S.A. 1911 Mil-Spec Upgrade

Range Report with Upgraded Project Mil-Spec: Mr. Jacobson sent me a set of parts to try in my Springfield Armory Mil-Spec. He had done his dimension work based on the Mil-Spec in his shop. Before receiving the parts I had fired just under a thousand rounds of factory ball, JHP, and handloaded cast SWC's and JHP's through my pistol with zero malfunctions using several magazines. With today's tests completed, the gun's fired over a thousand rounds w/o malfunctions of any kind. (Hopefully, everyone's had the chance to shoot their pistols to check for function or possible problems and to be able to note the difference between the standard pistol and the upgraded one.)As was said at the beginning of the project, the finished pistol will not appear much different than the standard gun externally. I'm here to tell you that there is a big difference internally.

The parts work exceptionally well together. Mr. Jacobson's experience over years of trying different parts combinations has yielded big dividends for us. We get a set of parts that does not only enhance the trigger pull and slick function of the pistol but is long lived for years of shooting. It has been my experience with some SA parts, trigger pulls change and sometimes the hammer hook/sear engagement degrades to the point that one gets "doubles"; not a good thing. Mr. Jacobson's parts combination should eliminate that.The only visible difference besides grips is the wide & checkered spur hammer.Some have asked why the spur hammer was used instead of the exceptionally common ring hammer. The reason is two fold:1. The ring hammer requires the use of a different grip safety or modification to the existing GI grip safety tang.2. The spur hammer is easier to cock quickly if need be.Most folks will carry cocked-and-locked so it's not likely to be an issue but some prefer to carry in Condition Two: hammer down on a live round. If you have tried it, I'm sure you've noticed that the pistol is much easier to cock with a spur rather than a round hammer. (In decades of carrying either the 1911 or the Browning Hi Power cocked-and-locked I have not found either type of hammer more likely to snag than the other.

When coming out from under a coat, etc, it is the front of the hammer that will snag…if at all. For me it has not been an issue at all. The spur hammer is wide and checkered rather than serrated. It is reminiscent of the older Colt Government Models and is extremely easy to cock quickly with one hand. A subtle change to be sure, but I believe it is a good one and think it adds a little "panache" to the gun without being blatantly obvious.I fired 220 rounds of ammunition today. I compared the gun's handling to my original tests on the standard unaltered gun from a few weeks ago. The upgraded gun is vastly superior in my opinion.Ammunition used consisted of 100 rounds of handloaded CSWC's, 20 rounds of factory Winchester Ranger 230-gr. JHP's, and 100 rounds of handloaded 230-gr. Remington Golden Saber hollow points.I shot 8" steel plates at 10 yards at speed and found it much, much easier to clean each run with the clean, crisp trigger on this pistol. I estimate it at about 4 1/2 pounds.The slide moves considerably smoother with the Jacobson-modified disconnector in it. This is very much to the good. It's hard to put into words but somehow the upgrade's quality is just there and it is noticeable.

The ISMI springs worked smoothly and perfectly. The hammer's movement was like glass gliding on grease due to the exceptionally smooth jeweled hammer sides (not visible when the hammer is installed) and the tapered mainspring cap.I am happy to report that the beveling of the GI grip safety edges eliminated the wear and tear on my shooting hand that was experienced with the NIB gun a couple of weeks ago. If you have similar problems, this might just be the cure if you wish to retain the original GI grip safety. While I prefer fitted beavertail grip safeties on my 1911's, I want the traditional GI style on this gun in conjunction with this excellent hammer that Mr. Jacobson used and will retain it. I opted not to go with the trigger that's being supplied even though it is probably a better trigger and one I use in several other pistols. The reason is that I slicked up the trigger bow and am lucky in that it glides nicely and for me a big part of this gun's appeal is that it appears a near factory standard pistol. In truth it is considerably more.I had shot the Mil-Spec for groups on several previous occasions and reported results to members in a previous update. Today, I shot steel plates at speed. I missed one on one run. I repeated this drill several times and the key words are "I missed"; the gun did not. These groups were fired from 10 yards starting with a low-ready position or a draw from my holster beneath a jacket and each set of controlled pairs was fired as fast as I could get a flash sight picture. You will note two poor shots. On the head shot, I jerked the trigger and on the COM shot, I just missed!An unexpected benefit turns out to be the somewhat rough finish on the parkerized Mil-Spec. (It may be the same on the stainless, but I flat do not remember and didn't have one to compare to.

It was sprinkling and I decided to purposely shoot with wet hands. The texture of the parkerized front strap is plenty "rough" enough that my grip was solid and secure. I will not be having this gun's front strap checkered nor will I need to use skateboard tape! I normally do insist on some form of front strap enhancement. I want a secure grip on the gun under all conditions. The primary purpose of this project is to provide a defense gun that can be counted upon as the deadly force scenario will be unexpected and can take place in the rain or in extreme heat. Sweaty hands are frequently just a part of the life or death scenario. There is nothing that says that your hands might not even be bloody before you can fire your first shot! That the parkerized gun allows for a solid grip with wet hands is a plus.The magazine release spring is plenty stout enough for concealed carry and easy to depress for magazine changes. In short, it is perfect.I fired at some bowling pins at 25, 50, and 65 yards. No problems! The sights on this gun are "on" and the improved trigger pull resulted in distant shots being much easier. This is probably not an issue in the self-defense arena, but is nice to know that the SA Mil-Spec is capable of this practical accuracy.

THIS WAS WRITTEN AND COPIED WITH THE PERMISSION OF Mr. STEPHEN CAMP OF www.hipowersandhandguns.com



ON A PERSONAL NOTE, PLEASE DO NOT BUY ANY OF MY PARTS OR KITS FROM ANYONE AS THEY MAY HAVE HAD THEM FOR YEARS AND OR SWAPPED OUT PARTS YOU OR I AM NOT AWARE OF. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL ME MOST ANY DAY AFTER 10 AM CENTRAL TIME. IF YOU NEED ANYTHING I WILL HELP YOU GET NEW QUALITY PRISTINE PARTS. I AM CERTAINLY TOO HONEST FOR ALL THIS NONSENSE THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE BY UNDER ACHIEVERS..........T