S & W 1911?

[proctorman]

I've been looking for a full-sized 5" 1911 for a while, and I think I've settled on the S&W. It's gotten rave reviews, it's not too expensive, and I like the fact that they come with good sights and other updates. Does anyone have anything else to add, or any other suggestions? I originally had my mind set on a full-sized Colt, but the more I hear and read about the S&W, the more I'm leaning toward it. I've owned and still own a couple of S&W's, and they've been great guns, and their customer service is second to none (just in case).

 

[Black Majik]

They're getting great reviews for sure. I've been wanting one for a while now, a Scandium commander but some of the asthetics bother me of that gun. The ones I look at still have a messy barrel crown and the rear sight still has a gap on bottom to the slide.

Until those issues are addressed that gun is still on hold.

 

[fastbolt]

My SW1911SC has shown itself to easily be at least the equal of my stainless XSE Government in the way of practical accuracy and reliability. The Colt exhibits the typical machining marks on the inside, while the S&W doesn't (cosmetic issue).

The full-size Scandium aluminum alloy frame balances nicely, but does seem to allow for slightly more felt recoil.

 

[Spartacus451]

My S&W 1911s have spent their whole lives going back to the factory for repair and they come back as broken as I send them in.
I have seen two with out of time firing pin safeties. This issue does not show up immediately, it takes time for the firing pin and plunger to peen and then you get light strikes. Not good for a carry gun.
I have seen two that doubled and tripled. One had to go back three times for that issue.
I have seen no less then 5 that would not extract/eject reliably. This issue did not always show up immediately and sometimes it didn't show up until high round counts (30k+). I have sent personal guns back a total of 5 times for this issue and they have yet to fix a single one with it.

Yes I am an idiot for buying two more of them because I needed a spares while the others were back at S&W.

The extractor design is fatally flawed. See what Hilton Yam has to say about it.

I live in Mass. where S&W 1911s are one of the few that are legal here and I see about as many broken S&W 1911s as I do working ones. Get something a competent gunsmith can fix. Like a Springfield or a Colt.

 

[proctorman]

Wow adweisbe, that's quite a horror story. I own two other S&W's, an M&P 40 cal and a full-size .357 revolver, and I've never had a problem with either. You say that problem doesn't surface until much later? I don't think I've even owned a gun long enough to put 30K+ rounds through it, at least not yet. I'm still going to research some more and read some more reviews, but I'm still strongly considering the S&W.

 

[Spartacus451]

You say that problem doesn't surface until much later?

I have seen it come out of the box with the extraction issue on someone else's gun. It happened at 2k on one of mine and came that way on one I bought used. One other shooter had it happen at 30k.
http://northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=22155
Plenty of others if you look around. The extractor is actually a part designed for .40 S&W. The Performance center guns use a different extractor.

 

[armed85]

I have no experience with the S&W 1911, but I can say that my Colt XSE is very nice.

Also check out the Colt 1991. It's less expensive than the XSE and is a very nice gun as well. The pictures I've seen on the internet don't do the 1991 justice. Maybe DHart can post a pic of his Colt 1991

 

[JoeHatley]

I own one of the very 1st SW1911. I put over 15k rounds through it, before these pictures were taken.








It's been almost a year since I hit the the 15k round mark. The gun has several thousand more trouble free rounds through it.

One of the best gun values I've ever come accross.

Joe

 

[Ala Dan]

I've owned basically the same S&W (#108282) 5" stainless 1911 as my
friend Joe Hatley, and have NEVER had issues with it; running right
along side of my much more expensive Les Baer TRS, with just as equally
impressive result's~!

 

[Hoppy590]

iv probibly put 500+ rounds through several SW 1911's and can only remember one malfunction, a failure to extract. they are very well made guns. i too live in Mass and have been to SW showroom/ indoor range on many occasions. quality of the SW1911 is top notch.

 

[willbrink]

I have the SW1911 pictured abive and had the scandium commander. Both ran perfect out of the box and are the best value in 1911s in their price range. No, they are not up to my custom 1911, but they cost less than half of the custom, and so exactly what they should for sub 1k guns. Everyone I personally know who has any of the SnW 1911s has been happy.

 

[BevrFevr]

I love mine. only one hiccup in mine in maybe 1500 to 2000 rounds and I think it was because of a dirty mag / cheap ammo.

It seems wierd that one guy

1) could get so many bad guns
2) would keep buying the bad guns
3) says a gun is "bad" when it can go 30K rounds (that's about 30 rnds per dollar)
4) says smith can't or won't fix it

But hey nobody believed I could have trouble with a cz either.

Buy the smith!

 

[Spartacus451]

The S&W extractor claw is .125 high. A caspian internal extractor claw is .175. That is a %30 difference. Draw your own conclusions.

 

[scubie02]

well, I have 1911's by Colt, Springfield and two S&W's, so I don't think I'm brand biased or anything. My two Smith commanders have been flawless to date and are more accurate than average, despite messy looking crowns (which I agree is a turnoff, but somehow they still seem to be more accurate than average for a 1911, so it doesn't seem to be an issue in that regard. I would also rate them as having better than average fit and finish.

I'm not sure saying an extractor failed at over 30k rounds is a "flaw" or failure--that's like complaining that you "only" got 70k miles from a pair of tires or something--ANY extractor, internal or external, does not last forever and needs to be replaced every so many rounds. Do a search and see what the average life expectancy is on an internal extractor or how often they are recommended to be changed.

 

[armtpo]

I own a S&W 1911 with crimson trace grips. It is very accurate and feels solid in the hand. However, mine came with a serious defect in the chamber. They had left a serious ridge were the ramp meets the chamber which was causing the gun to malfunction way to often. On a plus note they paid for shipping both ways and returned my gun within a week of me sending it out. It has performed flawless ever since and I am quite happy with it now.

P.S. I do agree the crown on the barrel does seem to be quite sloppy although it seems to not have any adverse affects.

 

[SWMP40]

I own two other S&W's, an M&P 40 cal and a full-size .357 revolver, and I've never had a problem with either.

Same here and my third gun is a SW 1911...no problems love them all

 

[hkusp]

Another happy SW1911 owner. Mines the stainless rail model 108303. Thousands of rounds of mostly WWB and my LSWC. Never one failure. Crown is rough, but I'm not a bullseye shooter, so it doesn't matter. It's plenty accurate.

 

[Colt]

The S&W Sc was the first new gun I ever bought. It was also the first gun I ever sold. The barrel crown and poor fitting sights were my primary reasons. I replaced it with a used Kimber Elite Carry. (Officer grip, 4" bbl)

 

[mjrodney]

I too have found my SW1911 to be a super performer, and despite also owning a Les Baer Premier II and a Kimber Team Match II, that S&W has a welcome place in my stable.

My own round count on the SW1911 is somewhere past 10k with no issues.

 

[skinewmexico]

Have you ever seen a gun produced by a major advertiser not get rave reviews?

 

[wheel]

Several hundred rounds. Flawless. FMJ, JHP, this gun eats anything.

 

[R12GS]

Have you ever seen a gun produced by a major advertiser not get rave reviews?

Yes, the S&W Sigma.

 

[redneckrepairs]

I really should not post since i dont own a s&w 1911 , and only have minimal experiance with them . However i have had oppertunity to shoot some examples of them . IMHO they are fine firearms . The S&W factory rep for my state and some others happens to hunt on my ground and brings toys when he does . Some of the toys i shoot on his nickel and some on mine , some on combo . He assures me he gets no custom tuned guns what so ever , he buys off the line so to speak ( tho at a deep discount ) . I ran close to 1k rounds thro three 1911s in 3 hours , well he and i did , most were factory 230s , but a couple of hundred were really ugly 200 lsw loaded up with unique .. nothing bobbled at all . In fact the smiths showed better reliability than a buddys kimber with the lsw's and we loaded them for the kimber lol .

 

[cbsbyte]

I know a few people that have Smith 1911s, and all of them like their guns. Living in Mass it is one of few 1911s we can buy new. One of these people bought a new Doug Koeing model which out of the box had a terrible trigger pull. It inexcusable for a match gun. Another has an early Smith 1911s model, which now has thousands of rounds through it but he find it is no longer as accurate as it was when new.

 

[1911SC]

I love my 1911Sc