Just got my Springfield WWII G.I.

[The Real Hawkeye]

Just shot it for the first time. Fired 100 rounds of Blazer (aluminum cased) 230 grain ball. Had one failure to eject, which caused a simultanious failure to feed. It was resolved by dropping the mag, and working the slide open. The spent case was thereby released from its being pinched between the top of the ejection port and the chamber. This doesn't bother me, as every firearm deserves a two or three hundred round break in period. Some allow a 500 round break in period. Also, you must consider that this was Blazer ammunition.

Otherwise, couldn't be more pleased. Slide to frame fit is snug and smooth. Trigger breaks at a crisp 5.5 lbs. Fit and finish over all is excellent. Grips were double diamond walnut. Pretty much just like a G.I. issue in appearance, though the thumb safety is a more modern design. The thumb safety is a little on the stiff side. Accuracy is what you might expect from a G.I. configured 1911 A1. Perfectly adequate for combat use. Over all I am very pleased with it. It will have to prove itself a little more in the reliabilty department before I would trust my life to it, though.

One interesting thing is that I experience no hammer bite, which is something that stock Colts (i.e., with standard grip safeties) give me all the time. Might be the hammer design that makes the difference. Happy about that. Here's a picture.

 

[KaceCoyote]

beautiful! lets see some more pics! I've been lusting after that same peice but in .38 super for awhile.

 

[middy]

How so you like the sights? They seem kind of small...

 

[shooter.45]

I have one also and love it. I was surprised by the accuracy I figured how small the sights were there would be know way this thing would be that accurate but it was. Its a keeper. I am glad that you had good results with yours also.. Congrats.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

How do you like the sights? They seem kind of small...

Well, I'm actually a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to sights on a CCW. My idea is that the most important thing is that they be snag proof. These are. I like them. High vis front sights usually have sharp corners. That makes for a great sight picture, but when you quickly draw from under your cover garment, you are very likely to snag it and, in a life and death situation, that could mean your doom, so I prefer the little round G.I. style sights, even if they don't glow in the dark.

 

[tc300mag1]

I like espically the part where you saying you dont get hammer bite all my colts did that .. ill have to try and get me one of these.

 

[ruger357]

Bought one when they first came out and love it. Thinking about getting the stainless one so I can get a little salt and pepper action going.

 

[HD]

just got to shoot mine last week...

feeds 200 gr speer 'flying ashtrays' - no problem , right out of the box...
will buy another next month , at $365.00 delivered they're a great deal... may buy 1 a month for the next year as an investment...

 

[longeyes]

Don't worry about the sights. Get Crimston Trace laser grips. Very G.I.

I'm waiting for the OD version myself.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

Don't worry about the sights. Get Crimston Trace laser grips. Very G.I.

I have given serious thought to doing just that. No snag problem, there.

I'm waiting for the OD version myself.

Again, great minds think alike, as I really like the OD green version too, and was thinking seriously of getting one.

 

[Detritus]

I'm waiting for the OD version myself.

don't know if they're gonna be ww2 GI or "standard" mil-spec versions but one of my preferred shops, is getting two in later this week.

found this out when i went in and put their last WW2 GI on layaway yesterday...

was going to get a regular "mil-spec" (3-dots lowered adn flared ehection port and all) b/c the gun will be used to train my wife how to shoot, and her eyes, unlike mine, are no longer "of the 20/20 variety", so she has difficulty seeing small grey-black minimal GI sights. well it looks like no one HAS a parkerized non-"WW2 GI" SA Mil-spec at a reasonable price (ie below $500) in houston right now, and dang it i was tired of waiting and i can dern well PAINT them GI sights if i have to!!

so talked it over with her and that's the plan, now to finnish paying it off out of a part time paycheck (HER check, and at least half of mine goes to "must have to live, ect" stuff, the rest of mine is the gun budget now)......

 

[BowStreetRunner]

nice piece!
BSR

 

[Jack19]

I've got a Springfield GI .45 sitting on the desk as I type. I thought the sights were too small too so I had a set of King-Tappans put on. MUCH better.

It's also got a real WW2 era trigger, MSH and grips.

 

[gwalchmai]

Grips were double diamond walnut.

I thought all the WWII GI guns came with brown plastic grips now. I got one in December and that's what was on it. I had to replace them with walnut.

 

[Detritus]

I thought all the WWII GI guns came with brown plastic grips now. I got one in December and that's what was on it. I had to replace them with walnut.

Mind if i ask where and for how much, on those walnut grips?

Just put a WW2 GI on layaway and replacements for those factory plastic panels are amoung the top tings ont eh list of items i'll need or want (extra mags, Walnut double diamond grips, spares for parts that are on the "most likely to fail" list, ect) ASAP when i get teh gun out of layaway. so knowing what kind of price i SHOULD be looking for on something always helps.....
then again this list may wind up being a "go to next decent show after bringing gun HOME, with list and cash" type thing. ~shrug~

 

[gwalchmai]

Mind if i ask where and for how much, on those walnut grips?

$19.95 at a gun show in Atlanta. They look exactly like the ones on Hawkeye's. I consider it a major gloat event, as I gave $369 for the pistol.

Maybe it's just me, but I think the walnut DDs are a classic look.

 

[Detritus]

Maybe it's just me, but I think the walnut DDs are a classic look.

Absolutely agree!! so you;re not alone there...

what i'm still debating with myself is if i want DD walnut panels or if i want just "plain checked" ones. since i can't seem to find pics of 1911A1s, "in service" from WW2, Korea, or Vietnam (the eras that i would like the gun to "represent/look like" to MY mind )with DD grips.

just have to make up my mind i guess

 

[michiganfan]

You can get some very nice grips on EBav for very fair prices. just go to Ebay and type 1911 grips in ebays search. got a pair for 20 bucks that now reside on my SA WWII

 

[Cool Hand Luke 22:36]

HD

just got to shoot mine last week...
feeds 200 gr speer 'flying ashtrays' - no problem , right out of the box...
will buy another next month , at $365.00 delivered they're a great deal... may buy 1 a month for the next year as an investment...

If you don't mind me asking, where are you getting them at that price?

 

[Prodigalshooter]

I just put one on layaway at my local dealers, it was $379.00, tax and dross not included of course, but that's a killer deal for California.
Several of my friends bought these a few weeks back and have raved about them since. The trigger on mine was very light and crisp, it also has the wooden grips. I don't know how I'm going to like the sights, as none of my pistols have anything that small, but we'll see.
I'll probably use it off and on in IDPA, if the sights are adequate.
I'm going to try and leave it stock, at least for the forseeable future.

 

[Jack19]

If you're looking for grips to make your GI more authentic, look at this site:

http://www.simpsonltd.com/

"Other Items" then "Grips"