Tell me about your S&W1911PD!

[Redhat]

I just layed away a S&W1911PD. Looks like a fine Commander size 1911.

What is the verdict from owners?

Thanks

 

[robctwo]

Great gun. Very accurate. Very nice trigger out of the box. Mine threw brass into my forehead. Couldn't duck so took a file to it. Problem solved.

 

[Redhat]

thanks robctwo,

Do you know if 1911TUNER did any evals on this gun?

 

[Grape Ape]

I love mine.

I kinda wish it was heavier (mine has a Sc frame and weight 28 or 30 oz.) as it really kicks with hot loads.

I think that the fact that the drop safety is actuated by the gripsafety rather than the trigger probably helps the trigger a lot.

I've got about 450 FMJs and 200 JHPs thru it without a single failure.

 

[robctwo]

Have not seen a Tuner review of this gun. Lots of discussion of it over on the 1911forum. Whole section on S&W there. Mine has the Crimson Trace grips. It is at least as accurate as my 5" Springfield Armory Loaded. About equal to my Sig 220 ST without the weight. That's using the iron sights. The trade off with the lighter frame is that it will beat you up on the longer range sessions. Shooting 400-600 rounds out of it isn't much fun like it is with the all stainless models. Plenty comfortable for 200 rounds at a time. I also shoot lighter target loads for longer range sessions.

The trigger on mine was way better than the SA out of the box. Lighter than the single action trigger on the Sig. I'm sure that has a lot to do with the accuracy for me.

 

[Gordon]

Right under 4000 rounds thru my Gunsite 1911PD with nary a hitch
I replaced the recoil spring at 3000 rnds with a 19 pound Wolff progressive and it is better than new! I bought another extractor and it's pin and spring from S&W, but have yet to need it.
The trigger is great as is, the sights are great too and the Gunsite version is 'melted' a little on the edges and has the tradition GI guide rod.. I even kept the Herret Oval stocks that came with it, they are good too! I polish burrs when I strip clean 1911's every 500-750 rounds or so, but there have been few to polish on the 1911PD! I heard the safety plunger tubes can fly off, but mine is staked pretty good. I carry the gun for CCW and like the weight being the same as my Colt Officers Lightweight, with more gun there. I have never bench shot my gun but it is very accurate, not quite a Gold Cup, but better than most Colt Combat Commanders.
Down sides: the barrel has no visable crown, I want to get that done-sometime.The ejection pattern IS a little more variable than an internal extractor 1911.

 

[ezypikns]

I have the blue steel 5" model...

and it's been absolutely reliable and very accurate. Recoil is nothing as you would expect with a heavy pistol.

 

[Redhat]

Thanks,

How is the trigger?

Are you using the factory magazines?

 

[longeyes]

Mine's the most accurate handgun I own, at least on a par with my Kimber. A few initial bobbles but flawless thereafter (724 total rounds fired). I am mainly using the two supplied mags plus two Tripp Cobramags. I haven't found it too light or hard on the hands, but then I've never fired more than 150 rounds at any range session.

 

[Redhat]

Thanks for the info.

Don't see much hype about these guns. Hope mine shoots as good as yours!

 

[Ala Dan]

I have a new 5" stainless steel S&W [#108282] 1911 .45 ACP, and its
every bit as accurate as my new Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special 1911;
at a fraction of the cost~!

 

[Redhat]

Sounds good. I always wanted a Commander sizxe and this one just grabbed me by the shirt tail!

Make a nice partner to my old '70 series

 

[Z_Infidel]

I had an early commander-size SW1911SC (black finish with billboard) that was basically the same gun as the current SW1911PD. It was a good shooter and utterly reliable. However, I recently decided to replace it with an all-steel full size SW1911 because I actually like the heavier gun better.

 

[Walkalong]

I passed up an all SS S&W 1911 at a gun show for $600 walking away money some time back. Wish I had bought it. I was probably broke at the time.

 

[[email protected]]

I think there's something wrong with mine... it sounds like some kinda pellet gun...

DanO

 

[Walkalong]

SWEET!

 

[1977kaw]

X2

my brother and I both have a SC commander length 1911 --WE BOTH LOVE them!!
we both carry them as our CCW - PDW

 

[Redhat]

Excellent,

Hope mine is a shooter!

 

[Tom Servo]

It's my current carry gun. Just as accurate as anything I've fired, and highly reliable, though the factory mags came with weak springs.

I had a problem with the grip-safety on mine, and when I called S&W, they sent a prepaid FedEx box for it and paid shipping both ways. I had the gun back in less than a week, and not only did they fix the problem, they installed a set of night-sights I had requested for free

It's been about 2000 rounds since then without a hiccup. Here she is with a set of VZ grips:

 

[longeyes]

I could use some free night sights. I'd better find something wrong with mine.

 

[Redhat]

Nice!

Any problems with the internal safety?

What did you do about the weak magazine springs?

 

[Jimbo1]

I really liked mine, had a problem with the sear spring. I think I bent it, not the weapon's fault. But the one I had, would not work with the cheap McCormick mags I had. The pointed part of the follower would dig a groove into the frame just below the feed ramp. Once I figured that out, the weapon worked everytime, and was my daily carry for 9 months or so.

 

[Redhat]

So you dumped it?

 

[tegemu]

I have it's white metal brother, the Scandium Commander and find that it is my favorite of the many handguns (Currently have 5 1911's) I have encountered over the years.

 

[Gordon]

thumbs up to S&W on this 1911 thing
Most of you think I'm a grouchy old curmudgeon that likes to get quality he paid for. I do with these!