New SA GI but I am P.O.ed

[Sharp669]

function versus fashion. I agree- if the gun shoot great, then anyone who looks down their nose at it doesn't know better. Such people aren't worth the effort IMHO. Keeping up with the jones, with guns or other stuff, is an expensive proposition.

I drive a Civic I bought 2 years ago. Cheap commuter car. It was bought for commuting. Does it look as nice as a Lexus or Acura? Nope. I still drool over the Acura TL whenever one drives by. But I don't need such a thing. And when I fill up and calculate my MPG at 30, when the fancier more expensive cars get 20- 25 ( obviusly depending on the make and model), I feel ok with my decision. Its mot close to a BMW, but it suits its purpose. Let them owners of the fancier cars look down at it, but I get the last laugh at the gas pump.

 

[HM2PAC]

So what is the real issue in this thread?

The gun was not made in the U.S. ?

The gun was made in Brazil ?

Impressing other people at a range ?

IMHO it's pretty much common knowledge in the shooting community that SA buys from Brazil. I think it's also pretty much accepted that the SA merchandise is of good quality, and that their customer service is top notch.

 

[weisse52]

As is my usual mode. I start reading the first posts and then skip to the last posts. I agree with HM2PAC. What is this about?

I have a GI marked Brazil, and a US Marked Mil-Spec. I carry the GI and it is accurate, reliable and works just fine.

If you want made in America:

A COLT IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT ANSWER!

But I like my SA's as well.

 

[AndyC]

Rob Leatham doesn't seem to have a problem with a gun which started out life in Brazil. As for me, I'd have no issue with a firearm made by Imbel - a world-class manufacturer - and I'd buy a Springfield 1911 any day I could afford it. The US is not the only country in the world which makes decent firearms, y'know.

 

[DougDubya]

That's if you can find a Colt. And you can forgive them for stabbing American buyers in the scrotum.

 

[weisse52]

That's if you can find a Colt. And you can forgive them for stabbing American buyers in the scrotum.

And, that is one view. Colt pistols are still some of the finest in the world. If they do not "float your boat" then you have lots of options. But if you look hard enough you can find that everyone has done something that some group / person does not like.

Your choice....

 

[chingon]

Like has been stated elsewhere in the thread a springer with the serial number starting with nm was assembled in the us with brazilian parts, pretty much everything else was completely built and assembled in Brazil. There are some loadeds that are nm's and were assembled here but most there. For the most part gi's and millspecs in brazil but I believe some of the milspecs here. The pro's of course and the trps, trp operators are assembled here. Just look for a nm to be sure.

 

[SoCalShooter]

Dude the springers are fine guns, don't let the country of origin fool you, I just picked up my Champion in stainless on friday and its shooting standard white box ball at 25 yards into a 2.5in group. My handloads lowered that to 1.65in thats a four inch barrel.And thats without target sights and a crappy 5+ pound trigger, my gunsmith prefers to build off of the mil-specs they make because they are great quality.

 

[HisSoldier]

Quote:
The ejector probably isn't pinned, but glued and when you try to get a replacement the "legs" won't line up with the holes (and it will take a torch to get the old one out).

"Who cares? The ejector is a captive part and can't come out. I have a hand-built one that I lost the little pin for and I've never even replaced it. The ejector can't come loose with the slide in place."

We've been over this before. As I said before a poster in the 1911 forum said his Springfield jammed back when the ejector moved out and jammed it halfway back. But the bigger issue to me, and yes, I really do care, is that there has been a steady tendency for manufacturers to take short cuts in the manufacturing process. John Browning felt it should be pinned, to glue it is evidence that some bean counter in the company wanted to save a few cents!
In my opinion we should give our money to companies that do not take shortcuts on quality, to do otherwise is to betray later generations as companies will cheapen the processes until the guns are just rushed out the doors. If we pay a little more today for quality manufacture these companies will learn that we want quality! It's a struggle that never ends, the day the customer accepts crappy construction is the day dishonest manufacturers will give it to them.

 

[kcshooter]

In my opinion we should give our money to companies that do not take shortcuts on quality, to do otherwise is to betray later generations as companies will cheapen the processes until the guns are just rushed out the doors. If we pay a little more today for quality manufacture these companies will learn that we want quality! It's a struggle that never ends, the day the customer accepts crappy construction is the day dishonest manufacturers will give it to them.

I think you'd be hard pressed to find others who believe that Springfield is a company who "takes shortcuts" and has "crappy construction". But to each his own I guess. I never found a need to spend $1800+ on a 1911 to get a seriously reliable, high quality gun. So you feel free "pay a little more" all you want, I'll continue to buy these crappy, shortcutted guns for a much more reasonable price.

As I said before a poster in the 1911 forum said his Springfield jammed back when the ejector moved out and jammed it halfway back

I'd like to see the ejector that jammed that gun, I've never seen it, and as I said, I've put thousands of rounds thru one that doesn't have a pin and isn't glued. The ejector is held captively in a channel within the slide. Can't imagine how this would happen. I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[1911Tuner]

As I said before a poster in the 1911 forum said his Springfield jammed back when the ejector moved out and jammed it halfway back.

Not doubtin' his word...but I'd have to see that one. If the slide is on the gun, the ejector can't move up more than just a few thousandths. In order for it to "come out and jam up the gun" as described...it would have to move up more than the length of the locating pins/legs. About the only way it could ride up far enough to interfere with the slide is if both legs shear off.

Neither can it move very much side-to-side due to the channel that is cut in the slide to clear it.

On the IMBEL question:

It was my understanding that, in the early days...Springfield imported the raw forgings and finish-machined the slides and frames in-house...along with some of the small parts. Barrels were outsourced, as were Colt's during the same time period. Other small parts were either outsourced, or...as I strongly suspect...were genuine USGI parts obtained through government surplus. The old-style GI thumb safety on mine and others from the same era that I've seen give substance to that suspicion. Colt had long since gone over to the "Teardrop" shaped thumb pad on the safety, while Springfield's were a mix of new and old-style...often on closely numbered pistols.

Then, in the mid to late 80s...Springfield's small parts quality started to take a nosedive. They were obviously investment cast, and quality was a bit spotty. Mine was probably an end-run, just prior to the issues that they had for a couple years.

There are no investment cast or MIM parts in my old Springfield. Even the grip safety is machined, and well-done I might add. The gun is functional and reliable with all ammunition types that I've run through it. It's more accurate than I can prove without a sandbag. I can't ask for more from an ordnance-spec pistol.