Posted: 11/7/2004 10:54:12 AM EDT
|
How good is the quality of Springfields 1911s? Are they reliable? How do they compare to Colt 1911s? |
|
I DO NOT OWN ONE. That being said, I have heard they can be finnicky, but their customer support is great. So if you spend the bucks and the thing hiccups, they will make it good. Their accuracy is suppossed to be outstanding for their price. Torn between Kimber and Springfield (though the S&W looks interesting) |
|
This is the one im looking at. Nothing special, just the plain jane 1911. www.springfield-armory.com/prod-pstl-1911-ms.shtml 
|
| Excellent value, very good customer service, but unless you buy a higher end model, the slide could really use some "de-burring." The edges will eat up a holster, and after a long range session are a little tough on the hands. I've owned a couple and was exceptionally pleased with their dependability. |
I took my Mil-spec and did my own custom stuff. Super accurate! Never failed me. 
|
| I'd go with the Colt NRM...I had one (sold it for financial reasons) and it was awesome right out of the box. Better trigger then my friend's 1911 which had a custom trigger job and tight fit, but not so tight that it would jam. It had a really great finish too, with the polished sides. |
|
I have 2 full-sized SA 1911's. So far, I love them, considering the price. However, let's take a serious look at money... used two-tone aluminum-framed SA 1911 w/ night sights....600 high-end parts to replace all MIM parts, pins, etc... 300 paying a 'smith to put everything together right....................200 So....I'm gonna end up with an awesome carry gun.....but for what I've got in it, I could have bought a used Wilson CQB, and had much better resale value. |
I see $500 you could have saved yourself.... 
|
I agree, to a point. I just figure $500 would seem awful cheap if I ever pulled the trigger in anger and it didn't go 'bang'. Besides, I got a great deal on the parts. |
The pistol I have at the moment is the Mil-Spec. I love it! Slide to frame fit is great; very smooth. The ONLY thing that I don't like about this gun is the frames finish. The frame is milled and parkerized in brazil which causees two problems; First, the color doesn't match the slide perfectly, though you aren't going to be able to tell much of a difference. Second, the frame's finish isn't as protective as the finish on the slide. I have found that it rusts much easier, especially if you don't keep a little CLP on the frame after handling it. Happened to me and I had to buy some #0000 steel wool to remove spots of rust around the frame. I would STILL buy this gun though! Great shooter, and great foundation for customization! In fact I'm going to be refinishing this thing per StickMan's instructions, and I believe it will be dang close to exactly what I want for probably 1/3 of the price of most other 1911s! Got mine for $450 brand new! If you end up going with the Mil-Spec, make sure get one with a National Match frame. (denoted by the serial number starting with NM) Very well milled frame!
|
I just hate to see folks needlessly replacing parts that dont need to be replaced. However, as they say, your gun, your money.
|
|
Here's mine. I bought it used for around $400, IIRC. It just needed a reblue on the frame. I sent it to Birdsong and had the frame done in green. That cost $60. It is a 100% gun, meaning it never jams and will feed any reasonable round. I've shot it 100's of times. No failures. "Them there Springfields are good guns." 
|
She's purty....... |
Very good. Check the plunger tube before you buy one though. Mine came loose and had to send it back to the factory. They were quick to fix it plus they refunded my shipping costs.
I've owned both a Mil-spec and a WW2 model and they were very reliable.
If you have the money buy a Colt, if not then Springfield will fit the bill. |
Me too! Doing the work yourself makes it that much better... 
|
That's the same one I have. It's a great gun, no malfunctions. Dead accurate. Took some friends shooting yesterday, the guns I took were Beretta 92 fs Beretta 92 G Elite Springfield Sub-Compact XD-9 And the springfield Mil-Spec 1911 you have pictured. Everyone who shot them all liked the 1911 the best. |
|
I bought a loaded Springfield and I like it. Very accurate, nice trigger, good fit and the finish is nice except for the notes below. The front sight was working loose and the two piece guide rod kept unscrewing itself, but Springfield took it back no questions asked and fixed it. It has been fine since then. Their customer service is second to none, IMO. The only other complaint I have is that it is a bit sharp where the slide grip slots were cut and the purty grip wood is a bit sharp where it is serrated as well. Hard to beat for the price. Ray |
|
What do you guys know about the Springfield COMPACT ? I often think of one as a beautiful blend of compact size and great .45 ACP caliber. I would ask about the Kimbers, too, except I find their model lineup so baffling, I don't know which model to inquire about. |
|
I like mine allot! Here is my WWII Mil-Spec. I've added the following Here is a parts list: ·Smith & Alexander Beavertail Grip Safety ·Ed Brown Bar Stock Hammer ·Nowlin Pro-Match Bar Stock Sear ·Nowlin Match Disconnect ·Wolf Main Spring ·Wolf Sear Spring ·Greider Trigger ·Smith & Alexander Magazine Well ·Ed Brown Tactical Extended Magazine Release ·Ed Brown Magazine Catch Lock ·Ed Brown Pin Kit ·Ed Brown Firing Pin .Wilson Combat Extra Power Firing Pin Spring ·Ed Brown Firing Pin Stop ·Ed Brown Hard Core Extractor ·Ed Brown Grip Screws ·Ed Brown Slide Release ·Ed Brown Recoil Spring Guide ·Ed Brown Recoil Spring Plug ·Ed Brown Hammer Strut ·Wilson Combat Custom Contour Thumb Safety ·Grips by Simonich Knives (Flat bottom, not shown)  
|
Like both the gun and the patch.
|
|
i have 2. ultra compact i bought new about 3 years ago 1911-A1 built in the late 80's i bout LNIB last year. both are 110% right out of the box i'd stack the a1 up against any colt made of the same config. I do think their QC has slipped a bit. The a1 is definantly fit and finished better than their new pistols are today. mike |
Epsilon, the Springfield Mil-Spec will be a good choice. Here's mine: I upgraded it with a Smith & Alexander "beavertail" grip safety, Cocobolo grips, Cylinder & Slide fire control kit, Videki trigger, and a few other things. I like it just as much as my Colts. You can read about my upgrade here (if you're interested): Springfield 1911 Mil-Spec upgrade |
Mine looks like the top one with the "unfinished" square frame, early '90s manufacture, two piece barrel, parkerized and has been great...accurate and reliable for over 10 years.  I can't speak for current production, but I would get one with a "normal" frame at least...maybe it's just not as bothersome to others? 
|
|
Thanks to this thread, and a poster herein, I now have in the works.... SS Extractor Firing Pin SS FP Stop FP Return Spring Hammer, SS Pin Set Sear Sear Spring Blued Slide Stop Mainspring Tactical Thumb Safety Ultralight Trigger coming from Wilson combat (all 'bulletproof' where available) and the following other tool-steel replacements. Disconnector Hammer Strut Guide Rod, Blue Plug, Blue (machined) Hey, it's only money, right?  Here's the 'before' picture, robbing bandwidth from LHD, whom I bought it from..... |
|
Bought a SA Commander about ten years ago. Shot the Intro Pistol course at Gunsite with it. Nice pistol, but it's had its share of problems. Broke a slide due to improper heat treating. SA replaced it free of charge. Also broke extractor and ejector. Still like the pistol, have close to 10,000 rounds through it. It's kind of beat-up now, I'm looking at having it rebuilt. Want to put on a set of Novak Lo-Mounts with Tritium inserts and have it satin nickle finished (Don't abuse me too much, all my pistols are black, so I'm due a silver one). At the time I bought it, one good thing about the SAs was the lack of a Series 80 style firing pin safety. Don't know if it's still the case on current production, but it's a good feature. Makes it easier to strip down the slide for cleaning. |