"Purist" 1911

[The_woodsman]

The only real improvement I've seen in new ones compared to the (sorta) original (post 1920s) is the beavertails, checkering, metallurgy, machining & coatings technology. Also, the ability to have it chambered in a better performing but hugely unpopular round - the 9x23 Winchester - could be considered a real improvement - but primarily if you're not a nostalgia fan.

The beavertail keeps the hammer from biting your hand which seemed to happen some with the original Colt. It doesn't have to be ridiculous, just extended to the point of the end of the hammer (the webbing between your index finger and thumb is what gets -"bitten"- squeezed between the 1911 frame and hammer upon the slide cycling).

Anyway, if you want an original style, just buy one they are everywhere...Auto Ordinance makes one, Colt makes one, Springfield (may) make one, Rock River makes them, Taurus makes them, etc.... If they are OEM spec, all the parts will interchange without a problem. Many companies had contracts to supply the old 1911s to the war dept.

My Auto ordinance shot to point of aim, but nowhere nearly as precise as my current kimber. I'd buy a custom jobby if I had the money, but to each his own.

Good luck!

 

[The_woodsman]

I want to add an aside to this. I appreciate all of the input but this is also nostalgic. My father was a Marine in WWII and I learned on Govs and Commanders. I have not had a 1911 in a while (Smith M&P and Walther PPS now) and I wanted to go back to the roots I learned on. That is why I was looking more along the lines of the original JMB setup.

Ok, then here is my advice: Get a colt reissue gov't model and not knowing whether they make a reissue commander, try and find an older one.

Commander size is my favorite, but not all of them were created equal.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[1911Tuner]

Howzabout...This'un?

Not a repro. It's a 1925 Commercial Gov't Model with a typical Bubba reblue job. Nice, deep color...but buffed to death, although it did make for a pretty nice melt. The blue wear at the front of the slide indicates that somebody holster-carried it before it came to me.

All original, and by best educated guess...probably fired less than 500 times. There's about 98% of the bluing left on the internal wear parts.
Since the collector value is pretty low on this one...I've been entertaining the idea of starting to carry it in the near future. Shoots to POA at 25 yards into a nice 3-inch circle, and feeds any reasonable bullet shape I've stuffed in it. There are many examples out there like this one, and they generally run to about half the price of their GI counterparts...or less, if they've also been refinished.

 

[kamagong]

This is a pistol I would give serious consideration were I in the market for a "purist" 1911.

http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=333

 

[strat81]

This is a pistol I would give serious consideration were I in the market for a "purist" 1911.
http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.c...ategory_id=333

Hmmmm...
Checkered front strap
Dovetailed front sight
Rear leaf sight
Lowered and flared ejection port
Throated barrel
Three-hole trigger

What is pure about that??? I'm not saying it's a bad piece, quite the contrary, but it's far from a pure 1911.

 

[kamagong]

Sorry. I guess I didn't read the description that closely. Since it's a semi-custom you can leave out some of those options. I'd keep off the front strap checkering and the three hole trigger. I'd keep the sights, throated barrel, and ejection port the same though.

I guess I was just smitten by the appearance. Its relatively simple lines just grabbed my attention.

 

[1911Tuner]

it's far from a pure 1911.

Here's a pure 1911...vintage of 1919 USGI, near the end-run.

 

[strat81]

I can smell the "old" from here!! Cool pic, Tuner!

How does it shoot? What's been replaced? Any regular jams or malfs to speak of?

 

[1911Tuner]

How does it shoot? What's been replaced? Any regular jams or malfs to speak of?

4 inches at 50 yards from the bags with PMC ball.

Nothing that I can tell...but most GI models that weren't stolen straight from the depot have had somethin' replaced at some point.

Nope. None. The gun is unaltered, right down to the old hardball-type barrel ramp...or "throat"...and the tool-marks still visible in the feed ramp. It can't tell the difference between hardball and hollowpoints and 200-grain lead SWCs...and it feeds'em from the original "Hardball Only" USGI magazines. (Yep. I've got witnesses. A few from the forum.)

Ya like old? Did ya check out the 1925 Commercial Government Model on post # 28?

The old ones do have a certain...aroma...don't they?