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kempin
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Post by kempin »

Ok, I know this is cheating to post this here, but I figured I could find two things here: objective opinions and experienced shooters. (My theory is that p-64 owners tend to have a more open mind.) So . . .

I am considering adding a .45 1911 to my arsenal, and operating on a limited budget was wondering what you thought: Used Colt, or new Springfield milspec?

Used Colt or new Springfield, OR new Rock Island with some money left over to buy reloading gear and some extras?

Just an off the subject question to clear the mind.

Any thoughts?

-Kempin
p64pro
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Post by p64pro »

I'm glad we can be open minded enough to talk about other guns. I personally have owned 5 different 1911's-2 Springfields, a Kimber pro, Norinco and a cheap brand (I wont mention the name). As president of my IDPA club I have shot a number of other brands. My favorite is my
current Springfield. The mill-spec is OK as a starter gun, but you will end up wanting to modify it. If you can swing a little more you can look around and find a Sprindfield "loaded"for low $700. It will have everything you need.
butch50
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Post by butch50 »

I have a SA Milspec that I love dearly. I bought it with the avowed intention of performing upgrades on it myself, as I like to work on guns.

Oddly though I don't think I will ever change a thing about it. I find no urge to modify it, much to my surprise. It is a pure pleasure to shoot just as it came out of the box.

I would recommend this fine pistol to anyone.
Last edited by butch50 on February 16th, 2006, 4:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
talon
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Post by talon »

Hello Kimpen,

I'll give a shout for the SA Milspec, half the fun is adding / completing modifications ;D

Go with what you can afford at the time, it always seems that when you saving for a new addition to your battery other things come up that require the funds.. So get what you can now. You can always trade up etc.


Peace,
Tal~ 8-)
Last edited by talon on February 16th, 2006, 10:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
p64pro
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Post by p64pro »

Please don't misunderstand me-the Mil Spec is a fine pistol and a great starter. I wouldn't hesitate if that is what you want, and yes, there is a certain satisfaction in building it up yourself.
warthog
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Post by warthog »

I have a few of them myself. I love my 1911A1 from SA. I have heard nothing but good things about the Rock Island.
Probably gonna get me one of those too.
I have a GI WWII Ithaca and a Para Ord as well.
You can't go wrong with a 1911 IMHO.
warthog
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Post by warthog »

I need to weigh in on the modification subject though,
I am pleased with my "stock" MilSpec 1911s and have had little urge to do anything to them.
Perfection can not be improved upon and JM Browning was perfect in his art. :D
ltblazer83
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Post by ltblazer83 »

I've got a Kimber Classic Custom, and a Charles Daly EFS. The CD is stainless, and only cost me $400, and it can outshoot my Kimber any day of the week. I've had no problems out of either of them. The good thing about the Charles Daly is that you can get their top of line 1911 for the same price as others starting prices. It's all up to personal preference though, so I'd suggest going to a range that rents out guns and trying out as many different 1911's as you can.
abwehr
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Post by abwehr »

Good thread, I love the big bore stuff too! I have a 1943 Colt, a SA MilSpec, and a Rock Island. The 1943 is in almost mint condition, so I don't shoot that one except a test fireing.

The SA .45 shoots great and the Rock Island will hold its own EASY with the SA. As to quality, the SA is probably the better of the two (the 1943 is for collecting only now), but for the price, the Rock Island can't be beat. I don't know how well the two would stand up to a torture test, but the SA should win but you never know. I could not resist buing the Rock Island because of the price. I bought it from a friend for $300 with four or six new magazines, magazine pouch, and some ammo. My friend never fired the pistol after he bought it, so it was still NIB.

The Rock Island has a good reputation and I have not heard anything but good reviews about it. The parts are supposed to be cast steel from China and assembled in the Phillipines. You can see the "parting line" on the Hammer from casting. I don't know if the parts are investment cast, spin cast, or conventional cast, but if they are investment cast, they are probably good parts. In a dirty environment, the Rock Island may be better than the close tolerance 1911A1 clones due to it's looser tolerances. The loose tolerances is what made this pistol so reliable. It was never designed as a target pistol, just a combat pistol that WORKED, and worked well! On a limited budget, I vote for the Rock Island and get some reloading stuff too!

I did change out the grips on mine to original military brown plastic and changed the 1911 mainspring housing to the arched 1911A1 housing. Now it looks identical to the 1911A1 and the arched housing feels better in my hand.
Last edited by abwehr on February 17th, 2006, 7:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
valkyrie0002
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Post by valkyrie0002 »

I have a SA Ultra Compact, Kimber Gold Match and I just bought a RIA 1911-A1. If I knew then what I do now, I would have saved my money and not bought the Kimber. It's a great pistol, just pricey.

The RI is a great .45 especially for the money.
Even after adding a beavertail, hammer, trigger, sear, barrel bushing, I still have less in it than a SA with same features. After I fit the $14 bushing, the barrel lockup is super tight. I get tight groups at 50' off hand.
metzgeri
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Post by metzgeri »

I too have the SA 1911A1 milspec. Fine pistol. Shoots wolf, Rem. gold Saber JHP, Taurus HP, reloads and PMC FMJ with no problem so far.

Like Butch50, I was considering this SA a base model I would build up. But, other than a set of wood diamond grips, I don't want to change a thing on it. It's classic 1911 design and feel is very appealing to me. KISS rule applies.

Metzgeri
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papabear
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Post by papabear »

I really enjoy my .45's as well, I have a Remington Rand 1943 in VG condition, don't shot it much though,
also a Colt 70 Series, a SA Milspec, and a S&W M1917 (half moon clips). I have put over 1,000 rds through my SA, did have a mag problem but changed mags and it is "sweet" to shoot. Love the big bores too, however of late I am really enjoying my now three P-64's, just pick up my third one this week, (1976) now I have a 1969, 1972 and 1976, I believe that is the three different styles they made, and ZEE emailed me today and said my grips are on the way, I am having a great week!!!

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kempin
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Post by kempin »

Hey guys, thanks for the info! (As a rule of life, I find it useful to talk to people who know before I blunder in.)

Sounds like it would be hard to go wrong with any of those choices for my needs right now. "Someday" I plan to have both a Colt and a Springfield, but I'm not sure how far away "someday" might be. I was really intrigued by the price of the Rock Island as a way to get familiar with the 1911 design, but it almost seems too good to be true. Keep expecting someone to say, "sure, but it will fall apart after 50 rounds." But if it is basically sound and reliable, it seems like a good "starter" 1911 for a guy in my position.

I guess the RIA is the way I am leaning at this point--please talk me out of it if this is a bad idea!

And papabear, thanks for getting us back on point. Took my p-64 to the range the other day (I call it "mini-me") and shot some handloads with 3.0gr or Win 231 and 95 gr bullets. Shot very well and very comfortably--I could have shot it all day.

God bless and straight shooting

-Kempin
p64pro
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Post by p64pro »

I don't have any experience with RIA personally, but I thought I saw some on Classic arms sight( the same people with the chromed P64). Should be a good price. On a more expensive note, if you want a Colt now might be the time to buy as the company was sold early Feb. and the future and pricing are uncertain. At my local gunstore, the alloy framed comander was $200 more than last Nov. I dont any more details.
abwehr
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Post by abwehr »

kempin,

The best price I have seen for the Rock Island is from SARCO, here is the address to the site: http://www.sarcoinc.com/rockislands.html

For the price, under $280, it is a good buy. If you get one, you may want to do a little polishing to the feed ramp, hammer/sear, and other contact surfaces just to smooth things up a little, but it works right out of the box. I don't have any idea of the life of the pistol, but I feel sure all the other folks that shoot them a lot would have started having trouble now and I have not read of any so far with them "self destructing" from use. I just feel it is an entry level pistol that can be upgraded with any modification any other 1911A1 type pistol will take.

I think you will be very happy with pistol!
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