Morning Coffee

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Choices

For some reason, I am asked fairly frequently about what I like in a 1911 pistol. My usual response is that what I like only matters to me. Each shooter is unique, and the beauty of a 1911 style pistol in today's world is that it can easily be customized to a shooter's own preferences, assuming such a pistol is not available off the shelf. The real question is what a shooter has decided works for themselves. Still, to answer the question in another round about way, I found this photo in my archives which shows several features I don't like. These features are not inherently bad, they just don't work for me. I would not turn down this Colt Commander if it were offered to me at a fair price. However, it would not last 24 hours without a few modifications.

First off would be the Hogue wrap around rubber grips. I detest them. They are fat, sticky, and they do nothing to help me control the gun. What would I screw on? Wood or rubber double diamonds. The down turned "duck bill" grip safety would have to go. I would either install an Ed Brown grip safety with the speed bump removed, or I would go with a smoothed out GI style grip safety.

The rear sight would be the next thing punched off this gun. A Commander is a carry gun. Carry guns deserve a fixed rear sight. If I could get a Ted Yost Retro rear sight, that would be my first choice. If not, something similar. Finally, it would get a long trigger and a trigger job. My preference is a flat mainspring housing and a long trigger.

So for those who have asked, that is how I would immediately alter this particular pistol if I purchased it. Oh, one other thing. I would check the chamber, and place the the thumb safety in the up position.

Fine Art

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The Colt M1991A1

"Hey Xavier, would you be interested in a Colt?" We were getting ready for a case, and the x-ray technician's question was music to my ears.

"I dunno. What kind is it?" I asked.

"A M1991A1," replied Ralph, as he maneuvered the C-arm past my back table. "I took it to the gun store to trade in on a Smith & Wesson M&P, and they only offered me $300."

"That's too bad. Is it in decent shape?"

"Yeah. It's a bit beat up, but not bad," replied Ralph. "I have some custom grips on it."

"How's about $450?"

"Sounds good. Meet me after work?"

"OK, but the deal is dependent on whether it shoots reliably."

"OK."

So it was that I met up with Ralph after work to take a look at another Colt. When he took the blue case out of his truck, my mouth began to water. The Hogue wrap around "Good Year" grip stopped my Pavlovian response though. I hate those things.

The Colt M1991A1 is actually a 1911 manufactured by Colt to meet a certain price point. It was first introduced in..... 1991, and the gimmicky new name was emblazoned across the slide like a big bumper sticker. The finish was parkerizing, and the pistol contained the Series 80 firing pin safety. It was a basic gun, not glamorous, but reliable and effective. The factory installed a plastic trigger and a plastic mainspring housing to meet the price point desired. The model designation is still used, but today's version of the 1991 pistol is brushed blue with sandblasted rounds, and the pistol comes with nice wooden grips. It also sells for seven hundred dollars or so.

Ralph's pistol had some finish wear, and on field stripping it, it appeared as though he used 3 in 1 oil and WD-40 for lubricant. Other than the outer finish wear, it hardly looked to have been fired. "You shoot this much?" I asked.

"Nah, I just had it to have it," he replied.

I went through my process of checking a used 1911 prior to purchase. The thumb safety did not ping when the hammer was pulled back. The feed ramp had not been touched. The bore was like new. The barrel fit well, as did the slide. The magazine was a no name stainless steel mag, but it looked decent enough.

The 1911 wheels in my head got a quick kick start. In my spares box at home, I had a solid black aluminum trigger. I also had a checkered aluminum mainspring housing. I had walnut double diamond grips. This pistol would take very little to turn into a very nice, serviceable 1911. In fact, I would have to put no further money into it.

"I tell you what Ralph, I'll give you three hundred today, and the remaining one fifty after I shoot it," I offered.

"Fair enough," said Ralph. I placed the Colt in its blue box, snapped it shut, and drew three Benjamins out of my wallet.

Once home, I took out a few tools and began to detail strip the Colt. Everything was dry and in good shape, except both bushings unscrewed with the grip on the left side of the pistol. I used a pair of vise grips and a screwdriver to free the trapped bushings from the fat rubber grip, and then I set them back into the receiver with red LocTite.

I used brake cleaner to dissolve the gummed up oil inside the pistol. Digging through my spares box I found the trigger, mainspring housing and grips. It would take a lot to get me to change my mind now. I did a trigger job on the pistol and installed the parts. I removed a little metal from the tab of the grip safety to make it more responsive in my hands. I deepened the plunger recess in the thumb safety so it would engage and disengage with more authority. I dressed the extractor. Finally, I went to my range bag and retrieved a blue Shooting star magazine and stuffed it in the bottom. The pistol was starting to look like a clean, no nonsense pistol.

I was sold. Over time, my tastes in handguns has meta morphed from a love for large capacity European 9mm blasters, to plastic fantastics, to 1911 trend setters. Back in 1991, when this Colt pistol first hit the market, I was wrapped up in the 9mm wonder gun scene. I had passed them by at $400. Now, it is a fortunate man who finds one for that price, in almost any condition. I stuffed the Colt M1991A1 and some ammo in my range bag for a trip to the range.

I shot 230 hardball, 185 grain hollow points, and a couple magazines of reloads. I shot the pistol right side up, upside down, and on it's side. I let my thumb ride the slide and I limp wristed it. No matter how I tried to induce a failure, the Colt gobbled anything I had to stuff into it's magazine. It was accurate, more accurate than I was.

It looks like I'll be taking $150 to work in the morning.

The Paraordnance "GI Expert"

In December 2008 Paraordnance has a new single stack 1911 scheduled to appear on the gun market. MSRP is slated to be $599, an obvious move towards the market share capitalized on by Springfield's GI45 and the Taurus PT1911. Paraordnance has long been an innovator in the 1911 world. They were the first company to mass produce a double stack 1911, and they still have a viable double action only 1911 with the LDA series of guns.

I'm going to assume their new plain Jane 1911, dubbed the GI Expert, is a reliable, accurate enough shooter. That should be expected from a new gun from a company of Paraordnance's stature. This post is about asthetics and marketing. I'll progress from there.

It appears that Paraordnance is trying to make a 1911 for the first time 1911 shooter. To keep costs down, they went with a somewhat mil-specky 1911, even calling it a "GI" gun. It isn't. You can not just take a pistol and toss some upright sights on it, finish it in flat black and call it a GI style gun.

The Paraordanace GI Expert no doubt has a cast slide and frame like other Para guns. 1911 style pistols from the Philippines are no different and are half the cost. The "upgraded" Armscor guns are just as ugly too.

No GI pistol ever had a skeletonized hammer or a drilled out plastic trigger. No GI pistol ever had a lowered and flared ejection port. GI front sights were staked. GI pistols do have lanyard loops, and their mags do not have plastic finger pads on the bottom.

Now the MEU/SOC 1911 arguably has some of these items, but it is not a GI pistol. It is a custom pistol. GI stands for General Issue. The general issue 1911 was first the M1911, then the M1911A1, and finally rearsenaled mixtures of the two. The Paraordnance "GI Expert" fails at mimicking a GI gun. It fails miserably. It fails in ways that you would expect if the company manufacturing it had no appreciation for what a GI pistol is. If a buyer desires a GI style pistol for between $500 and $600, the Springfield GI45 knocks the Paraordnance GI Expert out in the first round. If the buyer wants a fully appointed 1911 in that price range, the forged frame, beavertailed, Heinie sighted Taurus PT1911 is waiting to eat the Paraordnance GI Expert's lunch and take it's cookie too.

A GI gun is more than an ugly black gun. A GI gun conforms to very specific specifications set by the US Army. There will be some who purchase this pistol thinking they are getting a GI styled gun. They are ignorant. There will be gun writers gushing over the latest ordnance from Canada, Charolette, proclaiming it to be an advancement of the GI pistol, picking up where the National Match pistols left off. They should know better.

Here's the deal........ A high speed low drag "expert" would not purchase the Paraordnance GI Expert pistol. The pistol is not "GI" or even close to approximating a general issue military weapon. The entire concept is an attempt to capitalize on a certain segment of the gun market. If this is what Paraordnance wanted to do, they would have been better served taking one of their single action single stack guns and parkerizing it. Then lower the price to compete.

For those who may have forgotten, for those who apparently never knew, and for those who will write glowing articles about the new GI Expert from our neighbors from the North, this is what a real deal GI 1911 looks like. Take a good look, a close look.

It ain't pretty, and it ain't tacticool with a bunch of drilled out whiz bang Flash Gordon knick knacks on it. It's just a big, heavy, tough as nails war pistol with rattles included, that will reliably shoot when the trigger is pulled and put a big hole somewhere near the area in the sights. That's what a GI pistol is. Others claiming the GI designation are pretenders ......... And pretending is OK. If you are going to pretend though, know the thing you are pretending to be, and imitate it well. Don't try to convince your audience that Elvis had blonde hair, that Marilyn was flat chested, or that a Llama looking conglomeration of parts is a GI pistol.

edited to add: One of my loyal readers educated me that G.I. originally stood for galvanized iron! I was incredulous, but apparently, he is correct!

My Colt Compact

One of my favorite 1911 style pistols is a Colt M1991A1 Compact that I modified for carry. As an unmodified pistol it had an uncanny accuracy despite it's short sight radius. All the work I performed on it was done to enhance the shootability, reliability and durability of an already accurate firearm.

The Colt Compact is the bare bones parkerized version of the Colt Officer's ACP. As with most of the 1911s that I have modified for my own use, I installed an Ed Brown grip safety and an Ed Brown tactical thumb safety. I kept the Colt hammer, sear and disconnect. The trigger, though, was swapped out for a Dlask magnesium and titanium unit. I fitted a Ted Yost retro rear sight into the slide and had a dentist friend fill the original front sight recess with a bit of gold. The Colt slide stop and the barrel that held the pistol's accuracy were retained.

But wait...... There is one modification I forgot to mention, the one most people are interested in. The Colt Compact and Officer's ACP both suffer from a reputation of a recoil plug that depends on a small lug that fits in the dustcover for retention. The barrel bushing is a thin unit, and through the rigors of prolong use, the lug on the recoil plug has been known to shear off. When that occurs, the plug and recoil spring are launched down range, and the gun becomes an amusing club. I wasn't going to have that on a carry gun.

To rectify the problem, I ordered a reverse recoil plug from Clark Custom for $20. This plug has a lug that fits in the original recess, but more importantly, it has a flange that goes around it's rear that prevents it from ever breaking. The Clark reverse plug is a solidly over-engineered chunk of steel, and only a glimpse makes even the most skeptical shooter realize it isn't going anywhere. It uses the original recoil springs and guide, and requires minimal fitting to the pistol.

With the big chunk of Clark steel up front, the thin Colt Compact bushing was looking pretty anemic. I started to shop around, and finally decided on an EGW Melt bushing to replace it. For $22.50, the EGW Melt bushing is another hefty piece of steel. It is designed to extend to the edges of the slide to prevent a seamless blend on the muzzle of the pistol if it is radically dehorned, or "melted." along with the EGW bushing, I ordered the bushing wrench necessary to turn it. The bushing required fitting to both the slide and the barrel, but the specs were so close that I was able to achieve a close tolerance fit with emery cloth and a bit of oil and elbow grease. The bushing extends out past the barrel's crown a bit, effectively protecting it. Between the Clark reverse plug and the EGW bushing, the pistol has all the reliability of a ball peen hammer,

I gave the pistol a subtle dehorning, and I took my new carry pistol to a pro for refinishing. I wanted a tough finish, but also one that was dark and nondescript. I chose a teflon coating with a black slide over an olive drab receiver. Finally, Pearce rubber double diamond grips and a Wilson Combat magazine with a low profile base pad rounded out the package for a durable, reliable and accurate carry gun.

The Combat Elite

One Colt 1911 pistol that makes Colt the connoisseur heart go pitty pat is the two toned Combat Elite. With a polished blue slide and a stainless frame, it is an elegant handgun.

My Combat Elite was purchased at a gun show for $600 a few years back. It has been modified a bit since then, with an Ed Brown grip safety and thumb safety, a flat mainspring housing, a McCormick trigger, and a Wilson bushing to tighten things up. It's a good, reliable shootin' gun.

Although my Combat Elite has Accro adjustable sights and an enhanced frame and slide, the Combat Elite originally appeared in the classic fixed sight vertical slide serration format. Many Colt guys prefer that version, and I can't argue. Calling an adjustable sighted gun "Combat Elite" makes one wonder if the person naming it knows combat.

At any rate, the Combat Elite remained an elusive firearm for many. Now, Hartford has re-introduced the pistol. The good news is it has a fitted beavertail and a swept back Novak style rear sight. It also has the skeletonized hammer and a three hole trigger. The neato *Combat Elite* rollmark is carried over with the blued slide and stainless frame combination.

The bad news is the slide is not polished, and the pistol has forward serrations. I guess you can't have it all. Still, word has it these pistols are selling at a street price between $800 and $900. If you have the scratch and a hankering for Colt's two toned beauty, this gun, Model O8011XSE, is not a bad rendition at all.

An Epiphany at Breda's Place

I put up a target and loaded the pistol. I got into my stance, consciously controlled my breathing, and thought, "Okay. Strong grip. Sights lined up. Front sight focus." I was having a little internal monologue to calm myself. "Shhhh," I told myself. "Breathe. Slow down." I squeezed the trigger...

Breda falls in love............ Go read.

So often, people eschew the 1911 for reasons that are not rational. Fear of recoil, the desire for "modern" equipment, whatever........ Then they shoot an example of John Moses Browning's finest, and they have an epiphany. They can never look at another handgun in the same way again.

Congratulation Breda. You have found Nirvana.

Range Song

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

Did you guess which thing was not like the others?
Did you guess which thing just doesn't belong?
If you guessed this one is not like the others,
Then you're absolutely...Right!

Choosing Your First 1911

"My next purchase would like to be a 1911, What do you recommend as a first 1911?"

It's not unusual for my opinion to be requested by people who are considering buying a 1911 for the first time. In many ways, the 1911 is emblematic of the gun world. It has it's aficionados, it's true believers, and it's know-it-alls. There are few experts. I often wonder why people ask my opinion, but it happens often enough that it must seem valuable to some. I want to quantify this blog post by stating I am no expert. I have owned a lot of different 1911 style pistols. I have shot a lot of 1911 style pistols. I carry a 1911. Those are my qualifications. I have not owned or shot them all though, and I'm certain there is much I do not know. This, however, is my opinion and advice, if you think it may be valuable, take it. It's your's. If you think it's opinionated crap because I don't fall to the altar of your particular brand of gun, you are welcome to your own opinion.

I do not mean to disparage anyone's pistol of choice here, only relate my experiences. This is not a blog post about what a 1911 is and is not. If you want to read my opinions concerning that, go here. In this blog post, "1911" and "1911 style pistol" are synonymous.

The problem with choosing a first 1911 is there are so damned many of them. The 1911 is not just a pistol. It is a weapons platform. The original patent expired years ago, and almost every major firearms manufacturer has produced at least one 1911 style pistol, often several. Some manufacturers, at any given time, can deck out an entire gun store in multiple variations of the 1911. Gun stores are unable to carry every possible variation, and they need to sell what they have in stock. The guy behind the counter will give you his opinion. He may be a seasoned shooter of the 1911, or he may be a know-it-all true believer of a particular brand. Unless you know him personally from the range, it's difficult to determine if he knows what he is talking about when your own knowledge base is spotty. He may have vested interests, and that's a bad thing when it's your money being spent.

Realize too, that your first 1911 may not be your last 1911. Some people feel like they got burned when the 1911 they chose did not live up to their expectations. The truth is, they just chose poorly. This blog post is about how to make the right choices for that first 1911, and how to continue to make subsequent wise choices on the next ones.

Explore the Possibilities

When one considers the myriad variations of the 1911, including custom guns, the problem of selecting only one quickly becomes apparent. There are too many possibilities to check them all out. The mind quickly becomes overwhelmed. Not having shot the pistol, it's difficult to know what you want. It's even harder to know what you need. But, to buy wisely, a person needs to know what they want, and have an idea of what they need. Saying "I want a 1911" is like saying "I want an automobile." You should invest some time in research, and you have to look within yourself.

Like an automobile, the 1911 is often called an expression of a shooter's personae, and it's easy to get caught up in the expression of one's self when a person does not yet know their specific wants and needs. The difference is, with a mature 1911 shooter, the 1911 arrives at that expression honestly, over time. The trick is to get ahead of the "I just want a 1911" idea. Get some hands on research done. Try some 1911 style pistols out. If you have a rental range near by, go there and rent several 1911s to shoot. Try different sizes, calibers and examples from different manufacturers. Ask your shooting buddies if you can shoot their 1911s. Ask their opinions. If you are unable to shoot a few 1911s before buying, at least know what you do not want. Go to a gun show. Handle as many variations as possible. See what feels good, and what comes to sights readily for you.

Know your Purpose

The first problem of choosing a 1911 is narrowing down the field of bewildering candidates. It's a process of elimination. The 1911 performs many shooting tasks extremely well, but it is often modified from it's basic format to perform some tasks better than others. Knowing your reasons for wanting a 1911 as well as your intended purpose for it's use can narrow the field of candidates quickly.

Do you want the 1911 to have one in your collection? Yes, that's a valid reason. Do you admire the tradition and the history? Another valid reason. If these are your reasons, then a military styled 1911 is your meat. Look for parkerized Government Models with small fixed sights a lanyard loop and high ejection ports. In order of expense, these include: Rock Island Armory, Springfield, Colt, and genuine GI guns. Each of these manufacturers make a GI styled 1911, and they will float your boat if you want a GI styled 1911. Such a pistol will serve admirably as a carry gun, although the finish must be oiled, the sights are small, and it requires a bit more effort in concealment.

Do you want a general purpose gun? Are you someone who just can't leave the tools in the tool box when you buy a gun? Do Brownell's and Midway regularly send you flyers? Are you looking for a gun to "grow with?" Look towards the Springfield Mil-Spec and the Colt 1991. These are pistols that are frequently purchased and later upgraded. If you already know you want a beavertail grip safety and swept back sights, consider a Smith & Wesson 1911 and a Kimber Custom as well. Not the Custom II, the Kimber Custom. Just Custom, no Roman numeral II. No external extractor, and no Swartz firing pin safety. You will have to buy used, unless you are extremely lucky and find the last bug free Kimber for sale on a dusty gun store shelf in Nowheresville.

Do you want a range gun? Is this gun one that will travel in a box to the range and shoot targets at a wide variety of distances? Then consider a 1911 with adjustable sights. In my opinion, this is the only reason to have adjustable sights on a 1911. You might consider a long slide gun for the greater sight radius and reduced recoil, and you may also want to consider a beavertail grip safety for ease of shooting for extended periods.

Will this gun be a carry gun? The Government Model is a pistol that carries very nicely in the right leather. If you are planning to pack your 1911 though, consider the smaller versions. The Commander has a shorter slide, but the same length grip frame, allowing you to use standard magazines. The Officer's Model has both a shorter slide and a shorter grip frame, and must use a shorter magazine. Avoid any pistol outside of these parameters. Occasionally a manufacturer will produce a version of the 1911 with an odd grip frame length that demands proprietary magazines. Avoid those like the plague. Finding magazines will be a pain in the neck. Many of the mini 1911s also have proprietary recoil assemblies that wear out quickly and cost money to replace. Reliability goes down as the slide and barrel shorten to less than four inches. Consider lightweight frames in a Commander sized pistol instead. Colt, Kimber and Smith & Wesson are all producing the 1911 in lightweight carry versions. Colt seems to make the most reliable micro 1911s. Springfield versions have less than stellar reports. Consider stainless pistols for corrosion resistance if you plan to carry your 1911. Think fixed sights. You will not have time to dial them in on your attacker, and you don't want them knocked out of adjustment on door frames.

One thought to consider is the 1911 is a weapons platform requiring specific training. In my opinion, your first 1911 should not be chosen for the purpose of being a carry gun. You should learn the weapons platform first, under experienced instruction, and then make the decision whether you want to carry it on your hip. If your first 1911 becomes your carry gun over time, great. Just don't choose a lightweight three inch 1911 and then complain because the recoil is to strong for you.

Will this be a gun to compete with? You need more specific instruction than I can provide here. Knowing the rules, regulations and needs of your form of competition is paramount. I advise you to consult with shooters who are already using the 1911 in your choice of competition. I will say this. Shoot the guns of other competitors. Do your research, and consider true bespoke custom guns. They are money well spent if the gunsmith is widely recognized. There are off the rack "semi-customs" from the likes of Wilson Combat, Les Baer, and Ed Brown among others, and then there are true bespoke custom guns from the likes of Clark Custom, Nowlin and other notable gunsmiths. Remember, repeatable accuracy costs money, and spending your money in the right place to start with is wiser than taking your pistol back and forth to Joe the neighborhood gun hack time and again.

Set Your Budget

The 1911 is an expensive pistol. The frame and slide can not be popped out of a mold like polymer guns and quickly assembled into a functional firearm. There seems to be several dividing lines in the price ranges of 1911 pistols. Sticking with your budget is important. Extending it a bit to get what you want may be more important. If you must wait an extra pay day or two before you can purchase the right gun, then do so. The right gun in a month costs less than the wrong gun now. The sting of a high price tag hurts less than the ache of a poor choice due to financial expediency.

Below $500 you will find pistols that have cast frames and slides, often manufactured in the Philippines. Many 1911 guys sneer at these pistols, but they can present an attractive means of determining whether you like the weapons platform. I have never owned one of these pistols, but many shooters are quite happy with them. Rock Island Armory seems to make some of the most reliable 1911s in this class. They are available in GI versions as well as updated versions. One issue that I have regarding these pistols is quality control of the castings and long term durability. Products from third world nations invariably have touch and go quality control. It's just the nature of the beast. One year, the quality may be adequate, the next, abysmal. Caveat emptor. Resale value on these guns is low, but then, you don't pay much for them to start with. Upgrading them is possible, but do not expect to recoup the investment if you sell.

In the $500-$700 range, Springfield is the prime supplier. Their offerings include the GI45 for the traditionalists, and the Mil-Spec for those who want updating. For a general purpose 1911 in this price range, it's hard to beat a Springfield Mil-Spec. The frames are forged, the fitting is good, and the warranty is second to none. If you want to know my usual recommendation for a person new to 1911s, that's it. The Mil-Spec is durable, accurate enough, and upgradeable if you have the inclination.

Other manufacturers sometimes offer upgraded 1911s in this entry range. Remember though, if they have an offering here, they cut costs somewhere. The frames may be cast, the small parts may be made of poorly formed MIM, the barrels may be cheap, the labor may have been outsourced overseas, or any combination of those concerns. The manufacturer struggled to reach this price point. Figure out how, and decide whether you can live with it. The Taurus PT1911 can often be found in this price range. I have not shot one beyond a couple of range try outs, but they seem to be well made, and they get good reviews. Among the Philippine cast frame 1911s in this range are the Charles Daley Field 1911 at $649, and the STI Spartan listed at $660. I have no experience with either of these pistols. 1911s from the higher price brackets will occasionally fall into this range used. If you are interested in a used 1911, go here to learn how to check one out.

Many 1911 shooters advise a $700-$1100 budget to get started. This is because the choices really open up in this range, plus you have the lower price ranges to consider as well. You have a wide choice of materials and sizes. Most of the frames and slides will be forged. In this range you will find beavertail grip safeties, dovetailed sights, a wide choice of sights, a variety of finishes, different calibers and more. Many of the small parts, and even barrels, are out sourced to aftermarket suppliers. The question is which ones. You will have to decide whether you can live with forward slide serrations, firing pin safeties, bushingless systems, full length guide rods and skeletonized hammers. Make peace with MIM or resolve to slowly purge it from your pistol piece by piece.

In this price range, as long as you stick with a major manufacturer and purchase a gun suited to your purpose, you should be satisfied. Those players are Colt, Springfield, Smith & Wesson, and STI. Kimber used to have my recommendation until they began the Series II guns. The Kimber Custom and all the Series 1 guns raised the 1911 bar and forced Colt off it's laurels. The Series II Kimbers suffer from a poor reliability history. Sig Sauer made some of the ugliest 1911s ever and deposited them in this price range. Those are not known for reliability either. Paraordnance...... What can you say about Para? Cast slides from Canada and mutant double stacked double action pistols that revolutionized competition.

When a 1911 buyer has a budget above $1100, the choices really expand. This is the world of the production "semi-custom" gun, and the domain of diminishing returns. Wilson Combat established this arena, followed by Les Baer and Ed Brown. What the buyer of these guns should expect is superior fit and finish, and extraordinary customer service. In the domain of diminishing returns, the proof of these guns is on the paper. These guns shoot, and they shoot accurately. Most shooters will never harness the potential that these guns possess. Indeed, to demonstrate this accuracy, the guns are benched or locked in a Ransom Rest. Many people love these guns. They worship them, they crave them, they swear by them. They compete with them, and God help the man who disses their gat.

If you, as a person new to 1911s are considering one of these pistols, you probably did not do your research very well. You likely have heard horror stories of unreliable 1911s and you hope to avoid that with a bit more cash. Guess what? These guns fail too. They are not magic talismans against the nefarious 1911 gremlin. They just cost more money, look a bit prettier, and give you empty bragging rights at the range. The real measure of a 1911 is no failures with repeatable holes in the X ring. Other 1911 pistols can do that too, if the shooter can.

What many shooters fail to realize is that for the price of some of these off the shelf "semi-custom" production guns, they could purchase a true bespoke custom. Of course, if they were going to order such a gun, they would be expected to inform the gunsmith of exactly what they want. That is where buying and shooting one of the other 1911s comes into play. You will not, you can not know what you want and need unless you shoot the gun, and shoot it over a number of months if not years. Still, if you want to spend this kind of scratch on a first 1911, give Nowlin or Clark Custom a call. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Another note.....genuine GI guns, Colts, Ithacas, Remington Rands, Union Switch & Signals, Singers and Springfields (the other Springfield) also fall into this price range. These are shootable investments if you ask me. Like any investment though, you had better know what you are doing, or you will lose your ass. These historical firearms are not reasonable choices as a first 1911 for a person who plans to shoot the gun.

Choose a Caliber

Once you have set your intended use and your budget, consider caliber. 1911s come in many calibers. .22 Long rifle; .38 Super; 9mm; .40 S&W; 10mm. .45 ACP (who woulda thunk it?) 460 Rowland, and even 50 caliber. The usual calibers you will find available though are .45 ACP and possibly 9mm and .40 S&W. The 1911 was designed to shoot .45 ACP. It seems to be most reliable with that load. If the price of ammunition is a concern, consider ordering a 9mm 1911. Other than that, in my opinion the first time buyer is best advised to stick with .45 ACP.

Those .22 conversion kits? Buy a used Ruger MKII or 22/45 instead. The target practice will transfer over and the Ruger will be more reliable. If you are thinking a 22 conversion kit would allow you to train with your carry gun for less, that is true. But you are training without the recoil. You may as well dry fire in the comfort of your home.

Many people find that the recoil of a .45 is surprisingly manageable compared to other calibers. In a full sized gun, it gives more of a push than a snap and torque. In a heavy pistol such as a Government Model, most people do not find it to be unpleasant, especially if they are trained to grasp the weapon with the web of their hand as high beneath the grip safety as possible. This effectively lowers the bore axis of the pistol to be in line with the wrist, making for a easily controlled recoil impulse. More important than the caliber (at least between 9mm and 45 ACP) is the size of the pistol. The Government Model pushes the shooter's hand in recoil. The Commander has a bit more snap. The Officer's Model has both snap and torque. Strangely, I found lightweight frames to not be much of a factor regarding recoil. For me, when it came to managing recoil, it was the length of the barrel and slide that mattered, not the weight of the frame.

Roll Your Own

I don't advise this for a new 1911 shooter. Period.

What to do when you get your 1911

Lock up the Dremel. Buy ammo. Use up. Repeat. Buy a holster. Invest in experienced instruction. Resist the temptation to purchase anything, anything for your pistol from Brownell's Midway or anyone else. Buy more ammo. Use up. Repeat. Field strip your weapon and learn to clean and lubricate it properly. Then learn to detail strip it. Put it back together and buy ammo. Use up. Repeat. Let the gun you have teach you about the gun you want, and the gun you need. Finally, after shooting the pistol for three to six months, allow yourself to purchase a new pair of grips if you like. Buy a couple of extra magazines. Fill them with ammo. Use up. Repeat. If the gun doesn't point for you like you think it should, try a different mainspring housing. If you want to change the sights, and you have a dovetailed slide and the mechanical aptitude, swap them out. Let the pistol become your own depending on your needs and desires. Or don't. It might be the perfect pistol from the beginning. I doubt it though.

Related Posts

What is a 1911?
The Best 1911 for You
1911 Sizes
Buying a Used 1911
Chris Byrne's Primer on Buying a 1911
The "First Handgun" question by Chris Byrne
The 1911 Forum

Colt M1911

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Courtesy of Oleg Volk.

Choice

I'm trying to decide on which grips to keep on my parkerized Springfield GI45. Several years ago I swapped a few parts to more closely approximate a WWII vintage M1911A1. I decided on walnut double diamonds back then, and i like the look of them on the pistol.


I have an extra set or two of genuine USGI issue plastic grips from WWII that would make the inexpensive approximation of a GI gun a bit more authentic. I don't like the feel or the appearance quite as much though.


I'm not one to play Barbie doll dress up with my pistols, I usually chose a set of grips and stick with them, but this one has me in a quandry. The more I look at the real deal, the more I like them. Whadaya think?

The Elusive M1911A1 Pistol

Another person is wanting a M1911A1 like Dad used to carry........

My response:

The least expensive but still durable option is a Springfield GI45. Swap out the goofy US grips for genuine GI grips (about $15) fit a genuine GI thumb safety, ($10) and Bob's your uncle. If you want to get fancy, swap in a GI mainspring housing to get rid of the ILS. Take a quick look at this pistol. This gets you into the game for $600 or so, including taxes. There are cheaper guns available, but they are cheaper.

Next up is a shooter grade M1911A1. These can be Colts, Ithacas, Remington Rands, or occasionally Union Switch & Signals. Sistemas fit in here too. These are the real deal historical guns. What you want is a pistol with enough finish wear or mixed GI parts to take it out of the collector's realm. These start at $600-800 and go up as high as the seller thinks possible. Know your stuff here. Experts and good info are available at the USGI section of the 1911 Forum. Register and learn. Read up on The Sight M1911A1 for good info.

Next will be the Colt M1911 or M1911A1 repro. These start at $1000. Occasionally you can find one for less, maybe $850-900. People think they are instant collectibles. If they are, all Colts are. Buy one and shoot it. These are fairly close to the real deal. Swap out the trigger on the WWII repro with a genuine GI trigger. The M1911 is fairly close on the small parts.

Finally, there is the M1911A1 itself. Expect to pay $1500 and up for an original Very Good unrefinished condition Remington Rand, Colt, Ithaca or Union Switch & Signal M1911A1. The good thing is it will hold it's value, and indeed become more valuable if you take care of it and just shoot it. If you want a Colt M1911 (not A1) in this condition, think $2000. These pistols are one of the best investments in the gun world, if you can afford one. Again, be wary of fakery, and know your stuff. A year or two spent on the USGI forum reading and educating yourself is beneficial. If you get into this area, be aware that just about everyone gets burnt once, some multiple times.

Remember, always buy the gun, not the story. Money spent on books will be recouped when you evaluate a pistol. Use my Pre-Owned 1911 Checkout to check out any prospective purchase. Lastly, have fun in your search.

Unwanted Inheritance

Honest old Colt 38 Super. Gun was in family 4 generations(Great-Grandpa's pistol).Serial in low 10,000 range. Only 30,000 Supers produced before the WWII. Gun shoots great. The 38 Super was most powerful handgun until .357 Mag came along. All prewar 1911's are highly sought after with 38 Supers being especially prized.

Somehow, I find unwanted guns like these to be rather sad. Maybe I should establish an orphanage for old Colts......

Current Bid $1,825.00 Buy it now for three grand.

What is a 1911?

I was at the range killing paper plates today, and I was informed by the ever present range know-it-all that I wasn't shooting a 1911. I checked my hand real quick. Nope, it wasn't a Glock, or even a HK. I was more surprised than miffed. It got me to thinking though.......What is a 1911?

To some purists only a M1911 is a 1911. That means a military issue firearm with a flat mainspring housing, little protection from hammerbite, and without relief cuts in the frame behind the trigger guard. Well, I have a close Colt reproduction of one of those.

To some folks a 1911 must be chambered in .45 ACP. 11.25mm will do in a pinch, but .45 ACP is preferred. No 9mm or 40 S&W need apply. Forget about a Colt Ace in .22 LR. Those silly M1911A1s made by Remington Rand, Ithaca and Singer? Not even close for these guys. Series 70, Series 80, and God forbid Series 90? Kimber? Yeeech! That funky lookin' Gold Cup with the adjustable sight? Not a 1911. Combat Commanders? No joy. Stainless steel? You have to be kidding! No, to these guys, 1911s were only made by Colt, Remington-UMC, Springfield Armory, and North American Arms Company Ltd. Winchester is reported to have made a few samples, but they have never appeared. Anywhere. To these guys there were no 1911s produced after June 15, 1926.

I disagree. To me, a 1911 is more than an Army blueprint. It is a weapons platform. It is a locked breech single action cocked and locked pistol that has a linked barrel, and uncanny handling characteristics and accuracy. A 1911 can range from a Clark Long Slide gun to a Colt sub-compact perfect for concealed carry. A 1911 does not have to have a barrel bushing. It does not have to have a carbona blue finish with a fire blue trigger. It can have six rounds seven rounds or even a double stack magazine (although I don't care for those) in any caliber bullet that will exit the barrel without blowing the thing into shrapnel. The .460 Rowland? Yeah, it's a 1911. So is a Kimber Rimfire. A hard chromed high capacity hologram sighted multi quadriwhizbang Leatham-Jarrett Special with an ejection port the size of Texas, holes drilled all in it, and a funnel on the bottom? Yeah, that's a 1911 too.

And you know what? I might have to loosen up on that single action thing a bit, because as far as I'm concerned, my Paraordnance C6.45LDA is a 1911 variant too!
..............................................................
Yeah. There's a reason some 1911s have a "duck tail.".......The 1911 is the Elvis of the handgun world. And Elvis is Everywhere!



Syd's Thoughts

Another J.E. Clark Sr. Gun Up For Bids

This 1911 on Auction Arms is another example of a very nice Jim Clark Sr. pistol. Strictly a target gun, it was converted to a long slide pistol by cutting and welding two separate slides together. After the addition of a six inch barrel a Bomar sight rib was installed. Underneath the wrap around grips is the barbed wire style stippling that old man Clark was famous for.

Story has it that while traveling in Arkansas, Jim Clark Sr. visited an army Surplus store. There, he found a barrel of GI surplus slides that had been cut in two by Uncle Sam when they were demilled. He purchased the lot for ten cents each. When he arrived home, Jim Clark Sr. built the first long slide 1911. The rest is history.

This Jim Clark Sr. long slide 1911 is up to $800 in the bidding. Somebody is going to win a piece of gunsmithing history.

Jim Clark Sr. M1911A1 on GunBroker

For the reader who asked, yes, it's a Clark gun. Clark Custom was originally located in Keithville Louisiana. This pistol is an Ithaca M1911A1 with a Clark Slide Guide installed. It has a Bomar rear sight with an undercut front sight. The front strap stippling is typical of a Jim Clark Sr. gun, as are the period grips.

It's a deceptively simple looking pistol, with it's plain Jane trigger, GI thumb safety and GI grip safety, but if Jim Clark Sr. welded up the barrel and installed it, you can bet your britches it will shoot as advertised. If it doesn't, his son will stand by it.

As far as I'm concerned, at $900 it's a deal. I would pay that in a heartbeat if I saw it on a gun store shelf.

Here's a link to my Clark gun, here's a link to it's innards.

Preferences

I own an H&K USP .45 ACP and I have been wondering for a long time now... Why do people prefer the 1911 over all other .45 ACP.

I own two HK USPs, and quite a few 1911s. I chose to carry the 1911s and relegate the USPs to the safe and range gun status.

The USP is a good reliable gun with a trigger that pretty much ruins the package. I shoot the USP OK, it fits my hand OK, but even the USP compact carries like a clock radio strapped under your jacket. It seems these pistols were not designed for CCW but many owners try to press them into that role. Fully loaded, they are heavy and they print like a bobcat in your britches. That's been my experience, even using good leather, trying to carry a HK USPc unobtrusively. I'm a 6'1" 250 pound male with years of experience concealing handguns. If I can't keep the thing hidden, it's fair to say there is a problem.

Remember that a 1911 is a style of pistol, not a specific gun. A more valid comparison would be between a specific 1911 and a HK product of equal market value. Saying "1911" is lumping Ed Brown's product in with stuff from tropical islands in the west Pacific. It's like putting HK's in the same category as S&W Sigmas and KelTec pistols.

Let's compare the HK USP (either compact or full size) to a Colt 1911 such as the Colt Series 70, the Colt New Agent, or even the Colt NRM Series 80 1911. That's a fair comparison. The Colt product is reliable, accurate, and has a great trigger that can easily be altered to fit the shooter's desires if needed. The entire Colt pistol can be tailored to the shooter, in fact. If done properly, the pistol will remain reliable. If done on some gun hack's kitchen table, the pistol will be turned into an unreliable lump whether Colt or HK. But I digress.......The Colt product carries extremely well. With the right leather, it's about as obtrusive as an iPod. In fact, even with mediocre leather it conceals and carries very well. The only HK pistol that carries as well is the P7 series.

The Colt 1911 is accurate. It puts holes exactly where I want them to go, consistently hitting paper plates while I am on the move. The HK product, again with the exception of the P7 series, does not do that for me. I suppose you could say that I just have to learn to manage the HK USP trigger. Well, I shoot double action revolvers very well, in double action. Between the ergonomics and the trigger of the HK USP and it's more recent sibling, the P whatever it is called, I do not have the same accuracy under the same conditions. I'm just not willing to devote any more range time learning to accurately manage a trigger that is poor to mediocre from the start just so I can defend myself with the latest flavor of Kool-Aid. I would rather pick a pistol I shoot better with from the start and concentrate on training and tactics. Training and tactics keep you alive in a shooting. The latest Kool-Aid gives you bragging rights at the gun counter. I'd rather live through a shooting, assuming I can't avoid it from the start. That's why I carry a gun. When you think about it, that is the entire purpose of a handgun, to give it's owner a portable life saving device. If he can not carry it concealed and use it effectively, it fails in that role for him. Period.

I carry a gun and train to employ tactics with effective shooting to help me survive a threat to my life. Everything else is secondary to that. Rather than devote myself to learning a weapon that fails to meet my other criteria for an effective defensive pistol, namely the ability to carry it concealed and have it in my hands when I need it, because I could easily carry it, I simply relegated the USP to my pile of pistols that did not make the cut. That doesn't mean it's a bad pistol, it just means I found a pistol that serves me better for my intended use. No offense intended to the guys who prefer the Universelle Selbstladepistole.

Over time, that happens to every shooter. We find our personal favorite. Some would point out that the HK USP has greater capacity. I say my spare magazines help balance my entire carry package on my body. Some folks figure they need those extra bullets in the coming zombie apocalypse. I figure seven rounds +1 will get me out of a mugging or a liquor store robbery if I apply training and tactics well. If I need more ammunition, I have a spare magazine to cram into the gun while I am hunkering behind cover. I will be hunkering and exiting Dodge because I concentrated on learning tactics, not trends.

So that's why I prefer a 1911. After years of packing something else, after going through the wondernine revolution and considering the old GI gun to be an old man's gun, I realized that the 1911 and proper training and tactics was what I was looking for. That's why I carry a 1911. It works for me.

The 1911 Extended Slide Stop

"Howdy. I read your blog on that Clark 1911, and noticed that it had the extended slide stop/release. I've searched THR a few times, and the general consensus is "don't get them." Now, I am well aware that a Clark Custom job would be hard (if not impossible) to match with "drop in" parts, but would you say that such a modification is handy to a 1911, or would you say that, lacking Clark's touch, the extension is more trouble than it is worth? I'm toying with picking up a Colt Series 70 repro this coming summer, and have toyed with putting in a similar part for various reasons, none the least of which is that I currently cannot easily reach the standard slide stop mechanism on a basic 1911."

Eightball

I despise extended slide stops on 1911s. The extra weight of an extended slide stop frequently counter balances the upward push of the magazine spring, especially a weak one, preventing the magazine follower from raising the slide stop into the notch on the slide to lock the slide open after the last shot is fired. As a result, the slide fails to lock back. I do not like that at all. It impairs quick reloads.

The only......only reason my Clark gun has an extended slide stop is because old man Clark put it there himself, fitting it with his own hands. I just feel it would be wrong of me to replace it on that pistol. Even J.E. Clark's extended slide stop can fail to lock the slide open on the last round, especially if the magazine is dirty, or the mag spring is weak.


The way I manage the standard 1911 slide stop is a pretty common technique. You never shift your right hand's grip during a reload. Use the right hand's thumb to drop the magazine while reaching for the spare mag with the left hand. The pistol is recovering from the recoil of the last shot. The empty magazine should fall free under it's own weight. The pistol's sights stay roughly on target, the pistol vertical.



Insert the spare magazine into the pistol with your index finger along the front to guide it.



Use your palm to smack it home, keeping your fingers outstretched to prevent them from getting pinched between the magazine and grip frame.



Now here's the trick. Watch closely.......Your left thumb depresses the slide stop and releases the slide as the left hand resumes it's grip on top of the right. The slide strips the first round off the full magazine, chambering it.



As the slide closes, the left hand curls around the right, the left thumb drops off the slide release, and the right thumb resumes it's position on top of the thumb safety. Notice that the pistol never changed position in the web of the strong right hand. The pistol's sights never left the general direction of the target.

I have yet to see an extended slide stop work as well as a standard version used correctly. Even on Jim Clark's gun. As far as I'm concerned, they are a crutch to compensate for a non-existent problem.

Best regards,
Xavier

Payback.....A Colt WW1 1911

When I was a boy of two, my father died. He was a sportsman and owned a variety of firearms and fishing equipment. Regrettably, my mother was forced to sell much of his belongings to keep our family afloat. Of course, she did not know the fair market value. She trusted the buyers, my father's former friends, to be fair with her. Some were men of honor, others had no scruples about taking advantage of a widow and two toddlers. Such is often the case when a gun owner passes to the 500 yard range in the sky where bulleyes are granted by divine intervention.

Ever since Colt decided to reproduce a WW1 1911 replica, I have lusted after one. I have kept an ear to the ground to no avail trying to find a used one, and the price of the pistol new was hard to justify. Two weeks ago, when I expressed my condolences to a co-worker over the loss of her husband, we got to talking about him. It seemed he was a sporadic gun accumulator, and the lady eventually asked me to have a look at his things. A few days later, I drove over with the expectation of finding a Glock or two, and perhaps a Steven's shotgun.

As I held Vicki's young uncomprehending son in my lap, I knew that someday, he would be where I once was. He would wonder if his father's friend who shook his young hand at church and ruffled his hair on the basketball court really was a friend. There are so many things lost to a boy raised without a father, not the least of which is the guidance needed to determine a true friend.

After a bit of coffee, Vicki and I finally got around to the reason I was there. She told me she had taken David's guns to a dealer in town and sold most of them. She said the pawn broker accepted what the dealer would not. I immediately regretted that I had not asked her to wait for me to evaluate the firearms, but I held my tongue. I knew what had happened. Vicki went on to tell me she had saved me one because she had overheard me talking about my Colt between cases at work. She then removed a white box from atop the refrigerator and handed it to me. On the outside was an orange sticker warning that the pistol inside lacked a firing pin safety. Vicki did not know what that meant, but it did not sound good to her. I could hardly conceal my anticipation as I removed the blue box within, and then the stamped pasteboard box within that.

Inside was the Colt pistol I had long desired. It was pristine, unfired. It appeared to be untouched, except to place it on top of the brown wax paper. I was likely the first to open the slide and check the chamber. It was empty. I looked the Colt over knowingly, having spent a couple of years researching the cosmetic flaws that sometimes appeared on them. The recoil tunnel was spot on. The rollmarks were precisely done. The finish was immaculate and beautiful.

Then Chase waddled up and said "Cawful cawful bang bang!" I laughed. I let him back in my lap and told Vicki to hold the pistol until I returned from the bank. About an hour later, I returned and purchased the pistol. I doubt I will ever say what I paid for this Colt. That is up to Vicki to relate as she wishes. I will say that I repaid a debt left by unscrupulous men to a fractured family almost half a century ago. Mama, you would be proud.

Colt's World War I U.S. Army Replica