I finally purchased my first 1911

[Quarterbore]

I have been looking at 1911s for a few months and I have spent a lot of time on the forums here trying to figure out what I really needed or wanted. Well, this week I was out and about and I stopped by one of my favorite stops and they had this little gem.

http://www.quarterbore.com/images/1911/colt_1911-01.JPG

http://www.quarterbore.com/images/1911/colt_1911-02.JPG

http://www.quarterbore.com/images/1911/colt_1911-03.JPG

http://www.quarterbore.com/images/1911/colt_1911-04.JPG

http://www.quarterbore.com/images/1911/colt_1911-05.JPG

http://www.quarterbore.com/images/1911/colt_1911-06.JPG

Well, as luck had it there were no 1911 experts in the shop and when I asked what they could tell me about it I got the "Well, it was made by Colt in CT and it is a model 1911 designed by..." So, I cut that conversation off and asked if there was a real 1911 expert in the shop as I need much more detailed help...

When the person informed me they knew as much as anybody I called a buddy and he talked me through what to look for...

This gun is TIGHT there is very little wear on the barrel and no real marks on the gun. It looks like some monkey replaced the rear sight at some point and they didn't have the proper punches but the marks are not all that bad. It has the scratch were the pin is removed but otherwise this is a very nice looking Colt.

The trigger is raw perfection... mind you I am a Glock guy and I have five Glocks to my name so in that context anything is an improvement but this trigger is really crisp and lite.

Oh yea, I forgot to give the price. When I first saw it the price tag was upside down and I really expected to see an $800 price or more but they flipped over the tag and it was $595! Well, I own my first 1911. The gun was purchased new back in June 1989 for $649.95 and I am the second owner.

I think I did OK but like I said I am new to 1911s. Following are two pics of the only marks on the gun:

http://www.quarterbore.com/images/1911/colt_1911-07.JPG

http://www.quarterbore.com/images/1911/colt_1911-08.JPG

I am a 1911 newbe so I welcome any advide about what may have been changed or doesn't look right. Just the same, I am dying to get to shoot her a bit (this afternoon I hope) and as long as she runs that is all that really matters...

[prebancolt]

Congratulations on a good deal!!! It looks very nice. I own 4 1911s, 1 Colt Commander in 9mm, 2 loaded Springfields, and a Kimber Custom Compact. The Kimber has the smoothest slide/frame fit and trigger pull. That being said, I have short fingers and I really like the extended safety and slide release that I have on my Springfields. They all are great guns.

I've owned 3 Glocks and I just can't get used to the grip angle. After shooting the 1911s a lot, I kept pointing the Glocks at the sky. They're all gone now.:smile: Unless YOU feel the need for the bobbed hammer, longer beavertail grip safety, extended safety and slide releases, or the humped mainspring housing, I would keep everything as it is.

You'll be happy with that purchase!

I'm guessing a 1911 newbie owned that gun. After putting slide release scratches like that on my first one, I found a better way of just jamming the slide release in and forcing it past the detent.

J

[Quarterbore]

Yea, this has not been shot much...

I managed to take her to the range and I put about 200-rds through her. I managed to get chewed on with that rat tail safety (I think that is the proper name for the stadard grip safety) and it chewed up my hand pretty good. I also kept getting popped in the face with the brass :twoguns:

I understand that the Gold Cup National Match came with a lighter recoil spring and that I should replace it with a 20-pound spring and that might help the brass issue some.

I am also considering sending this to Wilson and have them install the beavertail and comander trigger as this really did bite by the time I was done shooting.

As for the Glock vs 1911, at this point I still do prefer shooting the Glock but the trigger in this 1911 is darned near as nice as what I have in my bolt guns which is really saying something. I would never want my Glocks this lite and crisp but man is it a new experience for a Glock guy to shoot something like this.

[prebancolt]

The Wolf springs are pretty good. Find a load that you will be shooting most of the time, and then order a spring to fit that load. I shoot (or used to) a lot of light loads, so I didn't have problems with the brass in my face.

As far as the beavertail safety, you won't regret that mod. I have small hands, so I don't have that many problems with the slide "biting" me......'course both the Springfields came with the beavertail.

[tp555]

A colt made 45 is always nice.The only thing with the gold cup is the trigger
cut in the frame is bigger then stock. I am working from memory so I'm not 100% sure about this.The 80 series has the extra lawyer parts that I don't care for.What can you do? Here's some ideas. Longer trigger and wide grip safety.You make a recoil spring guide.Machine the sides of the trigger to reduce weight and reduce hammer hang time.If you want to go combat, get a combat commander slide. Then stock bbls can be threaded for a comp on the end.The commander has a faster cycle. Useful if your doing bowling pin matches or timed
events. Extended ejector gets brass out of your face.You can get hard core and make your own recoil springs using piano wire. Basically you can go target or combat route. What you have is tweaked for target. I'd get another slide to go combat route. Have fun. regards.

[Greywuuf]

you can always cut down some 45 win mag or neck ream some .308 brass and stoke the load up and do like I do ... it just flings the brass over your head out into the parking lot behind you!

and just FYI I "think" the "standard" spring rate on a gvmt model is 18 lbs, unless it is broke in real good I doubt it would even cycle reliable with a 20 lb spring... wolf makes em about any way you could want them, I have a 28lb spring on hand just in case I wanna get froggy with some very interesting handloads ( don't try this at home it can be very painful and expensive... it was a little research project I was running)

seriously ...shoot it some and settle on a type/brand of ammo you like match the spring to that and just enjoy it. a 1911 is a grand old sidearm and quite the fun way to spend an afternoon.

[DonT]

Quarterbore,

A couple of observations from your pics... These are just observations based on 1911's I have owned in the past.

This appears to be an 80 series Colt (I do not beleive the 70 Series had these)and unless you removed them it appears to be missing the firing pin blocking safety (see hole in bottom of the slide) and it appears someone may have ground off the lever that pushs up on this (see right side of top of the frame). If you sqeeeze the trigger that little piece in the slot should move, it actually should be longer extending up into the area that is slotted and pushes up on the firing pin block when the trigger is pressed allowing the firing pin to move. There was much discussion when Colt decided to do this as to it being a fix to a nonexistant problem, but alas the lawyers won out and the rest is history.

This was (maybe still is) a common modification to get a lighter trigger pull since you are not fighting the firing pin block spring. The ear of the lever is ground off to keep it from going up in the hole and getting sheared off when the gun is fired.

This is typically not an issue unless the gun is carried (and used) or you have an accidental discharge that injures someone. Then it maybecome an issue since a safety was removed.:eek:

Parts to return it to the way it was (if you want to) should be easily attainable from Colt or maybe even brownells and should cost under $25. The firing pin block is pretty straight forward to install, the lever arrangement is bit trickier though and you might want to seek out a 1911 smith or somone in your area that is familar with them (expecially the national match or gold cups) to help you install and test it.

You got a really nice gun and a very fair price (even with the parts missing). I really debated saying anything as I didn't want to rain on your parade but didn't want you to find out the hard way either.

DonT

[Quarterbore]

No, I posted as I really don't know a whole lot about 1911s...

My carry guns and HD guns are Glocks. I carry a Glock 30 and the Glock 21 sits on the nightstand. My wife caries the Glock 26 and keep the Glock 17 and Glock 22 handy around the house....

Funny or sad, but before my brother suffered his home invasion I always had my CCW permit but caried very seldom unless I felt like I was in danger somehow...

These days, I don't leave the house without the Glock and we have enough guns available around the house to fight a war much less handle some fool stupid enough to come calling.

I plan to use this 1911 as a range queen most of the time... my only issue is she eats the top of my hand in a bad way and I am tired of bleeding after shooting her... I need to send her to Wilson and I plan to do so this winter if I can get the time and money to do it... I plan to get the beavertail grip and the commander hammer (assuming I can't get a different safety that will allow me to use the spir).

[AH-1z]

Nice!!!:smile: