JD45

Let me clarify my post. I know that Ross believed in normal 3lb. triggers for carry and I've read that he used the same in competition. The story of the guy doing an under two pound trigger job on Seyfried's 1911 was written by Seyfried himself, probably in Guns&Ammo, but it is out there. What sucks is I had all of those magazines, and they were given away five years ago when I had to "downsize" my gun mag. collection. I reread his articles many times through the years, so I know it is in print. I still want to here more opinions on over 20lb. recoil springs. By the way, thanks to Ross Carter! Great information.

While writing that post I had a hunch that I might have read about the overseas trigger-job in another issue(now I Know, you're right). But, I promise that he did tell the story almost extactly as I mentioned. I look foward to some posts on his heavy recoil springs. Does anyone think that it is a winning set-up?

Tightloop, thanks for that first-hand knowledge. Its nice to here stories like that. You see, I learned to shoot pistols from reading Seyfried's articles, and I really look up to him too.

Between 1988 and 1992( I can't remember the issue) Ross Seyfried wrote an article in Guns&Ammo about building a combat 1911. For the uninformed, he is a former IPSC world champ, and is about the most well rounded gun-writer you could imagine. He believed in 22lb. recoil springs in his gov.t .45. He shot 5.7grs. of W-231, and cast 230gr.RN in practice( but he did mention using jacketed and Hornady factory 230s in some matches). However, his story about a trigger job is amazing. He said that he was somewhere in Africa and, I forget how, met a guy that took his 1911 apart in his garage and within minutes polished off a 1.75lb.(no typo, under two pounds)perfect, crisp, trigger job. Others previously told Ross that it wasn't possible if you needed durability. Ross claimed that he sometimes went 2000rds. before cleaning, and always shot a match with a dirty(min. of 200 rds. burned)pistol. He stated that a 1911 needs to be well lubed, stressing to "keep the goo fluid-like". Most of all, he has always held firm to the fact that if a pistolsmith tells you that his 1911s need to be clean to work, find another smith. My questions are : Is there something to this 22lb. recoil spring theory? and, Are there any gunsmiths that can give us what Seyfried wanted?

The big reason that I want to do my own trigger jobs is because many of our local smiths don't seem to know much about 1911's and I like to fix things right when they break. Paying the stinkin' UPS fees sucks( if I lived near Wilson's or Sweeney's I wouldn't have this trouble). However, you are correct.....I give people the same advice. I'm just hard-headed. I can't stop tinkering.

I'm always looking for homemade gun oils. Please, keep the recipes coming!!

Since a good many IDPA competitors shoot Kimber .45s (me too, of course), let's hear some tips on the best 1911 trigger job for IDPA. And I mean the old timey way, no jigs, just trial and error. Should we replace the MIM type parts? How light of a mainspring? Sear spring bending worries me. Is it required? What is the proper hammer hook height for us ham-handed home gunmiths like me that want a 3lb. trigger. I stoned the hooks to .023" and polished everything in mine, but I found that 5000 shots did more good than my smith'n. It breaks at about 4.5lbs. now, but with everyone's help I think it can be improved.

I've never used a forum before this one, and needless to say, it is topnotch. Nice people, tremendous knowledge, and interesting topics. Hats off to ya'll !

I'm totally new to this forum stuff, but I must say that I'm blown away by the amount of knowledge you folks have. This is so cool! Thanks to everyone for helping!

I would like to hear some tips on fixing bad magazines. I had one 8-rd. McCormick stainless(45) go bad. Near the last 3 rds., the cartridge would pop-up too early and go nose down to tie-up feeding. Last week, my other identical stainless one started doing the same thing on the last shot . My blued mag still works perfect. I then noticed something strange. When you try pressing together the top-front of it with your fingers, the blued one is stiff and rigid and the two bad mags are springy. How do mags work for 4000rds. and then quit?

I once read a little story about a young skeet shooter. After watching the kid run some 100 straights, an onlooker commented,"wow, he is one of the best shots that I've seen in ages". Another top shot replied,"yes, he is truly is an excellent shot, but he'll never be a champion". "How come?", the man replied. "He is not comfortable being in that position, because it truly is sort of lonely at the top. You have to accept everything that comes with holding your position at the top, and be comfortable with it." The name of that book chapter was 'Champions and Us'. I think that says alot. You may have the ability, but do you really want to be there?