Springfield Armory M1911A1
- Thread starter ronrod71
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littlelefty
Member
I have a Springfield 1911 A1 Loaded in what they call Armory Kote OD green that is about 15 months old. Is that what you are referring to? I like mine lots. The finish has been very durable except for one idiot mark that I applied during the first takedown and reassembly:banghead:
I did change the grips because mine were cheap flimsy black rubber. I put some nice wood double diamond checkered rosewood ones on and it looks great. As for function, I have shot about 600 rounds to date and still get an occasional FTE. Might be me; not sure. Others own them with no malfunctions. Depending on price, I'd buy it if I were you and looking for a 1911.
I did change the grips because mine were cheap flimsy black rubber. I put some nice wood double diamond checkered rosewood ones on and it looks great. As for function, I have shot about 600 rounds to date and still get an occasional FTE. Might be me; not sure. Others own them with no malfunctions. Depending on price, I'd buy it if I were you and looking for a 1911.
I have both the 4" Champion model and the 5" 'GI-45'. Both work well, and I have already installed the 'Idiot Mark' from poor disassembly-reassembly procedures.
I had a small issue with my Champion at first, turned out to be a mag spring problem. Kudos to "1911Tuner" for resolving that for me.
I had a small issue with my Champion at first, turned out to be a mag spring problem. Kudos to "1911Tuner" for resolving that for me.
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mainmech48
Member
I've had two Springfields for several years now, both stainless and both with the "Loaded" option package: A full-sized 1911-A1 and a Champion 4". Both have given me great service and I consider them to have been solid values, especially for the modest prices I paid.
Many custom 'smiths, including the redoubtable Alex Hamilton of Ten-Ring Precision, have stated that they consider a plain vanilla Mil-Spec Springfield model to be the most cost-effective basis for building a custom 1911 on today's market. I'd consider that to be no mean endorsement.
I have no personal experience with the polymer finishes on Springfields, but the one on my CZ97-B has proven to be extremely tough so far. I'm not big on Parkerizing per se, as it's not very tough or particularly corrosion-resistant on its own. Apply a modern polymer formula over it though, and it's a whole other story. If that OD is poly, it should be pretty tough. If it's real Parkerizing you'll want to keep it coated with a good preservative product to keep corrosion at bay. Either way, you'll likely have a good, basic 1911, and that ain't a bad thing.
Many custom 'smiths, including the redoubtable Alex Hamilton of Ten-Ring Precision, have stated that they consider a plain vanilla Mil-Spec Springfield model to be the most cost-effective basis for building a custom 1911 on today's market. I'd consider that to be no mean endorsement.
I have no personal experience with the polymer finishes on Springfields, but the one on my CZ97-B has proven to be extremely tough so far. I'm not big on Parkerizing per se, as it's not very tough or particularly corrosion-resistant on its own. Apply a modern polymer formula over it though, and it's a whole other story. If that OD is poly, it should be pretty tough. If it's real Parkerizing you'll want to keep it coated with a good preservative product to keep corrosion at bay. Either way, you'll likely have a good, basic 1911, and that ain't a bad thing.
Good posts
Thank you for the good post. Littlelefty describes my pistol correctly. It is the 5"-GI model. I will post pics soon.
A member on another board told me that the Brazil made springfield is duarble, but the exdtractor is problematic and most of the springs will have to be replaced with better quality ones.
Thank you for the good post. Littlelefty describes my pistol correctly. It is the 5"-GI model. I will post pics soon.
A member on another board told me that the Brazil made springfield is duarble, but the exdtractor is problematic and most of the springs will have to be replaced with better quality ones.
koja48
member
Kinda like one of these?
Slimbo
Member
i have two springfields, a mil spec and a GI and both are great guns. whoever told you about the extractor and the springs doesnt sound like they have had much experience with a springfield. the only springs i have replaced have been recoil springs due to regular (twice a week, sometimes 3) shooting and the mainspring in one gun due to replacing the factory mainspring housing with an ed brown piece. no extractor problems yet.
Slimbo
Member
both make good parts in my opinion. i have ed brown, wilson and cylinder & slide stuff in my mil spec and couldnt be happier.
mainmech48
Member
If the 1911 design has one area where problems chronically occur, then it has to be the extractor. The most common cause, IMO&E, is usually improper tensioning and it's not confined to Springield products.
Kimber, S&W, Para, and many custom outfits have changed the extractor design on their 1911s, and it can't be simply to be 'different'. Some of their reasons may have to do with cost or ease of manufacture, but there's no denying that a lot of common functional issues happen a lot less often on their products since they did.
Properly fitted and tensioned, and kept clean the original design works just fine. But the newer designs seem to be able to do it with less routine maintenance and fewer of the warranty issues from minor assembly 'oopses' in production.
Kimber, S&W, Para, and many custom outfits have changed the extractor design on their 1911s, and it can't be simply to be 'different'. Some of their reasons may have to do with cost or ease of manufacture, but there's no denying that a lot of common functional issues happen a lot less often on their products since they did.
Properly fitted and tensioned, and kept clean the original design works just fine. But the newer designs seem to be able to do it with less routine maintenance and fewer of the warranty issues from minor assembly 'oopses' in production.
I've got a springfield milspec 1911. It's a very very nice pistol. It was also one of my first, bought it used off a buddy...it's probably had at least 10,000 rounds through it by me alone.
It was blued, and the finish quickly got messed up (i'm not too nice to my guns) so I cold blued it in a bathroom sink...worked fine, but not as good as factory.
I would highly recommend a springfield to anyone. I've never shot the ed brown, but I would say the Kimber feels 'tighter' in the slide and parts than in the springfield, but both shoot just as straight and feel exactly the same, to me anyhow. It's an excellent 1911 for the price, but I'd really like to get my hands on a Taurus because those things are inexpensive ($400 here) and have gotten good reviews.
It was blued, and the finish quickly got messed up (i'm not too nice to my guns) so I cold blued it in a bathroom sink...worked fine, but not as good as factory.
I would highly recommend a springfield to anyone. I've never shot the ed brown, but I would say the Kimber feels 'tighter' in the slide and parts than in the springfield, but both shoot just as straight and feel exactly the same, to me anyhow. It's an excellent 1911 for the price, but I'd really like to get my hands on a Taurus because those things are inexpensive ($400 here) and have gotten good reviews.
Slimbo
Member
i've been keeping an eye on the taurus line also, i've seen them local for about 500. i'd like to pick one up for a knock around gun. i think im going to end up waiting untill the .40s&w version is out tho just to try something different. i have two 45's and a 38 super (colt) right now and love all 3.
1911 guy
Member
Springfield and extractors.
First off, Springfield Armory makes one of the highest overall quality 1911 pattern handguns on the market. For quality of frame and slide alone, they stand at the top of the heap. If you should happen to have a problem, their customer service is top notch, from what I hear. I've never needed it.
Now on to extractors. There is only one reason that manufacturers go to different styles of extractors: They are too blinking lazy and cheap to make a properly made spring steel extractor. Older handguns exist that still run strong with the original part in place, as in the only one ever installed in the pistol, left the factory with it. They were properly made and last. MIM, not so much. Refer to that whole "spring steel" thing.
First off, Springfield Armory makes one of the highest overall quality 1911 pattern handguns on the market. For quality of frame and slide alone, they stand at the top of the heap. If you should happen to have a problem, their customer service is top notch, from what I hear. I've never needed it.
Now on to extractors. There is only one reason that manufacturers go to different styles of extractors: They are too blinking lazy and cheap to make a properly made spring steel extractor. Older handguns exist that still run strong with the original part in place, as in the only one ever installed in the pistol, left the factory with it. They were properly made and last. MIM, not so much. Refer to that whole "spring steel" thing.
I own a couple Springfields and really like them. For the times they've had to go back to the factory, their customer service is the best in the business. The only real negative thing I can say is that (at least on mine) the OD green was the worst finish I've ever had on a gun. Hoppes #9 will make it flake off and after some holster time, I'm down to bare metal on a lot of the gun. YMMV.
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