Learn me about 1911's.

[Rick Lee]

I've pretty much given up on the custom 1911 I've been waiting seven months for. Gun show today presented three 1911's that really got my attention. First was a Kimber Custom II. Second was a Springfield 1911-A1 in black stainless. Third was some kind of similar ParaOrdnance with wood grips, black frame and slide with stainless components. All were in the $650-$900 range. Who has some opinions here?

[red-beard]

I have 2, both are Springfields. Both have had some custom work done to them.

The first one I bought was an All stainless 5 in mil-spec. It fired good and true out of the box and is one of my favorite pistols to shoot. I recently had an extended (beavertail) safety installed along with a nice square ring hammer (vanity change), an adjustable stop trigger and had the trigger reduce to 4 lbs. This has made this is now may favorite pistol. Extremely accurate. At 5-7 yards, I can put a full magazine through a single raged hole.

My second one came to me already modified. It is a Springfield version of the Colt Combat Commander: 4 inch barrel with the shortened grip and light alloy frame. This is my favorite carry gun, but it doesn't get carried as much in the summer months in Houston. It has all of the above mods, plus 30 lpi (lines per inch) checkering on the front of the grip, checkered cocobolo grips and an Ed Brown recoil guide and spring. Even with the 4 inch barrel, it is extremely accurate.

Kimber makes excellent guns, but like all of them, your mileage may vary. I have also heard very good things about the Para's, and they make both single stack (std) and double stack (high capacity) versions of each pistol. I personally prefer single stack since they are thinner and easier to conceal. Some people, especially those with big hands, like the double stack because the grip is thicker.

For me? I'm heading towards some very small, 3 inch barrel, short grip, all stainless, for carry. I've found that carry weight is not a big deal and I prefer the heavier pistol for less recoil.

My 'when I have the money' pistol will be an Ed Brown Custom.

[Seahawk]

Rick,

I have a Kimber Desert Warrior. With most things, gun selection is a matter of personal taste and fit. This particular gun met my needs.
The Kimber has been very reliable and accurate...no jams in over a thousand rounds.

[red-beard]

JRiera is probably the guy to ask about Pistols.

[Rick V]

I used to have a Springfield, it was a tank and very reliable. I gave it to a friend who was traveling (by car) around the country with no protection. Otherwise I would still have it. I wouldn't carry one anymore since It didn't have a decocker, now I carry a Ruger kp90.

[red-beard]

A decocker on a S/A 1911 is not a very good option. You can always put the SFS mod onto a 1911/Browning High Power.

Me? I carry cocked and locked and don't worry.

[red-beard]

BTW, my other primary carry weapons are all, no safety, DAO.

[Rick Lee]

I carry my SIG's with one in the pipe and wouldn't worry about carrying a 1911 cocked and locked.

[red-beard]

It's the way John Moses intended!

[jriera]

I had the pleasure to work on many 1911 style pistols, Para, STI, Springfield, Colt, etc. the 1911-style pistol has been (probably) the most produced pistol to date (no data to back that statement) and the less-changed from a mechanical standpoint.

My personal favorite for carry will be a Colt Gold Cup Commander in .45 ACP, but any 1911-style gun will do.

Get a good frame and slide, hard chrome both in your favorite color (I like the stainless steel finish), buy a couple of TI parts for duration, adjust the trigger to your like, match the recoil spring to the load you are using (I have used and tested from 155 grains to 225 grains bullets) and you are set.

NEVER disconnect the grip safety switch if you want to have one live bullet in the barrel, I have few friends with extra holes in the legs by not listening to the advice.

7+1 (or 8+1) in .45 ACP will go a long way, with a little bit of practice you can change mags in few seconds to have a few more if needed (doubtfuly). You can always do the same with a high-cap frame (i.e. Para Warthog)

Send me a PM if you want more details, pistol gunsmithing is one of my hobies and was my job for an extended period of time.

PS. Carrying a pistol in ready-condition (bullet in the pipe) is the ONLY way to carry a pistol for self defense, either with double or single action.

PPS. Lady Smith NS is a good choice for a double-action carry gun or consider a revolver (.45 ACP with moon-clips)

PPPS. NEVER carry a gun if you are not ready to use it.

PPPPS. Go the range at least once a week (to recycle your ammo, I have way to many stories of bad ammo in 'delicate' situations), practice your draw, your first shot (forhead please, no body armor there) and mag changes

[red-beard]

Jordi, the next time we go to Vegas, I'm bringing a couple of the babies. I would trust you to do virtually anything to them.

Unloaded, a gun is a complicated paper weight.

[Rick V]

Originally posted by Rick Lee
I carry my SIG's with one in the pipe and wouldn't worry about carrying a 1911 cocked and locked.

I cary one in the pipe and the hammer down, with the main spring unloaded. With the flip of a switch(from either side) I am hot. I just don't like having the mainspring under constant pressure. The double action first pull fits my needs.
Back to your origional questin I like the springfield.

[fastpat]

Both my primary self defense pistols are ParaOrdnance pieces in stainless. One is a P10 and the other a P12. The former is to use concealed, the later in home defense until I can reach my home defense shotgun which is a few steps away, while the P12 is within arms reach. I like the 1911 style frame quite a bit, but I've never seen a standard model (initial cost $500-600 currently) that did not need to be tuned for reliable feeding by a competent gunsmith. The rather higher priced models from Kimber are essentially factory gunsmithed 1911's, and are actually quite a bit cheaper than buying either a Colt or Para and then having them fully tuned. Total cost for both of my pistols with the tender treatment by Cylinder & Slide in Nebraska was about $1300.00 each.

So you can see that you'd save big time by buying a new Kimber that is already tuned.

Meanwhile, I'm still slavering over a Sig in either the P239 or P229, with the full SAS treatment, which sell in the neighborhood of $750-850 depending on who you buy it from.

[Rick Lee]

Pat, I had a Para P12 and probably had $1000 into it before it was just the way I wanted it. But with that and my old Commander, I still could not get either to shoot as straight as my SIG P220. But now that I live nextdoor to the NRA Range and get there a lot, I have gotten a lot better and want to go back to 1911's. You should get every SIG you can afford. I have a P229, P239, P220 and Pro 2340. They're all great guns.

[red-beard]

Just sold my P-239. Nice gun, but too big for carry. And I don't need any more range only guns.

[fastpat]

Originally posted by red-beard
Just sold my P-239. Nice gun, but too big for carry. And I don't need any more range only guns.

What did you get for carry then, the P239 is pretty small in my opinion, compared to my P10, it's much thinner.

I may pick up a Sig P232 in .380, but it's not too much smaller than a P239 is it? It is lighter though, at about 17.5 ounces.

[tabs]

A Tactical friend of mine loves his Sprinfield Operator 1911...for about $650 it shoots right outa the box.

[red-beard]

I carry a Springfield version of the Colt Combat Commander, which is smaller and thinner than the P-239. I also use a Kel-Tec P-40 with a mag extension for 10+1 either 40 S&W or .357sig. It is significantly smaller than the P-239 and thinner. I can pocket carry the P-40 in any pair of pants I own.

[charleskieffner]

nelson ford (phx.az.) did both my springfields. full size and micro both stainless.

[charleskieffner]

micro is perfect for glove box (disarmed) when going in somewhere that does not like CCW's and for general drill sits in side pocket. dont leave home w/out it EVER! have blasted 200 rds after nelson worked on them and brought back to him for fine tuning. run federal hydrashocks thru both. NEVER A PROBLEM!