I’ve always thought a Springfield Armory Mil-Spec was the best value in a modern 1911 anywhere. There, I said it. There are other “affordable” 1911 autos out there, and some are lower-priced than a Mil-Spec. But I feel strongly that when you take a hard look at the quality of workmanship, forged construction, level of fit and finish, accuracy and reliability, the Mil-Spec wins every time.
During my tenure as editor of American Handgunner, I must have had two dozen Mil-Specs come across my desk at one point or another. Every single one shot great, ran fine and showed the sort of fit and finish more expensive guns usually feature. It was the go-to gun I’d recommend when I got one of those “Gee, I’m thinking of getting a 1911” reader notes. They would invariably write me back, thanking me and bragging about their new Mil-Spec.
So, I have time in grade as it were with the model. The amazing thing is Ted Yost built a custom 1911 on a Mil-Spec for me. Honest.
Like many good things, even something as rock solid as a Mil-Spec can be enhanced with the judicious application of a few custom touches. Someone who knows what they’re doing, like my old friend Bill Laughridge of the Cylinder & Slide Shop, can massage a gun like the Mil-Spec and turn it into something even more compelling.
The Idea
“Bill,” I said in a call. “What would you recommend someone do to their Springfield Armory Mil-Spec to gussie it up a bit? I’ve always felt they made great base guns for full custom builds, but what if someone just wants to touch up a few things here and there. Got any ideas?”
Bill was, of course, full of ideas. But one thing he said right off really struck home for me based on my experience.
“Roy, they are good guns to begin with and, in all honesty, unless you just want to have fun enjoying having a bit of custom work done, there’s little reason to change anything. They all run fine in my experience at the shop, shoot better than most owners can shoot, have good sights and make great defensive, weekend competition or just general 1911s to knock around with.”
I pressed a bit and Bill agreed that for less than $1,000 there are some changes he feels anyone would enjoy seeing on their own guns. Changes, he said, enhancing accuracy and the over-all nature of the gun to run great, shoot well and be just as reliable as the original — but with a few things ramped up, as it were.
“So, can I send you one and would you do your magic to it,” I asked?
“Done,” laughed Bill.
I know, I know … there’s no real need for this as you probably bought your own Mil-Spec precisely for what it is — a modern recreation of the great 1911 combat pistols of wars past. It’s that, and much more, and we all know that.
For me, I think this is a chance to let it stretch its legs as it were, to see if those basic bones will respond to a bit of custom work. So, for the $700 to $800 initial investment, and about the same for this work, you end up with a gun that’s not only still a rock-solid basic platform, but the enhanced trigger and custom touches make it not only more personal, but an even better performer.
C&S Work
Bill told me his shop has a good deal of experience working with Mil-Specs, from doing basic sight work to full custom builds. He feels the base gun is so good there really isn’t any reason to change many things. For instance, he left the stock sights.
“They’re great, so why change ‘em?” he said. “The fit of the slide and frame is excellent, so nothing needs doing there, too.”
Bill focused on accuracy, with a bit of reliability work thrown into the mix. The National Match bushing Bill uses was installed and fitted. A longer barrel link went in to tighten things up even further. The stock match barrel (which Bill thinks is just fine) was re-crowned to 11 degrees, and the barrel and frame area was polished and throated, just because.
Bill feels a slight radius to the stock extractor and setting the tension is a good idea, and calls work like that “Just reaching for that last half a percentage point of reliability.”
The C&S Tactical Extended Thumb Safety was installed and fit, and a medium solid, aluminum, smooth, round-faced trigger installed. It offers a slightly different feel and works great with my medium-sized hands. A new magazine catch spring was installed (that half-percentage thing again), and an Ed Brown flat mainspring housing was swapped out. I really like the feel of a flat housing, but if the stock arched one is fine for you, so be it. Part of the work also covered a general radius and polishing of critical internal areas.
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The real magic I think is the installation and fitting of the C&S Tactical Match Trigger Pull Set. While the stock trigger is very reliable and workmanlike, it broke at not quite five pounds. After the C&S set was installed, the weight dropped to right at four pounds and was very crisp.
Do you “need” it on a working 1911 like a Mil-Spec? Nope. But is it nice to have as part of an upgrade like this? Certainly. A crisper, lighter pull also translates to better accuracy since the press is easier and more predictable.
The icing on the cake is the unique Cerakote I had done when I got the gun back from Bill’s shop. A local gent did the work, and while he raised an eyebrow when I told him the colors, once he was finished, he kept grinning and saying, “This looks great. I like it after all. I really didn’t think I would.” It does grow on you and certainly stands out on a table full of tactical black, tan or parkerized 1911s — particularly with the new SGM grips.
Keep in mind, the base Mil-Spec (depending upon the exact model) costs between $725 and $915. In today’s market, that’s virtually an entry-level pistol cost from most manufacturers. Add in the fact they come stock with an honest-to-goodness match grade barrel, fixed, heavy duty combat style three-dot sights and a forged frame, slide and barrel, and it ramps the “affordable gun” thing quite a bit.
The custom work from C&S came right in at $814, parts and labor. The Cerakote added another $200, so we’re at just over $1,000 for the final product. So, did the work the C&S shop did pay dividends? Absolutely.
Hands-On
My Mil-Spec was about a 1.75” to 2.25″ gun at 20 yards from a rest when things started. I always use Black Hills 230-gr. FMJ ball to test reliability and accuracy, and the stock gun ran just fine with it. This is pretty typical accuracy from a Mil-Spec in most cases.
My “new” Mil-Spec delivered very pleasing and consistent groups in the 1.25″ to 1.75″ range using the same ammo at 20 yards. I attribute this mostly to the even better trigger pull, making holding the zero easier as you press. I’m betting if you just dropped this C&S trigger kit into your own Mil-Spec, accuracy would mirror mine. The original guns shoot great, and this just sweetens the pot.
The little things like the extended thumb safety, flat mainspring housing, SGM grips and the improved trigger changed my Mil-Spec more than subtly. From the rugged fighter it once was, my Mil-Spec morphed into an eye-catching, solid-performing companion. I always like a gun that makes you shoot better than you think you can, and this one does just that. Plus, to my eye, it’s distinctive and sure to generate some comments at the range.
Now though, I just need to buy another Mil-Spec and leave it as it is. I think everyone needs a basic, hard-working gun like a Mil-Spec, but it’s also good to have a bit of fun turning it into something “just right” for you.
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