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Arched or Flat?


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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 by Abilene Slim SASS 81783
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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?

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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

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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 by Alpo
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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!

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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

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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. :)

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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.

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I have both and like both about the same .

But then again .

All my guns are Virtual !

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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.

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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...

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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.

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