[Kingfish999]

between my M1A and my Delta Elite, i am a very happy and wouldn't mind selling any other of my collection to keep them. was wondering if there was anything recommended to do to the Delta to help with durability or improve it in any way. other than a bushing compensator its all stock.

 

[KurtC]

I have large hands, so the Commander style hammer and grip safety tear me up.

 

[cajunfish9]

I replaced the stock spring guide and springs with a full length spring guide and single 24 lb. Wolff recoil spring. A little stiff to rack, but I think the mod buffers recoil better and lessens frame battering.

 

[High Voltage]

I like the look of the stock gun, but I would replace the hammer I think. Not a fan of the look, but don't know how it shoots.

An M1A and Delta Elite sounds like a great combination. DI5

 

[Phil “Murphy” McGrath]

between my M1A and my Delta Elite, i am a very happy and wouldn't mind selling any other of my collection to keep them. was wondering if there was anything recommended to do to the Delta to help with durability or improve it in any way. other than a bushing compensator its all stock.

Is it a early DE, one of the enhanced DE? or the more current DE? There is a ton of stuff you can do after all its still a 1911. There is the basic tune up, just a simple polishing of the feed ramp and barrels throat with a good set of springs. After the basic tune up your going too need a few tools too do the work.

After that I suggest fitting a quality bushing too the slide and the barrel, and you might also want too look at the Flat Bottom Firing Pin Stop being a 10mm.

 

[Kingfish999]

its a newer DE i just bought last year. i love how accurate it is even at 25 yards im nailing dead center headshots. im not as accurate anymore after using an angle grinder and having a the grinder wheel explode and f***ed up my knuckles pretty bad but that could have been alot worse so im not complaining. all y friends love shooting it to where i thought about selling my M9 and my regular 1911 because there never used.

i jsut wasnt sure if there were any recommended tweeks i can do to it to make it better or improve anything. i know nothing about aftermarket parts for firearms.

so replacing the spring guide and using a single spring would be a god idea? is the factory 23lb dual spring easier to pull back than a 23lb single spring? i dont find it too hard to pull back and wouldnt mind a slightly stronger spring if it may help in the end

would a new bushing really help? i been using my bushing compensator and love it and still pretty accurate

i really like my hammer. would there really be a reason to chnage it other than cosmetic?

 

[Phil “Murphy” McGrath]

its a newer DE i just bought last year. i love how accurate it is even at 25 yards im nailing dead center headshots. im not as accurate anymore after using an angle grinder and having a the grinder wheel explode and f***ed up my knuckles pretty bad but that could have been alot worse so im not complaining. all y friends love shooting it to where i thought about selling my M9 and my regular 1911 because there never used.

i jsut wasnt sure if there were any recommended tweeks i can do to it to make it better or improve anything. i know nothing about aftermarket parts for firearms.

so replacing the spring guide and using a single spring would be a god idea? is the factory 23lb dual spring easier to pull back than a 23lb single spring? i dont find it too hard to pull back and wouldnt mind a slightly stronger spring if it may help in the end

would a new bushing really help? i been using my bushing compensator and love it and still pretty accurate

i really like my hammer. would there really be a reason to chnage it other than cosmetic?

If it were my 10mm and I've owned only one once apon a time, I went with the single spring with the GI guide rod and plug. My reason is that the dual springs take a set at different rates plus the cost of two springs is more than the cost of just one spring.. With that said 23lbs is 23lbs it doesn't really mater how you get there.

Not really a fan of full length guide rods, there just isn't any room for the spring too really kink up inside the dust cover. Many feel the extra few ounces helps keep the hop/muzzle flip down but then your shooting a 10mm and its going too hop around unless you fire 135gn ammo... Maybe a tungsten guide rod, but then your going too pay threw the nose for one, and you might want too think about stepping down in caliber if you that recoil sensitive...

Bushing, yes do the bushing and ditch the bushing comp. Factory Colt bushings are ok for looks but there not fit of accuracy. The hammer should be the Commander type, but you didn't say what generation you DE is? If it is the early 10mm with the small ring hammer or the Enhanced with larger Loop type called the Commander hammer there made of good S7 tool steal and you should never have a problem with it. I don't know if Colt's current hammers are MiM or not.

If I were too do three things in no particular order too a DE, #1 Trigger job. #2. Bushing #3. flat bottom the firing pin stop as JMB had intended, this really helps tame the 10mm.

 

[TheShooter]

All five seasons of Miami Vice would look good sitting next to it!

 

[Kingfish999]

pics of it when i first got it. dont know nothing about what generation it is

 

[Behindalines]

I have a very early DE. First thing I did was to replace the hammer with a skeletonized, as the stock one is terrible if using gloves etc. I also installed a Wilson one piece recoil spring guide and 28lb Wolffe spring with a Wilson shok buff. The DE is my favorite HG and I use intense loads in it. I've done other cosmetic changes to it,but thats just to suit me. I purchased mine in 1987 before I could even get loading dies,brass etc. Ammo was quite rare also.

 

[JoshN]

Ironically enough, Colt just this yr seems to have updated the appearance of their factory offering. Don't know if this gives your 10mm any inspiration.


http://www.colt.com/Catalog/Pistols/Combat-Elite#LiveContent[O2020XE]

 

[High Voltage]

i really like my hammer. would there really be a reason to chnage it other than cosmetic?

I think it would be cosmetic, but some might say the smaller one is "faster". I would not know or even notice. I like the hammer that Colt is putting on them now.

 

[Phil “Murphy” McGrath]

pics of it when i first got it. dont know nothing about what generation it is

From the looks, your DE is the Pre-Enhanced version and in my view the better of the two pistols.

Too be more clear there are no Generations but there are a few distinct different production runs. There are early pistols with round top slides, small ring hammers and rat tail grip safety. Round top slides, commander hammers, rat tail grip safety. Then along the way the Enhanced pistols showed up, ribbed serrated slide, relieved trigger guard and a wide semi-upswept beaver tail. Then somewhere along the way came the 10mm Gold Cup...

Colt's current production line has been revamped, right now there about the best machined tightest Colts going and as you would expect there pretty, and come with some attractive bells and whistles. But like many 1911 makers they too have slid in some MiM parts.

 

[High Hat]

If your 1911 is shooting fine there's nothing you have to do to it. Thousands of 1911's have been screwed up by someone with a file & dremel.

I think the Colt's made in the last few years are the best ever for fit and finish but they do have some MIM parts, the disconnector, sear and magazine catch. I chose to replace these with machined steel parts (including the hammer) from Harrison Design. I've seen arguments back and forth over MIM parts but in a street gun I want 100% dependability.

Your 1911 has a long trigger and an arched main spring housing with standard grips. Are your hands this large? Is this comfortable? I like a short trigger with an arched MSH. But that's me.

Standard 1911 sights suck. Depending on use change to Novak's low mount combat sights or target sights like a Gold Cup. You will shoot better with good sights.

Do you get hammer bite? Is so you'll want to investigate a beaver tail grip safety. Best thing to happen since women got rid of panty hose! Your 1911 has the original style Commander hammer, not my cup of tea but someone's got to like redheads.

You said the barrel "compensator" has been changed. I think you mean the barrel bushing. These come in several different sizes for a reason. How well does your's fit? Tighter is fine for a target gun, you want a tiny bit of play for a street gun.

Grips are really to the owner's preference. Your rubber grips are great for the range but drawing you gun from a holster they'll snag your shirt in a heart beat. I prefer smooth grips that slide on cloth.

I'd use standard Colt springs and the GI guide rod. It's worked fine in millions of 1911's. When you start changing spring rates you can really mess things up in a hurry.

Hope this helps you youngster!

 

[Kingfish999]

i never minded the sights really. i find them pretty easy to use. didnt know if i would like the look of those kinda sights but i may consider it. but IIRC, the fonrt sight is not a dovetail but the staked sight which i cant easilly replace. im not sure how hight the sight is or if i need to replace it to do that rear

i have average hands but dont really have any issue shooting it. its much easier than my M9 with double stacked

never had hammer bite. didnt know what it was till i jsut looked it up.

the 10mm being a more powerful round have much stronger springs than regualr 1911. i think normal .45 used around 16# springs where the DE used 23#. so i wouldnt want to go to a normal 1911 spring. i would probably go with a 23# or maybe a bit more like a 24#

the compensator i have is pretty much like this. it defiantly helps at reducing recoil and some of my friends who struggled with it before now love it

 

[High Hat]

Replacing your sights with better ones means that dove tails will have to be cut in your slide, definitely a job for a good gunsmith. Look around at the range and you'll see some of these sights being used or your gun shops counter. A shop like Novak's can sight the gun in with the ammo you spec for the best accuracy.

Most guys just know if a 1911 fits them when they first pick it up. But try several combinations. When you pick up the best one for you you'll know it.

A plain 1911A1 sends me home with a bloody hand. But I'm sure I hold one differently than you. If it works for you then leave it alone.

I should have been more clear, I'm not saying to use .45 cal. springs in your DE. I'm saying to stick with the spring rate Colt used in the first place.

I see the new photo with the compensator. It seems you want a target gun and that's fine. I sure wouldn't want a compensator on a street gun.

Just remember, the best way to shoot better is to shoot more. To really stay at my best I used to shoot 100-150 rounds weekly.

 

[Kingfish999]

id love to shoot weekly but 10mm cost too much to do that. its more like monthly and like 50 rounds per gun

i dont have my CCW yet and dont plan on carrying anything in the future. i dont really go anywhere i would need to. ya it would be too big to anyways with or without the compensator. all my guns are. i hate small guns, i cant get comfortable with them and way to inaccurate with them. if i ever did need to use one on street, it would be for intimidation because i would miss every shot

i guess i taught myself to not hold a pistol in anyway that would cause hammer to bite. i learned really quick about slide bite after my dad tore his hand up first time shooting his compact glock. a reason why i dont like glocks, always loved 1911s is i felt they are more dummy proof to prevent injury and felt more natural to hold

 

[Kingfish999]

i ordered the single recoil spring with spring guide.

looking at the firing pin stops. which oneof these would i use?
http://www.egwguns.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=167&pg=1

 

[High Hat]

I've never seen the need to change a firing pin stop but this link ought to help you:

http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.p...with-a-simple-part-change-EGW-firing-pin-stop

There's 50 pages of reading for you....

On the EGW page I saw stops for series 70 and 80 in .38, 9mm, .40 and .45 but not one for your DE.

 

[Kingfish999]

i emailed EGW and asked about which i should use for the 10mm and they said the .40 used the same as the 10mm so the 9/38/40 is what i would use and the DE is a 80 series