Semi-Auto Handgun 'epiphany' Last Saturday

[North Country Gal]

One of the things I learned early in the 1911 game is that paying more for a 1911 can get you a nicer finish and usually gets you a lot of bells and whistles (which I rarely use), but it doesn't automatically get you a gun that shoots with more accuracy or with more reliability. Learned this via a standard, out of the box S.A. Mil spec. Still have it and will never sell it. It's getting a little loose with age (like me), but I trust it like few guns I've ever owned.


I have no doubt that RIA will shoot for you, Mistered.

[Mistered]

45ACP? Do you reload this round?

I currently reload .45 ACP for my 1911 and 9mm also so I'll be set for the 'new' 1911!

[Travlin]

North Country Gal, Is that an arched main spring housing that I see on your pistol? If it is then maybe all hope is not lost. I much prefer them to the flat housing that seems to be on all the 1911's today.

[Mistered]

One of the things I learned early in the 1911 game is that paying more for a 1911 can get you a nicer finish and usually gets you a lot of bells and whistles

Yep - been down the same path but always wound up owning Colts. Probably because I had a hard time accepting the few 'early' aftermarket 'clone' 1911s that started showing up (Essex, Caspian, AMT and others)
Then came the high dollar aftermarkets (Brown, Baer, WIlson) which dominated the market but only until the 1911 became a recognized mainstay in the world of guns did the aftermarket begin to produce quality 1911s that could actually compete with (and maybe exceed the quality of Colt - and for a lot less than the big name ones. Kimber was probably the first quality mass produced 1911 to compete with Colt and the others but it wasn't long until the other 'names' got into the game and now there is no shortage of quality (and affordable) 1911s that shoot nearly (or) match quality.

[North Country Gal]

North Country Gal, Is that an arched main spring housing that I see on your pistol? If it is then maybe all hope is not lost. I much prefer them to the flat housing that seems to be on all the 1911's today.

Yes, it is. Mil spec style 1911s usually go with an arched mainspring housing, since that's been the norm in military 1911s for a long time, now. I have no issues at all with an arched housing or, for that matter, a flat housing. Not sure what all the fuss is about. I shoot either one, equally well.

My only issue with the SA Mil-spec is that I do get hammer bite, every now and then, when I get sloppy with my grip. After all, that is a standard military grip safety, not one of those exaggerated beavertail grip safeties. Since this is a range gun for me, I added a set of Altamont finger groove grips and that cured the hammer bite thing, completely. Also gives me better control. I lose that mil spec look, of course, but as with most 1911 features, you can change things out, as needed, to suit your taste and needs, then go back to something else.



My pride and joy gun is my DW A2. No coincidence that it is also mil spec in style, though not quite to the extent of the SA. I would put this gun against any 1911 made. Not at all "fancy", but it just oozes quality. It's DW's interpretation of what some future mil spec 1911 might look like. Blued, finish, by the way, not parkerized.

[Mistered]

Not sure what all the fuss is about. I shoot either one, equally well.

Neither do I but I DO prefer the arched. Fills the hand a little better and will be the first (and probably only) change to the RIA when I get it.

[Travlin]

My Remington R-1 Has the flat housing but the first 1911 I ever owned is a Colt Pre-War National Match. It is a hard act to follow and has the arched housing. When I was younger and steadier I could balance a dime on the front site , dry fire it and the dime was still there. That was with the sorry small military sights.