First 1911 Purchase: Just a Little Self Conscious

[doc540]

budget dictated an entry-level purchase to see if the 1911 fit my needs, so here we go:

This is what I found when the package arrived at my FFL this afternoon.

(note date of test fire: 7/25/09..this must be a fresh one)

My local FFL knows more about 1911's than I do, and he was impressed with the action, trigger, fit and finish.

There's just something about owning my first 1911. Feels like a real semiauto pistol.

more to follow...

[doc540]

Took it by my gunsmith and he was reservedly impressed with the fit, finish, and action.

Went straight to the range.

And I'm now back from the range.

First report

Trigger is around 6lbs, gunsmith will tune that down just a bit

Sights are shooting about 2" right at 10-15yds, gunsmith will tune that too.

Gun shot perfectly, ate cheap Monarch hardball

Grip swap will help a little, but nothing critical.

Best gun for the money I've ever bought.

First eight rounds out of the gun, standing, 30 feet, about 2" right

Second two mag's, 16 rounds, 30 feet, learning to compensate for the sight

After 50 rounds down the pipe, here's 8 rounds at 30 feet, standing

Dropped it off with my gunsmith (he's a dedicated 1911 fan) on my way home.

He'll correct the sights, tune the trigger a bit, and give it a general once-over internally.

I think I can shoot a 1911 better than the Sig and HK's I've recently sold.

Of course, I know where this is going. I'm a realist.

There's a Colt 1911 in my future.

Edited September 5, 2009 by doc540

[A62335]

Looks like a great shooter. Don't worry about what name is on the slide, as long as the gun runs, I would be happy.

[doc540]

Looks like a great shooter. Don't worry about what name is on the slide, as long as the gun runs, I would be happy.

Well, thanks. That's kind of the way I feel about it.

Gary, the gunsmith, coached me a bit on 1911 and pulled something off his shelf that looked like an old Craftsman Sears tool from 50 years ago.

It had no gloss, no bling, and no custom parts.

But it was a 1911 which Gary claims will still shoot better than the big human extension attached to the grip.

[G-ManBart]

There's a Colt 1911 in my future.

As the owner of a couple of Colts, including an original Series 70 Gold Cup that I've had since it was new (my first .45 at the age of 13), I'd tell you NOT to buy a Colt. There's a long list of brands that are better and cost the same or less. Go to any big match with a lot of single stack shooters and you might not see a single Colt anywhere. There are a number of reasons for that

[G-ManBart]

The one article I briefly saw on these said they were made in the Phillipines.....anybody know if they have any connections to Armscor?

[GrumpyOne]

There's a Colt 1911 in my future.

As the owner of a couple of Colts, including an original Series 70 Gold Cup that I've had since it was new (my first .45 at the age of 13), I'd tell you NOT to buy a Colt. There's a long list of brands that are better and cost the same or less. Go to any big match with a lot of single stack shooters and you might not see a single Colt anywhere. There are a number of reasons for that

+10 When you buy a Colt anymore, you're paying for the privledge of owning one. Springfield, S_I, Les Baer, Para, (just to name a few) all make better than Colt...IMO. Then again, I own a Colt Python.....

[doc540]

There's a Colt 1911 in my future.

As the owner of a couple of Colts, including an original Series 70 Gold Cup that I've had since it was new (my first .45 at the age of 13), I'd tell you NOT to buy a Colt. There's a long list of brands that are better and cost the same or less. Go to any big match with a lot of single stack shooters and you might not see a single Colt anywhere. There are a number of reasons for that

duly noted

Thanks, I've gotten enamored with Colt D frames and projected that onto the 1911's.

[ParaGunner]

Nice pistol,welcome to the 1911 club.

[blue edge]

I looked around a little

http://www.chuckhawks.com/metro_arms_american_classic.htm

http://www.shop.countrysidewalk.com/produc...?productId=1280

http://www.aquilafaa.com/MAC%20FAS.htm

[Catfish]

why would you be self conscious? A: that's a nice looking blaster and B: if you're (or someone else) is paying attention to what someone else is shooting, you've got too much time on your hands.

And +100 on the advice about Colt handguns from above.....

Now go out and shoot the crap out of your new 1911!!

[SiG Lady]

Good Lord, the LAST thing you should be is self-conscious now that you have a 1911!!!! The ones who should feel self-conscious are those WITHOUT 1911s.....

[HRider]

He didn't say he was going to buy a new Colt. Nothing wrong with classic Colts. Sure, there are several manufacturers of 1911 style pistols that are better than what you can buy from Colt these days, but don't rule out the old guns that are out there. There have been many Colts worked over by competent gunsmiths that are hiding in some dresser drawer, safe, etc. that don't have the collector value as an early stock pistol would but make great shooters.

As far a being self consicious, as others have said, if it runs, I wouldn't worry at all. It looks like a fine pistol.

Hurley

[jasmap]

Looks like a nice gun off the shelf. It appears like you did well for yourself. It looks like it's got great potential for you. Take care of her and she'll take care of you.

My feeling is that you should not change much on it yet, besides a trigger job and the sights if necessary, until you have had a chance to mess around with other grips, guide rods, safeties, magwells, sights, etc. You seem to have a pretty good gun and as long as it runs and it hits where you aim then it's a great gun.

Edited September 6, 2009 by jasmap

[dbltapipsc]

I would not be surprised if there is a connection to Armscor. Armscor is like an OEM company on the international level. Looks like a great shooter.

[GrumpyOne]

What did you give for it?

[G-ManBart]

The article I read said they're in the $425-450 range which is pretty darned reasonable if you can actually get one for that. R,

[GrumpyOne]

Yeah, that is pretty reasonable (if you don't have to start adding parts to make it run right). I'd be interested to know how well it holds up under use with the factory original parts.

[jasmap]

I don't know if I've ever kept a gun as-is after getting my hands on it. I almost always change something and usually mulitple things. So to me it wouldn't matter.

[doc540]

Yep, $450.

My gunsmith is smoothing the trigger a bit, adjusting the sights, and giving it a general inspection internally.

I don't plan on any changes except, perhaps, a Pachmayr grip with the rubber finger grooves.

And, remember, I'm not a competitive shooter yet, so I won't be running thousands of rounds thru it.

Another forum is dedicated to these Philippine 1911's and reports about their dependability are good.

I read up on them before I chose this one, and the online reviews are very complimentary in proportion to the price.

I guess we'll see.

[zhunter]

Doc540

Nice purchase!!!

I would get the trigger where you like it, everyone is different, I like mine just under 2lbs

I would ditch those sights and..... Forget the finger groove grips, just get some standard grips that give you a good solid purchase in the gun, and you might want to look into a magwell in the future.

Congrats on becoming a 1911 owner

[lppd4]

What a piece of Crap, you should send it to me so that it can be disposed of properly Just kidding of course looks real nice

Edited September 9, 2009 by lppd4

[Duane Thomas]

Doc, the grips that are on the gun actually look pretty good to me. You might want to reconsider the rubber finger groove grips. I understand that on a stock gun the slick frontstrap can be a pain, allowing the gun to move around in your hand under recoil much more than it should, but if you ever advance to drawing the gun from the holster you're going to find the rubber finger groove grips really problematic, as having rubber on three sides of the grip (mostly the right grip panel, frankly) and the finger grooves themselves, are going to stop your hand from sliding smoothly into a place. Also the rubber grips tend to trap moisture underneath them, and on a blued steel gun, if you ever want to remove them and replace them with something else, you WILL find your grip frame under the grips a mass of rust.

A better choice would be to retain the stock grips and add a piece of skateboard or ladder tape to the frontstrap. This will give you superior traction on the frontstrap, at lesser cost than the rubber wraparounds, with none of their problems. To apply skateboard or ladder tape, just remove the grips from the gun, I generally degrease the frontstrap with a clean cloth and alcohol, apply the tape, being careful not to wrap it over the metal and into the mag well or it'll cause problems with mags failing to insert or fall out smoothly, then reinstall the grips, which, going over the ends of the tape on each side, will hold them in place.

Skateboard tape is the most common choice. I prefer ladder tape (real name 3M Tread Tape but more commonly called "ladder tape" because it's the stuff you find on the treads of aluminum stepladders). Skateboard tape is paper, really it's just sandpaper with adhesive on one side, thus it wears out and requires replacement fairly regularly. Ladder tape is polypropylene i.e. plastic so it doesn't wear out. One application of ladder tape can last you, well, forever. Be aware that the texture on ladder tape is FAR more aggressive than on skateboard tape. I actually take a file and blunt the texture on the tape to my preference before I apply it to the gun.

The only part on your gun that I'd have to replace if it is was mine is the extended slide stop. If you ever begin firing the gun with a straight thumbs grip - and if you stick with it seriously enough, long enough, you will - you're going to find that part incompatible with your grip technique. I've also seen a lot of problems with extended slide stops popping up in recoil, locking the action open with rounds still in the magazine, from their own greater-than-stock weight. The joke among experienced 1911ists is, "An extended slide stop is the second most useless part you can have on a 1911. The first most useless is an ambidextrous extended slide stop."

But if the extended slide stop is currently causing no problems, I don't think replacing it is a priority. Really, I think that with the application of a piece of grip tape to the frontstrap, you'd be good to go. A role of ladder tape costs about seven bucks at Home Depot and should last you the rest of your life so it's not like it's an expensive mod to the gun.

[doc540]

Thanks, will definitely consider your suggestions.

I acquired 1,000 rounds of .45 ball this morning, so I'm feeling better about running the gun now.

And, at lunch today, I picked it up from the gunsmith. Trigger is like night and day, smooth, 3.5lbs, and breaks cleanly. He adjusted the front sight to compensate for the 2" right problem. Cost me $64 from a 30+ year 1911 enthusiast gunsmith. He said it's his favorite handgun and what he learned on when he took his first course.

This is gonna be fun, gentlemen.

Can't wait to get back to the range with it.

Thanks for all your info, encouragement, and support.

Edited September 9, 2009 by doc540

[Duane Thomas]

Yer welcome.

You sure he didn't adjust the rear sight, since that is generally far more easily accomplished than adjusting the front?