The Guide to 1911 Pistol Accessories Every Enthusiast Wants
Apr 6th 2021
Shooters and enthusiasts in the United States have modified and upgraded the 1911 pistol since its introduction into the civilian market. Although the needs of today’s shooters have almost nothing in common with those of the mid-1910s, the spirit of gun customization is alive and well.
If you are one of these enthusiasts but don’t know where to start, follow this guide and learn about the best and most recommended accessories for your 1911 pistol.
Quality Magazines
No matter what purpose your particular 1911 serves, whether you use an Officer model for concealed carrying, a Gold Cup for competition shooting, or anything in between, you need quality magazines.
If you’ve ever heard other shooters criticize the 1911 for being finicky or unreliable, they’ve likely experienced magazine-related failures. Like every self-loading firearm design, the reliability of your 1911 rests on the use of good magazines.
Bad mags are the most common sources of malfunction in pistols, and you can verify that easily by testing your 1911 with a different magazine. If it performs better, you may have a lousy mag in your rotation, and you should remove it from your magazine carriers. While known bad mags can still serve a purpose (e.g., as a training tool for practicing malfunctions), it’s better to get rid of them entirely.
You don’t have to use the magazines made by your pistol’s manufacturer; as long as it is compatible with the 1911 and matches your pistol’s frame size, it should function.
For example, a magazine for the full-size Smith & Wesson SW1911 .45 ACP should work in a Colt or a Ruger, and vice versa. Remember that a Commander-style 1911 takes the same magazines as the full-size. However, if you’re looking for the best magazines on the market, all the notable names are third-party, often coming from custom gun part manufacturers.
The gold standard for 1911 magazines is indubitably Wilson Combat’s 1911 Elite Tactical Magazine, although others, such as the Chip McCormick PowerMag or Mec-Gar, are highly regarded as well.
If you concealed carry a 1911 or keep one for home defense, always test it for reliability, even with a proven magazine. Although a good magazine can fix most reliability problems, not every 1911 pistol is designed for shooting hollow points. You must ensure your pistol functions reliably using self-defense ammunition without jamming or cycling issues of any kind.
Good Sights
Accurately shooting a pistol requires three things besides your time: plenty of ammunition, regular practice, and dependable sights.
Mil-spec 1911 pistol slides were initially designed with a rear sight mount referred to as a “G.I. dovetail” and a non-removable front sight. More modern 1911 pistols may feature a front sight dovetail, allowing for the replacement of both front and rear sight.
Unfortunately, not every sight set is interchangeable with every slide. There exists a large number of different dovetail and sight cut dimensions and standards. You will have to keep in mind who made your slide and what dovetail or sight cut type you possess (e.g., G.I., Novak, Bomar, LPA, Kimber, etc.).
If you can’t find sights for your slide, purchasing a replacement slide with the sight cuts you need is a potential alternative. However, keep in mind that some fitting may be required and that you might have to visit a gunsmith if it doesn’t fit properly.
Once you know which dovetail mount your slide possesses, you can start looking for sights suitable for your purposes. Here is a quick guide to help you choose:
Combat sights
Also referred to as three-dot sights, these are useful for general-purpose 1911s.
Night sights
Ideal for home defense and shooting under low-light conditions.
Fiber-optic sights
Ideal for target shooting and bright daytime condition.
Fully adjustable sights
Another good choice for target shooting, especially at longer distances (25+ yards).
Suppressor-height sights
These highly-raised sights allow you to get a sight picture even with a suppressor installed. You may also use such sights on unsuppressed firearms for co-witnessing with a red dot sight.
Replacement Grips
1911 grip panels are well-known for offering customization opportunities. Changing the grips is also a straightforward process that anyone can do; all you need is to remove four screw bushings, uninstall the stock grips, and install the new ones.
Although many replacement grips simply exist to change the visual aspect of your pistol, some offer more practical features, such as different texturing and checkering for better grip. Some of them are rubber grips with a wrap-around piece, slightly increasing the grip thickness. They often introduce ergonomic finger grooves on the front strap, increasing comfort.
The most advanced 1911 grips may feature integrated laser sights, allowing you to install a laser on your pistol even if it doesn’t possess an accessory rail. The laser designator is slim and low-profile, and it should not interfere with your existing holster.
Improved Safeties
There are two types of external safeties on the 1911 pistol: the thumb safety and the grip safety.
If you are a left-handed shooter or a right-handed shooter intentionally practicing “southpaw” shooting, an upgrade of your thumb safety to an ambidextrous model is a must-have. Both regular and ambidextrous thumb safeties are available in a range of different sizes and profiles. If your 1911 is for concealed carrying, you’ll want to use the slimmest profile possible to maximize comfort.
On the other hand, if your 1911 is for target or competition shooting, you may find an enlarged-profile thumb safety to be more comfortable and easier to actuate. Grip safety upgrades are rarer, but models exist which offer an integrated beavertail, allowing you the convenience of a comfortable high grip without having to replace or modify your frame.
Spring Kits
Serious 1911 shooters know the importance of properly-tuned spring kits. These kits contain a set of specially-tuned springs in various pull weights and strengths.
Spring kits typically include at least one recoil spring, a mainspring, and a firing pin spring. Some kits may offer one of every spring in the gun (excluding the magazine). Benefits of a spring kit include the following:
General benefits
Tuned springs of any kind tend to be made of heavy-duty materials, enhancing the overall life of the pistol and requiring parts or spring replacement less often.
Recoil springs
Reduced-power recoil springs make the slide easier to pull and are ideal for shooting low-powered hand loads, whereas improved-strength recoil springs increase feeding reliability. You should match the recoil spring with your ammunition’s relative power to maximize reliability.
Mainsprings
Tuned mainsprings help with cycling and reduce the amount of strength needed to pull the trigger, making your pistol smoother and easier to shoot.
Firing pin springs
Tuned firing pin springs can function as a sort of firing pin safety, offering peace of mind if the pistol is dropped or banged on a hard surface.
Other Useful Parts
As a 1911 shooter, there is a near-endless array of parts you can choose from to upgrade your pistol. Listing every item would be impossible, but there are a few more upgrades you should consider to improve your favorite handgun further.
Full-length guide rod
The usefulness of a full-length guide rod (FLGR) is debated hotly and frequently on 1911-centric forums and communities. Some people believe that if John Moses Browning didn’t design one, it’s probably for a good reason. Others are believers in its benefits, touting improved cycling, better fit, and slightly less muzzle rise (due to the added mass at the front of the pistol).
Whether or not an FLGR works for you depends on your pistol, the model you purchase, and your impressions. If it does work for you, you may find you want them on all of your 1911s.
Skeletonized hammer
Although the advantages offered are minute at best, skeletonized hammers are a standard upgrade for 1911s.
A quality skeletonized hammer is typically lighter than a standard model, slightly decreasing lock time and chances of trigger bounce or hammer rebound.
Besides that, skeletonized hammers are visually appealing, offering a minor but noticeable change to your pistol’s aesthetics. Even if you cannot feel the difference, it doesn’t hurt to have, and who can resist making your handgun look a little cooler and more personalized?
Mainspring housing upgrades
The primary purpose of replacing your mainspring housing is to change the shape and texture of your pistol’s backstrap. When paired with the proper grips, a textured mainspring housing can significantly improve ergonomics and shooting comfort.
A less common type of mainspring housing upgrade is the one-piece magazine well mainspring. This upgrade sticks past the bottom of the gun and gives you the benefits of a flared magazine well without replacing your existing frame. Although impractical for anything but target shooting and competition, they can help you reload faster and more confidently.
Every 1911 Enthusiast Needs a Good Holster
As a 1911 shooter, regardless of whether you like to keep it stock or shoot an extensively modified gun, you need a holster you can depend on as much as your firearm.
Incognito Concealment offers a wide selection of IWB, OWB, and paddle holsters. They are compatible with any 1911, with or without an accessory rail, whether made by Colt (military surplus, Series 70, Series 80) or another manufacturer.
Our 100% US-made Kydex holsters allow you to carry your favorite pistol with complete confidence, guaranteeing a perfect fit and retention. Call us at (586) 999-5820 with any questions about our products.
