Bought my first 1911!

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RNB65

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Last week my company announced fiscal year-end bonuses, so on the way home tonight I stopped and bought my first 1911 -- a parkerized Springfield Full-Size 1911-A1 (PX9109L). It's sweet! Nice wooden grips that contrast nicely with the dark finish and 3 dot night sights. It looks exactly like the one on the SA website except mine has the SA logo carved into the grip and lube coming out every nook and cranny.

The first challenge was taking it apart to clean. Getting the guide rod out was easy enough, but it took me 15 minutes to figure out how to depress the spring and rotate the barrel bushing. I'll say one thing about the good folks in Brazil who put it together, they lubed it WELL during assembly. I spent most of an hour wiping that puppy down and there was still lube coming of it. I finally gave up, wiped everything down with Break Free, put a little lithium grease on the framerails, and put it back together.

I'm used to shooting an XD40 and lightweight 9mm's. The weight of the 1911 take a little getting used to. But it feels good in my hand. I wasn't sure about the wood grip panels, but after holding it a bit they had a nice solid feel to them.

Tomorrow night I'm off to the range to see if it will shoot. Anything I should be on the lookout for? Brazilian lube flying through the air? Grip panels coming loose? Sights falling off?
 
First, congrats on your purchase. The 1911 is a good platform and you'll enjoy it.

Second, I think you'll find that the parts may have been manufactured in Brazil but assembled here in the US...so that's probably American lube everywhere!

Third, check out the tutorial on field stripping the 1911 on the M1911 Forum web site, here: http://www.m1911.org/full_striping.htm I've found it invaluable when it comes to working on my 1911.

The "hammer bite" that AndyC mentioned happens when the web between your thumb and forefinger gets pinched ("bitten") between the hammer and the grip safety. If you have chunky hands (like me) it's can be pretty painful. A larger beavertail grip safety will prevent that. Here are pictures of my Rock Island Armory 1911 before and after I replaced the grip safety:

RIA-left-small.png

RIAwithVZGrips.png

You can see how the replacement safety is more curved and protects your hand better. If you find hammer bite to be a problem, a new grip safety (and a new or bobbed hammer) is a pretty quick and easy fix.

Otherwise, I think you'll find the 1911 a great platform to shoot. Enjoy -- and be sure to post some pics and a range report!

Jim
 
That model of 1911 already has the bobbed commander-style hammer and the beavertail safety. Hammerbite ain't gonna happen.

Enjoy the new gun. Be sure to put a couple hundred rounds of ammo through it to get it nice and broken in; sometimes you'll have an assorted failure early on, and then the gun will settle in and be rock-solid reliable (my SA didn't have any failures during break-in).

Also, if you plan to rely on it for self-defense, you need to put another 200 rounds (do this after break-in) of your chosen SD ammo through it (no failures of any kind). Some guns like some ammo and hate others (my gun doesn't like Blazer- it won't feed well, but Winchester and Remington works perfectly). You need to ensure that if you depend on it in a crisis, it will feed your selected ammunition.
 
Range Report --

Range report on my Springfield PX9109L -- Loved it! Performance was nearly flawless.

First I fired 50 rounds of American Eagle 230gr ball ammo. All fired flawlessly.

Next I fired 50 rounds of WWB 230gr JHP (my luck that hollow points were the only .45 ammo that Wally World had in stock). 49 fired perfectly. Near the end of the session I had one FTF when the slide didn't close completely. I dropped the mag, ejected the round, put it back in the mag and it loaded and fired perfectly the second time around. I have no idea what caused the single failure.

Accuracy seemed OK. I'm not a very good handgun shooter and was all over the place, but I'm sure it was the shooter and not the gun. I did notice that the JHP tended to shoot about 3 inches low and right at 11 yards. The ball ammo clustered closer to the center of the target.

My only complaint is the Novak tritium night sights. My shooting range is a covered outdoor range and I simply cannot not see those tiny circles in shadows. I need to have them replaced with either standard 3 dot sights with big fat circles or maybe fiber optic sights that are brighter. Those tiny little tritium circles are totally worthless for me.

Anybody use fiber optic sights? What do you think?
 
For shooting in well-lit situations, the "dots" on tritium sights are NOT what you use. You are supposed to line up the outlines of the sights themselves. The dots on any sights, be they tritium, hi-viz paint, or whatever, are merely aids to obtaining a sight picture in low light. If you line up the dots, you'll be close- definitely on a silhouette target within 15 yards- but not dead on.

Try going into an unlit room and closing the door, and you'll see why tritiums are popular.

The fiber optic sights look interesting, but I wonder about them catching on holsters. Another option would be to have the Novak adjustable rear sight installed, but that would require minor machining on the dovetail.
 
You are supposed to line up the outlines of the sights themselves.
Click to expand...

I see what you are saying. I just compared the sights on my XD40 with the 1911. Both the front and read sight on the XD are wider than the sights on the 1911. Also, the Novak rear sight has angled top corners whereas the XD sight is flat top across its full width. It all makes the XD sights a little easer to see and lineup than the 1911 sights. I'll see if I can make the adjustment before I start spending money on changes.
 
Glad to hear you had fun :D

Just about anyone can shoot well with a handgun; bear in mind that your job is to keep the sights aligned with your target while you squeeze the trigger until the pistol fires - no need to rush it. In other words, keep the sights properly aligned and gently add pressure to the trigger until the pistol "shoots by itself", in a sense.

Best way I can describe it is that you should get a bit of a surprise when it goes off - most people aren't disciplined enough to allow the pistol to go off in its own time while they "drive the sights". They get impatient and yank the trigger to "make it go bang NOW!" - which usually pulls the sights off-target.

Once you get used to aiming and shooting small group-sizes, you can start to work on your speed - funny thing is that as you gain experience and confidence, you'll find that you'll be able to switch off your reflexive eye-blink while shooting, which will dramatically increase your accuracy at higher speeds. Watch any experienced shooter - they don't blink when the shot goes off.

Anyway, before I start rambling on as I have the wont to do... have lots of fun and enjoy your new purchase safely :D
 
The model he has is the Loaded model--it's already got a beavertail so hammerbite won't be a problem. Not that I've ever had that problem with any 45, but I guess it happens for some people. The small night sites can seem less obvious in certain light conditions, but being finer actually can give more precise aiming in some situations too.

Anyway, that same model was my first 1911 as well a few years back, and is probably still my most accurate 1911 and has been flawless. One thing you did mention was something about sites falling off, and as a matter of fact, you might want to consider locktiting your rear site in place once you see it shoots where it should--it's not uncommon for the rear site on SA's or some other brands to loosen up after some rounds and start sliding back and forth. If you don't notice to start, it'll just seem like your accuracy is suddenly all over the place. My Loaded will do one ragged hole type groups at 25-30 ft or so off hand if I take my time.

Hope you have the same luck with yours.
 
Excellent choice for your first 1911. You have all the goodies that many people pay for after the fact.

Before changing the sights. Take it out and practive a few more times. Like Technosavant mentioned, don't focus on the dots when there is plenty of light.

Don't worry too much about the one FTF (actually a failed to return to battery). She will smooth out with more rounds fired. Try some Wilson 47D mags if you continue to run into problems. Not that it was caused by the mag but many function problems can be fixed by using different mags.

If I may make one suggestion. Keep an eye on the guide rod. Since it is a two piece, they can come loose and back out while shooting. Personally I hate two piece guide rods for that very reason. I have the black stainless veriosn of your 1911 and have already swapped out the two piece for a standard GI guide and recoil spring plug (and there was no change in accuracy or function). As a bonus you do not need to use any tools to field strip it.

Good luck and enjoy
 
Thanks guys. I didn't think I would ever own a 1911. But I recently got the bug and couldn't wait to get one. I'm glad I got it. It's a lot of fun to shoot. A little pricey, but fun. I'm looking forward to getting back to the range on Saturday.
 
Learn how to tune the extractor and don't be surprised if you have to replace it.

I had that same model as my first handgun in 2001 and was frustrated until I replaced the extractor with a Wilson Bullet Proof extractor and learned how to tune it. The gun was never 100% reliable until I did that and now its perfect.
 
thing to look out for if you conceal and carry your 1911

Do not use an in the pant hoster in condition one (Cocked and locked) in the front portion of your pants.

Hint it points right at the family jewels. and the hammer usually pinched the stomac too with cheap holsters too.

Do not use an ankle rig

Hint it may clunk against a table leg and the weight may make you limp a little. Also Bell bottom pants would be a must.

Helpfull hint Number 3 when shooting never use Blazer brand aluminum cased hardball rounds. I had no accuracy in shooting that round and had cases crack on me.

I found accuracy in my own handloads using the gold dot hollow points.
i think it was speer brands
Nice fun round.

watch the webbing of your thumb for slide gottchas. keep bandaides in your car as well as tape and gauze. It is truely one of those things that will happen to you sometime.

Pollish the inside of the barrel a process known as lapping the barrel. it helps lube and accurize the barrel.

Good Luck and happy shooting
TSS
 
TSS, I hope you are joking.

1) A 5" 1911 just flat won't fit in the front of your pants (I assume a person likes to sit eventually). When you sit down, you are likely to crush something important. Besides, if it is in good condition (no incompetent gunsmithing), condition 1 is as safe as any loaded firearm can possibly be.

2) If you can put a full size 1911 on an ankle rig, you've got massive legs.

3) Maybe a gun will like aluminum Blazer, maybe not. I had no accuracy problems with them, but then again, my gun doesn't like brass or aluminum Blazer. Others shoot it with no problems.

4) I wouldn't go screwing with a barrel just for grins. Simple cleaning and lubrication (and not much of the second) is all that is needed. Barrels are remarkably expensive things to screw up with home gunsmithing.

If you were joking, I apologize. I am used to humor being labelled with these -------> :D
 
Thanks Technosavant for that last reply. It saved me some typing.

RNB65,
All you need to do is go and shoot your new 1911. Practice and have fun with it. Repeat as needed.

Ammo and magazines are all you need to spend money at this time. And a good holster if you want one. Try different brands of ammo and the gun will show you what it likes.

Remember, if it works...... don't fix it. If it doesn't work, have a professional find out why and let him/her fix it.

Oh..one little piece of advise. Start saving your money now for your next 1911. Because no one ever stops at one. :D
 
Ohps i forgot the size of the barrel is 5" not the standard length.

Some of what i said is humor but in all seriousness never get a pistol in cocked and locked with on up the stove pipe pointing at the family jewels if there is a struggle for the gun saftey is the only thing stopping you from being shot. The Ankle hoster is a bad idea due to where it is and how you have to draw it. you through your center of gravity off balance during the draw if the people are close enough that is a quick way to get you on the ground and kicking.

I was carrying a chineese made 1911 copy with pachmayr grips can honestly say i do not like it after i shot a colt commander few years prior. I need to save my money for a competition gun.

Barrel lapping helps keep the residue from sticking as bad as it can when using questionable rounds in it but like you said the person should be trained in how to do so i guess.

As for the bell bottom jeans those are truely only for the ankle hoster for the UZI :D
 
The_Seventh_Sign said:
Ohps i forgot the size of the barrel is 5" not the standard length.
Click to expand...
:confused: :confused: :confused:

5 inches is the standard barrel length for the military issue M1911 and M1911A1 pistols and probably the majority of all commercial 1911 pistols as well.

What did you think the "standard" barrel length is/was?
 
I just picked up the same exact pistol, and absolutely love it. It too is my first 1911, and I'm quite afraid this will ruin me for most other autoloaders:D
 
I'll say one thing about the good folks in Brazil who put it together, they lubed it WELL during assembly.
Click to expand...

The stuff is called cosmoline. Do a search and you'll find some good suggestions for cleaning it off.
 
rob--yep, best just get used to the fact now that nobody can have just one 1911. I started with the same model, and have...lets see right at the moment 4 1911's I believe...
 
ummm...three posts,

no punctuation, no spelling, no grammar...

...and no understanding of 1911 function. Coincidence?

Hmmm...I think not.
 
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