I ordered a parkerized version and am eagerly awaiting its arrival.  This will be my first Springfield 1911 and I’d like to hear some of your experiences with them.  Ordered from Osage county guns for $765, Firstline price.

I’ve got one, it’s good out of the box, the trigger is decent, but not good enough IMHO, I took mine to a gunsmith to get a trigger job, it shoots like butter. What do you want to do with it?

I intend on carrying it from time to time.  I have several WW2 era 1911a1’s I enjoy shooting but wanted some thing I could actually carry.  I already ordered a GI guide rod and plug to replace the 2 piece one that comes standard.  I may also replace that dumb California compliant lockable mainspring housing but other than that I’ll probably keep it stock.  A milt sparks summer special 2 holster is also on the way!

I recently bought a 45ACP GARRISON.

Day one I put 400 rounds through it. It was too hot to touch.

I now have about 800 through it.

It's been 100% reliable.

VERY HAPPY with it

I am slowly upgrading parts, replacing MIM.

the factory extractor is NOT MIM, which is nice.

the frame/slide fit is excellent

the barrel fit is nice.

I've replaced the thin grips and bushings with regular grips.

C&S trigger kit.

DAWSON skinny .100" fiber front sight.

EGW slide stop and firing pin stop are shipping.

My thoughts on a concealed carry 1911: I’ve carried the 1911 years ago as a duty weapon, open exposed on my duty belt was what I had to put up with. I personally was always picking up my pants on my weapon side. My department went to the Sig P226, and I was reasonably happy with a lighter weapon. As an EDC, I found the SOB holster the easier way to carry it concealed. However, I found I was carrying a Smith Model 60 “chief special” as a concealed carry, it was also my back up gun.

Mind you, I am an older fellow, (55) and I have NO ASS to be able to get a belt to cling to where I want it to stay, so, a 1911 is essentially going to pull my pants down pretty reliably. Keep that in mind, if you have “white boy butt”, your britches are going to be sliding off constantly. That’s just a fact.

Don’t get me wrong, I *LOVE* the 1911. I have two favorite guns for the ravage, a Kimber 1911 .45 acp, and a 6” Colt’s Python revolver .357 mag. I am just not a fan of carrying big clunky handguns for a concealed carry weapon. It’s just a pain in the ass for me. I am carrying a “micro 9”, a S&W Shield Plus for that. It’s a 13+1 that is small and light weight that is pretty much invidable on me unless I carry it stapled to my forehead.

Now, for sheer shooting joy, accuracy and reliability and SHOWING OFF, I *LOVE* a good 1911. It’s America’s pistol!

Now, of you’re a big guy, and have a butt to keep a belt up with, and big enough in width in your body, then you may be able to carry that cannon concealed effectively.

Caveat: This is my PERSONAL experience. I’m a small guy with no ass, and I’m an older bastard. YMMV.

I just know I am going to catch some flack for what I’ve said, ARFCOM loves the 1911, that’s the view of the hive mind. I’m not knocking it, but there are better choices for a concealed carry. If you can pull it off, go for it!

As far as how much you’ll like your SA Enhanced 1911, you will. It’s a great 1911 for sure. As far as why I have a Kimber and gave my SA 1911 Enhanced, my boy talked me into giving him my SA. The Kimber came along as a deal I could not refuse. If you knew the deal I got on it, you’d have snatched that gun up too.

Carrying mine now. It's one of my most carried guns.

They’re good.  The rear of the slide and extractor may be poorly blended in a Loaded model. SA is notorious for poor blending on their mid/lower tier 1911 models.

I’m at the range now with it and 100 rounds later is been 100% reliable and quite accurate.  Unfortunately it shoots about 12” high at 25 yards…. That is very disappointing.

That seems like a lot. That suggests one of the sights needs adjusted by ~.092” or both need adjusted .046”

I guess I thought SA discontinued the Loaded model in favor of the Ronin/Garrison/Emissary.

Learn something new every day.

Good to know.  I bought a stainless Garrison early this month.  Mine has been 100% so far as well.  

Attached File

It’s consistently 12” or more high at 25 yards with the three types of ammunition I used today.  I think I’m going to try a .325” height 10-8 rear sight and see if that lowers my POI.  I’ll need to measure the rear first though obviously.  160 flawless rounds through it today, probably shoot another 500 over the next few days and report back.  Thanks for all the input.

I thought so too.

I was thinking about a loaded, but then saw a blued Garrison, and liked it.

replacing the front sight is much easier.


https://dawsonprecision.com/sight-for-springfield-1911-front-black-by-dawson-precision/

https://dawsonprecision.com/sights-for-springfield-1911-front-fiber-optic-by-dawson-precision/

I don't know how it makes sense to keep it in the lineup.  All it offers is an ambi-safety.

They are on the CA approved list. Same reason Glock is still churning out Gen 3s.

My 1911 (Springfield MC Operator) shoots very high too, similar to yours. I don't really want to swap sights around since it has night sights already. Very frustrating.

I called Springfield CS yesterday and explained my issue in hopes they would send me a lower rear sight.  The rep said based on my serial number my rear sight is .375” (highest) and the only way they will fix it is if I send it in.  I’m sick and tired of sending guns back to manufacturers so I ordered the 10-8 .325”.  Hopefully that fixes things.  Other than that I’m sitting at 350 rounds through the pistol with no malfunctions.  I’m very pleased with it overall.

Hopefully your rear sight moves off easier than mine did

i tried
strong vice
big hammer
big brass punch
KROIL dripped into the setscrew hole

then

freezing
heating
steel punch

NOTHING  :(

WTF

finally, ended up taking a saw to it

Attached File

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funny thing is….the front sight was a breeze

Well shit…. That is discouraging.  Fingers crossed mine comes off easily.

Pics?

In latter post you are shooting 12" high at 25 Yards with 3 different kinds of ammo you stated... Are you sure it's the sights? They should be Novak's night sights and are standard size/height fixed sights front and rear...

Have you shot it from a bench rest or had anyone else shoot it?

My Champion Operator HATES Blazer Brass & PMC ammo (shoots all over the place...)

Blazer Aluminum, Federal, PRVI-Partizan, Geco, S&B, Underwood, Hornady, Remmy's Golden Sabre's, Fed Champion, HST's, etc. etc... It loves and shoots them all POA/POI if I do my part. From a bench rest or supported even better results. I just don't shoot PMC or Blazer Brass because I know what to expect with those rounds. Of course, YMMV...

HANG ON! Don’t get discouraged YET! You don’t know if that’s going to be the case with yours. I’m sure it will be fine.

So I grouped it again yesterday with Speer lawman 230 grain fmj from a bench.  It’s actually only 7” high at 25 yards but still unacceptable for me.  I also had a friend/competent shooter confirm it hits high.

Got a parked loaded model late last year.

Swapped to a GI guide rod and switched out the grips.  It’s been a great range gun and gets carried from time to time

It's also parked, has night sights, normal thickness grips, and a FLGR.

I bought one of the non-CA compliant models a few months after they discontinued them. I was between that and a blued Colt Competition .45, and I found the Springfield at a LGS.

So far it has about 1100 rounds through it without any malfunctions, with a variety of magazines and both FMJ and JHP ammo.

I added a Harrison small radius firing pin stop and extended mag release, full checkered cocobolo grips from Wood Caliber, and replaced the FLGR with a Wilson bulletproof GI guide rod assembly.

I never had POA/POI issues with the sights, but the front tritium was dimmer than the lamps in the rear and for whatever reason the front sight was hard to pick up fast in certain lighting conditions, so I replaced them with a 10-8 serrated rear and fiber optic front.

Update:

I got the 10-8 rear installed and now my POI at 25 yards is only about 2.5” high which I’m ok with.  As of today I have 700 rounds through the gun with only 2 failures to feed (probably from old magazines).  I’m really liking this 1911.

I bought one about a year ago and really like it.  Has been reliable and accurate.  I prefer the old lettering on the slide though.  

Attached File

I prefer the old lettering as well.  I was surprised mine came with it and not the new “LOADED” marking.