100 Years Young! Happy Birthday, M1911/1911-A1

[oldhickory]

If there's a self-loading pistol that says, "American" it's U.S. Pistol-M1911/1911-A1.

Let's see em guys! Here's mine, a WWII issue Remington Rand.:drinks:

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn179/krag1894/Picture008.jpg

[firefly1957]

Thing of beauty is it not.

[oldhickory]

Thing of beauty is it not.

Perfection!;-)

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s220/ShawnTVT/Guns/Colt%201911%20Combat/Colt1.jpg

Series 80 Combat Commander

[frankenfab]

Hickory, I have always wanted one like that. Simple clean good looks. That pistol has character.

[AZ-Stew]

I'd love to own one of the .45s I toted around on watch for many years. Sure, they were clunkers, but they were reliable. I wonder where they went when the ships were decommissioned?

Am I the only one who prefers an A1-style mainspring housing? All the "custom" guns seem to come with a flat housing. So did my Gold Cup. It doesn't point naturally. If I had to use it defensively, the perp would be shot in the knees. Just curious as to why flat housings are all the rage. Or is it that someone "famous" had his done that way, and now EVERYONE has to have theirs that way? Comments??

http://www.inficad.com/~gstewart/misc_photos/gold_cup_left.jpg

http://www.inficad.com/~gstewart/misc_photos/gold_cup_right.jpg

http://www.inficad.com/~gstewart/misc_photos/gold_cup_top.jpg
Regards,

Stew

[armed_partisan]

The full size "Custom Stainless (Classic)" was my first, and I took it to Gunsite, I switched out the flat mainspring for a stainless A1 arched one and it wouldn't point worth a damn for me after that. The "Custom Compact (Classic)" I found a few years ago used for a VERY good price and it has become my daily carry. Traded the rubber factory grips for Rosewood factory grips that my friend had on his Kimber that he didn't like. Not too bad for a college kid under thirty, me thinks.

[oldhickory]

I'd love to own one of the .45s I toted around on watch for many years. Sure, they were clunkers, but they were reliable. I wonder where they went when the ships were decommissioned?

Am I the only one who prefers an A1-style mainspring housing? All the "custom" guns seem to come with a flat housing. So did my Gold Cup. It doesn't point naturally. If I had to use it defensively, the perp would be shot in the knees. Just curious as to why flat housings are all the rage. Or is it that someone "famous" had his done that way, and now EVERYONE has to have theirs that way? Comments??

Regards,

Stew

No Stew, you're not the only one in the world who likes the arched A1 mainspring housing. I prefer it myself over the flat. Just a wild guess here, but I would imagine Jeff Cooper had a little influance on the popularuty of the flat mainspring housings. I had a 1911, (WWI issue) in nice shape, but like you said, it just didn't point well. The old G.I. 1911-A1 I have will hit, it ain't no match gun, but rapid fire I usually beat my brother and his Gold Cup...Ah, maybe I just load better ammo since I cast my own.[smilie=s:

[oldhickory]

The full size "Custom Stainless (Classic)" was my first, and I took it to Gunsite, I switched out the flat mainspring for a stainless A1 arched one and it wouldn't point worth a damn for me after that.

Did you change out the trigger also?

[oldhickory]

Hickory, I have always wanted one like that. Simple clean good looks. That pistol has character.

Well, it does have character. I won't go into stories, but I know where this one's been. It has some holster wear, but it wasn't fired much while in gov't service, so it locks up pretty tight and doesn't rattle-much.

[firefly1957]

The previous owner of my pistol used and used it in competition mismatched parts frame was made in 1913 slide in 1942 he hard chromed it and did the trim in gold AKA high power. It still shoots good my grandfather called it a "PIMP" gun. The guy I bought it from claimed he put a half million rounds though it I have put a few thousand more since I bought it in 1978.

[PatMarlin]

HAPPY B-day 1911! ...:Fire: Hail to the master JMB....!


http://www.patmarlins.com/1911pat.jpg

[armed_partisan]

Old Hickory: No, those are the original triggers. The Fullsize has a metal trigger, and the Compact (which has an earlier serial number) has a plastic trigger. I really can't tell a difference between the two, both trigger pulls are excellent. I've seen very high end guns that had nicer triggers, but not nice enough to justify an extra grand. I did shorten the guide rod on the FS, so I could take it apart without tools. That's a Chip McCormick 8 round after market magazine, too. Everything else is original, including the burnt-out night sights.

Some people don't like "MIM-bers" because of the use of MIM parts and plastic triggers and mainspring housings, etc, but I think they're just great. All my S&W revolvers which have MIM parts are very good, too. Ugly, but good.

[oldhickory]

Old Hickory: No, those are the original triggers. The Fullsize has a metal trigger, and the Compact (which has an earlier serial number) has a plastic trigger. I really can't tell a difference between the two, both trigger pulls are excellent. I've seen very high end guns that had nicer triggers, but not nice enough to justify an extra grand. I did shorten the guide rod on the FS, so I could take it apart without tools. That's a Chip McCormick 8 round after market magazine, too. Everything else is original, including the burnt-out night sights.

Some people don't like "MIM-bers" because of the use of MIM parts and plastic triggers and mainspring housings, etc, but I think they're just great. All my S&W revolvers which have MIM parts are very good, too. Ugly, but good.

I may have led you astray here with the question. You mentioned you lost "pointability" in your first post when you changed out the flat aminspring housing for the arched housing. I was wondering if you changed out the long trigger for the shorter A-1 style along with the housing. Just wondering if that would have made a difference for you.

I've tried several combinations on different guns through the years and the only real difference in pointability I've found is when I switch out to an alloy .22 conversion unit making the pistol much lighter.

I get along with either housing myself.