Springfield Champion

[Omil]

Hi all,
I just p/u this Champion yesterday, planning to go try it out but it's rains so much so I just wait until tomorrow. After that I want to change these grips to thin line and may be installed a beaver tail grip safety & commander hammer.
Any advised ? Thanks.

[PutTogether]

Since you asked:

Don't put a beavertail on it. To me, commander sized guns are meant to be carried, and shouldn't have big curvy tails. Put a commander hammer, and that alone should solve any issue of the hammer biting you on the hand.

I'd skip the thin line grips too. Unless maybe you have small hands. Thin grips BUG me - and my hand aren't even close to what you would call large.

Take the grips off completely, and hold the gun in a firing position in your hand. (after triple checking the gun is unloaded) Does skinny feeling feel good? If so, go for thin grips. If it feels gross - stick with the standard thickness.

This isn't to say thin grips feel just like no grip at all, but simply to note that if you like the feeling of no grips, or find it only a little to thin that way - then thin grips might be for you. If it feels disgustingly small - then chances are better you a a normal grip type guy.

Last negative about thin grips that no one ever talks about. The standard 1911 grip has a small ear that goes up over the plunger tube. Thin grips don't. The standard grip can hold the plunger tube in place JUST IN CASE it works itself off. It is definitely a long shot, but it is a design element that can help keep your gun in a fight.

[randy]

Changing to a modern .250 cut beavertail will allow you to get the gun lower in your had which aids in control. An added bonus for me is they look better. Also change the thumb safety to something more user friendly.

If you change the beavertail you might as well get the gun hi cut at the same time and checkered too. Now you've spent 500 bucks or so.

There are better sites out there too. If the gun is older and has a collet bushing instead of a Bull barrel you'll want to change to a Bull barrel if you want any kind of accuracy out of the thing. S/A went away from the collet bushing for that reason.

Since you want to change the hammer go with a Cylinder and Slide fire control group it's the best out there.

Now I've just spent about a grand of your money. The refinish will surely bring it to a grand or so.

Or just shoot it and enjoy it, looks like a nice pistol.

[B Strong]

Hi all,
I just p/u this Champion yesterday, planning to go try it out but it's rains so much so I just wait until tomorrow. After that I want to change these grips to thin line and may be installed a beaver tail grip safety & commander hammer.
Any advised ? Thanks.

Personally, other than a grip that fits your hand, I'd leave the thing alone unless there was mechanical defect.

Knowing that you probably just threw my advice in your mental wastebasket, go see Jim Hoag down in Canoga Park. He can work wonders on any 1911 type pistol, for a reasonable price and a decent turn-around time.

I don't always follow my own advice:

[Midian]

That's big heap sexy.

Is that a combat elite in the middle?

[B Strong]

That's big heap sexy.

Is that a combat elite in the middle?

Series 80 enhanced stainless, .38 super, with a Colt 9 x 23 conversion kit in blue up top. Work in progress, threw on some parts from the spares box.

[csorin]

Check out this forum. There are a couple of great looking champions in the Definitive Custom Shop thread.

http://forums.1911forum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=29

[JTROKS]

I agree the commander size 1911s are meant for carrying and a longer grip safety is not right for it. Clark used to make a short version of a beavertail grip safety, but I don't see it in their current catalog. Here's my Colt commander with one.