Posted: 3/18/2008 4:24:55 PM EDT
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currently in the market for a 1911 and i'm very close to going with either the springfield mil-spec or GI model. is it worth stepping up the mil-spec? any other mfgs offer something in this price range? |
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a beavertail is one of the things I DON'T plan to add... when i grip the GI and MIL-SPEC SA models, i prefer the feel w/out the beavertail. i guess i'm more interested in maybe sight upgrades and/or reliability upgrades in the future. grips, and things like that... simple aesthetic changes. my intentions are not to immediately start changing things but to get into owning a 1911 for the lowest buck w/out really giving up quality and reliability. i'm pretty sure i've made up my mind to go with the MIL-SPEC over the GI. the ejection port changes alone are worth it for the money (or so it seems). i suppose i'd prefer the MIL-SPEC sights as well. i had considered going with the GI HI-CAP but if i want 13 rounds, why am i buying a 1911 in the first place? |
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From Guns&Ammo/book of 1911 Feb,2007 """I(G&A)asked Bill Dermody(Springfield)about the status of the company's relationship with IMBEL.He explained that while the Brazilians still supply many of the components,Springfield has begun manufacturing more and more of them in this country in addition to using parts from well-known U.S.Suppliers.At present ,the mil-spec and entry level pistols are composed almost entirely of Brazilian parts,but as one moves up the price ladder,the various 1911A1's contain a greater percentage of American-made parts until you reach the top-of-the-line models,which are manufactured from the ground up at Springfields facility with 100 percent U.S.-made components,including frames and slides.Of the three pistols G&A received(GI,Mil-Spec,Micro Compact),the two full size guns(GI,Mil-Spec)bore markings indicating that some or all,of the parts were of Brazilian manufacture,while the Micro-Compact is a U.S.-made product.""' There's a great review in this magazine between three Sringfields,GI,Mil-Spec and Micro Compact.All three had good reviews hug.gif |
Just curious but have you shot the GI and mil-spec models or just held them? When you shoot them do you not get hammer bite? Mark |
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I never got hammer bite until I adopted the "thumb on the safety paddle" shooting grip. This grip raises the web of your hand where the hammer spur can take a bite out of it. I also never had a problem with activating the grip safety until then, either. But these days all my "shootin' 1911s" wear beavertails. The grip safety tang of a regular 1911 will chew up my hand in short order otherwise. They are also tuned to disengage if the grip safety's even slightly pushed in. |
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I suggest you rethink the "no beavertail" idea. Of all the mods you can make to a 1911, a HIGH-RIDE beavertail comes right behind high-vis sights in importance. I emphasize high-ride because a low beavertail does nothing to improve handling, which is the real advantage you should be looking for... the higher hand position reduces muzzle rise and improves shot-to-shot time. This is why 10 out of 10 IPSC shooters use them. How it feels or looks in the gunshop should not be the final arbiter. In my mind, about the only reason to have the standard GI grip safety is if you want the gun to look like a historical relic (e.g. a retro WW2 era gun) and don't plan to shoot it in any serious situation (competition or personal defense). The high-ride beavertail is not a drop-in part on a GI gun - you have to file metal off the frame to make it fit, then refinish the frame. I won a Springfield GI in a 3-gun match last year, and I just recently got round to upgrading it to my liking. I had to file on the frame to get the beavertail installed (contarry to what is said above, you CAN install the superior 0.250 beavertails, which I did, but there is a small cosmetic gap), then I had to refinish in OD green KG Gunkote. Unless you like hobby gunsmithing, I suggest you buy a gun that already has a high-ride beavertail installed. Here is my finished gun, to help you make the right decision: 
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i appreciate the opinions concerning the beavertail but my hand is fine after 500 rounds through it yesterday / today. i had no problems staying on target at 7, 15 and 25 yard ranges with accurate follow-ups on double-taps. in the future i'd consider upgrading a few things but i think trigger work would come before a beavertail. for now, here are a few pics:   again, i appreciate everyone's input / opinions. |