SA TRP Lightening...

[Seth]

I have a new SA TRP 1911. It weighs 42oz with an empty Tripp mag. I need it to weigh no more than 40oz to meet IDPA and TSA specs.

The obvious spots are the 2pc FLGR and Micarta grips. The front portion of the guide rod weighs .9oz. The grips are 2.2oz.

Anything else? Suggestions for super light grips? Is changing to a GI guide rod a good idea considering the usage of the gun?

Thanks.

Seth

[Radical Precision Designs]

I have a new SA TRP 1911. It weighs 42oz with an empty Tripp mag. I need it to weigh no more than 40oz to meet IDPA and TSA specs.

The obvious spots are the 2pc FLGR and Micarta grips. The front portion of the guide rod weighs .9oz. The grips are 2.2oz.

Anything else? Suggestions for super light grips? Is changing to a GI guide rod a good idea considering the usage of the gun?

Thanks.

Seth

Yes, a one piece guide rod would be an improvement.

Get a hold of someone at "Smith & Alexander". I believe they had (may still do) an aluminum combination main-spring housing magwell. That alone should do the trick. BTW, I was not aware that the weight of the magazine counted . (???)

Edited to add: Caspian makes a titanium grip safety that will save you another 1 1/2 oz.

Edited November 22, 2007 by Radical Precision Designs

[Seth]

How much less would a 1 pc guide rod weigh over a 2pc, unless it's rifle drilled?

Any issue with just going GI style? What about cheezy plastic grips? That seems a lot like low hanging fruit, if I can find a set and get them weighed.

Thanks.

[Gary1911A1]

I went GI on my guide rod just because I don't like full guide rods and had no problems. You might want to loose the magazine well altogether. It's weight is on the wrong end of the pistol as it pivots in your hand on recoil. The TRP doesn't have the S&A unit so you can just unscrew it from the mainspring housing. A plastic one will reduce your weight or if you feel you need a magwell S&A does have an alloy version.

[Steve J]

Sethmark, you are mistaken about the IDPA weight requirment. It's 41oz for CDP and 43oz for ESP. The weight of the gun in IDPA definitely includes an emplty magazine. Your pistol should make the 41oz for IDPA as is if your full length guide rod is common steel, not tungsten which is illegal anyway. However, if you need to shave a little, a GI guide rod is a great place to start, and you may look at a mag that has less metal than the Tripp mag. They do have extra.

As far as TSA rules are concerned, I just took a quick look at them and couldn't find any reference to the 40oz weight of the pistol incuding the magazine. I strongly suspect that it does not include the magazine. That is the only thing that would make sense. It's worth checking into to make sure.

Like I said, your pistol should be fine as is.

[Seth]

Steve,

The gun is exactly one ounce over for CDP in IDPA. That's my number, not Springfield's. I measured it on a digital scale. For TSA, you were right about the mag...

'Full-size Pistol (FP) Division

Maximum Handgun Weight: The maximum (unloaded) weight limit for any handgun shall be 40 ounces WITHOUT the magazine. NO added weights or Tungsten type materials will be allowed.'

I competed there last month and didn't pay attention to the weigh in, as I was shooting a Glock at the time. So I should be fine there and a GI guide rod will fix the rest.

Thanks for the counsel!!!!

Seth

Edited November 22, 2007 by Sethmark

[00bullitt]

The biggest thing to address is the mag well and main spring housing. I swapped out that ILS steel mainspring/magwell housing out for the new Tech Well mag well and Aluma Grips with an aluminum MSH. That alone will do what you need to get weight down.

With the addition of the STI short carbon fiber/Ti trigger,C&S ultralight hammer and machine work to flat top the slide and add ball radius cuts........the weight on mine is at 38.3 ounces with a Chip McCormick Power Mag. I still have the FLGR and added an EGW thick flange bushing.

BTW......I did not do this with the intention of saving weight as my gun was already legal for IDPA minus the extended mag button. I did for aesthetics and to set it up the way i like my guns. My gun weighed 40 ounces on the nose with the CMC power mag out of the box. But at the time I seem to remember the max weights being heavier than you state as well.

Edited November 22, 2007 by 00bullitt

[Steve J]

They are really cutting it close on the weights, but weighing guns at major matches is the new thing. It would really be a shame if a factory, unmodified 1911 that met all the other criteria didn't make weight. That would be wrong.

Good luck.

[Seth]

They are really cutting it close on the weights, but weighing guns at major matches is the new thing. It would really be a shame if a factory, unmodified 1911 that met all the other criteria didn't make weight. That would be wrong.

Good luck.

That's pretty much how I feel about it. I have a nicely outfitted, but not outrageous, factory single stack 1911. Yes, the grips are especially heavy. But the rest of the gun is pretty much normal stuff... magwell, flgr, ambi and that's it. No different than any other 1911, but its stainless so there's a penalty there. I ordered an Ed Brown GI kit, so we'll see if that's enough. If nothing else, its carbon, not stainless so it should JUST give me wiggle room.

Seth

[steel1212]

You could also add a titanium hammer strut and main spring cap. Won't save you big but will save some, that is if you get rid of the ILS that is on there now.

[CSEMARTIN]

Briley Custom sells an aluminum FLGR. I think it was around $40 bucks.

Smith & Alexander does make and sell an aluminum mainspring housing / magwell combo. I know because I have one. I'm not too impressed with it though because you can't modify it without taking off the anondized coating. Supposedly, once you take off that coating, it can't be replaced. The magwell basically turns into "bubble gum" (which is a direct quote from Smith and Alexander).

I'm not sure how much weight a pair of aluminum grips will save, but I've been thinking about that as well. I've also considering having the inside of my 1911 slide milled creatively to save some weight.

[Bob Hostetter]

Try the Ergo grips, they are very functional as well as being very light. If you go with the alum MS housing and magwell after blending it you will need to have it hard anodized again. I believe Caspain makes an alum beavertail. Also, if I remember correctly, the early style Wilson mags are very light.

[Steve J]

Now you've got me wanting to weigh my Baer Premier II. I added a S&A magwell, tactical extended mag release and had it hard chromed. Can't believe it wouldn't make weight. Can't believe yours doesn't.

I've been looking at catalog weights of Kimbers with magazine. All have similar features. All top out at 38oz in both steel and stainless. Their rail model is only 39oz. Baer lists the PII at 36oz and the Monolith Heavyweight at 40oz!!!! True that's without magazine, but it's the Monolith Heavyweight. The frame has 3.5oz of extra steel up front.

Do you have a weight to calibrate your scale with? I just can't believe you're at 42oz.

[Seth]

Actually, I am confirming the published weight on springfield's site. Have a look at the specifications of Springfield Armory's TRP in stainless. Published weight is 42oz. Well they rounded down. Its 42.7 with a metalform 7 round mag. With the tripp mags its dead nuts at 42.

[Steve J]

Actually, I am confirming the published weight on springfield's site. Have a look at the specifications of Springfield Armory's TRP in stainless. Published weight is 42oz. Well they rounded down. Its 42.7 with a metalform 7 round mag. With the tripp mags its dead nuts at 42.

Ok. So now I'm more confused. Springfield lists your TRP at 42oz and the Trophy Match at 40oz. The pistols are identical according to the specifications except for the grips and the rear sight, so where is the extra weight. Where is the extra 2oz on the TRP and why are Springfields in general so much heavier than other similar 1911s??

[steel1212]

The trophy match will have some material machined off the slide for the bomars where as the TRP doesn't. I don't think that would be 2oz though.

[Seth]

The trophy match will have some material machined off the slide for the bomars where as the TRP doesn't. I don't think that would be 2oz though.

The TRP grips are VERY heavy. I measured them at 2.2oz for the pair. By comparison, the grips on my Para are .6 oz for the pair. Its also the thickest frame I've ever seen in a 1911. I doubt there's a difference in the forgings... but there might be.

[Singlestack Wonder]

TRP's are extra heavy. Mine weighed in at 42 oz. with an empty mag inserted.

Edited November 23, 2007 by Singlestack Wonder

[boo radley]

Now you've got me wanting to weigh my Baer Premier II. I added a S&A magwell, tactical extended mag release and had it hard chromed. Can't believe it wouldn't make weight. Can't believe yours doesn't.

My PII with a FLGR and steel S&A magwell and CMC power8 mag runs 43.3oz on a postal scale.

[Steve J]

Now you've got me wanting to weigh my Baer Premier II. I added a S&A magwell, tactical extended mag release and had it hard chromed. Can't believe it wouldn't make weight. Can't believe yours doesn't.

My PII with a FLGR and steel S&A magwell and CMC power8 mag runs 43.3oz on a postal scale.

Whew. Just bought a 5lbs digital postal scale. I weigh in at 40.8 ozs with a CMC 8-rd Power Mag. Not much wiggle room. The pistol was a LB PII with extended tactical mag release, C&S ambi-safety, C&S sear, hammer and strut, S&A magwell (a lot of metal was removed here to blend it to the frame), and chrome plate by Tripp.

Had I not blended the magwell to the frame, I'm sure it would have been overweight. Nothing gamey here. Just what you'd expect in a custom defensive pistol, like Seth's TRP. Methinks IDPA needs to wake up and raise the weight a couple of ounces.

Edited November 23, 2007 by Steve J

[Seth]

I installed a Berryhill GI guide rod and plug today. 100% perfect fit, no filing necessary. Cycling is much smoother, as you can't feel the spring sliding on the turning marks on the FLGR. I may chuck up the FLGR and polish the turning marks out of it for smoother cycling when its installed for IPSC. Otherwise, I'm happy.

It saved me 1.1 oz. I'm at 41.1oz with an 8rd Tripp mag. I've ordered some Ergo grips to make up the difference. The factory grips are 2.2oz, ergos are 1.0oz. When I'm done I should be a 40.2oz... hopefully enough wiggle room for scale variation. The gun is well under with the FLGR for single stack in IPSC.

Seth

[Steve J]

I installed a Berryhill GI guide rod and plug today. 100% perfect fit, no filing necessary. Cycling is much smoother, as you can't feel the spring sliding on the turning marks on the FLGR. I may chuck up the FLGR and polish the turning marks out of it for smoother cycling when its installed for IPSC. Otherwise, I'm happy.

It saved me 1.1 oz. I'm at 41.1oz with an 8rd Tripp mag. I've ordered some Ergo grips to make up the difference. The factory grips are 2.2oz, ergos are 1.0oz. When I'm done I should be a 40.2oz... hopefully enough wiggle room for scale variation. The gun is well under with the FLGR for single stack in IPSC.

Seth

Excellent.