Finally got a 1911

[ugaarguy]

I finally bought a 1911. Went to the funshop and found a Springfield GI that had an extended safety, commander style hammer, skeletonized trigger, and larger, kinda low profile, sites. Came with box, docs, little Israeli made (probably Fobus) Springfield Gear belt slide holster, and 2 mags for $400. I bought a Wilson 8rd mag and a Bianchi Accumold holster to go with it. When I got home I found the receipt from 4/1/06 where the original owner bought it new for $500, before all the nice little add ons he put on it. I'll shoot it tomorrow after work and post a range report then. For now here's a pic.

Edit: I hope the previous owner traded it toward another gun he wanted, and not because there's something wrong with this one.

 

[10-Ring]

Nice! Enjoy it

 

[Red Tornado]

Great deal, you done good! I just got the Milspec version not long ago, since I had to have better sights, but I wish I'd found your deal. I really like the look of the GI, and the trigger just makes it better.

Now you get to start hoarding .45acp.
RT

 

[ugaarguy]

Update from the range

Well I got her ou to the gravel pits where everyone in town shoots. From anywhere between 20 and 30 paces she was absolutely blastin' any coke can I put the sights on. I ran thru about 75 rounds of 230 gr FMJ Blazer Brass, plus 15 rounds of my buddies handloaded LSWCs. One of the three mags didn't lock the slide back on the last round and refused to eject without me pressing the mag release and pulling it out by the floor plate. It still fed fine, but probably has a weak spring. Even with the one time I used the now suspect mag she fed, fired, and ejected everything flawlessly. The only thing I want for her now is a beavertail grip safety; Brownells shows one made by Smith & Alexander that is radiused .220 specifically for Springfield frames. I assume this is more or less a drop in part that will require only minor fitting, and the price was listed at $35. She proved totally reliable with both the FMJ and SWC ammo, and she was plenty accurate too. I think this one's a keeper.

 

[SiG Lady]

Me, too...

I just bought a near-new 4" barrel Springfield GI Champion a couple of weeks ago and really like it!
Need new mags for it, though. The one that came with it is a bit tacky.

 

[ugaarguy]

SiG Lady,

I really like the Wilson Combat mag that I bought with it. Nice stainless body and clean black platic floor plate. It feeds really smooth and loads very easily too. They're not the cheapest mags, but they're nice

 

[Jimmie]

The only thing I want for her now....

The only thing?

 

[ugaarguy]

The only thing?

Yep. It already has aftermarket skeletonized trigger, commander style hammer, extended thumb safety, and larger sights; so it doesn't really need anything but the enhanced grip safety . Ok, maybe I'll get a couple more Wilson mags, but the grip safety is the only thing I want to add to the gun itself right now. If it becomes a primary carry piece down the road I may want night sights THEN.

 

[SiG Lady]

My gunsmith just the other day recommended Wilsons, and I had a hunch that would be a good choice anyway, having some degree of familiarity with their quality. I'll probably go ahead and buy 'em. We get what we pay for sometimes.

 

[ugaarguy]

Sweet GI Champ SiG Lady. Upon seeing your pic I think I should have perhaps used one of my BDU or DCU blouses for the background instead of the plain brown GI t-shirt. Oh well. I hear McCormick mags are nice too, anyone out there have experience with them?

 

[SiG Lady]

On McCormick Mags.....

Because the Champion has a standard-sized grip/magwell, I tried my McCormick Power Mags in it, but they wouldn't seat. The McCormick is minutely wider at the feed lips (I dragged out the micrometer here), and it won't insert past the slide stop. The grip screws are NOT the problem. I switched grip plates anyway (and sold the original wooden "US" ones) and put my original Kimber rubberized grips on this one... much more comfortable (and decidedly more stealthy looking, if you're into that). So...

 

[ugaarguy]

Interesting info on the McCormick mags. The Wilsons do require a good firm hit to the floorplate to seat when fully loaded with the slide closed though. I've always liked the rubber Kimber grips, but I'm kinda fond of the "US" grips on the GI.

 

[mattw]

ugaarguy, the beavertail grip saftey you want is going to require your frame be radiused and cut with some fitting work done, if you don't already have the tools i'd just have a local gunsmith do it. it would be cheaper and faster that way

 

[ugaarguy]

Mattw,

I'll have to give Brownells a call. By the description on both the Brownells and Smith & Alexander websites it appears that this particular safety is radiused .220" specifically for SA frames, as opposed to the normal .250" radius. Or is it that you just have to radius the SAs differently for some reason?

 

[mattw]

yeah the grip saftey tang on SAs is different than colt guns. you still have to cut it but the SA ones are not as big so don't cut as much and you can't make a .250" gripsaftey fit without welding on your frame.

all this stuff i learned from 1911tuner, btw. he's a great guy.

 

[ugaarguy]

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll now have to see what a good smith will charge for the install.