So, three weeks ago, I picked up my new Remington R1 1911 at a great price ($550 from JLOWESGUNS.COM, also an IP here). Normally, they're $700 or more, just about anywhere...
Anyway, I was not pleased at all with it...Wouldn't chamber a round out of any of 8 or 10 mags I took with me to shoot it the first time...and then my rear sight fell off... I can laugh now, but wasn't very happy.
See thread here: http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=190742
It also appeared to have the wrong recoil spring in it. Anyway, several fellow MDShooters replied with various ideas, tips, and suggestions, and all are/were appreciated.
I also got a PM from John Carduner, aka trikshot, owner of 1911 Precision and an IP here on MDShooters. It wasn't a solicitation for service, or parts, but instead was something that's not normally done by anyone anymore, which was an offer to meet me at Freestate and inspect and make measurements on various things on my new gun, to give me the information that I'd need before sending it back to Remington. The offer was to do this all for free, with absolutely no expectation of getting work out of it. I thought that was awesome...and gladly took him up on the offer on Friday, 3/25.
First off, let me say John is very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. He doesn't talk AT you like some gun "people" (FFL, retailer, gunsmith, etc.) do, and he truly listens to your concerns, and seems to genuinely want to help you.
Like someone said elsewhere, plan to be with him for 45-60 minutes. He explains his background, explains what he is checking, while doing so, and makes you a part of the whole process.
So, first thing was to measure the factory short looking recoil spring....it was 18#. Then he measured the Wilson 18# spring, which is roughly 2 inches longer....it is also 18#. We both decide that it really isn't worth the extra effort on disassembly/reassembly with the much longer spring, since it's compressed rating is exactly the same. So, there's one issue solved.
Onto the feed issue I had...
He finds a burr on the actual feed ramp of the lower receiver, and also says the barrel is too close to the feed ramp, causing an almost overlap situation, that creates a step, more or less. Says I should polish the feed ramp, and remove the burr, and also the match barrel needs to be set at proper clearance...beyond my comfort level, so...into the memory bank.
I tell him how it seems to be kinda harsh on recoil.
He tells me to hold the gun, and immediately sees that the trigger is too short, for my big fat hands...says I should have a longer trigger, because when I am in a ready to shoot position (with my hand) my trigger finger had to be curled away from the trigger to not have my whole finger inside the trigger guard. It alters my grip, I guess making it slightly looser, and more felt recoil is the result.
So....at this point I'm curious, and although he is already a busy guy, I ask him if he'd want to do the things we discussed...
He agrees and met him back at Freestate yesterday. Gun looks great, trigger feels awesome, and recoil does seem fine now...no issues with feed whatsoever, and I went with the straight trigger, rather than a curved one...for no reason other than it makes sense that if your squeezing from any part of it, it has to be flat surface. I'd think it meant better consistency...
So I ended up with:
- Caspian Skeletonized flat trigger, custom fit, obviously, no more vertical slop like the factory one.
- Increased extractor tension
- Polished frame feed ramp and removed top burrs
- Increased gap between both feed ramps
I added the Hogue wraparound finger groove grips prior to him seeing/touching the gun.
Price was very fair IMO, and was completed over Easter weekend. Delivered Monday afternoon as promised.
Shot it and it feels much better with the larger trigger. Fed great, and my only regret was not bringing enough ammo....as usual.
Thanks for the great service and quality work John.
Anyway, I was not pleased at all with it...Wouldn't chamber a round out of any of 8 or 10 mags I took with me to shoot it the first time...and then my rear sight fell off... I can laugh now, but wasn't very happy.
See thread here: http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=190742
It also appeared to have the wrong recoil spring in it. Anyway, several fellow MDShooters replied with various ideas, tips, and suggestions, and all are/were appreciated.
I also got a PM from John Carduner, aka trikshot, owner of 1911 Precision and an IP here on MDShooters. It wasn't a solicitation for service, or parts, but instead was something that's not normally done by anyone anymore, which was an offer to meet me at Freestate and inspect and make measurements on various things on my new gun, to give me the information that I'd need before sending it back to Remington. The offer was to do this all for free, with absolutely no expectation of getting work out of it. I thought that was awesome...and gladly took him up on the offer on Friday, 3/25.
First off, let me say John is very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. He doesn't talk AT you like some gun "people" (FFL, retailer, gunsmith, etc.) do, and he truly listens to your concerns, and seems to genuinely want to help you.
Like someone said elsewhere, plan to be with him for 45-60 minutes. He explains his background, explains what he is checking, while doing so, and makes you a part of the whole process.
So, first thing was to measure the factory short looking recoil spring....it was 18#. Then he measured the Wilson 18# spring, which is roughly 2 inches longer....it is also 18#. We both decide that it really isn't worth the extra effort on disassembly/reassembly with the much longer spring, since it's compressed rating is exactly the same. So, there's one issue solved.
Onto the feed issue I had...
He finds a burr on the actual feed ramp of the lower receiver, and also says the barrel is too close to the feed ramp, causing an almost overlap situation, that creates a step, more or less. Says I should polish the feed ramp, and remove the burr, and also the match barrel needs to be set at proper clearance...beyond my comfort level, so...into the memory bank.
I tell him how it seems to be kinda harsh on recoil.
He tells me to hold the gun, and immediately sees that the trigger is too short, for my big fat hands...says I should have a longer trigger, because when I am in a ready to shoot position (with my hand) my trigger finger had to be curled away from the trigger to not have my whole finger inside the trigger guard. It alters my grip, I guess making it slightly looser, and more felt recoil is the result.
So....at this point I'm curious, and although he is already a busy guy, I ask him if he'd want to do the things we discussed...
He agrees and met him back at Freestate yesterday. Gun looks great, trigger feels awesome, and recoil does seem fine now...no issues with feed whatsoever, and I went with the straight trigger, rather than a curved one...for no reason other than it makes sense that if your squeezing from any part of it, it has to be flat surface. I'd think it meant better consistency...
So I ended up with:
- Caspian Skeletonized flat trigger, custom fit, obviously, no more vertical slop like the factory one.
- Increased extractor tension
- Polished frame feed ramp and removed top burrs
- Increased gap between both feed ramps
I added the Hogue wraparound finger groove grips prior to him seeing/touching the gun.
Price was very fair IMO, and was completed over Easter weekend. Delivered Monday afternoon as promised.
Shot it and it feels much better with the larger trigger. Fed great, and my only regret was not bringing enough ammo....as usual.
Thanks for the great service and quality work John.
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