If you want your 1911 to stay healthy, you'll need to keep these seven, breakage-prone parts on hand.
By Jon Trobaugh
A 1911 is NOT a Glock. They’ve told you this again and again and again. You just can’t buy and shoot a 1911. It needs a lengthy break-in process. You have to fluff and buff the ejection port and the feed ramp. It requires ball ammunition. It won’t work without CONSTANT lubrication. Expect feedway stoppages. Expect parts breakage. Expect the gun to fall apart when you need it to perform! And so on.
The truth is a well-built 1911 can take much more abuse and neglect than you can throw at it. Don’t believe me? Just watch this testimony from retired Green Beret Jeff Gurwitch about his experience with the pistol during modern warfare.
Gurwitch’s words regarding the ruggedness of the pistol should be inspiring to 1911 concealed carriers, but his endorsement does not give us license to bypass proper maintenance and routine inspection. Afterall, 1911s, like most steel autopistols, do require a tad more care and attention after heavy use than the polymer wonders gathering dust in my safe. To keep your 1911 pistol up and running, here are the top spare parts to have on hand during extended range trips and hard training sessions.
1911 Magazines and Mag Springs
Ken Hackathorn once analogized pistol magazines to tires on an automobile. In his experience, magazines are expendables. They should be replaced far more often than most shooters realize. I have had two 1911 mags basically explode on me because of a failure in the baseplate retention system. The baseplate broke and all the rounds ejected from the bottom. I have had a few springs poop the bed too, one during a training class. It is important to inspect magazines often and throw the darn things away and/or rebuild them if they are broken or worn.
If you shoot a lot, perhaps replace the mag springs every year or every ten thousand rounds just to be on the safe side. Magazines that are dropped often during training should be regulated to the practice bin when possible.
Recoil and Firing Pin Springs
It is always a good idea to have a few spare recoil and firing pin springs in your range bag. A worn out recoil spring can make a great gun run like a total nightmare.
Depending on the type of spring and its material, replacement is recommended every 2,000 to 10,000 rounds. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendation here. I prefer the flat wire recoil springs from Wilson Combat.
1911 Extractor
If I purchase a new 1911 from a custom maker, I always ask for an additional fitted and tuned extractor. It is not that these parts break per se, but bent metal desires to be straight again. For extractors, this insistence on returning to true can cause a lack of tension and result in failures to extract/eject. Wilson Combat and other manufacturers have solved this problem with improved metallurgy and heat treatment processes, but it is still a good idea to have a backup. Check your extractor tension with a snap cap or dummy round after every few thousands rounds or so.The extractor should be able to hold the round tightly to the breech face. If it can’t do that, it may be time to replace or retune it.
Firing Pin
Firing pins do not break often, but they certainly can. We all remember the broken firing pin issues with the Sig Sauer p365 years ago. Good pins are cheap, so throw a few in your range bag.
Firing Pin Stop
As with extractors, broken firing pin stops were much more common years ago. But if this breakage occurs, it will ruin your whole day. Carry a fitted spare if possible. Wilson Combat, Ed Brown, and other custom makers sell quality firing pin stops, so if you have a lesser quality 1911, you can upgrade. Just remember that stops are fitted parts. It is highly unlikely this piece will just drop in at the range or training class.
Slide Stop
I have never had a slide stop break, but I can see how the shoulder of the part could be weak if improperly heat treated or malformed. As with other critical parts mentioned in this article, replacement slide stops should be fitted by a professional gunsmith.
1911 Grip Screws/Grips
Grip screws, especially the Torx and Allen-Drive varieties, have a habit of backing out during extended firing. Full size .45 ACP and 10mm stocks seem to be most prone to splitting and breakage. It is a good idea to carry replacement screws and related washers when in the field alongside a duplicate set of grips.
My tip here is to use flat head screws and stay away from ultra-thin grip options if you can.
Well, there you have it. Keep the parts listed here on hand, and you should be able to fix any range day problems. And please don’t come away from this article believing your choice for a defensive pistol is second-rate. A 1911 properly cared for will outlive you, your grandchildren, and your grandchildren’s grandchildren. Carry on!
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