The M1911 is a pretty solid piece of steel, all things considered. They’re reliable to the point of legend, they’re not overly complex, and they’re renowned actually more for their simplicity and dependability.
Steel-framed, with a simple trigger mechanism and durable steel hardware, most of the pistol parts on your 1911 will outlast not only you but your progeny.
Still, like all machines with moving parts, there are pistol parts that will eventually fail on a 1911. There are three main culprits, all things considered.
Assuming you do your own maintenance and make your own repairs, these are some of the pistol parts of which you should keep spares.
The Recoil Spring
You will likely go through several recoil springs before you ever need to replace anything else on your 1911, unless you don’t keep the thing clean. Assuming you do, though, more than likely the recoil spring will be the first thing to go.
If you’re not familiar, the recoil spring is the spring that stores energy when the slide moves rearward; the recoil spring also arrests its rearward progress and is responsible for returning the slide to battery and closing the action on the next round.
Keep a spare or two around so you can replace this part whenever the spring fails, and, if you’re into upgrades, consider getting a high-strength recoil spring and replacing that part prematurely.
Another thing: if you’re going to go in there and do some tinkering, consider getting a heavier guide rod. Not only will it increase the static mass of the handgun, it will strategically add mass near the muzzle.
This will help reduce felt recoil along with muzzle flip, which will have compounded effects on your shooting experience.
The Extractor
After the recoil spring, your extractor claw or spring is the next most likely pistol part to fail on your 1911.
One of the best things you can do is keep the action of the gun clear and free of fouling. Routine cleaning will accomplish this for you.
Granted, it’s a bit of extra work, especially considering how reliable M1911 pistols are even when not kept clean, but the additional labor will help ensure your extractor and spring remain operable for longer.
Besides, this, like your recoil spring, is not a part you want to fail. You’ll start to experience a lot of jams if your extractor ceases working as intended.
The Mag Spring
You might not consider this a pistol part, strictly speaking, but it does deserve a note since springs are, generally, the first parts that fail on any gun, and in the case of the 1911, the mag spring is one of those.
It’s actually an easy enough part to replace, too. You just need to know how to do it. Basically, you pop out the follower, slide in a new spring, then reassemble in reverse order. It’s shockingly simple.
A better option, however, might be just to get a couple spare 1911 magazines and rotate through them, that way you don’t burn out the magazine that came with your pistol prematurely.
Be Ready with Spare Pistol Parts
Need 1911 parts? SARCO, Inc., is your best source for that. They carry 1911 parts and hardware, along with upgrade parts like grips, compensators, and a lot more.
They also sell one of the industry’s best aftermarket single-stack 1911 mags, at a ridiculously low price – less than $10.
Don’t believe it? Just visit their website and see for yourself. If you need something for a 1911, whether it’s a firing pin or a trigger guard, they have it, and plenty more besides.
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