Firing pin stop polish and bevel?

[Boxerglocker]

I'm new to the 1911 platform and about to take ownership of a STI Spartan in 9mm.

I hear alot of comments regarding polishing and beveling the firing pin stop and the polishing the hammer face to enhance the performance.

Not that I am going to take on the work myself but would someone please take a moment to explain exactly how does this enhancement improve the pistol to a 1911 newb? Illustrations and links to more reading regarding these enhances would be great.

FYI, I'll be running a 4.1g TG load behind a PD 124g FMJ at 1.135... my standard 9mm load for my G34 135 PF. I already have a 10# ISMI recoil spring and ISMI 17# MS to run in it too, recommended by a couple of guys here in the forum in other threads that have experience with the Spartan in 9mm.

Thanks in advance.

[prreed10]

Is this what you are referring to? You need to be a member to see the pics.

My link

The original Browning design for the 1911 had less of an angle on the edge of the firing pin stop. The military taught to carry chamber empty, draw, chamber a round and fire. Lots of GI's had trouble pulling the slide back so the firing pin was redesigned with more of a rounded angle. It is easier to pull the slide back with the newer firing pin stop.

They say that perceived recoil is reduced. I added a fitted EGW to my 45 ACP 1911's and have noticed a reduction. I have not tried one on my 9mm 1911's though.

[ParaGunner]

I tried the square fp stop like in the link above and I felt it flipped the gun more at the start of the recoil cycle. Besides if it was so great why isn't every IPSC/USPSA shooter with a 1911 using a square stop like mentioned above? I now run a regular fp stop and a 18lb mainspring.

Also it was a real pain in the @$$ on unloaded starts with the square fp stop.

Edited September 21, 2010 by Roy Hess

[RickB]

The small-radius FPS is not going to have a whole lot of benefit when shooting "major" loads, as there's not a whole lot of recoil to attenuate. With full-power loads, it can reduce slide velocity noticeably, but it does require that the face of the hammer sits square to the firing pin stop when at rest, and such is not the case on many guns. Based on the number of spent cases that I find with very elongated firing pin impressions, most people aren't concerned about premature unlocking, which usually results from springs too light for a given load. With the small-radius FPS, you can reduce spring rates and get good handling without beating-up the gun. The effect wouldn't be desireable in a 9mm, which in a 5" gun is more likely to need help in cycling, such as light springs, or moving the hammer/FPS contact point higher rather than lower.

Edited September 22, 2010 by RickB