I
think your "SA Mil-Spec .45" refers to the recent pistols out of Illinois, while "SA GI .45" refers to true Government Issue pistols dating back to several decades ago, made by the original Springfield Armory.
Mr. Robert Reese merely bought the name-rights to "Springfield Armory" some time in 1974, for the current, private-commercial enterprise in Geneseo, Illinois.
The original, legendary Springfield Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts, had closed in 1968, after serving your country for nearly 200 years.
The present-day Springfield Armory 1911 Mil-Specs, like the Rock Island Armory 1911 pistols (--now
there's another name-jack for ya
, from my country no less, and off the historical Rock Island Arsenal--),
look "mil-spec". Personally, I feel a 1911 can only really be called "mil-spec" if it meets military specifications for the 1911 or 1911A1 ---with none of this MIM or investment-cast pig's-knucklery, or 'slightly off' dimensions,
ad nauseam. But that's just me. I'm just an 'Absolute Beginner', so what do I know?
The original Springfield Armory's GI 1911's wouldn't even have to be qualified as "mil-spec", since all they made was automatically mil-spec. Here is a really nice website, with excellent image galleries and historical background to US GI M1911 and M1911A1 pistols, including those manufactured by
THE original Springfield Armory:
US GI Springfield M1911
Real-deal GI's can be quite valuable as collector's items, as mementos, and (still) as practical-use firearms.
hth,
horge
PS: I'm definitely
not bashing either the modern-day Springers or the RIA/Armscor pistols. They certainly have their
very satisfied customers, and God willing, I myself will be one of them come this July.
PPS: If my opening presumption is wrong, please let me know, so I can take my sorry self out back and put myself out of your misery.
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: