1911 DIY

[blinky]

So I looked around here and the rest of the inter webs and couldn't quite find my answer.

I keep getting bit with my 1911 hammer and want to put either a beaver tail or smaller hammer or both on the gun.

My question is can I put any hammer on a govt model?

And in the current marker who's my best shot for parts? I refuse to buy from ctd right now.

Also if it helps the guns a rock island armory

 

[SalemCat]

Maybe a stupid suggestion, but in the interim would wearing a glove help ?

 

[Golddiggie]

You really can't go wrong with Wilson Combat parts. I have one of their extended beaver tails on my 1911 (as does my father's).

That being said, if you're being bitten by the beavertail, then changing the hammer probably won't do much. I went to a different hammer for other reasons. I would change the beavertail first, and see how it functions. If you're still being 'bit' then figure out exactly what is doing the biting. Unless you have ham-hock hands, the hammer shouldn't be even part of it. Unless your grip is wrong, the slide shouldn't be doing it.

Post up a link to (and/or images of) your 1911 so we can see what it is.

 

[Gammon]

Many of the beavertails on the market (I prefer the Ed Brown) need a commander style hammer. Stock hammers will have to be trimmed to clear the BT. Brownells is a great source for parts.

 

[Golddiggie]

Many of the beavertails on the market (I prefer the Ed Brown) need a commander style hammer. Stock hammers will have to be trimmed to clear the BT. Brownells is a great source for parts.

I've long since changed the hammer on my 1911, so I didn't remember needing to change it from the stock one. Then again, I think the profile of the hammer was the same, just solid where the replacement is not (has an outline where you put your thumb onto it). I think it will depends on what hammer you actually have, if you'll need to replace it or not.

Ed Brown is another top maker of 1911 parts. I think between the two, you really won't go wrong. You can also contact the people at Brownells to find out what you need to do for the change over. Or talk with a decent gunsmith. Or look up the info online. IMO/IME, changing the beavertail is easy. Changing the hammer is less so. But, it's not brain surgery. If you're at least mechanically adept, you'll be able to do it. Otherwise, find a friend that has done it, or pay a smith to do the change for you.

 

[ivarr]

i have been re-doing my rock island since i got it. mostly ed brown parts, but i got a beavertail from Fusion Firearms.
if you have a good hand with a file, and a bench vice you can certainly do the fitting yourself. take a couple hours to blend properly by hand. and you will need to replace the hammer IF you have a standard 1911A1 GI model like i started with.

 

[blinky]

Ya my hands aren't huge so I think it's the hammer. It's weird it only happens sometimes not always when I shoot it.

I'm going to eventually swap both but I've been buying new toys like crazy due to influx of funds but I didn't budget in these parts.

What's best to swap first? I mean to say what's more likely the problem?

 

[ivarr]

Ya my hands aren't huge so I think it's the hammer. It's weird it only happens sometimes not always when I shoot it.

I'm going to eventually swap both but I've been buying new toys like crazy due to influx of funds but I didn't budget in these parts.

What's best to swap first? I mean to say what's more likely the problem?

the standard grip safety was the primary problem for me. i tend towards a very high grip so the tail of the damned thing dug horribly into the web of my hand.
if you are getting hammer bite, then you are holding high too, the new beavertail will make the pistol SO MUCH more comfortable and natural to hold in your hand

 

[blinky]

the standard grip safety was the primary problem for me. i tend towards a very high grip so the tail of the damned thing dug horribly into the web of my hand.
if you are getting hammer bite, then you are holding high too, the new beavertail will make the pistol SO MUCH more comfortable and natural to hold in your hand

Thanks. That's what I'll start with then.

 

[Sir_Macadoo]

Hammers are not model specific - they all fit all the models. Some are named different things, but thats cosmetic more than dimensional. You can save yourself some time and effort fitting by getting a beavertail grip safety that has the same radious of your gun.

You can file off the spur on your hammer if you want. Or C&S makes a hammer that has no spur, ultra-fast hammer or something - but then you cant cock the hammer. What are called "commander hammers" usually have a small spur with a little hole in it, that may help as well. You have lots of options.