, Para, Springfield etc? The Mainspring HOUSING is a hollow piece of metal that holds the mainspring and the little cupped doober (that I can't think of the name of) that the hammer strut sits in. You remove the housing from the gun (drive out one pin and slide the housing down). Then, while applying downward pressure on the cupped doober (compressing the mainspring), you drive out another (littler) pin at the top of the housing, then slowly release the pressure. Take the spring and doober out of the old housing, put it in the new housing, compress the spring-and-doober, install the little pin in the new housing (holding the innards in place), then slide the new housing into the gun (making sure the hammer strut is in the cupped doober), push the housing all the way up and reinstall the first (longer) pin. Easy peesie. Oh - the guns. One Colt, one Springfield and one RIA. They all work the same. Edited January 23, 2017 by Alpo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted January 23, 2017 Author Share Posted January 23, 2017 The Mainspring HOUSING is a hollow piece of metal that holds the mainspring and the little cupped doober (that I can't think of the name of) that the hammer strut sits in. You remove the housing from the gun (drive out one pin and slide the housing down). Then, while applying downward pressure on the cupped doober (compressing the mainspring), you drive out another (littler) pin at the top of the housing, then slowly release the pressure. Take the spring and doober out of the old housing, put it in the new housing, compress the spring-and-doober, install the little pin in the new housing (holding the innards in place), then slide the new housing into the gun (making sure the hammer strut is in the cupped doober), push the housing all the way up and reinstall the first (longer) pin. Easy peesie. Oh - the guns. One Colt, one Springfield and one RIA. They all work the same. thx! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Pat Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 The original army WWI models had flat housings. Seems to me that around 1920 they changed to the 1911A1 and went to the arched housing from then on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 (edited) Youtube has a few videos on how to do it. Edited January 23, 2017 by Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 The mainspring housing is easy to change just as Alpo said and explained. I have used both flat and arched. I prefer an arched one with fine checkering. I would get a better aim and better purchase on the gun. I no longer own a 1911 style pistol or I would take some photos to show you how easy they are to change, Abilene Slim. This might help http://www.m1911.org/stripin1.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 Two other thoughts. After removing the first pin, if you cock the hammer it will push the housing out of the frame a quarter inch or so. Some come out easy, some are tighter fits. This gets them all started. When reinstalling, make sure the hammer is NOT cocked. I don't think even Sooperdooperman is strong enough to get one in with the hammer cocked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 According to Donald Bady in his book Colt Automatic Pistols, the Army modified the 1911's flat mainspring housing in 1926 because some soldiers had difficulty keeping the grip safety depressed, especially during recoil when the hand can move on the grip. The arched housing caused the hand to stay higher on the grip. He references original documents. I don't recall if there was any mention of shooting high or low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster Ron Wayne Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 I have both and like both about the same . But then again . All my guns are Virtual ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 I like the flat housing. I have a super tuned (Clark Custom) Springfield 1911 and a WWII contract 1911 (Remington-made). The flat housing gives me a more comfortable, natural grip, without having to think too much about aim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 Arched, for me it fills that space in my hand when I grip a 1911 and aids in 'muscle-memory' of the grip. The arched housing was part of the 1911-A1 mod from the original 1911. OLG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvertip Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 Arched Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Arched Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted January 28, 2017 Share Posted January 28, 2017 When I bought my Series 80 twenty some years ago (alas, my only 1911), I swapped someone the flat for an arched ~ found it to be more comfortable. Thinking now that I might want to get another flat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted January 28, 2017 Author Share Posted January 28, 2017 When I bought my Series 80 twenty some years ago (alas, my only 1911), I swapped someone the flat for an arched ~ found it to be more comfortable. Thinking now that I might want to get another flat... If I had the coin, that's exactly what I'd do -- have one of each! But alas, I'm unable to do that at the moment. Other gunly things are higher on the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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