Springfield "GI" M1911A1
- Thread starter Slater
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Kind of Blued
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General consensus, they're a great value. If you don't mind the lack of bells & whistles, look around for a good price and snatch one up.
(Give budsgunshop a try online. Usually great prices.)
(Give budsgunshop a try online. Usually great prices.)
mljdeckard
Member
My dad just got one and doesn't like the integral lock system. (Neither do I.) I told him to never touch it and forget it.
It's his first 1911, I steered him that way deliberately, to be able to customize it a bit if he wanted to.
It's his first 1911, I steered him that way deliberately, to be able to customize it a bit if he wanted to.
Great gun if you can still handle the GI sights ... if not, the next step up is the MilSpec (often incorrectly advertised as also a 'GI'); with that model you get 3 dot sights, a lowered ejection port and angled rather than straight rear serrations.
You can ditch the ILS for just a few bucks in small parts, altho you'd need a new MSH to get rid of the now useless hole, but that's only aesthetics.
/Bryan
You can ditch the ILS for just a few bucks in small parts, altho you'd need a new MSH to get rid of the now useless hole, but that's only aesthetics.
/Bryan
cjw3cma
Member
Ooops.
Last edited:
Eightball
Member
$75 rebate.....is that from SA, or from Buds?
Good guns for the money. My SS Mil-Spec has been fine. Just changed the front sight as it shot a bit high with the stock one.
The GI one is pretty close to the DCM original I got for Christmas, 1960. My folks paid the original owner $25 for it. Still have the gun, too...
The GI one is pretty close to the DCM original I got for Christmas, 1960. My folks paid the original owner $25 for it. Still have the gun, too...
possum
Member
they are a great value and a great choice, i own a 1911 from sa and i love it, i have shot/used many of the sa 1911's, and i remember being impressed with the accuracy of the gi model, as well as the reliability.
1911 guy
Member
Good guns.
I bought one a few years ago, paid for some personally desired upgrades and it's my daily carry now. Quality frame and slide, everything is milled and drilled square, they're reliable, what's more to want?
The lock issue is only a consideration if you're wanting the last little bit of smooth and light from the trigger. For all practical purposes, just unlock it and hide the key from yourself.
If the price between a G.I. and mil-spec is too great for you and you want better sights, just get a medium tennon sight of your choice and a "retro" sight from Yost. They'll go in with no machining on the slide.
I bought one a few years ago, paid for some personally desired upgrades and it's my daily carry now. Quality frame and slide, everything is milled and drilled square, they're reliable, what's more to want?
The lock issue is only a consideration if you're wanting the last little bit of smooth and light from the trigger. For all practical purposes, just unlock it and hide the key from yourself.
If the price between a G.I. and mil-spec is too great for you and you want better sights, just get a medium tennon sight of your choice and a "retro" sight from Yost. They'll go in with no machining on the slide.
Lone_Gunman
Member
I had one. It was a jam-o-matic. Its Springfield's lowest grade 1911, and you get what you pay for. Take what I say with a grain of salt, as my sample size is small (ie, experience with one gun only) and maybe it was just a lemon.
For the price, I think S&W's 1911s are a better value. Yes they cost more, but are finished better and more reliable. Plus S&W has customer support that actually is customer support.
For the price, I think S&W's 1911s are a better value. Yes they cost more, but are finished better and more reliable. Plus S&W has customer support that actually is customer support.
As good a value as the Springer GI is, I think it is worth the few extra dollars to get the Mil-Spec. I have a stainless model and, after switching the arched mainspring housing to a flat Ed Brown version, it is one of my favorite general utility handguns.
I have 2 GI's and they are both good shooters. I also have a Loaded but hate the front slide serations on it so it's become a pistol range gun or house gun. I use my Wilson Compact built on a Springfield compact for carry sometimes I will carry one of my Springfield GI's.
Lookn4Brass
Member
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- Aug 9, 2008
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Look for a used Springfield too. You might find a standard gun that someone tweaked a bit better for less money than the GI. The last new GI models I handled (three weeks ago) had alot of sharp edges on the front of the slide, the grip area felt like it would bite with hardball ammo, and the trigger pull wasn't that great either. If you find a good one that's shooter-friendly to the hand and like it, get it. But if you plan to shoot one alot, look harder first. Happy huntin' 
MrBill120
Member
do all Springfields come with an internal lock?
sturmgewehr
Member
All new SA's come with the ILS lock.
My TRP (ILS) has the same trigger pull as my Custom Shop Professional Model (no ILS).
Go figure. People talk about how horrible the ILS makes the trigger pull and of all the ILS SA's I own, not one of the has a bad trigger pull.
My TRP (ILS) has the same trigger pull as my Custom Shop Professional Model (no ILS).
Go figure. People talk about how horrible the ILS makes the trigger pull and of all the ILS SA's I own, not one of the has a bad trigger pull.
460 rowland
Member
springfield gi
These are great guns,never had a problem with mine.Also converted mine to 460 rowland &keeps on ticking.About 3,ooo rounds of reloaded heavy duty ammo,and still going strong.
These are great guns,never had a problem with mine.Also converted mine to 460 rowland &keeps on ticking.About 3,ooo rounds of reloaded heavy duty ammo,and still going strong.
weisse52
Member
Of all the SA I owned (past tense) the GI was the only one to give me a problem jamming. Since it was new a quick trip to SA and it came back better than new with SA doing some extra work (at no cost) to make it a great piece.
If you can find a used Mil-spec it does have just a couple of features that make it a little better. (sights, lower ejector port, etc)
If you can find a used Mil-spec it does have just a couple of features that make it a little better. (sights, lower ejector port, etc)
They are good basic guns but my GI had to go back to Springfield because the plunger tube came loose on the first trip to the range. CS was excellent. They fixed it very fast. I hate internal locks, so I swapped the mainspring housing on mine (it's very easy to do). I eventually wanted something a little more refined, so I sold it and bought a Colt series 70 repro.
I sold mine the minute I found a better 1911 and was happy with it.
The godawful sights (while milspec) aren't conducive to much of anything, even though I can shoot them. It's the difference beween a gun that shoots like a laser beam and a scattergun.
Cosmetic differences and whatnot weren't really an issue to me, but when it came down to it, I'd bring it and my GSR to the range and couldn't bring myself to waste ammo on it any more.
It went to a good home.
The godawful sights (while milspec) aren't conducive to much of anything, even though I can shoot them. It's the difference beween a gun that shoots like a laser beam and a scattergun.
Cosmetic differences and whatnot weren't really an issue to me, but when it came down to it, I'd bring it and my GSR to the range and couldn't bring myself to waste ammo on it any more.
It went to a good home.
I have a Springfield GI pistol. It is one of the older guns with the plastic GI WW2 plastic style grips instead of the later model with the "U.S" stamped wood grips.
My pistol is a good one. I have no problems with it. The gun has never failed to feed or fire. They are a little rougher overall than a Colt, but then again I wouldn't expect Colt quality in a $450 gun. I think the Springfield is a good value, but I'm selling mine because I really want one of the Colt WW1 repros. Either that, or I'll be buying some more AR stuff if the messiah gets elected.
My pistol is a good one. I have no problems with it. The gun has never failed to feed or fire. They are a little rougher overall than a Colt, but then again I wouldn't expect Colt quality in a $450 gun. I think the Springfield is a good value, but I'm selling mine because I really want one of the Colt WW1 repros. Either that, or I'll be buying some more AR stuff if the messiah gets elected.
KE4NYV
Member
I love mine!
My only complaint is that the shells eject straight up. When I am at the range, they have this plastic honeycomb thing over your head. When I fire this gun, the shells fire up, hit the honeycomb and come right back down on the top of my head
My only complaint is that the shells eject straight up. When I am at the range, they have this plastic honeycomb thing over your head. When I fire this gun, the shells fire up, hit the honeycomb and come right back down on the top of my head
I love mine and have had no problems with it... BUT if I were to do it again I would have spent a couple extra bucks and bought the Mil-spec. I like the sights on the mil-spec much better and the lower ejection port doesn't hurt either.
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
I will chime in here, and state that the Springfield WW-II G.I. replicas's
are very desireable, basic (NO FRILLS) 1911's. They sell very well from
within our shop; and I even own myself, that was given too me by a
very dear friend from here at THR~!
MCain-Palin On Nov. 4th~!
are very desireable, basic (NO FRILLS) 1911's. They sell very well from
within our shop; and I even own myself, that was given too me by a
very dear friend from here at THR~!
MCain-Palin On Nov. 4th~!
mljdeckard
Member
My dad called me, looking to buy a sidearm, and being to 'busy' to go to a range and rent a bunch of different ones, I steered him to 1911s. He said there was a big price range, I told him to get the G.I., and the Brownell's catalog to upgrade it later. He has it now, the only thing he wants to change is his sights.
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