Got My R1 Back From Remington (Warranty Work)

[CC Hoosier]

Happy to hear your R1 is running good. My R1 Enhanced has been smooth as silk from day one, and with the 70 conversion, so is the reassembly.

I'm thinking of converting my R1 to 70, myself. Mine will be looking closer to the Enhanced model when I'm done with it. I was one of the unlucky few who got a "bad" gun. 2 buddies bought an R1 after me without any problems. If it'll shoot 185 grain SWC's, it'll shoot anything. I'll be testing it out again soon with the SWC's. I have learned a lot already about 1911's since mine was less than perfect.

[CC Hoosier]

Happy to hear your R1 is running good. My R1 Enhanced has been smooth as silk from day one, and with the 70 conversion, so is the reassembly.

I'm thinking of converting my R1 to 70, myself. Mine will be looking closer to the Enhanced model when I'm done with it. I was one of the unlucky few who got a "bad" gun. 2 buddies bought an R1 after me without any problems. If it'll shoot 185 grain SWC's, it'll shoot anything. I'll be testing it out again soon with the SWC's. I have learned a lot already about 1911's since mine was less than perfect.

[Bawanna]

I wondered why you didn't just get the Enhanced from the get go. I got the R1 because I didn't want the extras, the beavertail and the trigger. Wanted to have one closer to the originals and I love it.

With just a little better sights than the originals and the ejection port opened just a tad, it's got everything a guy really needs.

[gb6491]

CC Hoosier,
Thanks for the update! I appreciate the time and effort put into that post.
Congrats on getting your R1 running correctly. Your methods might be a little unorthodox (though I understand necessity driven), but you got-er-done.
Please keep us in the loop as you continue to tweak it.

Regards,
Greg

[CJB]

From reading on 1911 forums, Remington has had issues with FP Plunger Levers as do Colts and others......

This stuff is all new to me, but from what I gather there are better parts for this assembly that aren't MIM parts.....

Hate to break the news, but the firing pin plunger lever is stamped, no MIM or anything else for that matter. Both levers are stamped. I suppose someone could IC or MIM them, but why? They're no different than any other stamping.

I know, if you don't get the order of placement right, you can get a gun that wont go bang - FP fails to unlock because lever fails to lift.

Gritty on Series 80 -
a. FP plunger gritty feeling (hardly ever the levers)
b. Disconnector drag in its recess in the slide (you can round it better, get a better feel)
c. Trigger drag in the slot, but not so likely on a factory trigger, as they're fit rather loose and sloppy in the slot
d. Sear spring drag on disconnector
e. Trigger drag on grip safety

and other stuff, I'm sure!

[CC Hoosier]

I wondered why you didn't just get the Enhanced from the get go. I got the R1 because I didn't want the extras, the beavertail and the trigger. Wanted to have one closer to the originals and I love it.

With just a little better sights than the originals and the ejection port opened just a tad, it's got everything a guy really needs.

That was my original intention. I wanted a 1911 with a good name that didn't break the bank. I wasn't planning on doing anything to it other than shooting it. Once I started reading about how to fix things and all the other possibilities and add-ons, It sort of became my tinker toy. I never had a dremel or a set of punches, but I do now. It's nice just to see how this gun works and how Browning turned pieces of steel into a finely-tuned shooting machine. Pretty amazing really.

[Bawanna]

Excellent way to go about it and your doing it well. Be damn careful with that Dremel though, it's a wonderful machine but I find it just makes it so easy to screw things up really really fast.

It really is amazing. John Moses is my hero.

[CC Hoosier]

CC Hoosier,
Thanks for the update! I appreciate the time and effort put into that post.
Congrats on getting your R1 running correctly. Your methods might be a little unorthodox (though I understand necessity driven), but you got-er-done.
Please keep us in the loop as you continue to tweak it.



Regards,
Greg

I'll be sure to do that. "Unorthodox" is the perfect word. Taking material off the hammer face probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. Hardened steel is only hardened on the surface. After a few thousands deep, the steel underneath is normal steel. I can see the imprint of the firing pin sightly when shining a light on the surface. I was planning on changing out the hammer anyway.

[Bawanna]

At Gregs recommendation I put a Auto Ordnance wide spur hammer in mine and I love it. You won't be able to do that if your talking about a beavertail safety though.
It dropped right in on mine and passed all the safety checks with flying colors. Works well.

Wide spur hammer, stag grips, now if I could get it color case hardened I'd feel she's complete.

[CC Hoosier]

At Gregs recommendation I put a Auto Ordnance wide spur hammer in mine and I love it. You won't be able to do that if your talking about a beavertail safety though.
It dropped right in on mine and passed all the safety checks with flying colors. Works well.

Wide spur hammer, stag grips, now if I could get it color case hardened I'd feel she's complete.

I remember seeing your photo. The stag grips with the wide spur hammer give it that Western Look. Very Nice! I'm going to try making mine into a one-of-a-kind Commander-Style. I'm after a 3 1/2 lb crisp trigger pull with an i/8th of an inch movement before it fires. It's close to that now being stock (around a 5-4 !/2 lb slightly gritty pull) I'll probably attempt to work on the existing trigger group first and if I mess it up, I'll purchase an entire competition/match trigger group. I found a Colt black skeletonized beveled hammer I like on Ebay, The Wilson black "drop-in" beavertail that fits the R1 closely and I'm still undecided on the skeletonized trigger (black nylon or silver aluminum). Hopefully, the new hammer won't ride the slide. Does your wide hammer ride the slide at all?