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New Colt Defender!
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:23 pm
by mupepe
Picked it up about 2 hours ago, broke it down and cleaned/lubed it and now I'm itching it to hit the range this weekend!
The trigger feels great, better than my XSE and it's a perfect fit for my hand. I have a holster coming in from Crossbreed too so as soon as I know she operates 100% it will be my EDC.
I'm wanting to change out some things on it though. I figure some new grips from Altamont, but I wanted to replace the mainspring housing cover, grip safety, thumb safety, mag release, recoil spring bushing and slide stop with either chrome or nickel plated parts. Can anyone point me in the direction of where I can get drop in parts for an Officer frame? I know I can get stainless from various places like Wilson, and I'll go for stainless if that's all I can get.
Thanks in advance!

Re: New Colt Defender!
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:26 pm
by The Annoyed Man
It's a pretty little gun.......but it seems to be missing a part.
........the thumb safety on the right side of the frame.......

Re: New Colt Defender!
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:36 pm
by carlson1
Dawson Precison, Smith Alexander, and Wilson Combat.
Re: New Colt Defender!
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:41 pm
by karder
beautiful!

Re: New Colt Defender!
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:42 pm
by mupepe
The Annoyed Man wrote:It's a pretty little gun.......but it seems to be missing a part.
........the thumb safety on the right side of the frame.......


I'm not a fan of ambi safeties. If it came with one that'd probably be the first thing I removed!
carlson1 wrote:Dawson Precison, Smith Alexander, and Wilson Combat.
Thank you very much!
Re: New Colt Defender!
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 9:55 pm
by Pawpaw
Beautiful pistol!
One thing though... That is not a "mainspring housing cover", that
IS the mainspring housing.
Edit to add: If you're going to replace it, you will need to learn how to disassemble the old housing and reassemble the parts into the new one. It's not hard. YouTube will show you how. All you need is a solid work surface, a couple of punches, and
SAFETY GLASSES.
Re: New Colt Defender!
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 10:06 pm
by WTR
Re: New Colt Defender!
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 5:38 am
by mupepe
Pawpaw wrote:Beautiful pistol!
One thing though... That is not a "mainspring housing cover", that
IS the mainspring housing.
Edit to add: If you're going to replace it, you will need to learn how to disassemble the old housing and reassemble the parts into the new one. It's not hard. YouTube will show you how. All you need is a solid work surface, a couple of punches, and
SAFETY GLASSES.
Thanks for the correction! I've replaced it on my Colt XSE before but I imagine the process is the same or very similar? I'll be taking a look at youtube anyhow!
Re: New Colt Defender!
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 5:52 am
by flowrie
Very nice pistol, congrats!
Re: New Colt Defender!
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 10:46 am
by LosAlce
Beautiful! Can't wait to hear how it does at the range!
Re: New Colt Defender!
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 11:50 am
by mupepe
Thanks, everyone!
Does anyone know if a Wilson Combat Officer's Model FLGR kit will fit inside a Defender? I assume not since the Office is 3.5", correct? I'm trying to track down a SS bushing for the recoil assembly but can only find ones for actual Officer models.
Re: New Colt Defender!
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 12:22 pm
by The Annoyed Man
mupepe wrote:The Annoyed Man wrote:It's a pretty little gun.......but it seems to be missing a part.
........the thumb safety on the right side of the frame.......


I'm not a fan of ambi safeties. If it came with one that'd probably be the first thing I removed!
You must be a righthand chauvinist.
With the exception of my dad's 1943 Ithaca war relic, every 1911 I've ever owned either had to have an ambi-safety added, or came with one in the first place. Still, I do love 1911s; but I don't carry one anymore.
Re: New Colt Defender!
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 1:31 pm
by mupepe
The Annoyed Man wrote:mupepe wrote:The Annoyed Man wrote:It's a pretty little gun.......but it seems to be missing a part.
........the thumb safety on the right side of the frame.......


I'm not a fan of ambi safeties. If it came with one that'd probably be the first thing I removed!
You must be a righthand chauvinist.
With the exception of my dad's 1943 Ithaca war relic, every 1911 I've ever owned either had to have an ambi-safety added, or came with one in the first place. Still, I do love 1911s; but I don't carry one anymore.

It just looks so... unnatural!
AndyC wrote:mupepe wrote:I wanted to replace the mainspring housing cover, grip safety, thumb safety, mag release, recoil spring bushing and slide stop with either chrome or nickel plated parts. Can anyone point me in the direction of where I can get drop in parts for an Officer frame?
Grip safety and thumb-safety won't be drop-in - those need to be fitted by hand.
From what I've seen on youtube it's just a bit of filing. Is that right?