Replacing the plastic Colt mainspring housing on a Combat Elite

[WVsig]

I recently picked up this Combat Elite. It has the crappy plastic mainspring housing. I want to replace it and am considering a few options.

The front grip strap has vertical line serrations as does the plastic Colt mainspring housing. I am considering replacing it with a metal version with the same serration patten but I am also looking for other suggestions.

I thought about the Ed Brown snake or chainlink pattern but I am not sure if I want to blink it out in that direction or keep it more traditional.

Thoughts?

 

[Don P]

Match the front and be done with it. Nice looker ya got there.

 

[alloy]

Wow, nice ol Mark IV, I have one as well, not quite as nice tho!
Anyway here's a Smith and Alexander on a newer CE. They also make them with just the vertical lines. This had no frontstrap tooling to match, but I figured on day might get the front checkered.
Just tossing it out there for comparison.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Personally, I like the completely smooth MSHs used in the original M1911. There is very little hand contact with the MSH -- checkering, serrating, or any of the other treatments du jour don't provide much tangible benefit (IMHO).

 

[WVsig]

I think I am going to get the matching Colt piece but in SS vs plastic. MidwayUSA sells it for $35 but are out of stock. The finish should match better than other makers right? LOL

 

[RickB]

I put the Ed Brown serrated on my Colt, and would especially choose that option if the front strap is already serrated. That said, I don't think the plastic (delrin?) Colt part is "crappy". It actually works very well, is plenty strong enough, and the surface finish inside the housing is smooth, unlike a lot of metal housings.

 

[WVsig]

I put the Ed Brown serrated on my Colt, and would especially choose that option if the front strap is already serrated. That said, I don't think the plastic (delrin?) Colt part is "crappy". It actually works very well, is plenty strong enough, and the surface finish inside the housing is smooth, unlike a lot of metal housings.

IMHO the feel the the part makes is crap. I know that it is strong enough but honestly it feels cheap. It is not even close to the quality feel of they rest of the gun. YMMV

If you loved the part so much why did you replace yours?