-
If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership The benefits pay for the membership many times over.
Best Production 1911 Readily Available in MA?
- Thread starter TheRoland
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2005
- Messages
- 47,518
- Likes
- 33,531
SVI has some on the target list, but if you have to ask the price or expect delivery in less than a year it's not the gun 4U.
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2014
- Messages
- 550
- Likes
- 603
Night hawk also has a few on the list, very pricy but one has to be ready in case they win the lottery
Since 1911 recommendation threads are hot these days, I figured I'd circle back here.
I ended up handling a lot of 1911s, but mostly Colts, S&W and Springfield. S&W and Springfield had noticeably better build quality, which is a damn shame. The S&W grip-safety driven firing pin block was also a deal breaker. I considered Nighthawk, but for that price I'd have been pretty much in the same league as Greg's queue.
I ended up getting a Springfield TRP. Swapping the grips for a subtractive texture that's lighter than the factory grips made it easily make weight. Stripping it, it looks well-fitted for a factory pistol, and in the first 400 rounds, it's run well. Feeds smooth, the ejector doesn't touch mags during insertion, and it locks back even on weak 47Ds. It even feeds JHPs painlessly (which even my custom 1911 doesn't like).
The black Springfield "armor-coat" finish is pretty nice; slick but not TOO slick; similar to how chrome feels. Not as nice as chrome (I love chrome as a practical finish) but close.
The trigger is very very nice for factory. Blind, I would not have been able to tell custom vs. this trigger.
Interestingly, it has a regular-sized, not-extended magazine release. I've never actually handled a 1911 with one of these before; the extended version is just so prevalent even on practical factory guns. I think I'll likely leave it as-is, unless it becomes a problem in matches.
The magwell works, and is nicer than the Wilson add-on magwell I've used before. It isn't as nice the Dawson ICE or Caspian's built-in magwell, although it is smaller. I don't feel uncomfortable carrying concealed with the magwell on, whereas you couldn't really carry an ICE.
However, all is not perfect in the factory 1911 world. The front sight was defective from the factory, and the point of impact was ridiculously high. Since I actually did want the factory tritium sights, rather than my usual Dawsons, back to the factory it went.
I'm planning on running it up at the next 80's Action Shooting match, and if it all goes well, we'll be shooting .45 this year.
I ended up handling a lot of 1911s, but mostly Colts, S&W and Springfield. S&W and Springfield had noticeably better build quality, which is a damn shame. The S&W grip-safety driven firing pin block was also a deal breaker. I considered Nighthawk, but for that price I'd have been pretty much in the same league as Greg's queue.
I ended up getting a Springfield TRP. Swapping the grips for a subtractive texture that's lighter than the factory grips made it easily make weight. Stripping it, it looks well-fitted for a factory pistol, and in the first 400 rounds, it's run well. Feeds smooth, the ejector doesn't touch mags during insertion, and it locks back even on weak 47Ds. It even feeds JHPs painlessly (which even my custom 1911 doesn't like).
The black Springfield "armor-coat" finish is pretty nice; slick but not TOO slick; similar to how chrome feels. Not as nice as chrome (I love chrome as a practical finish) but close.
The trigger is very very nice for factory. Blind, I would not have been able to tell custom vs. this trigger.
Interestingly, it has a regular-sized, not-extended magazine release. I've never actually handled a 1911 with one of these before; the extended version is just so prevalent even on practical factory guns. I think I'll likely leave it as-is, unless it becomes a problem in matches.
The magwell works, and is nicer than the Wilson add-on magwell I've used before. It isn't as nice the Dawson ICE or Caspian's built-in magwell, although it is smaller. I don't feel uncomfortable carrying concealed with the magwell on, whereas you couldn't really carry an ICE.
However, all is not perfect in the factory 1911 world. The front sight was defective from the factory, and the point of impact was ridiculously high. Since I actually did want the factory tritium sights, rather than my usual Dawsons, back to the factory it went.
I'm planning on running it up at the next 80's Action Shooting match, and if it all goes well, we'll be shooting .45 this year.
Last edited:
bfm
NES Member
I thought they dropped that years ago for Ti firing pins?
bfm
NES Member
I have two early ones that do have it. I regularly think about removing it and adding a Ti firing pin, but other than an extra second on reassembly when the slide hits it, I mostly forget it is there.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2005
- Messages
- 47,518
- Likes
- 33,531
SVI, but if you have to ask you can't afford it.
