Springfield mil spec 1911

[TheotherJohn]

I have a wish list in my head and a high value (well under $1000) 1911 is pretty high on that list. I like the looks of Springfield's Mil spec 1911s. Any thoughts?

 

[Z71]

I've owned a Springer Milspec for years..since the 1990's..it's a good gun. Doesn't cost $1000 bucks though..probably get one new for $550-$650 or so.

I just Monday bought a Remington 1911 R1..which cost $659...Son and I took it and the Springfield Milspec shooting. Pretty much equal guns..both perfectly accurate...perfectly reliable.

 

[bestseller92]

I bought one new in 2001 and even with an all-hardball diet and even after a trip back to Springfield it was a piece of jammamatic junk. I'm not saying all of em are like the one I had, but I certainly would never buy another.

 

[0to60]

I just got one maybe six weeks ago, I've put around 450 rounds through it so far. It hasn't failed on any of the ~50 factory rounds, but maybe 1 out 100 of my reloads will cause a failure to load. But, it prolly has more to do with my reloads than anything else, I'm not the most precise handloader in the world... Come to think of it, that fact that it HAS digested so many of my reloads without many problems is actually pretty good!

The finish isn't very impressive. I posted about it in this forum, and everyone said that my experience is pretty normal. Pretty much anywhere metal touches metal, the parkerization is wearing off. Plus, its a very matte finish and it scratches easily.

The three dot sights on the mil spec are awful. They're definitely a step up from the GI, but even so, they're awful. The front dot is small and hard to see. Compared to the big ol' white dots on the FN .45 or an XD, you can barely see the dots on the mil spec.

But nonetheless, its my favorite gun. It has all the 1911 goodness, and I just love the mil-specness of it. I didn't want a mamby pants 1911 with a rail and fish scale serrations; I wanted something that looked like it came out of a WWII footlocker. Its solid, tough, fun to take apart (once you learn how) and clean, I love the thing.

I shopped around quite a bit for it. 1911's are in low supply right now, and springfield said they couldn't advise on when more mil specs would be produced, but it could be from 9-12 months. So basically what merchants have in inventory is all that's there for a while. There was one at a local gun store for $650, but then I'd have to pay 10% sales tax. Buds didn't have any , cheaperthandirt didn't have any, but I did find one on gunbroker.com with a BuyItNow price of $610, so I grabbed it. After shipping and my local FFL's $25 transfer fee, I was right around $650. I'm unable to find one for that price anymore.

 

[TheotherJohn]

I'll just have to keep my eyes open. It's not in the budget right now. On the other hand I could sell my car and get one of those Cabot 1911s! I'm sure they are fine examples of Mr Browning's design much like a Rolex is a nice watch but I just couldn't imagine it. When I can afford it, I see a Springer in my future.

 

[foghornl]

I have 2 SA 1911's...the 4" Champion Model and the 5" GI-45. I like the Champion 3-dor "glow-in-the-dark" sights better, but the is just "Something" about a 5" 1911

the GI-45 does have tiny--almost sub-atomic particle size sights, but it feels better in my hands.