WOW! I picked up a new SA 1911 today. New parkerized loaded model. I had a while back, one of the early loaded models. It was an outstanding gun. Just lacking in a few things that I wanted. This one is unbelievable. It is as tight as a Wilson, and the trigger feels every bit as good too. Has nice slim extended ambidextrous thumb safeties, which snick on and off very positively, but are not hard to push. Novak night sights with the front sight dovetailed, not staked! Hex head grip screws, nice bevertail grip safety (not to big, but jsut right), lightweight hammer and trigger, full length guide rod (not necessary but nice). All this gun needs is a good finish, and a mild de-horning/carry job to take off a couple of rough corners. For $650, it was too good to pass up. Looked at another on that was finished in Springfields Custom Shop Armory Kote finish. Very nice. Basically the same as Black-T. Custom shop will refinish the entire gun for $125. This thing is just plain cool. I have had quite a few Colt's and a couple of SA's over the years, and this one is by FAR ht ebest gun, especially for the money. Range report tomorrow.

Sometimes you have to go through a few guns before you find that special one that is designated as a keeper. I am still using my SA from the early 90s in matches, leaving the Gold Cup in the safe. The only modification is an adjustable rear sight, a white outline. For lead loads it needs two clicks to the left, but it loves lead! I just left mine parkerized as its the workhorse of my .45s.

Got it all wiped down last night. Man, I have never seen a general production gun this tight. It is every bit as tight as a high dollar one. Hope to get it to the range today at least long enough to put a box through it.

Please keep us posted.

I am very interested in the new Springfields.

Love mine, enjoy it but dont feed it Wolf ammo, for some reason it just wouldnt cycle right.

AS I posted on my other thread. This thing is unreal. Of all the 1911's I have owned, and my last Loaded one was good, this one is heads above them all. I dont know what Springfield is doing to them now, but it is an x punching beast. Virtually no muzzle flip or felt recoil. Came back on target VERY fast. Was making on ragged hole as fast as I could re-acquire the front sight and sqeeze the trigger. I swear, it feels just like all the Wilsons I have been looking at. With the exception of, it doesnt have all the sharp edges dehorned quite like a Wilson. But that is nothing that the Springfield custom shop cant do when they refinish it for me in their Armory Kote. The finish is only $125 and the de-horning job is only around $50. So for $825, I will have a 1911 that in my personal opinion, is just as good as a high dollar one. Only other thing is the stocks. They arent some fancy double diamond exotic wood, and mine have a couple of cracks in them where it appears that the grip screws were over tightened, but to me the stocks are irrelavant. The function and soundness of the gun is primary to me. Stocks can be changed. The thumb saftey is also a big improvement over my last loaded one. Last one was an extended one, but was a bit wide and a little sharp. New one is extended, but much slimmer and not as sharp. Perfect to me. The main spring housing is SA's new one with the integral lock. Wasnt too hot one way or the other about it. The more I think about it though, SA did a good job on the design, and, if I am ever somewhere where I cant secure the gun from children or other unwanted users, at least I can lock it so that it cant be fired.
With the gun unloaded, you can shake it vigorously and there is NO loose rattle at all. Even with the slide back, there is very little looseness in the barrel. The barrell bushing is a bit longer than what I remember on my others. Looks a bit beefier too. I suspect that is the reason for the nice tight barrell lock up when the slide is in battery. Enough rambling for now. If you are lookng for a new 1911 and dont want to breeak the bank. I cant recommend this one enough. Sure as I say that, now someone will post about theirs falling all to pieces.

hawkeye, the sa 1911 is a great gun. i own several guns of different makes and calibers. none are as accurate as the sa 1911. how is this for accuracy. 50 yds on an idpa target, 5 out of 8 in the center scoring area, two just outside the center circle, and one called flyer, jerked the trigger and pulled it several inches away. this is standing, not from a rest.
this gun really loves 200 gr swc, and everything else in it.