Improving the 2011 platform

[Elmer Fud]

I am new to the 1911/2011 platform, and I’m trying to learn ways to improve or upgrade an existing handgun.  I just recently purchased the Mac 9 DS based on reviews and such. I am open for discussion.

[Grayfox54]

Don't do anything until you've shot it for a while. Then  make only the changes that will make it better for you. 

Do you really need a better trigger? Better sights? Optics or add ons? Only you can decide. 

Making changes just for the sake of making changes in a waste of money. Making the wrong changes is a waste of a good gun. 

[papa61]

2 hours ago, Grayfox54 said:

Don't do anything until you've shot it for a while. Then  make only the changes that will make it better for you. 

Do you really need a better trigger? Better sights? Optics or add ons? Only you can decide. 

Making changes just for the sake of making changes in a waste of money. Making the wrong changes is a waste of a good gun. 

Agreed. A New 1911 will need break in time. Try different ammo and see what it likes. Some will not like hollow points and require a competent 1911 gunsmith. I have not personally had any issues with 1911s or with the Para 14.45 I had. I have a nearly new RIA now and can't wait to get it to the range. I might change sights as it is a GI model. Once I'm confident it is running 100% I plan to put all stainless controls on her just for looks. A good 1911 usually needs nothing and most are "upgraded" because they weren't broken in. One thing leads to another until you have a money pit that never really needed anything.

[Squirtle]

I too just picked up my first 2011 styled pistol except I went with the Stealth Arms Platypus. I was looking at the Prodigy, Mac 9 DS, and the Platypus. I did a bunch of research on all 3, but both the Prodigy and the Mac 9 DS I saw a lot of people saying the best upgrade/improvement they made was shooting it and give the contact points a good polish. 

[deerslayer]

These are the changes I’ve made to 2011s I’ve had.  They were improvements for me; some may find them dumb, which is also fine.  

1.  Mag release spring - either a lighter spring or trim the existing one.  These springs are often too stiff and I don’t drop the mag.  This may possibly be due to my left-handedness - I use my trigger finger to hit the mag release and I may not have as much leverage as you right-handed thumbdumpers.  
 

2.  Short trigger - I don’t have small hands, but I tend to use the tip of my finger and a short trigger helps mitigate this bad habit that I’ve never shaken.  
 

3.  Steel mainspring housing - I’ve added a steel MSH to add an ounce or so of weight in the heel (when the grip/MSH is polymer).  Maybe splitting hairs, but I like the feel of it better.  
 

4.  Reduced power recoil spring - some factory guns are badly oversprung.  As a competitive shooter, I often hear the misconception about  “powder puff” ammo that non-competitive shooters assume we use.  A lighter spring changes the recoil impulse, but has little to do with light ammo (at least for me).  My gamer ammo is slightly spicier than what I usually carry.  
 

5.  Aftermarket fire control parts - only worthwhile if A. your gun has MIM junk (sometimes MIM stuff is ok), B. you want to improve/lighten the trigger, and C. you will shoot it a lot (10,000+ rounds).  Some MIM parts will hold up, but some high volume shooters go ahead and ditch them when doing a trigger job.  
 

Having said all that, and the Mac 9 being your first 2011, I would just shoot the hell out of it and not do anything to it for a while, if ever.