1911s... joining the club.

MidKnight

MidKnight

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To all you 1911 owners: I'm thinking of joining the club.

I've owned guns for 17 of my 25 years, but until last summer I never owned a handgun. Last summer I bought a S&W 908. I'm a small guy so the single stack 9mm fits me perfectly. Also, the price was right. Anyways, 2000+ rounds later and with out a ftf or fte, I'm hooked on pistols.

I've been longing for a S&W 1911. I've heard so many raves about 1911s from people who own them. And there's something about they way they look. I've been lusting for one for almost a year now and I think I've about got the scratch to buy one (used).

Here's my question: what should I know about before buying a 1911? What should I look for in a 1911? I love S&W, but I'm open to suggestions about other makers. Pretty much, just hit me with any 1911 info for a guy that wants to get into them.

I know this is open ended, but I'm new to pistols in general, and a total rookie when it comes to 1911s. I'm sure there's tons of info already posted, but there's so much it's hard to wade though it all.

Thanks for any/all posts!
 
Start with a fullsize, all steel model. I don't have a S&W, but they seem to get good reviews. You may want to get a trigger job, so budget $100 for that. I prefer 7-round Wilson magazines for best reliability. Don't be surprised if you get a few failures to feed in the first couple hundred rounds.

1911s like to be wet, so don't be skimp on the oil. Get a bushing wrench if the gun doesn't come with one.
 
IMHO, S&W is the best that you will get for the money. Other brands are cheaper but they plain out are just not in the same league. To get something as good in another brand, you will pay much more. S&W has the best product warrantee and service rep of any gun maker, bar none.

Don't waste your time looking for anything else.

The scandium framed models are the bee's knees !
 
I have two S&W ss 5 inch 1911's. One is the basic model with novak sights and the other one has a adjustable sight. I really think the S&W 1911 is a great pistol it has a lifetime warrenty and just about the best customer service in the country.

I saw the basic fixed sight one for $650 and the adjustable sight one for $775 at shooters box's. That's a good price..
 
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Check to make sure there is no raised edge on the breech face from a worn cutter. Check to make sure that the barrel does not impact the frame and the lower lugs aren't peening from that impact.

Great guns, my next one will be a S&W 1911 to complement my first.
 
Thanks everyone for all the advise.

adweisbe, I appreciate the info on what to look for! However, I'm not clear on what the "barrel impacting the frame" would mean. Where would it impact? Sorry for the rookie questions!

bugs100, that certainly is a nice price for a new S&W! I just might have to take them up on the offer.

Is there a place where I can read a - for lack of a better term - "1911s for Dummies" on the net? Maybe something that goes over the basics like cleaning, and what the terms are. Such as, m1911, you told me to get a bushing wrench. Well, as far as I know I don't need one for my 908 and I'm not sure what it's function is.

Thanks again for being patient and answering my questions!
 
Midknight, I'm not sure where you are located, but Four Seasons always has a pretty well stocked supply of both new and used S&W 1911s, and for pretty good prices. Stop by, handle a few, and buy one dammit! As for mags, I use 8rd Wilson Combat mags and they have worked flawlessly.
 
I'm very pleased with my new S&W 1911 DK. It's a darn tac driver and it feels like a cream puff!
 
I own the Novak sighted S&W 1911, I changed to Houge finger wrap grips (came with Houge flat panel grips stock) and I love it. It came with two 8 round Wilson Combat mags, at the time S&W had a deal going if you bought the gun and went on the web page you could get two more mags for free (same kind), theres a $60 saving.

You ask about a bushing wrench, one comes with the gun but it's on the cheap side, I bought a few from Midway and I like the Wilson (# 212051) one the best. As far as books check out Amazon.com, I found a few nice books on 1911's there, they also do DVD/VHS 1911 stuff also.

I have been shooting the Chip McCormick 10 round power mags and I love them. I've got big hands so the extra mag lenght helps also with the hold.

I'm a lefty so the one thing I had to do was drift the rear sight some to adjust to a lefty shooting the gun (darn right handers :) ), it was real easy to do.

S&W has a demo going on Friday and Saturday (Oct 20 - 21), good prices on shooting time, ammo and they have guns you can rent and try (try before you buy, real nice) and Jerry Miculek and Julie Goloski will be there doing demo's, I signed up for Friday.

PS: oh ya it's spot on shooting, once I broke it in, put the new grip on and adjusted the sight I tryed for a nice group, 50', five rounds, hitting each other in the 10 spot, so yes it's a sweet shooter.
 
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MidKnight said:
Thanks everyone for all the advise.

adweisbe, I appreciate the info on what to look for! However, I'm not clear on what the "barrel impacting the frame" would mean. Where would it impact? Sorry for the rookie questions!

bugs100, that certainly is a nice price for a new S&W! I just might have to take them up on the offer.

Is there a place where I can read a - for lack of a better term - "1911s for Dummies" on the net? Maybe something that goes over the basics like cleaning, and what the terms are. Such as, m1911, you told me to get a bushing wrench. Well, as far as I know I don't need one for my 908 and I'm not sure what it's function is.

Thanks again for being patient and answering my questions!
Click to expand...
I don't know if it's for dummies, I've never joined, but there is a 1911 forum. I get most all my info from here, though [wink]
 
The bushing wrench is not really necessary. It's made to press in the plunger tube (if that's the name for it)and turn the bushing in one motion. I use a coin to press the tube and just turn the bushing with my fingers. The wrench makes it easier but I find I never have it handy when I want it.

another 1911 forum:
http://forum.m1911.org/

and www.jouster.com has a great 1911 forum that mostly deals with original military versions. But a lot of that applies to commercial models too.
 
MidKnight see:
http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=3608
And also:
http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=4245

If you see dents in the frame or finish on the inside of the gun where the lower lugs of the barrel (projections from the bottom of the barrel near the chamber) then that is a good clue there is a problem with the barrel fit.

If you can't find one without any of the issues then tell Carl to send it to S&W and they will fix it for free. S&W 1911s are great guns made with great materials, but they they suffer from a few small problems that all the manufacturers have.
 
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Such as, m1911, you told me to get a bushing wrench.
Click to expand...
It depends upon how tight the barrel bushing is. If it is really tight, it will be hard to takedown the gun without a wrench. If the bushing is loose, then you don't need one, but I find it more convenient.

The reason you don't already have a bushing wrench for your other gun is because it does not use a barrel bushing [grin]. I can't think of a gun design outside of the 1911 that uses a barrel bushing.

Here's what a barrel bushing looks like: http://www.wilsoncombat.com/a_barrel_bushings.asp

Here's what a barrel bushing wrench looks like:

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/a_tools_bushing_wrenches.asp

I prefer the plastic ones -- non-marring. Before you buy one, see if the S&W 1911 comes with one. It might.
It's made to press in the plunger tube (if that's the name for it)and turn the bushing in one motion
Click to expand...
No! It's made to push in the recoil spring plug.

The plunger tube is the tube on the left side of the frame that holds the plungers for the slide stop and thumb safety. Here's the plunger tube:

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/a_plunger_tube.asp
 
I have a S&W 1911 base model that has 20K round through it this year, only had a handful of failure to feeds and most were caused by my reloads.

If you buy a used one, ask to be able to shoot it first
 
daceman63 said:
I sthere really a 1911 club? Is this something I need to join?
Click to expand...
Absolutely, I can't even begin to describe the ergonomic perfect of the 1911 grip shape and trigger feel. It is highly conducive to accurate shooting. I shoot my 1911 in .45 better then I can my Ruger MKIII with better sights and a lighter trigger because the 1911 fills my hand perfectly with no gaps and actuating the trigger does not cause the sites to waver. This seems to be the case for many people and is one reason the 1911 is so popular.

@599 used there is absolutely no reason not to get one.
 
@599 used
Click to expand...

That's what I was planning on spending, give or take. But then earlier in the thread I was told about a place selling a matte SS S&W w/ novak sights for $650 new.

That's where I'll be going I would imagine. I'll probably pull the trigger this or next weekend.

Dace, as far as the 'club', well, from some of the things I hear from die hard 1911 fans, it might be more accurately called a 'cult'.

I'm glad to be hearing all of this! Thanks for the posts. But, I have another question:

How hard is it to field strip it? My 908 isn't hard, but it's not easy either, compared to some guns out there. I generally clean the gun after ever trip to the range, maybe two trips if there was a light round count.

EDIT: Thanks lugnut for that info. I just might be getting a new one, so that's good to know.
 
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MidKnight said:
@599 used
Click to expand...

That's what I was planning on spending, give or take. But then earlier in the thread I was told about a place selling a matte SS S&W w/ novak sights for $650 new.
Click to expand...

They are relatively easy to field strip, certainly not Ruger MKIII difficult, but not Sig or Beretta easy. The reassembly is the hard part as you have to get the barrel link to line up with the slidestop hole, and you have to make sure the slide doesn't hit the firing pin safety level when you are putting the slide back on the frame.

Dare I ask where you can get this incredible deal on S&W 1911s?
 
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adweisbe said:
Absolutely, I can't even begin to describe the ergonomic perfect of the 1911 grip shape and trigger feel. It is highly conducive to accurate shooting. I shoot my 1911 in .45 better then I can my Ruger MKIII with better sights and a lighter trigger because the 1911 fills my hand perfectly with no gaps and actuating the trigger does not cause the sites to waver. This seems to be the case for many people and is one reason the 1911 is so popular.

@599 used there is absolutely no reason not to get one.
Click to expand...

I couldn't have said it better! A colt 1911 was the bug that bit me. Before that shooting was just a fun hobby. After I tossed my first few 230gr. balls down range it became an obsession. I bought a S&W 1911 within hours of reciving my LTC. Love these guns!

Arrrr

-Weer'd Beard
 
First 1911 I ever shot was my buddy's large-frame Llama.

I still remember what he did for me a few days after my dad died... I was an emotional wreck, full of anger at the world. Fitz took me down to Hudson County Pistol Range, bought about 4 boxes of reloads and some targets, handed me his .45 and said something like "Go to it". I ripped out the center of several targets that day... I had a LOT of hurt to work out. Funny... he's still got that .45 - just saw it this weekend, sporting a new laser sight.
 
1911 club

did someone say sw1911S ????????? i have 3 of them the base model with novaks[smile] and a sw1911sc with trijion night sights[shocked] and a target model. that shoots the best ( 6in steel plate at 75 ft all dayyyyyyyyyyy) but the black sights are hard to see witn my over 40 eyes[crying]
just have to love them smith 1911. the full size sc with a rail is my next toy[banana]
howie
 
adweisbe said:
Absolutely, I can't even begin to describe the ergonomic perfect of the 1911 grip shape and trigger feel. It is highly conducive to accurate shooting. I shoot my 1911 in .45 better then I can my Ruger MKIII with better sights and a lighter trigger because the 1911 fills my hand perfectly with no gaps and actuating the trigger does not cause the sites to waver. This seems to be the case for many people and is one reason the 1911 is so popular.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wanted a 1911 for about 7 years before I finally got one. I was thrown off with the complexity of the take down and the strange 'cult' status. I was shooting a bunch of other guns at the range with a friend (forum member here) who let me shoot his 1911. My first shot was right on the money, the grip, the sights, the trigger, it was really something.

I got one less than a week later. It is glorious.
 

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