Springfield "GI" M1911A1

[2nd 41]

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.

My Loaded jammed a few times. Could have been the ammo....however, SpringField could not do enough for me to to make things right. Any problems are taken care of ASAP by SA.

 

[Drail]

Yup, if you can deal with the GI sights they're kinda like a 57 Chevy. Except Parkerized.

 

[MikePGS]

If its like other WW2 reproductions, you'll need to invest in some sights, since the ones on those guns tend to be tiny. On the other hand if your more into the point and shoot thing they might be up your alley.

 

[XavierBreath]

My first GI45 was one of the first 300 produced. It has been 100% reliable. I still shoot it, and would not be adverse to carrying it if I did not have a lighter 1911.

At a price under $500, these are, in my opinion, the best buy in an inexpensive 1911. Here is an article highlighting all the differences between the GI45 and the Mil-Spec.

 

[trbon8r]

Nice pistol Xavier. Did you have any problems fitting the original GI parts like the safety, hammer, and trigger to your SA? I was curious how interchangeable the GI parts were with an SA pistol. I had thought about doing something similar to what you have done with my Springfield.

 

[rfurtkamp]

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.

Yeah, that was the problem for me and the GI. I had one of the originals as well, so early they didnt' even have the brown plastic grips available and shipped with black and you could call in and get the brown mailed when available.

Paying to have the slide milled out for sights etc is just too pricey a proposition for what the gun is since there's no practical replacement whatsoever for the front sight and the rear options are limited by that.

 

[XavierBreath]

No problems at all trbon8r.

The thumb safety could present a problem if it has been filed away on excessively to fit it to another pistol.

Finding the parts can be a chore now a days. Check your gunsmith's dusty take off bin for parts.

 

[foghornl]

Have the 4" 'Champion' Model and the 5" 'GI-45'.

Even with the ultra-micro-mini sights on the GI-45, I find I shoot it better than the Champion with the 3-dot glow-in-the-dark Night Sight

 

[benderx4]

Get the Mil-Spec! Take it from someone who bought the GI as my first 1911. It's worth the few extra bucks!

If for nothing else, the much-improved sights and the lowered ejection port. I couldn't hit anything I was aiming at and had plenty of FTEs.

Upgraded to the "Loaded" version, (took a bath on the GI), and all was well in my 1911 world.

Good luck and Happy Shooting!