They're not unsafe unless someone makes them that way.gljjt wrote:Reading this makes me think I wouldn't want to own a 1911. This makes it sound like "1911 parts" are not interchangeable, perhaps even unsafe. I don't own one, kind of wanted to get one, but now I am not so sure. I want to shoot and enjoy, not become a gunsmith via OJT. Thoughts?
The 1911 has been incrementally changed from JMB's original design. As designed, you could detail strip 100 pistols, scramble the parts, and reassemble 100 safe and reliable pistols with very good "combat accuracy".
With the quest for precision (although precious few can truly take advantage of it), has come the practice of making many parts slightly over-sized so they can be hand fitted to more precise tolerances. Today, even entry-level 1911s use hand fitted parts, particularly in the fire control group.