The 1911-A1 - I want one Bad!

Thanks for your imput lizardbone. Do you know if both frame types on the Kimbers are manufactured that way: the alums and the stainless'? I don't know everything about anything, but I understand that the amount of custom hands on work that goes into each Kimber is what all the hype is about, right? It's not technically a custom, but it's not just stamped out and mass produced like the other pistols we're discussing. Can they really be lumped in with those others. It's not rhetorical, I really don't know.:rolleyes: :o
 
A word of caution to all who carry concealed weapons/handguns; after what would normally be considered a “righteous shoot”, do you want to go to court and defend
yourself against a prosecutor who will bring up the fact that you, yourself modified your carry weapon or that you loaded your own ammunition? You can hear him now, “Store-
bought ammo wasn’t good enough for you was it? You had to make your own “killer” ammo”. Food for thought. Look up Massad Ayoob and study his teachings.
 
Can the taurus accept aftermarket parts like the others? It seems like a great base gun. Forged frame, forged slide, polished feed ramp, etc and all the owner reports I've seen say great reliabilty out of box.
 
Sadly, a valid point tjarls. That is what makes me carry factory ammunition for defense of family and self from leathal assault.
I equate the minor polishing and smoothing process on firearms to spending the extra time and money to personally install higher performance brake pads and tires on an automobile to increase the safety margin, for my self and family as well as innocent bystanders, of a machine that statically kills/maims more through accidental or intentional use (vehicular manslaugter).
It seems to me that these days it depends more on how much money you have for a defense lawyer, as opposed to wether it was justified or not.
You still made a valid statement though.

I will end by saying, I would gladly risk it all to protect the life of my wife and children from clear and eminent leathal force fron any one or thing. Even if I had to use a number 2 pencil that I had personally modified with teeth marks for a firmer grip surface, and created an EXTRA sharp and polished point to more effictively reach vital organs.
Know what I mean brother?
 
lefthandblack said:
You should check out the Springfield Mil-Spec model before you buy that GI. It is a slight step up from the GI. I actually purchased mine brand new for $460. I wouldn't buy that Rental GI for that much when they can be had new for close to $425.

The Mil-spec has a few improvements like better 3 dot sights, a beveled magazine well, lowered ejection port, angled slide serrations, polished feed ramp and throated barrel. It is probably the best bang for the buck in 1911's going right now. It features a forged frame and slide and mine even came with a stainless one piece barrel and a stainless barrel bushing. An awesome base pistol in it's own right, or you can customize it to suit your preferences. Here is a link to the Mil-Spec on Springfield's site,

http://www.springfield-armory.com/armory.php?model=7
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Lefthandblack, thanks for the recommendations. :) I'll have to think about it.

There's been lots of good information given so far. Nice to see the good conversation. Last time I tried to talk about 1911's with someone in the complex they tried to sell me on Kimber's and for them it was Kimber or nothing. They didn't care about price or the fact that I can do my own work for less then the Kimber and get more. But here everyone gets along nicely when talking about the guns. :D

Heber
 
Yeah, all I have experience with is Springfield Armory and a couple colts. You know what? They all did great. It's a sound design, and I think the differences are mostly just preference and feel. Go feel a few and get an idea of their characters. I liked mine, but some guy who sold it after about 1k rounds clearly didn't so much. Not much of a carry gun (even though I have a holster for that). The sights are nice, but they are pretty much the opposite of de-horned. Also, I don't like having to have a tool to remove the guide rod. Not too field-expedient.

But as I said, this is my first, and it won't be my last. I'll be looking into more compact frames next. Well see what I come up with.

Chris
 
Tempting as it maybe to trade in a 'pretty good' gun in order to get a replacement that appears better, I advise waiting to see if the new one is really that much of an improvement before trading off one you like. The first two 1911's I had functioned flawlessly and had big squared off rear sights that I could see and hit well with. The next one had little rounded night sights. Not only did my daytime accuracy decline, but I had a few 'stovepipe' jams with the new one. Imagine how I would have felt had I gotten rid of the others to get it. Once you have several good ones, culling out the mediocre shooters makes sense.
 
wato said:
Could that be the 'Ballester-Molina' model? The B-M was made (I'm told) of high-grade German steel salvaged from the sunken Graf Spee. It made a musical ringing sound when one racked the slide. If yours was that same model, then I feel foolish for lamenting the loss of my Norinco.

http://itmightbeart.typepad.com
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Wato, with more thought, mine was a Modelo 1927. COuld be wrong here, as working from memory, didnt' dig out my old information, but Argentina issued 3 1911 based pistols, two were basically straight 1911A1s, one was one of the many thousands of guns that have been loosely based on 1911 design but at most can only exchange a few parts.

Colt Sytema's were real colts, made for Argentina, and are most desirable of the two true 1911s from Argentina. Modelo 1927s are the ones Argentina made themselves, couple small changes in them to help make production simpler, but still a 1911. That's what I had. B-M was loosely based on 1911 design, but was not a true 1911. All three are great pistols though. Argentina has always picked some of best guns to either buy under contract or produce themselves under license. Rolling Block, Mausers, FAL, 1911, HiPower, just to name a few.
 
FWIW

I handled the new Tauras 1911 today...Was well put together...Didnt get to shoot it BUT the dude I talked to let me snap it on my caps a couple times...Trigger was pretty good and would clean up some with use...

i will prolly get me one later on down the road...I am leaning towards a Rock island Armory 1911 now as my beater
 
I used to put together G.I. parts on Essex frames and they rattled but ran. Accuracy was defensive to 50 yards. Then I got a Kimber Gen I... I have owned a number of Kimbers and prefer the first gen but have seen few problems with the newer ones with MIM internals. Magazines cause many feed problems.
Bill
 
I got one of the early Kimber Customs (back when they sold for $430.00). It's done an excellent job for me. I recently purchased one of the Kimber .22 conversion kits, and the gun is a tack driver with .22 Long Rifle.
 
lmalterna said:
prefer the first gen but have seen few problems with the newer ones with MIM internals. Magazines cause many feed problems.
Bill
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Try running the offending pistol with a couple Wilson 47D mags, even if you have to borrow a couple to try it. Don't spend your money 'til you know. I strongly suspect they'll cure your problem. Both Ayoob and Gunsight do this. I was buying Wilson mags for 10 years prior to buying one of his pistols.
 
I have 6 wilsons for each pistol I own at any given time :) I do believe in good mags. :) I have had good service out of Chip McCormick mags as well but for carry they are Wilsons.

Bill
 
Can some one give me an aproximate B&M price on good Mags?

Thanks,

Heber
 
Welcome to the big boys' club. :D You are living proof of what that old soft drink commercial used to say: "Try it. You'll like it." I still have my first .45 pistol, and it's 100% GI all the way through. When I got it long ago it was an Army mixture of 1911 and 1911-A1 parts on a Colt frame made back in the 1920s. I still like the long steel 1911 trigger and the old checkered wide spur hammer that I think is 1911 vintage, too. Mine has the arched A1 mainspring housing, but I can take it or leave it. I still like the lanyard ring on the butt, too. Other than having the barrel throated a bit and the feed ramp well polished (by yours truly), it's strictly stock from the Army arsenals. The slide assembly when I got it was WWI or 1920s vintage and was pretty loose. I wouldn't do it now on account of any possible collector value, but long ago when I didn't know any better I swapped it out for a WWII or Korean War vintage unissued slide that fit very nicely, still was loose enough to be utterly reliable, and had somewhat improved sights on it. I want my .45s to be able to hit my mailbox at fifty feet, but loose enough to rattle some when I shake them. I'm not deer hunting with them or shooting steel plates at a hundred yards, so rattles don't bother me at all. I guess that makes me "old school" but that's OK. I've still got the first manila envelope target I shot when I got that pistol (the first .45 I'd even held at the time) and it's not too shabby. That pistol stays right beside my bed every single night of my life now, too. I've got a couple of nice Colt Series 70s, but that old GI pistol's got mojo!
 
Dr. Mudd said:
Welcome to the big boys' club. :D You are living proof of what that old soft drink commercial used to say: "Try it. You'll like it." I still have my first .45 pistol, and it's 100% GI all the way through. When I got it long ago it was an Army mixture of 1911 and 1911-A1 parts on a Colt frame made back in the 1920s. I still like the long steel 1911 trigger and the old checkered wide spur hammer that I think is 1911 vintage, too. Mine has the arched A1 mainspring housing, but I can take it or leave it. I still like the lanyard ring on the butt, too. Other than having the barrel throated a bit and the feed ramp well polished (by yours truly), it's strictly stock from the Army arsenals. The slide assembly when I got it was WWI or 1920s vintage and was pretty loose. I wouldn't do it now on account of any possible collector value, but long ago when I didn't know any better I swapped it out for a WWII or Korean War vintage unissued slide that fit very nicely, still was loose enough to be utterly reliable, and had somewhat improved sights on it. I want my .45s to be able to hit my mailbox at fifty feet, but loose enough to rattle some when I shake them. I'm not deer hunting with them or shooting steel plates at a hundred yards, so rattles don't bother me at all. I guess that makes me "old school" but that's OK. I've still got the first manila envelope target I shot when I got that pistol (the first .45 I'd even held at the time) and it's not too shabby. That pistol stays right beside my bed every single night of my life now, too. I've got a couple of nice Colt Series 70s, but that old GI pistol's got mojo!
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Dr. Mudd, thanks for your post. :D I enjoyed reading it. Sounds like a great gun. I'm tempted to get the GI model from Springfield and aside from some polishing, leaving it stock too. If you can post pics of the gun, I'd love to see it. :D Thanks again..

Heber

P.S. I had to put off some gun purcheses to fix my car. That post almost made me get the money out and buy one. . . . Almost. ;)
 
Been looking around online and can't seem to find the Springfield GI 1911 stainless for less then $500. Can get it at the local range for less. After taxes and BCI fee it will still be less. Going to save up a few paychecks then get it. I keep talking about getting the gun from the owner so much I think they are calling it mine. Keep asking when I'm going to have the cash for it. I like those guys their great. Monday when we went shooting with some other friends from work the Owner Ken gave us some great pounters on grip and how to pull the trigger. They do this when ever it's slow and they can take the time to. They sure know how to take care of customers.

Heber
 
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