Interested in customizing your 1911, but curious about the process? Follow along as the author customizes his own 10mm 1911. This is part 2 of the Springfield Ronin Project.
By Jon Trobaugh
What is the first step in sending your 1911 out for customization? I would say determining if custom work is needed to begin with. I always start with Col. Jeff Cooper’s three requirements for a combat/carry gun:
Sights you can see;
A trigger you can use;
And a dehorning or melt job.
If a gun has all those, I am unlikely to screw with it. My fourth “bullet” point here would be “reliability.” The gun has to run and run consistently. If I encounter issues that aren’t obviously ammo- or magazine-related, I am likely to return it to the manufacturer, but if I am in love with it otherwise, I am willing to take the reliability work on, especially if the pistol is a production 1911. 1911s, as your neighbor
My Springfield Ronin 1911 10mm
The Ronin line of 1911 pistols from Springfield is somewhere between what might be considered a budget and a entry-level pistol, depending on who is doing the considering, but I think the majority of forum nay-sayers who harp on the high number of machine-injected molded parts and plastic-y feeling trigger aren’t folks who often customize their pistols. The Ronin line has its share of issues, sure, but I think the bones of the Ronin are well-suited for customization. After all, we are talking here about a pistol with a forged frame, forged slide, and a match grade barrel. That’s really all you need to build an incredible 1911.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Springfield Ronin 1911 10mm, here are some specifications:
Springfield 1911 Ronin 10mm | |
Caliber | 10mm |
Finish | Stainless/Blued |
Barrel | 5 inch, match grade |
Slide | Forged Carbon Steel |
Frame | Forged Stainless Steel |
Capacity | 8 rounds (1 magazine included) |
Sights | Red Fiber Optic Front, Two dot Novak-type rear |
Recoil System | GI |
Length | 8.6” |
Weight | 40 oz. |
Height | 5.5” |
Grips | Wood, thin. |
MSRP | $917.00 |
The gun ships in a soft case inside a cardboard box. Accessories include one magazine (boo and hiss!), a cable lock, a manual, and some Springfield stickers and promotional materials.
My Ronin doesn’t have a heck of a lot of rounds through it, just about one hundred passed the break-in period, but I have experienced no issues. Reliability work on a 10mm can be costly (lots of test rounds needed), so I am glad for this. The gun operates smoothly, both with the factory magazine supplied and Wilson Combat standard capacity 10mm magazines.
Just a note here: this series is geared toward those who want to upgrade “work” guns, pistols that have a specific purpose: ccw, protection, hunting, etc. I am not covering restoration or beautification. I am not against those projects, but that is not the kind of work I am interested in, and it is also important to note that I am nowhere near an expert on uber-expensive, collectable firearms and/or relics that might require restoration.
But even when dealing with “regular” guns, customization options are near endless, so how can we sort through them without losing our minds, and our wallets?
Follow for part 3 coming soon!
Looking for a gunsmith? We have a list for that.