Why do I want a SA 1911 so badly?

Raoul Duke

Raoul Duke

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I mean why?

SW are fine, Colt are great. We can get either one in this state though the Colts take a little more work and a slightly higher premium. Kimbers are unobtanium more or less...

BUT, I have been lusting after a Springfield Armory 1911 stainless for so long...

MY understanding is that they aren't even all that great.

So

Why...?

Is it just that they look so cool?

What a fool I am.
 
I had that feeling a couple years ago. I spent way to much money to get an asthetically beautiful SA Loaded Champion 1911. This thing looked great and I couldn't wait to get it to the range. Then the dream was smashed by the jam-o-matic it turned out to be. I had to spend some additional money to get it to function almost reliably. I say almost as it would still fail to feed from time to time. Finally gave up on it and traded it. I'm torn as the 1911 is my favorite platform and this SA was a looker, just not a reliable one. I may get another sometime in the future, but I'm not in a big rush.

wpns3.jpg
 
I've got a SA. Frankly, it is not that great. I really don't like the profile of the front-strap. It is very close to the Colt profile and is quite blocky. I prefer the more rounded profile of a Kimber or Wilson. You can see that in the picture above.

A friend of mine bought a basic SA and sent it to their custom shop for a bunch of work. When it came back, it was gorgeous. The fitting of the slide to the frame, when viewed from the back, was just beautiful. Very tight and square.

But when you pushed down on the barrel hood, there was noticeable movement of the barrel. The barrel simply hadn't been fitted well to the slide. And that showed when we shot it side by side with my stock Kimber that had several thousand rounds through it -- my Kimber was far more accurate.

You'd be far better off to get yourself a frame and have a gunsmith build it up for you.
 
Raoul Duke said:
Money aside. They're so #$)@# hard to find in this state. I understand that they aren't the end all be all of performance. In fact, if my life depends on it, the Sig 229 gets the call. It's just that the stainless SA look so damn cool.
Click to expand...


I feel your pain. I have a long list of pistols that I would love to own, but the price is just way to much. [sad] For example, I'd kill for a Kimber Desert Warrior, but if one showed up here it would be 2K.

Heck, there is a G20 in the classifieds for $1,000 right now :(
 
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the problem is when you can get it but still cant afford it. I can only buy what my budget allows and right now its much more in the p3at/LCP area so that looks like it will be the next decision.
 
I'm in the same boat, I dunno what it is about them. Is it just because I can't get one easily in this state? I dunno!

Not to hi-jack, but does anyone own/shot a Springfield Professional model? I've been contemplating/researching sending my NES 1911 slide and frame to them to have the work done.
 
I have a Spfld 1911-AI - I put about 1200 into it after purchase - to include bluing, it is wonderful! I liked it in the original state and it was always quite accurate - but now it is a dream!! [smile]
 
Cuda444 said:
I'm in the same boat, I dunno what it is about them. Is it just because I can't get one easily in this state? I dunno!

Not to hi-jack, but does anyone own/shot a Springfield Professional model? I've been contemplating/researching sending my NES 1911 slide and frame to them to have the work done.
Click to expand...
Based on my buddy's experience with the Springfield Custom Shop, don't. Send it a local gunsmith instead.
 
I've wanted a stainless Springer for a while too. But I'm not paying that much for a gun that should only cost $500.

And anyways, no other gun gets me excited like an old Colt. [smile]
 
I say just get a Caspian frame and slide and have Greg Derr build it for you. I'd like something similar to this:

SSB_005_op_800x533.jpg
 
PaulD said:
I say just get a Caspian frame and slide and have Greg Derr build it for you. I'd like something similar to this:
Click to expand...
+1

Have a gunsmith build it the way you want it. The result will be better than anything you could get from Springfield (or S&W, or Para, etc.).
 
I just had a 1911 built by Dave Santurri, he did a great job and I gave him a STI frame and slide and had it back finished in less than 10 days. When I gave him the frame and slide I told him I wanted him to surprise me and he did. I got back a super nice 1911 and was very very happy with what I got.

There's nothing like a custom 1911 built by a gun smith who knows what he's doing. He hand fitted a Kart match barrel, a 2 piece guide rod, the slide to the frame and the bushing, used all Ed Brown parts and polished the whole gun.

That's why I didn't want to ask for any thing except for a green fiber optic front sight. The gun cost me a lot less than one by a famous maker.

I already had 6 1911's and got my first one over 40 years ago and carry one daily.

So I can say this with a little back ground, the gun he built me is easily the tightest and best 1911 I've ever owned. Get a frame and a slide and have one built and do it right from the start..
 

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