The Annual 1911 Auto Thread!

Well, here it is. Time once again to talk about all things 1911 and to display your hardware through photos. Open to all who love 'em, hate 'em, want to fix 'ex, have stories about 'em, want to learn about 'em, and already know all about 'em. Anything 1911.
Collector ones, outrageously expensive, ones, made from a kit---whatever. Not at all limited to .45 ACP-- .38 Super, 9mm, .460, .50, .22 conversions, all welcome. Ballester-Molina, Llama, Star....close enough! Who knows...if enough timeless knowledge is imparted it may become a "sticky!!

To get things rolling, here's a couple of mine.

Attachment 284973

Attachment 284974


DG

I'm thinking of getting a Turkish 1911 to go with my Turkish shotguns and Turkish tractor.....seriously! In .45 ACP for me, no rails please....
I've been a 1911 fan since the first one I ever fired as a teen. My favorite auto pistol, period. My maravilla pistola Ballester will hang with the 1911.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

Attachment 284989Attachment 284990Attachment 284991

My R1 commander being the only one I can bring.....I love it. Outshoots my S&W .40 I've been shooting since the early 90's.

To slightly edit Ernie Hudson's line from the original Ghostbusters:

"John (Browning), when someone asks you if you're a god, YOU SAY YES!!!"

I have a bunch in 22LR, 38 Super, 9mm, 10mm and 45 ACP. At some point I will have a 460 Rowland and maybe a baby Browning in 380.

I’ve posted this several times before…
A 1917 vintage commercial Colt 1911. It was Grampa's, then Dad's, now mine. Grampa and Dad shot competitive Bullseye with it and there is no telling how many thousands of rounds have been down the pipe. I remember the very first time I was allowed to shoot it. Grampa drove us down a dirt road on the outskirts of Raymond, NH and we put some old cans up on a wooden fence. Grampa had it stoked with his competition loads, an H&G #130 over some tiny charge of Hercules Bullseye. Real softball loads they were, but I was 8 years old and had only shot .22's up to that point. Old slab sides made quite an impression on this kid.

Grampa was the one that soldered on the Patridge front and bobbed the hammer. No doubt killed any collector value, but no matter... It's priceless to me. I have a lot of handguns that I shoot more, but they are just things. This gun is my heritage.

http://www.imashooter2.com/pictures/grampa1911-760.jpg

Commander Light Weight in 38 Super and a Delta Elite with 10mm & 40 S&W barrels.

Colt combat commander given to me by my FIL. Parkerized RIA NIB. Chiappa 1911-22 NIB. I did have a green gas recoiling air soft for practice till it got destroyed in the fire.

Wilson Combat Tactical Supergrade, the finest production 1911 available. In GODs caliber, 45 acp.

The last 1911 I got is a Colt Defender in .45ACP, fun little gun to shoot and easy to carry.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Texas by God

I'm thinking of getting a Turkish 1911 to go with my Turkish shotguns and Turkish tractor.....seriously! In .45 ACP for me, no rails please....
I've been a 1911 fan since the first one I ever fired as a teen. My favorite auto pistol, period. My maravilla pistola Ballester will hang with the 1911.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

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Ahhh...a Turkish 1911! I get e-mail ads from CDNN every morning, and sometimes more than once, and Turkish .45s are among the offerrings. They look good, and I haven't heard anything at all negative about them....so why not?

A Turkish tractor? I guess...I've never seen or heard of one, but no doubt they exist. Mine is S. Korean (Kioti), there's Mahindra (Indian), Kubota (Japanese), so why not a Turkish tractor.

Ballester Pistols-- really great pieces of ordnance, and for those unaware of their existence, they were made in Argentina.

The Argies had been buying the Colt 1911, known to them as the M1927 and really a 1911A1. Then, like most larger countries they wanted to produce them in their own country, so Colt sent a crew of technicians to Argentina and they made them in- country. A very fine product indeed. It is said that they purchased their steel from Sweden and that it was denser than U.S. made steel, and that the Argentine-made M1927s weigh a couple of ounces more than a U.S. M1911. I have never proven this interesting tidbit of knowledge as I've never had an appropriate scale. You'll find U.S.-made (Colt) Argentine M1927s, Argentine- made M1927s marked Sistema Colt, and Argentine-made M1927s marked D.G.F.M. (F.M.A.P.), all high quality.
Attachment 285002
Argentine-made M1927.

Then it was decided to design a new pistol based on the 1911, but one which would be a native design. National Pride, I think you'd call it. The result was the Ballester pistol, known as the Ballester-Rigaud for approximately the first 20,000, and thereafter the Ballester-Molina when one partner left and another came on board. The pistols are identical except for the name. They were produced by Hispano Argentino Fabrica De Automoviles, SA (Corp.), H.A.F.D.S.A., and were without exception a high quality product fully equal (my opinion) to the M1911. Only the barrels and magazines are interchangeable with the M1911. Production extended from the mid-1930s to the mid-1940s, and a number of them were purchased by the British in WW II for issue where they didn't want British-made firearms to appear. These were stamped with a "B" prefix. Other Ballesters do not have a prefixed serial number. The one shown below was in my collection for several years before I self-educated. Prior to then I had thought the number to start with an "8", but closer examination showed it as a "B".
Attachment 285005
Ballester-Molina with "B" prefix

Although at first glance a M1911, the design has significant differences. There is no grip safety, and the trigger/sear mechanism closely resembles the lock work of the Spanish Star pistols. The result was a highly reliable pistol. Apparently 80,000 + was enough to satisfy their needs and production ended about 1944. If you run across a nice one grab it! It was replaced in Argentine service by the Browning Hi-Power, also made in Argentina.

DG

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Texas by God

I'm thinking of getting a Turkish 1911 to go with my Turkish shotguns and Turkish tractor.....seriously! In .45 ACP for me, no rails please....
I've been a 1911 fan since the first one I ever fired as a teen. My favorite auto pistol, period. My maravilla pistola Ballester will hang with the 1911.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

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I have a Zig M1911 from Turkey. I traded my old 1911 frankengun, with the alloy frame & an Ace .22LR conversion kt to my dad in the mid-80's for an anvil. Years later, he gave me back the broken frame, and a different slide. Ratfink kept the Ace kit, though. ;) A few years ago, I got to missing shooting a lot. And I'd finally gotten a decent job after several years of medical problems and no good jobs because of them. I was checking out my favorite pawn shop, and they had a new 1911 from Turkey for $375, and tax. Grabbed it, and shook it, and it didn't rattle as bad as the old GI 1911's Dad taught me to shoot when I was 12. So it followed me home. I love it!

Bill

Attachment 285007

Attachment 285008

My latest, a new Rock Island Ultra FS in 10mm. Totally paid for by selling brass I picked up off the ground for free.

One morning back in the late '70s I had an appointment and was running a bit early, so grabbed the latest G&A magazine on the way out the door, and stopped at a coffee shop. When I turned my attention to the magazine I couldn't believe my eyes, because there on the cover in full color was the 1911 of my dreams. Finally, after almost 70 years, someone had made a stainless steel 1911. The AMT Hardballer. It had a lot going for it, both for the consumer and the manufacturer. The big draw, of course, was enhanced corrosion resistance. Most of the pistol was investment cast, frame and slide, and in general it was patterned after the Colt Gold Cup with adjustable target sights and adjustable trigger. When I got mine I found that the manufacturer recommended using a mixture of white lithium grease and 30 wt. motor oil as a lubricant, as the pistol was made of the same grade of stainless throughout and the parts tended to gall themselves with conventional gun oil. I followed the lubrication instructions and never had a problem at all. It remains one of my very favorite pistols.
Attachment 285029

The AMT (Arcadia Machine Tool) company went through several phases and relocations and ceased to exist about 2001. So much for lifetime warranties! They had a lot of innovative firearms, and I was sorry to see them go. I think the earlier products were a bit nicer in quality than those that came along later, but once again, just opinion.

It was just a couple of years later when the next stainless 1911 appeared, made by a company called Vega in Sacramento, CA. This one used different grades of stainless and didn't require special lubrication. They weren't around too long, and you seldom see them come up for sale. Mine was an early one and had sight problems, but like most 1911s it was highly reliable. I replaced the original tall fixed rear sight with an adjustable sight, then returned it to the factory for a taller front sight. It ended up being very satisfactory. I've read some clues that indicate that Vega had some connection with Pacific International Merchandising, a name probably familiar to some of you older surplus buyers, and they also disappeared.

Attachment 285030

A good e-mail/PM friend of mine (you know who you are!) calls stainless steel "soulless steel". I confess a penchant toward blued pistols with walnut or rosewood grips, but how can you turn up your nose at something like this?

Attachment 285031

DG

I have a long and deep connection to the Colt 45 Automatic pistol. It comes from a time, many years ago when a Rem-Ran 1911A1 was the only center fire pistol I owned. I pressed it into service for all kinds of things it was not designed to do. It rose to the challenge and did what it was called on to do. There is always one close to hand and I have never been let down. For me it is always "The Pistol", but I do realize that for some tasks there are better choices.

If and when this primer shortage ends I'm going to get another in .45 acp. Target model with adjustable sights and match grade barrel. Shot my first one over 40 years ago and bonded immediately.

RIA 1911A1. The holster came to me from the estate of a WWII B-26 pilot. I don't think it is GI.


Attachment 285028

I have six 1911's. Five 45 Autos and a 10MM.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by condorjohn

RIA 1911A1. The holster came to me from the estate of a WWII B-26 pilot. I don't think it is GI.


Attachment 285028

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I've got one of those myself (RIA)-- very good gun at a very good price! I modified mine a bit, as it was giving me the traditional bite between thumb and forefinger.
Attachment 285032 Attachment 285033

DG

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rondog

Attachment 285007

Attachment 285008

My latest, a new Rock Island Ultra FS in 10mm. Totally paid for by selling brass I picked up off the ground for free.

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My hat is off to you, Sir. You must have picked up a lot of brass! Good use for the profits! I'm sure you've read the periodic threads about "What is the best pistol I can carry for bears?" I've concluded that a 1911 in 10mm is about the best choice. Haven't procured one yet, but the day may well come.

DG

Oldie, not pretty but functions flawlessly
45 ACP SPRINGFIELD ARMORY U.S.A.
UNITED STATES PROPERTY MODEL OF 1911.U.S.ARMY NO7579 = Oct. 1912
Colt lower Springfield Upper

https://i.imgur.com/B83vagl.jpg

I found this cleaning out a house.
https://i.imgur.com/qJCm7HU.jpghttps://i.imgur.com/N8IP5m9.jpg

7579 is a pretty low number. How's about this one, Colt 7674?
Attachment 285063

The first time I examined it I thought to myself, "This is something unusual...." It belonged to a Deputy Sheriff, and I told him I'd buy it if he ever decided to sell. The day came, and it was mine. The more I looked at it the more puzzled I became. That serial number block should have been a very early U.S. Property, but there was no property mark. Also, WW I pistols' serial numbers have a number preceded by No., like No. 7674, and this one just had the number. The frame and slide were undeniably made by Colt. Also, although you can't see it in the photo, the serial number is in script rather than block numbers.

Several years passed. I acquired a book on collector martial arms, the 1911 included, and read a footnote by a gentleman who was researching Remington Rand 1911s. He requested to know the marking, serial numbers, and especially the markings on the barrels. I sent him the information on one I had, he replied with his gratitude, and then in subsequent correspondence I asked him what he might know about the pistol in the photo. He really "knocked my socks off" when he replied that the script serial number indicated that the frame was originally a very early .38 Super model, and that apparently the slide and barrel had been replaced by someone who preferred a .45 ACP. As proof he offered that, if one examined the photo on the back cover of "Know Your .45 Auto Pistols" paperback, D.J. Hoffschmidt, Blacksmith Corp., that the pictured 1911 had the same style serial number script. Interestingly, it has the finish worn off in the area of the serial number almost exactly like the one in my photo. One can speculate that perhaps this is from both pistols being carried in the same type of holster, but that is speculation only.

DG

I still find John Browning's genius astounding. To dream the 1911 up, all the interplay of parts and the remarkable durability of the piece.

No photo : but see post #16
AMT Stainless Steel Hardballer , 45 acp
w/ Ahrens smooth Black Ebony grips .
I ordered them not long before Kim went out of business , Kim said the black Ebony looked good on stainless steel 1911's and was his favorite . He was right of course
I sure do miss both Judy and Kim .
Gary

Steel case WW2 ammo tends to be corrosive and has a too small extractor groove cut. Clean it up, wax it and store it for history’s sake.

The 1911 is a timeless piece...sorta like beautiful women, comes in many flavors & you love them all.

my first, now my oldest son's first...Para Ordinance 14-45 target

https://i.imgur.com/YrnJQc5.jpg?1

Second & third...Colt Commander & Kimber...these don't leave here till they read the will.

https://i.imgur.com/bjeVrXF.jpg

"SEMPER FIDELIS"

https://i.imgur.com/HZM8p3p.jpg

"GOD, COUNTRY, CORPS"

https://i.imgur.com/ToUrAJQ.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Der Gebirgsjager

My hat is off to you, Sir. You must have picked up a lot of brass! Good use for the profits! I'm sure you've read the periodic threads about "What is the best pistol I can carry for bears?" I've concluded that a 1911 in 10mm is about the best choice. Haven't procured one yet, but the day may well come.

DG

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Thanks! Yeah, been pickin' and peddlin' brass for years, have bought a lot of goodies with the cash. This is at least gun #4, maybe #5. I lose track.....

OS OK-- love those stag grips!

I've got a Para Ord 14:45 in my accumulation. Didn't you hate to see that company disappear? They made quality products, and pretty much invented the double stack .45 ACP pistol frame. I remember seeing just the frames for sale at gun shows for several years before they ever offered a complete pistol. A real odyssey, how the two partners formed the company in Canada, which became very successful, but later moved the company to the U.S. Eventually one died, and in the end the company was sold to Remington. What they wanted it for is debatable, but eventually Remington started producing 1911s. No more Paras though, and SARCO has been selling off their remaining parts for years now. I really liked the LDA series, but other folks never seem too enthusiastic about them. Maybe a double action 1911 is just too non-traditional. I remember the first DA .45 autos that I encountered, the Seecamp. People used to wait years to get one, but I think the LDA was a better gun.

Attachment 285082
Para P14:45

Attachment 285083
Para P14:45 LDA

If I had a favorite it might be this one. Maybe my all time favorite. But...the others would feel bad if I chose it. ;)
Attachment 285084
Para 7:45 LDA
Very similar to shooting a nicely tuned S&W revolver.


DG

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Der Gebirgsjager

OS OK-- love those stag grips!

I've got a Para Ord 14:45 in my accumulation. Didn't you hate to see that company disappear? They made quality products, and pretty much invented the double stack .45 ACP pistol frame. I remember seeing just the frames for sale at gun shows for several years before they ever offered a complete pistol. A real odyssey, how the two partners formed the company in Canada, which became very successful, but later moved the company to the U.S. Eventually one died, and in the end the company was sold to Remington. What they wanted it for is debatable, but eventually Remington started producing 1911s. No more Paras though, and SARCO has been selling off their remaining parts for years now. I really liked the LDA series, but other folks never seem too enthusiastic about them. Maybe a double action 1911 is just too non-traditional. I remember the first DA .45 autos that I encountered, the Seecamp. People used to wait years to get one, but I think the LDA was a better gun.

Attachment 285082
Para P14:45

Attachment 285083
Para P14:45 LDA

If I had a favorite it might be this one. Maybe my all time favorite. But...the others would feel bad if I chose it. ;)
Attachment 285084
Para 7:45 LDA
Very similar to shooting a nicely tuned S&W revolver.


DG

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I used to watch Longmire, A&E/Netflix (2012 – 2017), got a kick out of that program. In one program he places his 1911 on his nightstand and it had the Stag grips...from that time on I just had to have some for mine. One of our own members here made these for me...he is an outstanding craftsman.

The first of two pair he made were Rams Horn...

https://i.imgur.com/ntwf5ps.jpg?1

They look pretty good against the steel color of the Colt...

https://i.imgur.com/tzAhVBY.jpg

When I felt the feel of the stag I had to order another set for the Colt...sent one set of the Rams Horn to a friend in Illinois as a gift.

Thank you for the kind words
charlie

As I said before, very nice grips. The horn grips are also nice, but I'm especially attracted to the stag. There's at least one fellow on the internet that makes custom grips from PVC that closely resemble ivory. I bought a pair several years ago and they really look good on a stainless pistol.

So, here's a tip for 1911 newbies. You old timers stop laughing, because you had to learn this yourself at some point. When reassembling your 1911 and installing the recoil spring on the recoil spring guide, you'll find that one end of the spring fits more tightly that the other, and the tight end is the one that installs on the guide.

Well, since everyone that has a genuine 1911 has spoken up and provided photos (not!), to keep things running lets chat today about Llamas. The Spanish word llama means flame, or violent passion, or marshy ground, a Peruvian animal, or a name, such as como se llama--what is your name? No more confusing than some English words like blue, blew, etc. In this case it is flame. The Llama's logo is a torch like an Olympic torch with a flame on top.

At one time, from WW I onward, there were many Spanish gun companies that made pistols that varied from excellent to poor quality. The three best were Astra (Unceta), Star (Echeverria), and Llama (Gabilondo), and after the Spanish Civil War Generalissimo Franco only allowed the three mentioned here by name to remain in business. Since Europe is generally a difficult place for the ordinary citizen to own a handgun, these companies turned their attention to overseas markets. Spanish-made guns sold well not only in the U.S., but in Central and South America as well because of their Spanish heritage.

To the best of my knowledge Astra never made a 1911-type pistol. Star made many pistols that superficially resembled the 1911, but their lock work is very different. Not necessarily inferior, just different. But Llama stayed pretty true to the Browning design. The only difference that I can bring to mind off hand is that the hold open lever/safety plunger tube is screwed onto the frame rather than being riveted--or staked if you prefer that description. If you disassemble a Llama pistol the parts appear identical in size and shape with those of a 1911, but in fact they aren't interchangeable at all. Well, they weren't, until the last few years of the company's production when they ended what had been their mainstay for many years, the models VIII and IXA and began production of the Max-I model. The Max-I was a serious redesign
and most, but not quite all, parts became interchangeable with the 1911. The Llamas were imported by Stoeger Arms for many years, the "Shooter's Bible" people, and sold quite well. They were the gun to buy if you couldn't afford almost double for a Colt. Unfortunately they went out of business, bankrupt in 1992, as did had Star and Astra. After 8 years, in 2000, the flame was rekindled by a cooperative of about 60 former employees, Fabrinor, who made pistols still stamped Llama. After just a couple of years they also closed their doors. No more Llamas, and consequently no more Llama parts-- something to consider if you are ever thinking about buying one. But, again, being 1911-tough, you might never need a replacement part, and then there are always the used parts houses that might have what you need. Spare magazines can be a problem for the earlier models, but the Max-I uses 1911 mags. For several more years the Max-I was produced by Industria Argentina and branded "Firestorm", but they discontinued production.

Here are a couple of mine:

Attachment 285161

The pistol on the upper right is a Llama Model VIII, also sold as the "Extra" and "Military & Police". Lower pistol is a Ballester, always identifiable by the vertically grooved grips.

Attachment 285162

An IXA, Stoeger import, circa 1970, grips replaced with ebony wood. Some stamped "Especial".

Attachment 285163

A Max-I, as produced by Llama/Fabrinor. Polished blue, accented by satin chrome components.

I am not going to make the statement that Llama pistols were/are every bit as good as Colt pistols. Maybe 85%, and could be brought up to 90+ % with some individual gunsmithing attention. Most shoot G.I. combat accuracy out of the box. Nevertheless, I would describe them as a good gun, one of the better guns, and worth owing should one come your way.

DG

Coolest 1911 grips I've ever seen (a photo of....) were made from a Mastodon molar. Waaaay beautiful! Google it, maybe the photos will turn up.

I shot Grampa's Colt from the previous page for a year in Steel Challenge type competition before I branched into USPSA and I decided I was putting too much wear and tear on my heirloom. So I picked up this Kimber, put on an Ed Brown well and a narrow Dawson fiber optic front, adjusted the take up and called it good. It has Served me well for years.

http://imashooter2.com/pictures/kimber3-760.jpg

You may have seen this before...., if not a fitting story for this thread.

https://sofrep.com/fightersweep/pilo...e-zero-pistol/

I have two, one is a Remington 1911 R1S in 45acp, and a S&W 1911 Pro Series in 9mm. I like the Remington the best, it is plane old 1911 except in stainless; the 9mm is too fancy, I can't find a 3 o'clock OWB holster that will not disengage the safety, or allow for it to be disengaged.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x_pgv72U6U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2yn9cLG7fs

When I find a suitable holster, I'll use the 9mm mostly.

I am currently at zero in my inventory. Sold 2 Rock Island last year and had hoped to pick up a Dan Wesson a2 but the craziness hit and prices got stupid. Right now I’m trying to talk a friend out of his Springfield Ronin Commander

Attachment 285312

My Colt 45 passed down from my father, a 27 year Army vet of WWII, Viet Nam, and three tours in Germany. He bought it out of a wash tub full of them at the local hardware store in the late 60's for $29.25, I was there but was under 7 years old. Gov't Model, civilian issue. My grandson gets that one.

Slim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Win94ae

I have two, one is a Remington 1911 R1S in 45acp, and a S&W 1911 Pro Series in 9mm. I like the Remington the best, it is plane old 1911 except in stainless; the 9mm is too fancy, I can't find a 3 o'clock OWB holster that will not disengage the safety, or allow for it to be disengaged.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x_pgv72U6U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2yn9cLG7fs

When I find a suitable holster, I'll use the 9mm mostly.

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Milt Sparks makes exactly what you are asking for. You will never find higher quality.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by slim1836

Attachment 285312

My Colt 45 passed down from my father, a 27 year Army vet of WWII, Viet Nam, and three tours in Germany. He bought it out of a wash tub full of them at the local hardware store in the late 60's for $29.25, I was there but was under 7 years old. Gov't Model, civilian issue. My grandson gets that one.

Slim

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Nice heirloom. Nothing like a gun with our forefather's sweat in the stocks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dan Cash

Milt Sparks makes exactly what you are asking for. You will never find higher quality.

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The safety is exposed on those, that will not do.

I'm either going to have to either switch out the safety levers, or make my own holster.

Thanks anyway!