SW1911PD Build-Up

One of the few detriments to the full size 1911 as a carry gun is the weight. Years ago, Colt introduced their aluminum framed Lightweight Commander and few if any manufacturers produced a lightweight 1911 afterwards. Then Smith & Wesson began making forays into the lightweight revolver world, using an alloy of scandium and aluminum. The result was a very strong, light gun frame. When S&W began to make 1911s, it was inevitable they would produce a lightweight framed version in the alloy. The first was the SW1911Sc, followed by the SW1911PD.

I bought my SW1911PD at Dave's pawn shop for $650. I liked the idea of a lighter carry gun, and even the Government Model size, but I wanted some details altered from what Smith & Wesson put out. The first item to go was the full length guide rod, in favor of an Ed Brown GI set-up. The cocobolo grips were swapped for S&W rubber panels, and a trigger job was in order. It is difficult to obtain Chip McCormick's trigger, which has become a favorite of mine, so I installed a trigger from Fusion Firearms. The quality and appearance is the same.

I stoned the hammer hooks to 0.020, and I replaced the sear spring with a Nowlin unit. I jammed a Wilson 47D magazine into the pistol. To be honest, the pistol needed no alteration. It has a good factory trigger. I just liked the idea of a blacked out 1911 for a carry gun, and thus, I decided to take it the extra distance. I lubricated and reassembled the gun, and I placed it in my range bag.