To trick out or not to trick out 1911 Government Model???

[CurrieS103]

Make it the one you want it to be.  You'll be much happier!

[Big Frank]

Back then there was no Series 80 or 70 or even a 1911A1, just a 1911. For the amount of money it would take to get it up to the specs you want it probably isn't worth it, whether it has any collectors value or not. I would rather have a brand new shooter than a rebuilt 90-year-old shooter. But I can also see the appeal of having it fully customized to your specs and not buying another gun.

[tommy tornado]

Correct it is not a 70 or 80 series but a 1911 Government model in the  C 1121XX range.  I can tell it has been reblued because the Government is faded in the middle, and some other buffed out pitting on the slide.  Otherwise all other writing and colt pony is sharp.

[tommy tornado]

Do the Wilson Combat parts fit into the Rock Island 1911?  I have looked at those and the Springfield 1911A1 Mil-spec pistol as a possible buy and build up rather than my original 1911.  However, one of my friends was suggesting to take the one pictured and add a compensator, etc. 

[tombogan03884]

If it fit a Colt it will fit an RIA

[Sponsor]

[ericire12]

Since that's an original 1911 I would leave it alone and buy a new A1. You can leave it as is, but if it was parkerized and had G.I grips on it, then it would look like a military museum specimen. But I wouldn't put a lot of parts into it when you can get a whole new gun for not a lot more.

Bullseye!

[twyacht]

 those grips look to good to be original, it may be my eyes or the photos but they look really great.

Enjoy it as is. Maybe an internal "tweak" here or there, and keep it to hand down to the family.

Really tough call, I can equate it to an 1824 Rosewood Candlestand, I bought at auction, it was black from decades of old finish, varnish, wax, polish, you name it. Not pretty, and a shell of its former beauty.

Some said: get it refinished, strip that old crap off and bring it back to its original luster, while some said the opposite, it will ruin its original nature, and historical significance of the piece.

You know what? I refinished it myself. Took me 6 weeks to methodically bring it back to life. I'm glad I did, under that tar nasty crap was the original wood. As beautiful than as it is now. I was offered an amazing amount of money for it now, and just said NO.

It sits by my 1919 Oak Victrola, (which is mint), and I'll never part with either.

Like I said before, "Your Call".  Enjoy it none the less, its a piece of history.

[Ksail101]

The whole thing abou t"tricking out" a pistol is the same as making a Harley a chopper. If your gun runs great as is why do it? And if you choose to upgrade your firearm make sure that your upgrades actually make the gun function better. Weather you put better sights on it to getting a new mag release that raises or lowers the mag in the mag well, it is a must that improves the preformance.

Sometimes I see people put in these "match" barrels and it doesnt do anything but at a brand name to the ejection port.

 So dont be like Orange County Choppers and build a bike that doesnt function better. The purpose of a chopper is to make the bike faster and handle better. So the purpose to upgrade your gun is the same, to make you shoot it better. Just cause some Author in a magazine got a couple mm tighter group at 15 yards doesnt mean you will. All mods must make you the shooter better at handling your gun.

Thats my 2 cents. But it is pretty much a common sense.
.

[Hazcat]

+1

[Ckott]

If I was lucky enough to have a Colt .45 made in 1919, I'd leave it as is.